Chapter 4
-Dorothy-
“You know each other?” I squeaked, clinging tighter to Ignatius now that Johan’s scent was present and toying with my emotions once again.
Neither responded to my question but instead, Johan stepped closer, reaching for me, stiltedly like he couldn’t control his movements. My internal heartbreak still fresh, I cowered away from him into Ignatious’s chest.
“I’m okay. Really it’s fine.”
I was fighting to keep my tone even but my voice shook slightly.
“Um, Ignatious is just helping me out.”
Ignatius himself seemed confused by the odd interaction between Johan and me, but thankfully he caught on to the fact that the situation was more than uncomfortable. He proceeded to place me gently in the passenger seat and straightened up to face Johan again.
“She was attacked by some students. Gonna take her down to the healer to fix her up.” Ignatius tried to close the passenger door behind him but Johan put a hand out to stop him. He seemed to be wrestling with himself internally, his shoulders shaking and his hands curling to fists.
“I should… come with you.”
He spoke with uncertainty, most likely his inner-wolf was fighting for its true mate. He stared down at me huddled on the passenger seat, a possessive glint in his previously soft eyes. I shook my head, silently.
The instinctual part of me wanted him to stay close and I didn’t have the strength to tell him no. I glanced at Ignatious – pleading with my eyes for him to handle the situation swiftly. He gave me a small nod and put a warning hand on Johan’s shoulder.
“She’ll be fine, you can visit her later if you need to.”
For a second it looked like Johan would get violent, glancing angrily at the cool hand on
his shoulder. removed his hand and folded his arms, “Isn’t Mavis going to be
wondering where you are?”
This seemed to shake Johan out of his volatile state. He stepped away and allowed Ignatius to close the passenger door. With one final glance in my direction he turned and left, heading back into the college and rubbing an arm over his eyes.
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hapter 4
gnatius stared after him for a while before rounding the car and climbing into the Iriver’s seat.
Put your seatbelt on.”
t took me a moment or two to realize he was obviously talking to me. I turned my gaze rom the window and Johan’s retreating figure to face my new acquaintance.
“Uh, potentially fractured rib cage?”
I didn’t mean for it to sound quite so condescending but the interaction with Johan and my still aching b*dy had left me in a sour mood. Ignatius started the car and pulled out of the parking bay.
“Fair point. Here, for your face.”
He handed me a towel from the back seat and I pressed it to my dripping nose. The rest of the car ride was a silent one, albeit not wholly unpleasant. Ignatius’s scent was as comforting as it was intoxicating.
The salty tint of a sea breeze was detectable even through a nose clogged with blood. He flicked on the radio at some point and I closed my eyes, leaning back in the seat and allowing myself to drift pleasantly into unconsciousness.
-Johan-
Tearing myself from Dorothy had been more difficult than I expected. Walking back into college I made straight for an empty lecture room and slammed the door behind me, harder than I had intended to the wood splintered slightly and it creaked on its hinges in protest.
Planting my palms on an empty desk I ran through the events of today in my head. I had been able to sense her from the moment I awoke that morning. As much as I had believed I was ready for the mating call, her floral scent was overpowering.
Waiting in the hallway earlier while she hesitated to approach me, I felt as if I was standing in an open field. She smelled of fresh air and sprawling pastures, lavender, and light rain. My inner-wolf craved her as I fought to keep my head down, scanning the notes gripped in my fists without actually reading anything.
I couldn’t keep my eyes from her for long but I was scrambling desperately for the right. words to say. I hadn’t expected her to run away, although I couldn’t really blame her.
Standing there and pretending that every cell in my b*dy wasn’t singing for her, I couldn’t have given the best first impression.
Dorothy was perfect though. Talking to her up close – holding her I could have
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rayed Mavis then and there. But we had promised; if Mavis was not my true mate d she wasn’t mine, we would reject our mates and stay together.
luo for years, we had spoken about this day, even as children. When I was nine I ifted her a ring made of twigs and dandelions and swore that one day I would marry r. I loved Mavis, I always would. I couldn’t abandon her for a mate I had only known r half a day.
id then there was Ignatius. I knew he’d be coming to visit, our fathers had been fast iends for years and Ignatius and I were essentially brothers. Why then would he be inging around Dorothy? Why would he be holding her? Why was she so eager to go ith him?
urthermore, she’d been bleeding. Did he hurt her? How dare he lay a finger on my late. Friend or no friend I wouldn’t hesitate to tear him apart if he so much as
rubbed my eyes with my index finger and thumb. I had let my inner-wolf dictate my motions. I felt possessive and infuriated at another man near my true måte. But Jorothy wasn’t mine to possess I had told her so myself.
