Callan felt his jaw tighten at the sound. It broke through the spell they’d both been in, he and this strange woman before him— his mate. He felt the excitement of his wolf, Blaze, at the discovery, and it angered him further. Everything did.
“I… Don't move, I'll…” she stammered, trying to get to the glass shards that pooled around him.
“Don’t!” He instinctively grabbed onto her wrist to stop her, and he felt a rush course through him at the contact, sending burning heat through him… It was foreign, this reaction she was eliciting from him. Callan had never had a woman make him feel this way in his entire life, and he’d met quite a number of them.
She looked up at him, her large eyes staring innocently at him. He had to admit, despite himself, that she was stunning. She was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen, and he had no idea if he felt that way due to whatever it was that was going on with him.
Her eyes were golden, a rare kind of eye color that told him despite her shabby clothes, she was of noble blood. Her rich brown hair was pulled up into a bun that his fingers itched to run through. The need was so intense that Callan clenched his hand to stop himself. Everything about her had been molded to pure perfection— her small, button nose and then her mouth, curvaceous in a way that sent untoward thoughts through him.
He hated how he was losing control of himself in her presence. He was acting as though he'd never been with a woman before, but something nudged at the back of his head that this woman— his mate—whoever she was, was a woman unlike any other he’d ever met, and that scared him.
He took a closer step towards her, towering over her completely, and he saw her swallow nervously. His eyes trailed down to her long, slender neck. He released his hand from hers and made to walk away until her voice stopped him.
“Uh… Excuse… Do you… Do you realize it too?” she asked with a stutter.
Callan took a deep breath, maybe it was best he got over this now. He turned to her, and the sight of her yet again stunned him. How the hell was she so beautiful?
“Miss…” He waited for her to fill in.
“Sophia.”
“Sophia.” Her name rolled out of his lips effortlessly. “If you are talking about the fact that I am your mate, I would advise you to forget about all of that, including this meeting.” He paused before adding, “I belong to another.”
'Like hell you do!' Blaze snarled, but Callan couldn't be bothered by what his wolf thought.
Her face fell. He saw something die in her eyes, and he realized it was the last bit of hope that had come alive in his presence. Hurt flowed through him at her reaction, and he almost took his words back, anything to cease the pain he saw in her expression, but he didn't. He couldn't.
“Oh, I understand. I will…”
“Sophia!” another voice barked from the end of the hall, and he looked up to see Alexander.
He noticed Sophia jump at the voice, and she instantly went into action, her eyes darting about in search of something. She picked up a shirt that had also fallen during her fall and a small metal box, and without another glance at him, she hurried off in the direction of Alexander.
Jealousy shot through him when he saw her bow her head at Alexander before entering his room. From where Callan stood, Alexander couldn't see him, but he had a clear view of the other man, and he saw his eyes glance around before he retreated into the room, shutting the door.
Blaze pounded against him in rage, and Callan understood quite well. He was equally enraged by it. He shook his head to get rid of the feeling. She was no business of his, and all he needed to do before he left here was to reject her and break the bond.
He hadn't been kidding when he’d told Sophia he belonged to another. Even if that person didn't make him respond to her presence the way Sophia had, he still belonged to her, in body and soul.
****
A wave of fresh pain hit me when my eyes opened the next morning. I wished I could shut them back and fall into a state of unconsciousness, and even though when I’d been asleep, I had dreamt of it, the pain had been more subdued than now that I was fully awake.
I lay still on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. Sunlight streamed in through the parted curtain from the window, but I didn't want to stand up. I didn't have the energy to, yet I knew I had to, especially when Alexander called out to me. “I know you are awake. Get up!” he said.
Unlike how I usually scrambled up at his orders, this time, I felt weak, barely able to move my bones. I managed to get up.
“What is wrong with you?” he asked with worried eyes.
In his own sick way, Alexander cared about me. But in a way, that was also a death sentence for me. He saw me as an object he had to own for however long he wanted, and it made him so fiercely possessive that he didn't care if he hurt me in the process, and now I was doomed to be his forever.
Despite how resigned I had been, I only just realized last night that I still had a flicker of hope that I would be free of him if I found my mate, but following my mate’s rejection last night, I wished I hadn't met him at all. It would have been better to keep on wondering for the rest of my life how different my life would have been if I had met him than the eternal knowledge that he'd rejected me.
“I’m fine,” I said in response to Alexander.
He gripped me by the shoulder. “Do not lie to me!”
I attempted to shrug him off, but his hands were pressing down on me painfully. “I am not lying.”
His eyes searched mine. “What held you back last night? Did you meet anyone?” he asked in a frantic tone, and it was obvious what he was worried about.
A bitter smile formed on my lips. “I met no one.”
And his hand swung and came down on me as he slapped me. I struggled to stay on my feet, grabbing the couch for stability despite the pain I was feeling. I tasted the familiar metallic taste of blood in my mouth.
“You can't lie to me, Sophia. I know you better than anyone else, even yourself.” He grabbed me by the neck. “Who did you meet?“
Something snapped in me, and I pushed him off. I couldn't go on like this, I thought to myself as I ran, headed towards the door, and just as I had pulled it open and managed to step out, instantly he grabbed me by my midsection, his strong arms wrapping around my small figure as he pulled me back inside.
I cried out when he flung me to the floor.
“For the last time, Sophia,” Alexander said in a dangerous tone. “Who did you meet?”
I stared up at him defiantly, jutting my chin out. He could kill me now. I didn't mind anymore.
“You don't want to know what I will do to you!” he growled, taking a threatening step toward me.
“I advise you step away from her now,” a calm tone interrupted, causing me to snap my head towards its owner, and my treacherous heart soared as his luscious scent swirled around me.
Alexander took in a breath. “I’m sorry, Alpha Callan, but this is personal, so—”
“I consider it very personal that you are attacking my mate, Alexander,” he interrupted. “I am not going to say this again. Step away from her right now!” he ordered, his eyes darkening.