two

Aria didn't remember how she got home. One moment she had been sitting on the ground in front of everyone, staring at Kael as he walked away.

The next, she was standing outside the small house she had shared with her parents before they died.

She had barely spoken during the entire walk back home. Ethan had followed her, but even he seemed to understand that there was nothing he could say to make things better, the entire pack had witnessed the rejection... He stopped walking and watched as she walked towards her house.

Aria pushed the door open and walked inside. The moment she closed it behind her, she leaned against it and finally let herself cry.

She covered her mouth to keep the sound from escaping but it didn't help, the tears kept coming.

She slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor. Why had she allowed herself to hope?

She had known better. Everyone had told her humans didn't have mates. She knew there was no reason a man like him would ever want someone like her.

Still, when she felt that pull toward him, something inside her had believed it. She had thought maybe she wasn't as different as everyone made her feel.

Maybe the Moon Goddess had chosen her for a reason and then he had rejected her in front of everyone.

Aria looked down at her wrist. The strange marks were still there and they were no longer glowing, but she could see them clearly. A thin pattern of lines curled around her skin.

She touched them carefully.

"What are you?"

She let out a shaky breath, maybe she should be more worried about the marks. Instead, all she could think about was his face, his golden eyes and the way he had looked at her before saying those words.

Aria squeezed her eyes shut, she wished she could erase the memory.

There was a knock on the door and she quickly wiped her face.

"Aria?"

It was Ethan.

"I'm fine."

There was a pause before he spoke again.

"You don't have to lie to me."

She didn't answer and after a moment, he spoke again.

"Do you want me to come in?"

"No."

There was another silence and she thought he had gone, she wouldn't even blame him if he did.

"Okay."

His footsteps slowly moved away and she appreciated that he didn't force her. She stayed on the floor for several more minutes before finally getting up.

She walked to the bedroom and changed out of the dress she had worn to the ceremony and the beautiful white dress suddenly felt ridiculous. She threw it over a chair and crawled into bed.

She wanted to sleep and for tomorrow to come so she could pretend tonight had never happened, but sleep wouldn't come.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Kael and every time she remembered his rejection, her chest hurt.

She turned onto her side and let out deep sigh.

"This is stupid," she whispered.

She didn't even know him, why did she care so much?

She eventually fell asleep sometime before dawn.

_______________

Kael had never regretted a decision so quickly. He stood alone in his temporary camp deep inside the forest, staring into the darkness.

He had left the ceremony hours ago and should have been far away by now. Instead, he was still thinking about her. He didn't even know her name but she had settled so easily into his mind.

He had spent years avoiding the pack and had no reason to return. And yet the moment he had sensed her, everything had changed.

Kael clenched his jaw.

"It was a mistake."

His wolf didn't agree, his wolf had been restless ever since they left the clearing.

[ Mine.] it roared at him again.

Kael shut his eyes and gave his head a little shake.

"No."

[ Mine.] The word came again from the back of his mind.

"She is human."

[ Mine.]

"She is weak."

His wolf growled and he opened his eyes.He hated this, he had rejected her for a reason, how could he allow himself to have a human mate after everything that had happened.

Not when there were still people looking for him and anyone connected to him could become a target.

He had made the right decision, so why did his chest hurt? Kael suddenly froze when a wave of sadness hit him... It wasn't his, he knew immediately.

He could feel her...Her sadness was faint, but it was still there..

A deep frown immediately settled on his face. He had expected the bond to disappear after the rejection but it hadn't. Instead, he could feel her emotions. he feel how tired and embarrassed she was... How much she was trying not to cry.

Kael's hands curled into fists.

"Stop."

The feeling didn't stop and he took a few steps away as if distance could help but it didn't.

He could still feel her and then he felt something else...Fear. Kael's head snapped up and his wolf became alert. She was afraid, he didn't know why.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the feeling. It wasn't danger but something much simpler, she was remembering the ceremony, the rejection...the people staring at her and the whispers.

Kael's chest tightened, he didn't want to know or feel any of this but he couldn't shut it out.He felt helpless for the first time in a long time. He started to pace around the camp.