Obviously, Ignatius didn’t know about the mating bond, he was just helping out a girl ie’d met. And Dorothy had every right to be wary of me, I’d given her nothing but nixed signals and a terrible birthday. I felt torn, tormented. It wasn’t supposed to be his difficult.
‘So this is where you’ve been hiding.”
I hadn’t heard anyone enter, but Mavis was standing behind me with folded arms.
She wore a flowing green sundress and a frown on her face. She waltzed up beside me and hoisted herself onto the desk, swinging her legs beneath her.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
I came to stand in front of her and she opened her legs to welcome me. Leaning forwards, I buried my face in her neck and inhaled the scent of her skin and brilliant blonde locks. She smelled of conditioner and expensive fragrance.
I didn’t mind the fake floral odor though. I needed reassurance. I needed to remind myself that this was the right decision.
Mavis ran her fingers through my hair.
“So you found her.”
Her plump lips brushed my car.
“Your true mate?”
Chapter 4
25 Jan
I wrapped my arms around her. I wanted to melt into her, assimilate into one being that had no true mate and no mating call to deny. “Yeah. How did you know?”
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She blew a raspberry on my neck. I knew she was rolling her eyes without needing to see them.
“Allisa obviously, Said she saw you two in the bathroom. And the garden. She said you were holding her.”
She was silent for a moment, waiting for me to deny it. I tightened my embrace and squeezed my eyes shut.
“It wasn’t like that. I was honest and she was hurt, I was just trying to be nice.”
Mavis pulled away and looked me in the eye.
“Did you reject her?”
It was hard to keep eye contact. I had never been able to lie to her and this time was no different. I cupped her delicate face in my hand, “Not exactly…”
Mavis pulled away again and moved to stand up.
“Not entirely,” I continued, “But I told her I couldn’t be with her. I love you, Mavis -” I gripped her waist, holding her in place, “I love you.”
Her green-gray eyes were piercing and angry, her lips twisted into a sneer, “Then why didn’t you reject her?” she hissed.
I straightened up and pressed my palms to my eyes in frustration.
“She asked me not to do it today. She was crying, Mavis. What difference does it make if I do it tomorrow instead?”
Mavis slid off of the desk and stood before me. She pounded a fist on my chest.
“You don’t want to reject her, do you? You selfish pri ck, you can’t ignore the mating call. All of your promises were a bunch of lies.”
She was shorter than me but it felt like she was towering above me, her words like daggers.
“Just admit it. You don’t want to ignore it because you’re weak!”
1 gripped both her wrists in my hand and pressed her fingers to my lips. “I’ll do it, okay? I’ll reject her. You just need to give me some time.”
Mavis narrowed her eyes and regarded me coldly. She jutted her chin out and yanked
Chapter 4
her hands away, “I’m the only one who understands you. Not your dad, not your friends, not her. I’m all you’ve got.”
“I know that.”
I lowered my head, I just wanted it all to be over. This day, this argument, my feelings towards Dorothy. All of it.
“I’m the only person who truly cares about you,” Mavis continued, “Who stood by you all these years? Mc, I did. I charmed your father, I got along with your useless friends. I got you the status you have today.” She brought her face up to mine and gripped my chin, forcing me to look her in the eye, “Without me you’re nothing.”
I knew I shouldn’t let her talk to me like that, but she was right about everything. We needed each other. We had always taken care of each other.
“I know.”
“Besides,” Mavis moved her hand to caress my cheek, her eyes softening slightly, “She could never love you like I can.”
She pressed her lips to mine and lassoed her arms around my neck. I leaned into her k*ss, convincing myself that if I could just stay close to her, everything would be alright. Mavis pulled me towards her as she backed up against the desk.
Lost in the moment and determined to push Dorothy out of my mind completely, I hoisted Mavis up onto the desk and she wrapped her slender legs around me. She knotted her fists in my hair and k*ssed me passionately.
I let my hands wander and gripped her thighs under her dress, relishing in the taste of her tongue pushing into my mouth. She pulled at my jeans and moaned for more.
When I finally pushed into her she sighed into my ear, “Don’t leave me. Promise me you won’t leave me.”
I threw my head back in pleasure as she slid her tongue along my neck before k*ssing her again.
“I won’t. I promise.”
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