Chapter 2

Two

The Summer After Chloe's Graduation

Chloe

" G uess who I heard is not going back to school in California next year?" Mia says with a big smile as we walk into a graduation party that's being held for a friend of ours at the pack house tonight.

"Who?"

"Nick Hayes."

"Ugh, who cares?"

"I thought you might," Mia says.

"I definitely don't. I would actually prefer to never see him again." And I haven't seen him since that night. The seniors didn't go back to school after prom, which is probably a blessing…for him. As hurt as I was that night, my pain quickly turned to an anger like I've never felt before. He's lucky he never ran into me over the summer before he left for school, or I probably would have gouged his eyes right out. I've never been so cruelly humiliated by someone in my entire life. I was so stupid for giving him my time and attention. I gave him the most intimate part of me, and he stomped on it like it was nothing. I decided right then and there that I was over Nick Hayes for good .

"Well, then don't turn around," Mia says, raising her eyebrows.

"Why?" I ask with a frown.

"Because he just walked in with Ethan Sullivan."

"Ugh." I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Let's circulate and find out who's hosting the after party," I say, grabbing a cup of punch. It goes without saying that someone will be hosting a party with something stronger than punch later tonight.

"Whoa. Hold on a second," Mia says, grabbing my arm.

"What?"

"You may not care about seeing Nick, but Nick has most definitely noticed you, and he's looking at you like he wants to eat you," she says with a giggle.

I turn my head just enough to see Nick glaring at me from across the room with his hands in fists at his sides. I just shrug. "Good. I hope he sees what he's missing," I say with a big smile on my face, lacing my arm with Mia's as we join a group of friends near him.

Nick

She's the first person I see when I walk into the pack house ballroom. Fuck me, if she doesn't look even better than she did the last time I saw her, but that's not all I notice. There's something…new…about her. It's like I can smell this fucking incredible scent coming off of her from across the room, and all I want to do is go to her, and—no. Fuck, no. Oh, fuck me. You've got to be kidding me. My heart beats hard in my chest and my breathing becomes labored. I've got to dig what little of my short fingernails I can into my palms in order to hold myself back.

Ethan looks at me and frowns. "What the hell is the matter with you? Your face is red and you're breathing like you just ran a fucking race."

"Nothing," I bite out .

Ethan continues to study me. "Nothing, my ass. Seriously. What's wrong with you?"

"I said I'm fucking fine."

Ethan follows my line of sight straight to my target. He looks back and forth between Chloe and me, and says with a frown, "Do you want to go say hi to Chloe?"

"No." I still can't take my eyes off of her.

My chest tightens as I watch a guy named Travis from our class call out her name from across the room. She squeals and throws her arms up in the air when she sees him. He runs to her, and she wraps her arms around his neck when he scoops her up to swing her around. I don't know how I get across the room as fast as I do, but the next thing I know, I'm wrapping my arm around Chloe's waist and she's screaming as I'm ripping her out of that motherfucker's arms.

"Whoa," Travis says, holding his hands up in front of him, as I've obviously caught him by surprise. "What the hell was that about, Hayes? Are you guys together or something?"

"No, we most certainly are not," Chloe says as she struggles while I hold her against me with one arm. "Let me go, Nick!"

"Walk away, Travis," I say through gritted teeth.

Travis frowns. "I don't under?—"

"I said walk the fuck away."

At this point, everyone in the room is staring at us as Chloe continues to struggle in my hold. "You're being an asshole. Let me go!"

I turn my head and say against her cheek, "Like hell I will. You belong to me."

"The hell I do!" Chloe says, thrashing against me.

"Nick, look at me," Ethan says, coming up next to me. "You need let go of Chloe." I look over at her and she's looking at me like I'm a crazed lunatic, and the funny thing is, that's about how I feel right now. I slowly release her, but now my focus is on the man who had his hands on her. Ethan steps between us to face Travis. "Give us some space, Trav," Ethan says with a nod. Travis nods in return and walks away, along with his group of friends that gathered next to us. "Are you okay, Chloe?" Ethan asks, to which she nods as she glares at me. "You," he says, putting his hand around the back of my neck, "outside with me. Let's go talk."

