They Found Their Mate

Carson's POV

I gazed at my newly discovered mate, who lay on the ground unconscious, my excitement almost overwhelming. Cuss, my wolf, was elated, jubilating at the realization. "Mate!" he growled in joy, and I couldn't help but smile, sharing his jubilation. It was an extraordinary feeling, finding one's mate, and a desire fulfilled for any wolf. I had been concerned when I couldn't locate my mate, but it was a pleasant surprise to discover that she had been right under my nose the entire time.

"What are you doing? You should perform CPR on her," someone in the crowd shouted, snapping me out of my daze. I realized that my mate was still unconscious on the ground, and I knew that immediate action was needed.

I observed a young man about to administer CPR to Bethany, his lips descending toward hers, and a surge of possessiveness and protectiveness overcame me. "Get your filthy hands off her!" I growled in warning, and I felt Cuss equally offended by the intrusion.

I approached Bethany and began performing CPR since she hadn't regained consciousness. I leaned in, placing my lips on hers, and was met with a taste that was nothing short of heavenly. Cuss moaned in pleasure at the proximity to his mate, but I couldn't afford to be distracted. My priority was to revive my mate.

Eventually, Bethany began to cough, and I heard the crowd heave a collective sigh of relief. As she struggled to sit up, I enfolded her in a hug, brimming with joy. "We're mates!" I exclaimed, my face radiating happiness as I pulled away from the embrace.

However, Bethany's response shattered my world. "How did you find out? You're not supposed to find out," she said, panic evident in her voice, and her words left me bewildered. What did she mean by that?

Bethany's POV

I watched Carson, who was trying to control his anger while looking at me. I had to give him credit for maintaining his composure and not reacting impulsively. He was undoubtedly angry, but he wasn't unleashing that anger on me.

Since I had told him how I had discovered his identity during his visit to the school and revealed that I had been using a scent mask to conceal my true scent, he had taken me aside to discuss it. However, after I had shared the information with him, he had fallen into silence, and it was disconcerting.

It was shocking to think that my secret had been exposed at a party, of all places. I was starting to wonder if it had been a mistake to attend the event.

I shivered as a light breeze passed, and I sighed, waiting for Carson to say something or ask me to stand up so I could get changed.

Crazy Beth couldn't stand the silence and interjected, "Did you think it's just going to end like that? I'm sure my mate is going to fight for us."

There was no way Carson Grey was going to accept me as his mate. I had already prepared myself mentally for the pain and rejection that lay ahead.

Carson finally spoke, and I heard a mix of irritation and bewilderment in his voice. "What exactly are you protecting yourself from?"

I didn't mince words. "I was protecting myself from the hurt of rejection!" I declared, my emotions running high as I spoke.

He seemed taken aback. "Rejection?" he asked, puzzled. I nodded, reiterating my concerns. "We come from different worlds, and I've come to terms with that. So whenever you decide to reject me... I'm prepared," I said, my voice trembling.

Carson scoffed. "You're unreasonable," he retorted, clearly frustrated. I wasn't sure if he fully understood my perspective, but I was resolved in my decision.

Realizing that I was not going to budge, he stormed away from me, leaving me to process my own emotions.

As he turned his back on me, I felt a profound sense of loss and heartache, even though it was I who had chosen to distance myself. It was as if my heart had been shattered into pieces.

Why did I feel so hurt when I was the one who had pushed him away? Why did I feel so lost when I was the one who had chosen to create this separation?

Crazy Beth's voice filled my thoughts again. "Why did you do it, Bethany? I can feel our mate hurting. Why did you choose to hurt them both like this?"

I knew I had hurt my mate and myself, and I couldn't help but question my own choices. But despite the pain and heartache, I knew I had to let him go. His walls were too high for me to scale, and I wasn't willing to risk my well-being trying to break through them. As a coward, I was backing out, making the difficult choice to spare myself further pain.