"She'll be fine."

His wolf remained silent.

"She has the pack."

A low growl answered him and he stopped. He knew the pack and exactly how they treated people who were different, especially humans.

Especially someone who had just been rejected by a rogue Alpha in front of everyone.

He rubbed a hand over his face and almost groaned, he should leave, go somewhere far away and never return. Instead, he found himself walking back toward the pack. He told himself he was only going to make sure she was safe nothing more.

He wasn't going to speak to her or get close, he simply needed to know that she was okay....

_________

The next morning, Aria woke up feeling exhausted, she stared at the ceiling for a while then she remembered.

Her stomach twisted as she slowly sat up. She sighed when she saw that her wrist was still marked. She got dressed and stepped outside, maybe it wouldn't be that bad and everyone already moved on.

Aria immediately noticed the people watching her. Some looked away when she caught them staring but some others didn't bother hiding it.

Two young wolves whispered as she walked past.

"That's her."

"The human?"

"She's the one Kael rejected."

Aria kept walking but her cheeks burned and she wanted to disappear.

At the market, it became worse. People stared openly at her and someone even laughed. A woman she had known since childhood looked at her with pity.

Aria hated that look almost as much as the whispers.

She bought what she needed and hurried back home but didn't notice the dark figure standing among the trees across the road.

Kael watched her from a distance.

He had arrived before she left the house and watched her walk through the village.He had seen every person who stared at her.

His jaw tightened, he had told himself he was only checking on her but now he was angry not at her but at them.

She had done nothing wrong, he was the one who had rejected her. She shouldn't have been the one carrying everyone's judgment.

Aria stopped suddenly and froze.

She looked around and she slowly turned toward the trees. Kael stepped farther into the shadows and she narrowed her eyes. For some reason, she felt like someone was watching her but she couldn't see anyone. She shook her head and continued walking.

Kael waited until she disappeared inside her house.

He should leave, Instead, he stayed. he didn't know how long he stood there. Maybe a few minutes or longer.

Then the front door opened and she stepped outside again. She looked directly toward the trees. This time, Kael didn't move.

Her eyes narrowed as she took a few steps forward.

"Who's there?"

Kael remained silent but she continued walking, she stopped several feet away her eyes narrowing even further.

"I know someone is there."

Kael sighed and ran his hand through his hair, there was no point hiding anymore. He stepped out from behind the trees and her eyes immediately widened, her entire body going still.

Kael watched her carefully. She looked different from the night before, there was no ceremonial dress orcrowd around her. Just a simple dress, her hair loosely falling around her shoulders.

She looked tired and seeing her like this made the bond inside him pull harder.

Aria stared at him in confusion

"What are you doing here?"

Kael didn't answer immediately.

"I wanted to make sure you were safe."

She gave a bitter laugh and almost scoffed, was he being serious.

"Safe?"

"Yes."

"You rejected me in front of everyone."

His expression hardened.

"I know."

"You humiliated me."

"I know."

"Then you disappeared."

Kael looked away, he should have left to avoid this.

"I thought it was better that way."

"For who?"

He looked back at her and silence settled between them. Aria's eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

"Why did you come back?"

Kael didn't have an answer he could give her because he could feel her, because every time she hurt, something inside him hurt too and no matter how many times he told himself to leave, his feet kept bringing him back.

So he gave her the only answer he could.

"I don't know."

Aria stared at him, that answer seemed to hurt her even more.

She folded her arms.

"You can't do this."

"Do what?"

"Walk into my life, reject me, disappear, and then come back whenever you feel like it."

Kael said nothing and she took a breath to steady herself

"If you don't want me, then leave me alone."

His chest tightened. He wanted to tell her he didn't want her, he had already said it, but the words wouldn't come.

Aria waited and when he remained silent, she shook her head.

"I thought so."

She turned and walked toward her house.

Kael watched her go and every part of him told him to follow. His wolf practically begged him to but he stayed where he was.

He had rejected her and had made his choice. So why did watching her walk away feel like losing something he had never even had?

He looked down at his hands and wondered if rejecting her had been a mistake and inside him, his wolf answered.

It was.