Chapter 4: Pulled by the Moon

(Cole’s POV)  

The clubhouse was a damn zoo, loud as hell, sweaty, and I was over it. I had been parked against the back wall all night, arms crossed, watching the pack lose their minds like this party was some big deal. Ella's eighteenth. Sasha dragged me here, said we couldn't ditch, but now she was off somewhere, probably giggling with her crew. I didn't give a shit. My head was humming, and it wasn't the beer in my hand. That weird tug from last night, staring at the moon like an idiot, was back, gnawing at me, and I couldn't shake it.

I took a swig, cold beer sliding down, but it didn't do jack. My eyes kept sliding to the dance floor. Ella was out there, twirling with Mia and Jasper, blue dress catching the lights. She was grinning, curly hair bouncing all over, and it pissed me off, stuck in my craw. She's just some human Marcus pities, a nobody. So why the hell couldn't I stop looking? My chest got tight, and I hated it. I turned to bolt, ready to ditch this circus, when I realized she wasn't there anymore.

"Where'd she go?" I muttered, slamming the bottle down on a table. I didn't want to care, but my boots were already moving, shoving through the crowd. That tug hit harder, yanking at my ribs like a leash I couldn't cut. I looked around, nothing. Mia and Jasper were by the food, cracking up over chips or some shit, but no Ella. My gut twisted.

I headed for the door, boots thumping loud on the wood. I took a deep breath, when I heard it, a shuffle, a weak gasp, off to the side. Blood fired up hot, and I took off, heart banging in my ears.

I rounded the corner and stopped dead. Ella was sprawled in the dirt, clawing at it, trying to get up. Some ugly bastard, he snarled, wolf teeth glinting, not pack, a rogue, was hovering over her. She swung at him, all sloppy, eyes barely open. He grabbed her arm, jerking her toward the trees, a sack dangling from his other hand. Something in me snapped.

"Hey!" I bellowed, charging him. My fist smashed his jaw before I could blink, bone crunching loud in the dark. He staggered, swearing, and I hit him again, right in the nose, blood sprayed everywhere. "Get the fuck off her!" He lunged back, clawing at me, nails raking my arm until I slammed him down hard. He dropped, then scrambled up, spitting red, and booked it into the trees. I didn't chase him, my eyes were glued to Ella.

She was slumped there, dress all muddy, breathing fast and ragged. My hands were shaking as I dropped down next to her. That tug slammed me, loud and wild, like a howl ripping through me. Mate. The word burned in my skull, clear as day. No way. Not her. She's human, weak, nothing.

"Ella?" I said, voice coming out rougher than I wanted. She mumbled something, head lolling. I slid my arms under her, hauled her up, she was light as hell, warm against me, and my heart wouldn't quit racing. The mate bond clawed at me, screaming to protect her, keep her close. I didn't want this but I couldn't just leave her there.

I carried her back inside, dodging the crowd, boots heavy on the stairs as I took her to some little room upstairs. Just a bed and a shitty lamp, but it was quiet. I laid her down, her curls spilling everywhere on the pillow. She looked small, breakable, chest moving slow. My hands wouldn't stop twitching, and I stood there, staring, fighting that pull ripping me up inside.

I should've walked out. Let someone else deal with her ass. But my feet were stuck. The air felt heavy, her scent, like flowers or some girly crap, hitting me hard. My wolf was awake, pacing, growling for her. I clenched my fists, nails biting my palms, but it didn't do shit. She was my mate. I couldn't lie to myself anymore, and it made me want to puke.

Her eyes cracked open, barely. "Cole?" she whispered, voice all soft and lost.

"Yeah," I sat on the bed's edge. She reached out, fingers brushing my arm, and it was like lightning shot through me. I froze up, breath stuck, every muscle locked. The lamp threw this weak light on her face, brown eyes foggy but stuck on me. I paced a step away, muttering, "Not her, damn it," to myself, but that pull dragged me back. I couldn't think, couldn't fight it.

I leaned down slow, like I could stop, but then her lips were right there, soft and warm, and I crashed into her. She kissed me back, weak but real, hands fumbling for my shoulders. The mate bond roared, loud and feral, like my wolf was busting out. My hands slid up her arms, pulling her in, her dress bunching up under my fingers. Her skin was hot, breath shaky on my mouth, and it broke me open.

Shit went wild. I yanked her dress up and off, her curls falling all messy. She didn't stop me, her hands tugged at my shirt, clumsy and needy, and I ripped it off, chucked it somewhere. The air was thick, her flowery smell mixing with mine, driving me nuts. I hit her lips, her neck, her collarbone, tasting salt and sweat. She gasped, quiet, fingers digging into my back. I pushed her down, bed groaning, and we tangled up, skin on skin, hearts slamming together. It was fast, sloppy, her heat pulling me in deep. The bond locked tight, a chain I couldn't snap, tying us up. Wrong as hell, but it felt right, like I'd been starving for her and didn't even know.

“Cole! You in there?". The noise slapped me awake. Sunlight sneaked through the window, and a loud bang on the door jolted me up. Tyler’s voice, cutting through the haze. I shot out of bed, heart pounding, shirt missing. Ella was still out, curled under the blanket, looking peaceful. Door creaked, and Tyler poked his head in, grinning like a jackass.

"Damn, dude," he laughed. "You and her? Didn't peg that."

"Shut up," I snarled, snagging my shirt off the floor. I yanked it on, stomach twisting hard. "This didn't happen."

Ella stirred, eyes fluttering open slow, but I couldn't look at her. Guilt choked me, I fucked up big. I shoved past Tyler, boots stomping down the stairs as I bailed.

I left her there, head spinning, chest like lead. She's my mate, and I'd sealed it, but I didn't want her. Not like this. Not ever.