I look at Chloe, who is still glaring at me, and then around the room at everyone who has stopped to watch the drama…everyone who I'm sure by now knows exactly how badly I treated her last year. Before I left for school last summer, I can't even tell you how many people asked me what I did to upset Chloe Harper so badly that she hates me and never wants to see me again. Nodding, I reluctantly walk out of the room with Ethan.

"You want to tell me what the fuck that was about back there, or should I just guess?" Ethan says once we're outside behind the pack house.

I shake my head and pull my hands down my face. "Fuck."

"It's her, isn't it? Is she the one? Is Chloe—" Even Ethan obviously doesn't want to say it out loud. Sitting down on a bench, I look up at him and nod. "Shit," Ethan says, shaking his head. "And you just now?—"

"Yep. Just now." I shake my head and release the breath I've been holding. "What the fuck am I going to do, man? She hates the fucking sight of me, but now all I can think of is claiming her as mine." Ethan opens his mouth, but before he can talk I say, "And yes, I'm aware that I only have myself to blame for that."

"She obviously didn't know," Ethan says. "She must not be eighteen yet. If she were, she would have recognized you as her mate too."

"The woman I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with has wanted me all along, all these years, Ethan. I pushed her away when she could have been mine this entire time."

"Maybe she just needs some time to warm up to you again," Ethan says.

"Dude, I took her virginity and then never spoke to her again. "

Ethan's eyes widen. "She was a fucking virgin? You never told me that."

"I'm not exactly proud of what I did, and now I don't know how to fix it."

Ethan blows out a deep breath. "I wish I knew what the fuck to tell you to do, man, but I'm at a loss on this one."

"You need to tell her." We both look over at the open door to see Ethan's father joining us outside.

I immediately stand and straighten my posture. "Alpha Sullivan, I apologize for my behavior in there. I don't know what came over me."

"Relax, Nick. Have a seat," he says. "I think we all know what came over you. Can I assume you just discovered that Chloe Harper is your mate?"

I nod. "Yes, sir."

"Are your parents here tonight?" he asks.

Worry churns in my stomach as I look up at him again. "No. Am I in trouble?"

"No, relax. I just thought it might help to have a little parental guidance, but I guess I'll have to do for now," Alpha Sullivan says with a friendly smile.

That's when it occurs to me. "Oh, no. Are Chloe's parents here tonight?"

"No, but word travels fast. They're going to hear about this, so you'll need to talk to them, but you know who you need to talk to first."

"Alpha Sullivan, please don't say it."

"You need to be a man about this, Nick," Alpha Sullivan says. "You need to talk to Chloe."

"She's not eighteen yet," Ethan says.

Alpha Sullivan nods and says, "I know, but she still has a right to know what's going on."

"She hates me, Alpha. I'm ashamed to say that I treated her really badly at the end of last year, and now?—"

"Like I said, it's time to step up and be a man, Nick. If mistakes were made, own them and apologize for them. Take responsibility. Tell her the truth and own your feelings."

"What if she won't listen?"

"Then you keep talking until she does."

"What if she makes me grovel?"

Alpha Sullivan shrugs. "Then I suggest you get on your knees, and you grovel. What you never do is give up."

Chloe

"What…the hell…was that?" Mia says as the noise level in the room goes back to normal and we find a place to sit down and talk.

I'm completely thrown. I shake my head and look around the room. "I don't know."

"You know what it looked like?" Mia says.

I look at her and cross my arms. "No. That's not what it was."

"Are you sure, because?—"

"I said that's not what it was, Mia." There's no way the universe would be so cruel as to pair me for the rest of my life with a man who treated me so badly. Our mates are meant to love and protect us. Nick Hayes had done the exact opposite to me.

"Okay, okay," Mia says. "If not that, then what do you think that was all about?"

"Probably just his big, fat ego," I say. "He probably can't stand the fact that I'm no longer stuck on him after sleeping with him."

"Uh oh," Mia says. "Incoming, and they've brought the big guns."

