Just…let me hold you…please.

~Daisy~

Daisy tries to side step her mate but he blocks her path again.

"Really? I go off the grid for four days and that's all you have to say to me?" He frowns, a hooded emotion shining in his eyes that she really isn't in the mood to debunk.

She shakes her head with a groan. "I honestly don't have time for this. I need to talk to someone."

Gabriel grabs her hand before she can walk past him. "And I need to talk to you," he declares, dragging her out of the hall to the empty backyard patio.

"Let go of me!" She huffs, ripping her hand from his grip. Rubbing her wrist with an annoyed frown while her mate paced about, she knows she only succeeded because he let her hand go.

Covering his face with his hands, Gabriel comes to a stop in front of her. "Why is it always me?" He asks, his voice coming out muffled as he slides his hand down with a sigh. "Why is it only me you react to like this? Why can't you ever have time to pay attention to me?"

"You just keep coming at all the wrong times," Daisy says and as terrible as that sounds, it's the truth. The last time he called, she had plans with Alexander. The last time he texted, she was in Alexander's family house.

He scoffs. "Well, excuse my bad timing. I didn't realise my presence was this much of a burden to you."

Daisy rubs her temples, already having a headache from this conversation. "I am so sorry to say this, Gabriel but I cannot deal with your problems right now."

Gabriel's left eye twitches, his body tensing up. "My problems?" He queries, clenching his fists.

"I have way too many things in my head. This launch, the project you sprung on me, the fight it has caused between me and my friend which is your fault in case you didn't notice and Alexander's sudden disappearance yesterday." Daisy notices how his face turns blank after her last statement.

"So he just disappears yesterday and you get like this?"

Seriously? "Is that really the only thing you picked?"

"It's the only thing that matters," he insists, his tone icy and his demeanor withdrawn.

Oh for fuck's sake!

"You're always looking for Alexander when I'm with you. Why am I never enough? Why can't I ever have you to myself?"

Daisy huffs, gripping her hair so she doesn't grab his shirt and claw it to shreds. She's already overwhelmed with emotional and mental stress. One more push and her wolf will go crazy. His brooding aura certainly doesn't help her mood. It's in times like these she needs Micheal's calm presence. "I told you-"

"Too many things are in your head but you were on a date with Alexander yesterday. You're swamped and you still made time for Micheal Delvini."

His accusing tone flies over her head and her anger turns into surprise and confusion when she hears that name from his mouth. "How do you-"

"Why do you never have time for me? Why can't you blush in front of me the way you do for the others?" He asks, his volume increasing with each question. "Why do I always have to grovel for scraps of your affection? I'm an Alpha just like them! What is there not to like about me?"

She growls, letting go of her hair so she doesn't accidentally rip it off. Aware that her eyes are no longer normal and her claws are out, she tries not to clench her fists. "Gabriel! You're not listening to me!"

"I have been trying to listen!" He roars, causing Daisy's body to tremble from the authority in his voice. His eyes are overtaken by gold. His build has gotten bigger than usual as he huffs animalistically.

Daisy knows he's well on his way into a half shift but she refuses to back down. She stares him down, amber to pure gold.

"I have. I really have, Daisy," he whimpers, shocking her. "But you've never given me the chance you give them."

The sadness in his voice pulls at her heart painfully. She gulps, unsure of what to say. "I did, Gabriel. Like I said, the timing never seems to be right for us."

He shakes his head. "The timing can never be right. It's just a matter of choice. You choose them over me every single time and I refuse to sit back on the sidelines and watch you slip away from me."

Frowning at the resolve in his voice, she gets defensive again. "I am not-"

"An object. I'm aware. That's why I'm giving you an option," he starts, straightening his back. His body has gone back to normal and there's only little traces of gold in his eyes but Daisy isn't sure she likes the source of his eerie calmness.

"Go with me to see my parents during the weekend and I'll give you Alexander's address or find a way on your own, see him and visit my parents on Sunday," he offers, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"Those aren't options, they're indirect orders. I do not take orders from you, Gabriel," she grits her teeth.

"I know but it's the only way to get you to focus solely on me," he says, hesitantly taking her hand and moving closer to her. "I told you, Daisy. I'll take everything you want to give me even if it's just your anger." Placing her claws on his chest, he looks into her eyes. "I don't care if you want to claw at me, split me open during an argument or break my ribs when I annoy you again. I'll take it. Just...let me hold you.... please," he lets out breathlessly, resting his head on her shoulder.

Stressed tears well up in her eyes as she allows him to hug her. Closing her eyes, her tears fall as she inhales his pine scent and finds her body relaxing under his touch. Lifting her hands, she wraps them around his torso. A light sob escapes her lips when he kisses her neck. "I'm sorry," she cries, hugging him tighter as he runs his hand through her hair. "I'm so sorry that I've made you feel that it always has to come to this." Sniffling, she shakes her head. "I have no excuse. I'm being unfair."

Pulling back, Gabriel kisses her forehead. "You really are but no matter how much I complain, this push and pull makes me weak for you." He smiles softly, gently wiping her tears with his thumb. "And I can't even lie that I hate it."

"Gabriel-"

"I have never chased anyone in my life but I will gladly chase you to the ends of the earth if I have to just to stare into these enchanting fiery eyes," he cups her cheeks, placing a kiss on her nose. "I've never wanted someone so much in my life. You consume me, Daisy," he confesses, resting his forehead on hers. "It's a scary notion but I can't find it within myself to be afraid. When we fight, my heart bleeds but I find myself revelling in the pain because it's you."

Daisy bites down on her bottom lip to hold back her moan when he caresses a soft spot on her neck. His words, his scent and his touch send tingles down her spine. She grips his button up shirt to ground herself when he places another soft kiss on her neck. His breath on her ear makes her entire body shiver. "Gabriel," she moans.

He groans, his hand sliding down to push her body into his. "I love it when you call my name like that. Somehow I love it even more when you yell my name in agitation." He nicks her neck with his canines and licks the little blood that spills before the wound closes up almost instantly. "Fuck, there must be something seriously wrong with me," he huffs and Daisy can feel him getting harder from what he just did.

"There must be something wrong with me too," she whispers, pushing him back to the wall with a vile force. She breathes shakily in pleasure when she hears a crack. She traces her hands up his chest, feeling herself pool between her legs at the sound of his laboured breathing. "I must be insane to love the sound of your bones breaking."

"I'm even more insane to want you to break every bone in my body until I can't see through the blinding pain," he gasps, groaning and leaking precum when she presses against his fractured ribs. Panting in pain, he stares down at her. "Please kiss me," he pleads and his low whimpers of agony are music to her ears.

Daisy can hear his heart beating wildly in his chest. The electricity crackling between them is so painfully evident that she quits fighting it and covers the distance between their lips.