Chapter 8

Chapter 8

His.

It sounded too real for her. The last time she belonged to someone, she was traumatized. But the last time she belonged to someone, she hadn’t had a choice.

Skylar made it clear more than once that he wouldn’t hurt her and she believed it. If he wanted to hurt her he definitely would have done it by now and she wouldn’t be able to fight him off.

“Cheyenne, I know it’s only been a little while but you’re my world. I promised I wouldn’t hurt you. Now I’m promising I won’t let anyone else hurt you.”

“How? By killing them? I couldn’t ask you to just flat out kill someone simply because they hurt my feelings.” She frowned.

“You wouldn’t have to ask me.” Skylar frowned back.

“You make a lot of promises. Do you intend on keeping them?” Cheyenne crosses her arms, holding the towel in place.

“Of course, with my very life.”

“Then promise me something else.”

Skylar studies her features, ready to take in what she had to say.

“Don’t kill anyone on my account, unless I ask you to?”

Skylar furrowed his eyebrows at her and sighed.

“Cheyenne–“

“No, promise me that you won’t kill anyone for me unless I ask you to, please.”

Skylar didn’t make a move to give her an answer. He just stared at her.

“Skylar..”

“Explain to me why it means so much that I gain your permission to keep you safe.”

Cheyenne was taken a back but his sudden request and sighed.

“Because that way we can both share the burden equally. You’d be the one killing the person but I’d be giving the permission. So we are equally sharing the nightmare of taking a life.”

Skylar stayed quiet, going over the words she spoke and finally sighed.

“I don’t want you to have to carry any burden at all.”

“I’m already carrying burdens and I’m sure you are, too. So why not share one that we can both bare together?”

Skylar sighs, thinking it over for a little bit.

“Cheyenne, I couldn’t ask you to bare any of my burdens.”

“Let me put it this way, if you kill anyone for me without me knowing and I find out, it would damage this relationship.” Cheyenne frowned.

“Are you saying you’d end the relationship if I tried to keep you safe?”

“No, I’m saying you’d damage the relationship if you killed someone, without my okay.”

Cheyenne looked at him intensely as he stared back at her with the same intensity.

“You’re not going to let that promise go are you?”

Cheyenne shook her head, never breaking eye contact.

“Fine. I promise I won’t kill anyone for you without you asking me to. But I have to warn you, it goes against my nature to not kill anyone or anything that endangers my mate.”

“No excuses. You promised.” Cheyenne smiled triumphantly.

Skylar shook his head and chuckled a bit.

“Can I have the clothes now? It’s getting kind of cold.”

Skylar looked down her body breaking the eye contact, forgetting she was still in a towel with beads of water dotting her skin.

He bit his bottom lip, resisting the urge to lick the water off her body.

He was so blinded by anger before that he nearly forgot she was completely naked under a thin fuzzy cloth.

The barrier between him and her wet, caramel skin was a thin fuzzy cloth.

He wanted her. He wanted her bad. But he knew it couldn’t even step closer to her without her throwing a fit.

Yet, he imagined himself in between her thighs, her fingers entangled in his hair and her moaning his name while he rocked her world with indescribable pleasure.

He wanted to show her the pleasure she was denied all her life. He would be the one to break her free of the chains holding her back. It would be him. Him and only him.

“Skylar, are you okay?” Cheyenne’s voice sounded wary.

Skylar looked back up at her and could see that she took a couple of steps away from him.

“Hm? What?”

“Your eyes are glowing and your teeth sharpened.”

Skylar grunted when he realized that his fangs had come out when he ran his tongue along them.

“Damn it.”

“What’s wrong? Was it something I said? Are you thinking about killing Oliver?”

Skylar shook his head but then frowned.

“No, I was thinking of something else.”

“Oh, sorry. You scared me. You looked angry.”

“No, this is the look of frustration.” Skylar chuckled.

“Frustration? From what?”

Skylar shook his head.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to regain control.

