CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

O liver stood on the other side of the door, his head leaning on the doorjamb.

Fuck.

He’d heard this mating business was hard all his damn life, but this was beyond anything he could have imagined. Of course he had to fall in love with the most stubborn, independent, and frustrating female on the planet.

But God, he fucking loved her.

Just when he thought he’d been making progress, the topic of him sleeping with Sage had come up. He’d planned to tell her when they were fully bonded, and she was a vampire. Their bond would be stronger, and she’d understand the difference.

As a human her feelings were weaker than his, or so he’d been told, just by the nature of her species.

He hadn’t exactly kept it from her. Things were moving very fast between them. He just hadn’t thought it was a priority, but he’d been wrong.

Of course it was important to her.

Still, Oliver couldn’t help feeling it was just another excuse she was clinging to, to leave him.

He’d snapped.

He realized that. But he couldn’t stand looking into her face a moment longer as she rejected him. He felt her desire; he felt her love, and he felt her rejection.

It was painful.

He loved Piper with all that he was.

Taking her back to her room had been hard. It went against his very nature. What he wanted to do was rip his shirt off her, slam his mouth down on hers and press her against the wall while he thrust into her.

He wanted her to acknowledge she was his, but what she needed was space to truly feel his absence and work out what she wanted.

It would hurt them both, but he understood it.

He knew what was at stake.

He listened to her sobs and squeezed his eyes shut.

Fuck.

Every part of him wanted to go to her and pull her into his arms to comfort her. Instead, he straightened, and teleported back to his rooms, then punched a hole in the wall as he let out a yell.

Every vampire in the mansion knew what was going on. They would have heard him. When a mating was underway, everyone knew about it.

He had to go against his very nature and give Piper space to feel this pain and make her decision. She would either want him when he returned to her, or leave.

Oliver teleported back to the training center and found Ari leaning against the boxing ring. He threw Oliver a pair of boxing gloves.

Without saying anything, he slipped them on and climbed under the ropes.

“Don’t go easy on me.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Ari replied.

PIPER PICKED HERSELF up off the floor and climbed into bed. She tucked the covers around her and curled into a ball.

What a mess.

Part of her wanted to run home and get away from this entire situation, but the rest of her really wanted to be wrapped in Oliver’s arms. To feel safe and loved. It was the only place she had truly ever experienced that.

She felt his love in every cell of her body. She felt the gaping void of his absence.

But he’d lied.

He’d slept with Sage. He wasn’t telling her the consequences to him of what would happen if she remained human.

So many lies.

This wasn’t about just deciding to date someone, or even marry them. She had to decide in a matter of hours if she would give up her humanity and become a different being altogether.

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Deep down, she knew she couldn’t choose him.

In some ways, she’d always known she’d remain on her own and unloved in this life.

Now she knew why.

PUNCH.

Omphf.

Oliver side-stepped and then ducked. When he’d asked Ari to not go easy, he probably should have thought it through a little more.

Punch.

Fucking hell.

He knew what the guy was doing, though. Distracting him. It was working to a point, but the mated vampire knew it would take a lot more, especially at this vital point.

“She’s not going to change. I know it,” Oliver said.

Punch.

“Jesus, Ari.”

Then Ari tried to kick his legs out from under him but Oliver teleported to the other side of the ring.

“Breach of rules,” Ari exclaimed, spinning.

“I don’t give a fuck.” He growled.

Ari nodded and gave him an understanding dry smile.

Oliver stood straight and held up his gloves. “Time out. I can’t concentrate.”

Ari stepped forward and tapped him with a glove; just a nudge. “Well, I’m trying to help you with that.”

Oliver shook his head. “It’s the bond. She’s pulling me back. I can feel her anguish.”

Ari stepped back and dropped his arms.

“Yeah, they do that. Let her experience the void for as long as you can resist. It will help her understand the nature of the mate bond. Or you could just change her.” Ari shrugged. “You don’t need to live without her.”

Oliver ducked under the ropes and began removing his gloves. Ari did the same, and they both tossed them in the ring to be sorted.

“Piper wouldn’t forgive me. She’s like a wildcat. Stubborn and protective.” He shook his head. “I need to let her choose. Even if she doesn’t understand what will happen to me.”

Ari cursed. “You won’t last long without her, Oli. Fuck it.”

Oliver nodded. He knew. Every male vampire knew.

For powerful alphas such as himself and many of the males in his world, mate rejection was a death sentence.

Eventually.

How long it took was up to the individual.

There was no way he could remain in his role as head assassin. He couldn’t even be an ordinary assassin. He’d be unable to focus, and every part of him would grieve the loss of his mate.

The same mate who would have no memory of him.

She would continue with her life and build new memories, but she’d never love again. Humans often dated, had sex and married, but the relationships were hollow and missing any true love and intimacy.

For a vampire, the utter loss and grief drove them to suicide. If Piper chose her humanity, it was just a matter of time.

Tick tock, tick tock.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly realizing he hadn’t seen the Moretti SLC around. “Has Kurt left?”

Ari let out a sigh. “There’s been a development, and he’s returned to Casa Moretti in Maine.”

Oliver crossed his arms.

“There’s been a close contact situation with Callan.”

His eyes widened. “We’ve found him?”

“Not quite,” Ari said. “He bit a female. And its infected her.”

What the hell?

“Change your mate, Oliver. Then come back to work. We need you. Things have just gotten very fucking serious.” Ari slapped him on the back. “She’ll forgive you. Have faith.”

Oliver stared at the back of the ancient vampire as he walked away.

Jesus.

What the hell had they done to Callan?

What was he?