Chapter 2

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

What are you doing? You can't break down the wall!

'Bang!' Another in the same spot, only a small amount of concrete fell with it.

Stop! You're going to hurt yourself before you can knock that wall down!

'Bang!' This time, bricks exploded from the place where Nathan had been pounding the wall. Not knowing what else to do, I let out a little squeal and tucked my head between my knees to protect my eyes.

“Elana.”

He broke down a wall! My head was released from its safe spot between my knees and I looked over at the newly made hole glaring at me in the wall.

Tentatively standing from my bed, I slowly walked over to it. Nathan's head was looking at me through the small hole, not any bigger than my hand.

“Nathan!” I whispered in relief and made my way over to the crumbling wall.

A piece of debris grabbed my foot, tripping me on a piece in the wall. I fell into the brick instead.

“Careful!” He warned, right before I braced myself against the solid part of the wall separating us.

“What—I thought this wall was brick. How did you—”

Nathan saved me from trying to complete my sentence and just answered right away. “They wanted us to believe it was brick, but it is really concrete.”

“Umm, I don't know if that's any better. How did you just...break it down?”

“When we are separated, you get in more pain and I get stronger. Because I am already a wolf, though, I'm even stronger than normal.” He offered, extending his hand through the small hole in the wall.

He's lucky his ability is being able to see through walls.

I tried to accept what he just told me.

“That's why I get those aches in my chest when I'm away from you.” I declared, not really needing the confirmation by now. I just needed to say it out loud to make it real.

He nodded.

“Where are we?” I asked, my body physically shaking.

I removed my hands from the brick and hugged myself, unsure if it was from the cold or my fear.

“Keepers. When you grabbed that man's hand, you willingly submitted surrender.”

“But I didn't. He grabbed mine.”

“You met him half-way.” The hurt in his voice was evident in his words. I felt guilt spread through my body instantly.

I hurt him.

I wanted to take back the hurt. I wanted to comfort him. It was so strong I almost tried to squeeze my hand in the mouse hole Nathan made.

But then I remembered the dance. “Why did you say I wasn't good enough?”

Nathan looked confused. “When did I say that?”

I hugged myself tighter. “When you kissed me.”

Tears started to rush to my eyes, but I pushed them back.

I am not about to cry over one kiss.

Realization replaced the confusion. “No, it's not what you think. I didn't mean it like that, I swear.”

I took my arms and crossed them in front of my chest instead. “Then explain it to me. Start explaining this huge mess I've apparently gotten myself into. Because nobody else is and I'm tired of not knowing what's going on in my own life!”

My voice cracked as I raised it, so I tried to calm down and regain control of my frustration.

Nathan lowered his voice when he spoke, as if someone was listening, but didn't make eye-contact with me.

“There are different stages of an imprint. There's the imprinting—that's the part where we touch and flashes of our possible future go through our minds. The marking—where the wolf will bite his imprinted to claim her. And the sealing—where the two wolves make it official forever.”

My jaw dropped. “You imprinted me?”

“Elana, I—”

“No, Nathan. No! Do you understand what you just did? You just took away my freedom! My choice! Now, I'm tied to a guy who doesn't even want me! I'm only seventeen! What if I didn't want you? Then what would have happened?”

Nathan shook his head, still not looking at me. “It doesn't matter. We don't have a choice. It just...happens.”

I shivered. “But when I saw you, I didn't have flashes of the future.”

“I did.”

The way Nathan said it made it sound like that's all that matters.

“I don't know anything about how this is supposed to work. Nothing like this has ever happened before, so I don't know how it's supposed to happen.”

I stepped back and landed on the hard bed.

I felt my world shattering around me. My whole world was already spelled out for me.

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked. “You haven't told me anything for the past month and a half and now you want to come clean? Why?”

“Because I hurt you by not telling you. And that's something I never want to do again.”

I didn't answer him. “Why can you read my thoughts?”

Nathan was quiet for a while and I thought I pushed my luck.

“I don't know,” he honestly answered instead.

I stayed quiet for a long time. “I can feel where you are. It's like... a magnet. I can feel your movements and how close or far you are. But it goes in and out.”

“So does mine. I'm guessing it's because our mating is not fully completed. I can read your emotions most of the time, but I rarely get a read on your thoughts.”

I didn't want to think about what this all meant. I didn't even want to think about our connections.

“Elana, are you okay?”

I nodded, although he couldn't see it. “I just need some time to soak all this in.”

Nathan grunted and I could just imagine the pain on his face. I know he wanted me to just accept it all, but I know I couldn't. At least not right now.

I was so confused and frustrated, I just needed a break from him.

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