26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

-Naomi-

H e refused to heed my words, and it frustrated me immensely. How could we ever hope to resolve this complicated situation if we remained inexorably drawn to each other? Alone together, we could barely think straight, yet he seemed oblivious to this fact as he drew me closer, his face mere inches from mine.

His eyes lingered on my lips, their intensity revealing his desires. He swallowed nervously, his anger dissipating as he continued to study my mouth, clearly yearning for a kiss yet awaiting a signal from me. I remained resolute, maintaining eye contact and denying him what he sought.

“Little mate, I’m on edge. Don’t push me,” he warned, his grip tightening around my throat.

“Allowing you to kiss me won’t calm you, nor will bringing me to this house,” I asserted.

He growled again, attempting to restrain himself from using his powers on me, though his desire to do so was evident.

“Doesn’t this affect you at all?” he asked, his gaze returning to my lips. “Don’t you desire the same thing?”

“I...”

“Because I can barely think straight. Why am I the one losing my mind while you seem to have control over yourself?” he questioned.

“Maybe because I’m not an Alpha. You’re naturally more possessive,” I pointed out.

“Will I lose control in the end? I don’t want to hurt you,” he admitted, his turmoil evident in his words. I watched as confusion clouded his expression, and in that moment, my anger dissolved. All I wanted was to alleviate some of his discomfort, so I reached up, running my fingers through his hair. He let out a soft moan, his eyes closing as I offered him solace with a simple gesture, something I had longed to do for so long. He leaned into my touch, his head coming to rest on my shoulder as I continued to stroke his hair. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.

“I can’t bear this,” he murmured. “I don’t understand what’s happening to me.”

“I know,” I whispered softly.

“How do you manage to stay so composed?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, though deep down, I had a clear understanding. Yet, I wasn’t prepared to fully acknowledge the depth of my feelings for him. Being vulnerable in this moment didn’t feel like the right solution.

So I continued to caress his hair, offering him the comfort he needed. He pulled me closer, and I found myself finding solace in his embrace as well. His warmth enveloped me, and his scent, a blend of freshness and a hint of something primal, was undeniably enticing. While to others, it might have been a warning, to me, it had always been irresistible, drawing me in. Could it be that we had been mates all along?

“Your scent is still intoxicating,” he confessed, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.

“I can’t help it,” I replied softly.

“No, but I don’t know what to do about it. I can’t hold my breath that long around you,” he said, attempting to inject some humor into the situation, which elicited a small chuckle from both of us.

“No, that might make you pass out,” I agreed with a smile.

“So what do we do? You say you don’t want to spend time with me, but I want to be around you.”

“Maybe some distance is needed. Perhaps it will help to calm us. You mentioned in the beginning it was intense with Rosa too. Did it eventually subside?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it became a bit calmer, less exhilarating, but the attraction is still there,” he admitted honestly.

I felt a pang in my heart upon hearing that he still found her alluring, desiring for her to be the one he was completely enamored with.

“But then maybe we should try to stay away?” I proposed, but his response was to tighten his arms around me, pulling me closer to him.

“Reese,” I whispered.

“I don’t want space.”

“But I think it’s necessary,” I stated firmly.

“Must we?” He sounded like a child being coerced into spending hours at a museum, and I couldn’t help but smile at the hint of whining in his voice as I continued to comfort him.

“I think we should give it a try.”

“And if it doesn’t work?” he inquired.

“We could… discuss me moving here or spending some nights.”

He pulled back slightly, looking elated as I conceded to his wish regarding staying in the house for some nights. I knew I could rely on Thomas to assist my mother, or I could go check on her right before coming to the house.

“You mean that?” he questioned eagerly.

“What?”

“That you would spend some nights here if we tried staying away from each other?” he clarified.

I nodded, confirming my willingness to try. He began smiling, seeming to enjoy my suggestion.

“How many days do we stay away from each other?” he asked.

“A week.”

He paled at the prospect, but we had to try something longer than just a few days.

“No,” he protested.

“Yes.”

“No!” he exclaimed.

“Reese, yes,” I insisted, hearing him sigh deeply, his expression indicating his reluctance to be apart from me for an entire week.

“I’m not sure I can do that,” he admitted.

“Reese, it has to be more than just a few days. Let’s try a week and see where it takes us,” I stated firmly, watching as he slowly and reluctantly took a few steps back.