I look up to see Nick and Ethan walking straight for us, and they're being followed by Alpha Sullivan. Great. This is the first time I've actually had the opportunity to get a good look at Nick tonight, and it really annoys me that he looks even better than he did the last time I saw him. He's taller now, and his chest and arms are more muscular. His blonde hair still has that tousled look with that swoopy wave in the front. The charming, boyish look he would get in his inviting blue eyes when he smiles, has been replaced with a look of determination and a manly smolder. They all stop in front of us, and Nick and I just look at each other for a minute until he's nudged in the arm by Ethan.

"Yeah, uh…Chloe, could you and I go somewhere and talk?"

"No."

Nick's lips press into a tight line, and Alpha Sullivan puts his hand on Nick's shoulder. "Listen, I know you're upset with me, but I'd really appreciate the opportunity to apologize for my behavior and explain."

I look up into his piercing blue eyes. "Apologize for what? Tonight, or that night?"

He takes a deep breath and releases it slowly while Ethan tries to hide his smirk. "Both, actually. Please, Chloe. We really need to talk."

I shrug. "You may feel the need to talk, but I can't say that I'm feeling terribly interested in what you have to say."

Nick's face starts to turn red and I can practically see every muscle in his body tightening. "Remember what I told you is happening to you," Alpha Sullivan says as he tightens his grip on Nick's shoulder. "Control it." The Alpha then looks at me. "Chloe, I wouldn't usually get involved in these matters, but seeing as I have been brought into this, I'd like to ask you to please speak with Nick for a few minutes." My mouth drops open. This is totally unfair. I can't refuse the Alpha's request. "Please, Chloe. It's for the good of both of you, and honestly, everyone here tonight." I nod and stand, and Nick's body immediately relaxes. "Follow me. You can talk in my office," Alpha Sullivan says.

As the Alpha leads us to his office, I can feel the heat of Nick's stare on my back. "Take your time. You won't be bothered in here," Alpha Sullivan says. "Don't let anyone in here, and anything you hear doesn't leave this room," he says to the guard standing outside his office before he closes the door, leaving us alone.

"Chloe—"

"I'm only in here because I couldn't really refuse Alpha Sullivan's request."

He comes closer to me and my heart pounds. I hate the way my body still reacts to him. "I understand that, but please just listen to me."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say to me, Nick. You used me and threw me away."

He scrunches up his face. "I didn't throw you—" He stops himself and takes a deep breath. "I understand why it must have felt that way, and I'm so sorry, Chloe. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just supposed to be getting you out of my system."

I feel my eyes widen and my mouth drops open. This is what he considers an apology? "You wanted to get me out of your system? You're such an ass!"

He shakes his head and pulls his hands down his face with a loud groan. "This is coming out all wrong."

"You think? Maybe you should try again. I'd love to hear what you come up with next," I say, sitting down on the couch and crossing my legs.

"I had a rule, Chloe."

Rolling my eyes, I say, "Yeah, I heard all about your stupid rule."

"But I couldn't get you out of my fucking head. I tried. I tried for years."

"I liked you, Nick. I really, really liked you. I would have understood if you didn't like me back, but to do what you did—" I say, crossing my arms and shaking my head as I fight the tears that still want to come even a year later.

"I know, Chloe. That's the thing though, I felt more for you than I ever expected to that night. I knew when we were about to…that I should just walk away, but I wanted to be with you."

"No, you didn't want to be with me. You wanted to fuck me. I mean, that's what you said, isn't it? I'm just the idiot that didn't listen to what the words really meant. "

His face drops at my comment, and I scoot away from him when he sits next to me on the couch. "I was the idiot, Chloe. Not you. I found myself having real feelings for you that night, and you have to believe me when I say it meant a lot more to me than just fucking some girl. I didn't know what to do with my feelings for you, and instead of owning up to them, I ran from them and blamed it on my fucking rule about not dating within the pack. I'm so sorry. I've been sorry ever since, Chloe."

"Maybe you should have had the balls to say so," I say, looking over into the regret of his blue eyes.

"You're right," he says with a nod.

"Okay, well…you've apologized," I say, uncrossing my legs as I scoot to the edge of the couch.

He wraps his hand around my wrist before I can stand. "We're not done yet."

"There's nothing else to talk about," I say, looking at the ground as my stomach twists.

