Chapter 8 - Proposition

Marly POV

                  My heart was racing at the thoughts of another rejection so soon after the last one.  The pain had been incredible – nothing I had experienced before, and now it was going to happen again.  Clearing his throat, the man in front of me drew my attention to him.  This was it.  It was happening.

                  “I do not know that you would survive another rejection,” he replied, bluntly.  I looked at him, “Oh,” was all I could muster out of my mouth.  “When will you do it?” I asked.  “I have never met a woman so quick to be rejected,” he said with a smile.  I looked at him and realized what an attractive man he was.

                  Maxwell was a boy, where this was a grown man who looked like he knew what life was about.  “I need to leave here, sooner than later,” I stated.  “Why is that?” he questioned.  “If I stay, the Alpha is going to make me his mistress,” I whispered.  I heard a soft growl, and looked at the man, startled by what I was hearing.

                  “That is not happening,” the man responded.  He stood, and I took a step backwards.  I was not certain what he was going to do, but I did not want to take a chance with being hit.  “Who are you?” I asked, realizing I did not know his name and the curiousity was killing me.

                  He held out his hand, slowly, waiting for me to take it. “My name is Carson, and who would you be?” he asked politely.  “Marly.  Marly Bent,” I said softy.  Carson.  Even his name was perfect and the sparks that bounced between us as he held my hand was stronger than anything I had felt with Maxwell.

                  If that was anything to go by, I may very well die during the rejection after all.  And I guess that would be a better plight than being stuck with Maxwell while he took my children from me.  “Tell me about yourself, Marly,” Carson suggested.  I looked at him like he had lost his mind.

                  “No offence, Carson, but I am not up for small talk.  My future is quite literally in your hands.  We need to make some decisions, so I can make my escape,” I reminded him.  “What if I had an alternative offer for you?” he asked.  My heart sunk.  Another offer?  “No, I am not interested in being your breeder,” I spit out.

                  He choked for a moment, while he released my hand.  “No, I quite agree; I am not looking for a breeder,” he replied.  “You certainly are a spitfire,” he said with a smirk.  I simply glared at him, not clear what he was meaning.  “What if I offered to take you to my pack?  No strings attached.  You could work as an Omega there,” he offered.

                  “What about the mate bond?” I asked, uncertain what this all would mean for me.  He hesitated, giving some thought to his answer.  “I admit, I was not in the market for a mate.  Before we make any rash decisions, we can wait until we get to my pack, and go from there,” he suggested.

                  I looked at him in awe.  “And your Alpha will not mind you bringing an Omega to your pack?” I asked.  Carson smiled, “I am close to the Alpha.  I am confident he would be fine with this decision,” he replied.  I simply stood there for a moment, in complete shock at my rejection, but also at finding a second chance mate so quickly.  Sadly, another to lose.  I am pretty sure the Moon Goddess will not be giving me a third, but I would have to deal with that when the time came.

                  I slowly held my hand out to Carson.  He took my small hand, in his much bigger hand.  I felt the sparks bounce between us and felt him lean in towards me.  He was staring at my lips, and I could see the color in his eyes changing, indicating his wolf was taking over. 

                  Just as his lips were about to brush mine, there was a sharp knock on the door and it creaked open.  Carson jumped away from me, as I stood there simply staring into his beautiful grey eyes.  “What the hell do you want Jeff?” Carson demanded of this man.  “Just wondering what we are doing in here?” he asked.

                  Carson’s eyes went glazy, the look wolves get when they mind-link one another.  He was saying something to Jeff that he did not want me to hear.  Probably that he was stuck with me as his mate.  I saw Jeff smile.  Yep, they were laughing at me.  Getting angry, I simply stalked out of the room and left Carson behind.

                  Escaping was my only choice, and I would do so now.  I entered the hallway and saw another woman standing there.  I recognized her from the pack, but did not know her.  “Marly,” I heard from behind me, but I ignored it and kept moving forward.  I needed to get out of here.

                  As I entered the lobby I knew Carson was on my heels, but I kept moving forward.  I saw my mother and father there, and was moving towards them to tell them I was leaving, when my father backhanded me across the cheek.  I staggered backwards and would have fallen, had Carson not caught me.

                  “Who the hell are you and why would you touch my mate?!?”.