Chapter 3

"Your parents and I have already gotten tested but none of us are a good match, so–"

"No," I cut him off, "I won't do it."

For five straight seconds he just stared at me with a blank expression, I don't blame him for being surprised. He could count how many times I had said no in this union with his fingers alone.

I had been his faithful little dog, all he had to say was to jump and I would ask; "How high master?"

But everyone had their limits, and this was mine.

"I'm sorry I have to go," I said then he yanked his hand across the table and trapped my fingers in his.

"How can you leave the hospital while your sister is fighting for her life?"

"Step-sister," I corrected.

He drew his eyebrows together, voice escalating.

"Why does that matter? She's still your family, isn't she?"

Again with this, when am I ever going to be able to live beyond Taylor's shadow?

"You want to go for sleep over?" My father had asked me when I was 10, I nodded with giddy excitement. This was the first time I had ever been invited to a sleepover and I was over the moon. I was a rather quiet kid with just a handful of friends so this felt like a great chance to finally widen my social circle.

Father seem to be contemplating it hesitantly when his wife showed up and shut everything down.

"What sleepover? Are you planning to abandon your sister?" She said disappointingly, "you know that Taylor has the memory of a fish and won’t remember to take her drugs unless you help her,"

Father quickly nodded in agreements to this.

"Yes, besides your sister will feel bad if you are the only one that gets to go to the sleepover. Why don't you stay here and have a sleepover with just Taylor?"

Taylor appeared at that very moment, over hearing everything.

"It's okay, Astrid," she said with her ever soft voice placing a hand on my shoulder, "I'm sure it won't matter if I take my drugs just a little bit later,, you should go have fun and..."

She broke fits of coughing, faked ones that sealed father's resolve to never let me live my life unless Taylor was allowed to participate.

Even though she was 2 years older than me I had to take care of her like she was a toddler.

Taylor was always congratulated for doing the bare minimum, while I needed straight A's to get a passive "Well done," from my Dad. When it came to gifts and basically anything we owned Taylor's was always the best of the best while mine was an afterthought if I ever got anything.

I tried so hard not to be selfish, Taylor had been born with the short end of the stick in regard to her health. That wasn't her fault, I knew that much.

So everyday I can consoled myself with the thought of my mate.

They said your mate was your missing other halve, once you found them you'd be complete.

I thought that I'd finally have someone I wouldn't have to share with Taylor.

Oh boy was I dead wrong.

I couldn't even call what I had with Taylor now sharing. It was more like she owned him and I sometimes got to borrow him on special occasions.

Occasions like our anniversary, not like he remembered or even cared.

"I sincerely hope that Taylor finds a match," I said, jerking my hand out of his grip, "But there is no reason why that match has to be me."

I was ready to leave when he suddenly threw himself on the ground, falling on his knees and making a scene as he grabbed the hem of my dress.

"Damien, get up! People are looking!" I said as my cheeks flushed hot red.

"Astrid, please...we might lose her if we don't get a donor soon," he begged.

"I might not even be a much either," I pointed out to him fighting back the urge to drag my dress out of his hand.

"But there's a chance and...if it turns out to be true..." He paused, then looked up at me with those blue eyes that always melted my heart, "...then I'll change Astrid, I'll never look at her again and focus on only you,"

I stilled, wondering if he was really that desperate.

"I mean it..." He continued with teary eyes and trembling lips. "You'll wake up to breakfast in bed, I'll surprise you with your favorite flowers-white roses... I'll–"

"Stop...let me think," I interrupted him, holding back tears.

White roses were my favorite flowers.

He knew.

He knew all this time and had never once gotten them for me.

All those time he threw randomly picked gas station flowers for me after weeks of begging, he knew exactly what I wanted but deprived me of that affection.

I don't know which was worst, him being oblivious to my needs or being actively aware and deliberately holding back.

"I need a moment alone, I'll come to the waiting room to tell you my decision... please get up..."

He did, slowly then with a snapping speed grabbed the back of my neck and slammed his lips on mine. My body instinctively reacted to his touch and our lips molded together, sending sparks to my brain and shivers down the rest of my body.

By the time he pulled away, I was yearning for more than just a kiss.

"I'll be waiting," He said with his signature smirk before walking away, I crashed back on my chair. Recalling the kiss and just how it pulled my breath out of my lungs, my heart was still racing like a maniac thinking of it.

The way his eyes had burned into mine completely muddled my mind, for the last few minutes I sat in the pack hospital cafeteria I knew that I'd lost to his charm yet again.