"I think you and I both know that's not true." He lifts my chin with his two fingers to meet his gaze.

I shake my head. "No."

"Chloe—"

"I said no, Nick," I say as tears come to my eyes.

"When is your birthday?"

My heart pounds in my chest, but I scrunch up my face as if I don't know where he's going with this. "You want to talk about my birthday? It's in a week. Why?"

"Because that's when you'll know beyond a shadow of a doubt that what I'm about to say is true."

I shake my head as tears pool in my eyes. "No. Don't say it, Nick."

He takes my face in his hands, and it's beyond me why I don't stop him. "You're my mate, Chloe. You're mine, and I'm yours."

I feel like the wind has just been knocked out of me. I pull his hands off of my face, and I stand and start pacing in circles. "No, I don't want this."

He comes to stand in front of me, stopping me from pacing. "I don't believe that. You've wanted me from day one, and you know what the truth is? I've always wanted you too, and there's nothing I regret more than not being with you this entire time."

I shake my head vigorously as tears trickle down my face. "No. You're lying. You're just saying that because you think we're mates."

"No, I'm not, Chloe. And, I don't think …I know ."

Continuing to shake my head, I say, "Stay away from me, Nick. I don't want to see you. I don't want to talk to you." I storm toward the door, but he's right behind me, and as I open the door, I gasp when his hand comes from behind me, slamming it closed.

His chest presses to my back as I lean against the door. He's always smelled amazing, but I hate it that he smells even better tonight. Goosebumps race across my body when he says right next to my ear, "You know I can't stay away from you now, Chloe." He rubs his hand up and down my arm. "Not only that, but I don't want to stay away from you." My breath trembles when I feel his erection pressing into me from behind. He places a long kiss to my cheek, and then whispers in my ear, "I love you, Chloe."

I have to fight to keep my face from scrunching up into an ugly cry. He has no idea how elated I would have been to hear those words from him under different circumstances. He has no idea how many nights I prayed and dreamed that it would be him saying those words to me one day. Now, all I feel is hate. I turn around to face him. "Love? After everything that's happened? How dare you say that to me?"

"You know why I'm saying it, Chloe. We're?—"

"Just stop, Nick. I don't want to hear it."

He backs away and I take the opportunity to open the door. I run out of the room, only stopping briefly to catch my breath and wipe my tears when I hear Travis. "Chloe?" I turn, look at him, and shake my head before running out of the pack house. "Chloe! Hey! Chloe, wait up!" I turn to see Travis chasing after me into the parking lot. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing. Somebody just said something…stupid…to me."

"Do I need to go take care of it for you?" he asks, holding up his arm and pointing to his bicep, making me laugh.

"No, it's okay. I'll be fine."

"Well, I can't let you walk away all upset and alone. Come on. I'll give you a ride," he says, steering me toward his car. He opens the door for me, and I get in while grabbing my phone out of my purse to tell Mia that Travis is giving me a ride home, but I'm surprised when I hear him say, "Where to?"

"You can just take me home. I'm sure you have better things to do," I say with a smile.

"Better things than spending time with you?" He shakes his head. "Nope." I laugh again, and he says, "See, I've got you feeling better already. Let's hang out."

"Okay, sure," I say with a smile. I've been friends with Travis for years. He's a good guy…someone who's always there to lift people up.

"You want to go to my house? My parents will be gone until practically morning, and the fridge is stocked with whatever you want…food, liquor…I've got you covered. You can tell me all about whatever has you so upset." Travis's parents own a nightclub in Boulder called The Pack House, and they work super late most nights. I always felt bad for him having to be alone so much of the time in high school, but he never really seemed to mind.

"Sure. Your house sounds good."

As he pulls out of the parking lot and drives toward his house, he says, "So, what am I going to have to do to get you to go out with me sometime, Chloe Harper?"

"Oh. Uh, I guess I didn't know you were interested."

"You obviously haven't been paying attention then," he says with a laugh. "Makes sense, though. We all know you spent most of high school pining after Nick Hayes. What was up with him tonight, anyway?"

I roll my eyes. "Who knows? I'm over him now."

