25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

-Reese-

N aomi posed an excellent question, one I hadn’t considered, and we lapsed into silence, both grappling with the complexities of our situation and the potential ramifications if our assessment was wrong. What would become of Naomi? What if I relocated her here, only to have her leave again?

The notion felt cruel, and I shook my head at the mere thought. I couldn’t subject her to such turmoil.

“Why is this so complicated?” I murmured, rubbing my tired eyes.

“I don’t know,” she responded softly.

“Mating is supposed to be simple. We’re meant to instinctively know and then claim each other. With mutual support, that bond is supposed to thrive and grow stronger. So why are we struggling?” I questioned, turning to her for answers. But Naomi had none to offer. She merely shrugged, unable to provide an explanation. I understood her silence, so I nodded slightly, exhaling heavily as I reclined in my seat.

“It shouldn’t be like this.”

“No,” she whispered, echoing my sentiments, and in that moment, I felt utterly defeated as we both retreated into our own thoughts.

Suddenly, I sensed her drawing closer, and I turned my head to look up at her. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, she appeared even more beautiful to me.

“Maybe we should consider it,” she suggested.

“Consider what?” I inquired.

“Consider rejecting each other.”

“I’ve already told you I don’t want to hear that suggestion anymore,” I snapped, rising from my chair and stepping away from her. Her words unsettled me deeply, and I didn’t want to risk using my Alpha powers on her. It would be inappropriate to exert dominance over her for merely expressing an idea, but I couldn’t bear to hear such words from her.

“But Reese—”

“It’s a firm no, Naomi!” I exclaimed, stopping a few paces away from her.

“What other option do we have? Don’t you desire just one mate?” she pressed.

“I do, but not at the cost of losing you,” I declared.

“It’s not like you can give up Rosa!” she countered, the room falling silent as our eyes met. “Can you?”

I pondered her question, but my wolf snarled and growled within my mind, shaking its head. “No,” I replied firmly.

“See?”

“But I can’t let you go either. It’s simply not possible,” I admitted.

“Reese...” She sighed.

“No, Naomi. I can’t bring myself to reject either of you. It’s just not an option,” I asserted firmly.

“But Reese, what other choice do we have?”

“We do have a choice. We just need to find a way out of this situation,” I explained.

“And how do we do that?”

“I need time to think,” I murmured, feeling the weight of our dilemma pressing down on me.

As I rubbed my tired eyes, trying to untangle the knots of confusion in my mind, Naomi remained silent. However, her scent began to fill the air, triggering my instincts. I turned to her, glaring, and she instinctively drew back.

“What?” she asked, puzzled by my reaction.

“You need to stop that,” I insisted.

“Stop what?”

“Your scent is distracting me. I can’t concentrate,” I explained, feeling the frustration building within me.

“But I can’t control that,” she protested.

I knew she couldn’t, but her sweet aroma enveloped me, stirring primal instincts that I struggled to suppress. A low growl escaped me, causing her to gasp, as if even the sound of my voice affected her.

“I need some fresh air,” I declared, striding over to a nearby window and throwing it open.

The cool evening breeze brushed against my skin, soothing my racing thoughts and frantic heartbeat. I took deep breaths, inhaling the crisp air and trying to dispel Naomi’s intoxicating scent. Gradually, it helped me regain my composure, and I rested my hands on the window sill, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. We needed to find a way to navigate through this mess.

I listened as Naomi moved around behind me, and when I glanced back, I saw her standing there, offering me a small smile.

“The pain won’t last forever,” she reminded me gently.

My response was a dark growl, shocking her into silence.

“You’re still fixated on us rejecting each other?”

“I just don’t know what else to do!” she protested.

“Help me figure this out and stop suggesting we reject each other!” I demanded.

“I just...”

“What?”

“I don’t want any of this to happen!” she shouted. “I thought I did, but it’s turning into a nightmare!”

Her words resonated in my mind, confirming a suspicion I had been harboring about the young wolf. Had she been noticing me, even longing for me from a distance? The thought pleased a part of me, but I couldn’t dwell on it while she kept entertaining the idea of rejecting me.

“We’ll find another solution,” I assured her.

“Well, I’m out of ideas,” she snapped, crossing her arms defiantly.

“We haven’t even begun to try.”

“We have tried! If a few days can bring us to this, then I don’t want to see what more time will do!” she declared, her defiance only stoking the flames of my frustration. My growl deepened, a clear warning she chose to ignore. Chin raised in defiance, she dared to challenge me, a gesture that only fueled my anger.

I strode toward her, my growl intensifying, a warning for her not to push me further. Yet, she met my gaze with unwavering defiance, trembling but resolute. It was both intriguing and unsettling to witness. Without hesitation, I reached for her, grasping her throat firmly and drawing her closer, our bodies pressing together.

“We are not rejecting each other,” I stated firmly, my tone dark and commanding.