Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Quillon

She's my mate.

Fuck.

Soleil is my mate.

It's been years since I turned my back on civilization, away from packs and alpha and their rules. I try to forget everything in my past and stay focused on my goal. And having a mate and everything about it was one of the things I buried deep in my head.

The possibility of finding my fated one without the help of a Mapping Ball was close to zero. And now? Finding her in the middle of nowhere? Fuck.

I almost claimed her! My canines came out and the way it grazed her skin feels so right. It feels so enticing. I almost gave in to the mating call. I almost made her mine!

And now that's all my head could think of!

If I didn't stop myself... If I didn't conceal and seal our mating bond, she would have known it, too!

I was born different.

I'm not like other werewolves. I was gifted with a power that was beyond my control but I still managed to. Powers that I was not sure if a gift or a curse.

My powers were the reason why I had to move out of my pack and wander as a rogue. I haven’t discover the limits and capalibities of what I can do, but I know how to conceal my presence or like now, to conceal my mate bond.

But now, even when I concealed our mate bond from her, I was not immune to it. I couldn’t hide the mate bond and stop its pull from myself.

I feel the bond. I feel her. My wolf is howling for her. Craving her. Begging for her.

The control I have over my wolf has been solid in my entire existence, but right now?

Fuck. Right now, I'm barely holding it.

It's not just my wolf. I underestimated the mate bond and I never thought that it was this strong. I'm succumbing to the call, my body getting hot and bothered.

The memories of Soleil's warmth, her soft skin against mine, her scent. Fuck, her scent...

My cock twitched under my pants and it hasn't calmed down since I saw her naked chest.

This can't be.

I should get away. I should put distance between us. If thinking about her makes me lose control like this, then being around her will turn me into a caveman.

My steps quickened as I reached the spot where I've been living for three months. Going rogue was never an issue, but being hunted by the high-ranking werewolves made me run from place to place.

At first, I joined other rogues but their lack of loyalty ended up from surrendering my location to anyone who came looking. Even a small amount of money was enough to loosen their tongues.

I learned to be a lone wolf since then.

The hairs on my nape rose just as I was about to go inside my tent.

Fuck me.

Soleil's scent becomes stronger and the stomping of her feet tells me she's close.

"Hey!" Her angry voice echoed in the forest but not as much as it echoed in my head.

Fuck. Fuck.

I'm starting to see red. My mind was beginning to get muddy and the cord on my neck was almost popping out from trying hard and controlling myself.

I want to pounce on her and bury my teeth in her neck as I claim her mine. And that's all I could think about.

"You made me lose my dinner!" I heard her stop behind me. If I turn around now, I know she's just an arm's length. I'll just have to reach and grab her--fuck!

"Go sleep it off," I managed to say in a growl.

She gasped, then a growl came out from her. Even that sound vibrated through me.

"Sleep it--? Well, fuck you, Quillon! I won't sleep with an empty stomach. On. My. Birthday. I swore I won't, so I won't! Do you even know it's my birthday?"

Of fucking course, I know. If she didn't reach that age, then I wouldn't be this distracted in controlling the mate bond I freed her from!

Before I could answer, she continued. "Why am I even asking? You don't know, and you don't care. Well, I don't care if you care either, but you need to feed me!"

I don't need to look at her to know how angry she is. My wolf is whining; it doesn't like that I angered her.

Deciding to ignore her, I grabbed the rain flap and was ready to head inside my tent, but her hand grabbed my arm.

Her skin on mine sent a great volume of voltage through my system. The simple contact made me crave for more--to hover above her, pin her close to my body, sink my canines into the curve of her neck.

I jolted and ripped my arm away from her hold, the force of it making her stagger. The sound of her breath catching hit harder than I expected, but I couldn't go soft and apologize. I needed the space to breathe, or else I'll lose it.

"Don't touch me." The emphasis I placed on each word was spoken with a deep growl, and I saw how her eyes widened in shock.

I gritted my teeth. The way she looked right now made me want to take back my words, hold her cheeks, and bury her face into my chest.

But Soleil's expression quickly changed.

I watched as she stood straight, her eyes now lacked emotion, and her lips were in a thin line.

Fuck me if I didn't hate how she looked at me. She looked at me as if I was nothing to her, and I did not matter.

It was then that I had time to really take a look at her. She wore her shirt now, her hair was dripping wet, and I could see the curve of her body from how her shirt stuck to her still-wet body.

I groaned and looked away. Before I could say or do something I would regret, I turned and went inside my tent.

My hearing sense was heightened as I spy her moving outside. It took her a full ten seconds before she stepped away from my tent. She stopped and slumped her body on the wooden chair in front of the campfire I had made earlier.

I heard the soft crackling grow fainter. The fire is burning low and almost dying out.

I sighed.

Our kind has a body that burns hotter than any creature. I know she would stand the cold, but I couldn't stand the thought of her alone in the dark once the fire's out.

I shouldn't be doing this, I know. But I couldn't stop myself either.

With a deep inhale, I let a bit of opening for my power to get out.

With a hiss, I focused on the dying fire and breathed out as I sparked it back to life. The sudden hiss broke the silence, followed by the rush of crackling sound as the flames sprang to life.

I heard Soleil gasp loudly.

"What the fuck? That scared me." She whispered outside but it made me smile. Her unawareness of what I'm capable of felt strangely refreshing.

Quickly, I tucked back my powers I had sealed inside me. Great. Now, the werewolves looking for me might have a lead on my location.

My powers were being traced once I use them, and that's why I keep them concealed.

This mate bond is really distracting me from my goals.

The sound of her growling stomach made my jaw clench. Right, she missed her dinner.

Looking around, I grabbed the leftover of the bear stew, and a cooked sweet potato I buried in burning coal earlier.

This will do.

I straightened my back and exhaled. I can control myself for a beat. This won't take long.. I'll just hand the food to her and go far away from her.

When I stepped outside the tent, her eyes caught mine in an instant. The way her brow arched showed how she still detests me for acting the way I did.

I cleared my throat and looked down at the food in my hand. She did, too.

"Consider this my birthday gift to you," I said and extended my hand towards her. Her lips parted and the way her eyes flickered with joy made my heart swell.

The thumping sounds happening inside my chest overwhelmed me. Once again, the mating bond was trying to tie our wolves and pulling us to be one.

Only I could feel it, and it's killing me.

It's fine. I'll only hand the food and go back to my tent. This will be quick.

Soleil cleared her throat and met my eyes again.

"I'll only accept that if you admit that this is your way of apologizing."

My lips turned into a flat line. This woman...

"This is a gift, and my apology for making you lose your dinner."

It's getting hard to speak. My throat feels like it's tightening, and breathing is starting to get harder, too.

Fuck, her scent is starting to wrap around me again.

She pouted, and my eyes went to her plump lips. Damn it.

Breathe, Quillon. This won't take long. Fucking resist the bond. This won't fucking take long.

"And come sit with me. I don't want to eat alone on my first birthday meal."

Oh, fuck.