"So, there's nothing going on between the two of you?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Nothing at all," I say, my stomach twisting as I think about what Nick said to me in Alpha Sullivan's office. I refuse to believe it. I will not be Nick's mate.

"So tonight was?—"

"A misunderstanding," I say. "Just a total misunderstanding."

"Hmm." He raises his eyebrows and nods. "Good to know."

It's dark when we walk into Travis's house, so he flips on the kitchen lights. Opening the refrigerator, he asks, "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thanks. I'm good."

"Cool," he says, letting the refrigerator close. Taking a closer look at Travis, I wonder why I haven't noticed him in this way before. He's built, as are most of the guys in our society. He's got nice, well-styled, short, dark hair and really pretty green eyes. Travis is hot. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" he asks with a grin.

"Are you really interested in me?"

"Yeah, Chloe," he says, coming closer and running his knuckles under my jaw. "I have been for a long time."

I step into him and look up at his lips. "Kiss me."

The corner of his mouth turns up in a grin, and he closes his eyes as he slowly lowers his lips to mine. It's soft. It's nice. It's warm. It's not Nick. Damn it. No. I will not think about him. I let Travis sweep his tongue beyond my lips as he threads his hand into my hair, groaning as he pulls me into his body, and I feel his hard erection against me as he deepens our kiss. He pulls back and shakes his head with a smile. "Fuck, Chloe. Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?"

"Well, then don't stop doing it." If he stops, I'll just start thinking about him again, and everything he told me. That's the last thing I want to think about. I am not mated to Nick Hayes.

"Come on," Travis says, taking me by the hand and leading me down the hallway to his bedroom. He pulls me down to sit next to him on the bed and it doesn't take long before he's lying on top of me and things are getting really intense, really fast.

This is it. I can do this. I'll just have sex with someone else, and then I'll never have to think about that night with Nick again. I'll move past it and leave it all behind me. I'm down to my bra and panties and Travis is in his boxer briefs when he reaches into his nightstand drawer for a condom, and I freeze. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" he asks, kissing me again. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head and stand up. "I can't do this."

"Okay. Hey…Chloe," Travis says, reaching for my hand. "You're shaking. What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be here. I can't do this."

"Wait, are you…you know? Have you never?"

I wish that was the problem. "That's not it."

"Listen, I didn't mean to pressure you. I thought you wanted to do it too," Travis says, standing with concern in his eyes.

"I know. You didn't. God, I'm so sorry. It's just that Nick told me I'm his mate tonight, and I don't want to believe it. I don't believe it, but I don't think I can do this." It just flew out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying.

Travis's eyes widen in horror. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I say, collecting my clothes and starting to dress.

"Nick is your fucking mate? I asked you about him. How could you not tell me that, Chloe? Nick and I are friends, or I thought we were, until the pack house tonight. I knew his behavior was off when he grabbed you. God, I just blew it off like he was drunk or something. I should have known. Fuck!" He shakes his head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it's complicated. We aren't together, and I don't want him to be my mate. "

"But you were after him for years," he says.

"Yeah, well…things change, and I'm not eighteen yet. I don't feel a bond with him. Trust me, all I feel for Nick Hayes is contempt."

"Still, Chloe…I almost fucked another man's mate. I'm not that fucking guy."

"I know you're not," I say as tears start to stream down my face. "I'm so, so sorry."

He sighs and pulls me into a hug. "Shit. Don't cry. I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but you obviously need to talk to Nick and figure it out."

I pull back and look up at him. "You can't tell anyone. I don't even know if it's true yet. Please, Travis. You have to promise me you won't say anything."

"I won't say anything as long as it doesn't get back to Nick that I almost fucked you. Do you know how bad that would have been for me?" Travis says with wide eyes.

"I know. I'm so sorry. I promise I won't say a word."

"What can I do? Do you need to talk some more?" He holds his hands up in front of him. "Fully clothed, of course."

I shake my head. "Can you take me home, please?"

"Yeah, no problem."

As he turns to walk out of his bedroom, I grab his arm. "I'm so sorry, Travis. Do you hate me?"

He gives me a scolding look. "Chloe, of course not, but just be careful. You're going to get somebody killed over that body of yours," he says with a light laugh. "Come on. I'll take you home."