“Oliver, he’s the one who did this to you? That’s the man’s name?”

Cheyenne sighed and reached for the clothes in his shoulder. He let her and stayed silent waiting for a response.

She stared at him, questioningly.

“Aren’t you going to shield your eyes or something?”

Skylar raised an eyebrow, holding back a smart sexual remark and turned his back to her.

“You can at least acknowledge the questions I’m asking.”

“Yes. He is. Though, I haven’t seen him for about a year and some change. Roughly.”

“What was he? A boyfriend? Or..?”

“No. He wasn’t.”

“Well how’d you know him.”

It was silent, the only thing that could be heard was the rustling of Cheyenne trying to get the clothes on.

But Skylar could hear more than just that. He could hear her heart beat picking up as they got into the conversation deeper and deeper and each question he asked was harder than the last.

“Cheyenne?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Skylar turned around just as Cheyenne was pulling the shirt down over her breasts and stared at her.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Skylar. Why are you pushing so hard? I haven’t been pushing at your family issues and such, why are you picking at mine.”

“I thought I already explained this to you, Cheyenne. I thought I already told you all about why I care and what you mean to me. What don’t you still understand?”

“Why can’t you just leave the past alone. It should stay behind us don’t you think?”

Skylar could hear a slight pitch switch in her voice and her heart skipped a beat, he frowned.

She was clearly hiding something and he knew it. But why wouldn’t she just tell him.

“Cheyenne–“

“I have work this evening. I would appreciate it if I could get a ride back. Would you mind or should I ask Nadia?” She asked, cutting him off.

Skylar nearly growled but bit his lip making it only sounded like a grunt.

“What time?”

“I have to be there at seven forty five.”

“What time do you get off?”

“Uhh, twelve I think tonight.”

“Twelve in the morning? When will you sleep?”

“When I go home, duh.”

“I’ll drive you there and back.”

“You don’t know where I live, Skylar.”

“You can just tell me, duh.”

Cheyenne frowned at him slightly and folded her arms across her chest.

“I can make it home from work by myself, thank you.”

Skylar frowned, folding his arm, mimicking her.

“I know you can, but you shouldn’t have to. I’m taking you to work and then back home. End of discussion.”

Cheyenne furrows her eyebrows at him but said nothing.

Skylar glanced at her once more and then looked at the time.

“You have about two hours before we have to leave. Until then, we’ll just hang out downstairs. With the rest of the pack.”

“W-what?”

“What what?”

“With the pack?”

“You can’t be afraid of them forever, you’re with me which means you’re part of the pack. Besides, they already love you.”

She was taken aback for the second time today.

“Love is a strong word, don’t you think?”

Skylar furrowed his eyebrows.

“Not at all, no. Why would you even think that?”

“I just think it’s early in the game to use love.”

It was quiet as Skylar to calm himself, he sighed.

“What part of wolf and instincts don’t you understand? I’m not your typical man that just throws the word love around. I don’t just want you for sex and I will never hurt you!” Skylar boomed.

“How can I be sure?!”

“What reasons have I given for you to doubt me?!” Skylar questioned.

Cheyenne opened her mouth but nothing came out.

This was all her anxiety talking, all of her fears. She told herself she could do it. She could open up again but she didn’t realize it would be this hard, especially when she’s constantly questioning everything and thinking everyone is lying to her.

“Why do you insist on trying to find reasons to leave me? Do you not want to be with—“

“It’s not that.”

“Then what, Princess. What is it.”

She was quiet before she looked down, breaking eye contact.

“I just don’t want to get hurt again...”she said quietly.

Skylar reaches for her but she flinched away.

“We’ll have to work on that.” Skylar said quietly, arms still outstretched.

Cheyenne stayed where she was but flinched again when Skylar got closer.

“Cheyenne, I have already told you.”

“I-I know.”

Skylar made another move towards her, managing to brush against her arm and she nearly jumped back two feet.

Skylar sighed and reassured her.

“We’ll work on it.”