Chapter 9: About You

"Impossible," Sawyer commented, reaching for more chicken. A servant came by and re-filled their wine glasses.

"But, it's not," said Waverly. "You just have to find your mate."

Sawyer huffed and a small laugh escaped from under his breath. "You don't think I've tried?"

"I never said you didn't," Waverly began. "But you can't really test a bond by locking someone in a room."

Sawyer lingered over his plate. Waverly saw his hands quiver a little before he continued to eat.

"We have to test it, Sawyer. It's the only way you can really save your pack."

He stopped and his knife and fork clanked as they hit the plate. His face was seeped in frustration. "What? And have it fail like the last 10 times? Better women then you have tried."

His words hit Waverly as if they were spear-tipped icicles.

When she didn't speak, Sawyer looked up at her, his eyes waiting for a fight. Waverly took a deep breath to regain her composure and suppress the supreme disdain that was steaming inside of her.

"But they weren't me," she said as a matter of fact. Waverly glared back at Sawyer, who's countenance shifted from discontent to intrigued. Clearly, he wasn't expecting her to snap back so quickly.

He kept his focus on her. "You're willing to stay knowing what will happen to you if it doesn't work?"

Waverly didn't respond and still, Sawyer knew her answer.

He raised his eyebrow. "Interesting. Crazy, but interesting."

"You find it crazy?"

Sawyer shook his head. "I just don't understand why someone would put their life on the line to save a pack that isn't their own."

Waverly sipped her wine. "And I just don't understand why an Alpha wouldn't do everything in his power to protect his pack. So, I guess we're even then."

A smirk. She was getting somewhere. Sawyer glanced her up and down and Waverly could feel her cheeks becoming slightly warmer.

"I guess so," he replied. "Then tell me. If this plan of yours works and we all live happily ever after, what would you do?"

Waverly tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," Sawyer stated, placing his elbows on the table and interlacing his fingers. "You'd be free, and, well…alive. You don't have anything planned past the Lunar Eclipse?"

Waverly's gaze fell from Sawyer's as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "Well…I've always wanted to travel and see the country. Maybe even the world one day. But it's not possible."

"Why?" Sawyer asked. "I've heard of people leaving their packs for an extended period of time, to explore the land and find new locations."

Waverly nodded, but kept her eyes down. "Yeah, but they weren't the Alpha's daughter."

"Ah," said Sawyer, putting the pieces together. "That explains a lot. Don't you have any siblings or something?"

Waverly's eyes became distant as the memories of Finn and Isadore crossed her mind and a smile parted her lips. "A brother and a sister. My sister was actually the one who was to come here, but I offered to take her place."

Sawyer focused in on Waverly. "Your sister was the candidate?" he asked, considerably dazed. "Why would you—"

"Duty," was the only word Waverly responded with. "My father has always pushed the importance of responsibility on us and I know my place as his daughter." Waverly stated, her voice casually drifting. "I've always dreamed of doing my own thing and experiencing life how I want to, but in that moment, when I heard my sister's name called…something just happened and it was like I couldn't stop myself. I knew what I had to do."

Her eyes locked with Sawyer's and for a minute, she thought she saw a flicker of amazement in them. They appeared to understand her in some way.... she shook her head free of any thoughts and took a breath.

"What about you?" she asked, changing the topic. "You're so brooding and mysterious…what's your deal?" Her tone was playful, but Sawyer dropped his eyes and returned to the dessert that was now on his plate.

"There's nothing to know," he stated.

"No siblings? Maybe a cousin?"

Sawyer picked at his food with his fork, withstanding her questions. His free hand, which sat loose on the armrest, tensed.

Waverly's smile faded. "Sawyer?"

He quickly looked up. "Look, I said there's nothing, okay?"

Waverly shrunk back in her seat. She could feel any happiness she had just felt crash into the base of her stomach. How was she to break through and see their compatibility if he didn't show her what he was hiding?

As if he could read her mind, Sawyer abruptly stood up from the table and sighed. "Come with me, I want to show you something."

Waverly cautioned herself. "Where?"

Sawyer rolled his eyes vaguely. "Do you need answers to everything?"

"No, but—"

"Good, then let's go."

He turned to exit the dining room when Waverly stood up and stopped him. "On one condition," she said.

She noticed as Sawyer's eyes fell from hers and trailed down her body. They seemed to smoothly run over every part of her outfit before meeting her look again.

Waverly pulled her hand across her waist. No one had ever made her feel so…visible. Her face flushed, but she cleared her throat and stood up tall, trying to conceal her emotions. "I want more things in the room. If I can't go outside or at least leave the house, I want things to do. Maybe some books, an actual mirror and seating."

She waited as he appeared to be considering the idea. Waverly kept her composure, preparing for the worst. However, she received only a nod. "Okay."

Waverly looked at him, astonished. "Really?" she asked.

Sawyer lowered his head, narrowing his eyes. "You're questioning it?"

"No, I just—I didn't expect it to be so…simple."

"You don't trust me?"

Waverly shrugged. "Hard to trust someone you don't know."

Sawyer chuckled under his breath as he turned the rings on his hands. Waverly's fingers fiddled with each other, trying to keep her in check despite the butterflies that were forming in her stomach. They both knew it to be true, but instead of admitting she was right, Sawyer turned and left the dining room, giving Waverly a moment to breathe before following behind him.