CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX
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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX
Talia’s POV
For a moment, I couldn’t move. I stood frozen staring at Nolan. His presence was so unexpected that my mind struggled to catch up.
“Alpha Nolan,” I said quietly, my voice barely steady. “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t answer right away. His eyes were dark with anger and something else I couldn’t name.
“You shouldn’t have gone with him,” he finally said.
I frowned. “What?”
“With Colin,” he snapped. “You shouldn’t have gone into the forest with him. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” “How do you even know about that?” I asked, startled.
“Jason told me. He said you went to the waterfall with Colin, on a date. I searched the entire forest for you. For hours,” Nolan replied.
I blinked in disbelief. “You searched for me?”
“Yes,” he said. “Anything could have happened to you.”
My pulse quickened at the thought that Nolan cared that much to look for me. Then, I mentally cursed myself. Why was I getting flustered over this? Nolan didn’t want me. He basically was acting like Jason.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I told him. “I know Colin. I was fine with him.”
“That’s not the point,” he snapped. “You went off with another Alpha without telling anyone. That’s reckless, even for you.”
“You don’t get to lecture me. You’re not my Alpha. You’re barely even…” I stopped midsentence. I didn’t want to be rude. I just wanted him to leave.
His eyes narrowed. “Barely even what, Talia?”
I hesitated, then said, “Barely even my mate.”
Nolan took a sharp breath, but before he could respond, I added, “You should leave.”
He ignored me and stepped closer instead. “Was it really a date?”
“It’s none of your business,” I said, stepping back to maintain space between us.
“The hell it isn’t,” Nolan growled.
“You lost the right to ask questions like that when you decided we’d reject each other,” I snapped.
“I never agreed to that,” he shot back.
“You said you wouldn’t mark me!” I exclaimed.
“That’s not the same thing,” Nolan said.
“Then what is it?” I demanded. “You’ve done nothing but push me away, and now you’re angry because I spent time with someone else?”
Nolan didn’t answer. His chest rose and fell faster now. Again, he wasn’t telling me the truth, and I didn’t want to deal with him any longer.
CHAPTEYONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX
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“Just go,” I said quietly. “After tomorrow, we’ll be done. You’ll get what you want.”
“You really think that’s what I want?” Nolan demanded. “That’s really what you think?”
Before I could respond, he closed the distance between us. His hand caught the back of my neck. The warmth of his hand made me jerk, but he kept a firm grip on my neck.
“Nolan, what are you…”
Then he kissed me.
I froze at first, stunned, but then the bond ignited like fire under my skin. I tried to push him away, but my body betrayed me. My fingers curled into his shirt instead.
Every breath I took filled with his scent. It was impossible to resist. I hated how my body responded, how every part of me ached
for him even when I didn’t want to.
Nolan deepened the kiss, and for one terrifying, thrilling second, I stopped fighting. He pushed me up against the mirror. His free hand gripped my hip tightly.
Then, a scream stopped everything.
“What in the Moon Goddess’ name is going on here?!”
Della’s voice cut through the haze like a blade. I jerked back, breaking the kiss. Nolan froze too..
Della stood in the doorway, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “You two… you two are mates or what?!”
Before I could even think of a response, she strode across the room and shoved Nolan hard in the chest. “Get out!” she shouted.
Nolan didn’t resist. His expression flickered between guilt and anger. He hesitated in the doorway.
“GET.THE.HELLOUT!” she snarled.
Nolan looked at me once, like he wanted to say something, but I couldn’t meet his eyes. After another moment of silence, he turned and walked out. The door shut behind him with a heavy thud.
Della spun toward me and yelled, “Are you kidding me right now?”
“L..”
“How long have you been hiding this from me?” she demanded. “You and Nolan? When were you planning to tell me? Never?”
“It’s not what it looks like,” I said weakly.
She gave a disbelieving laugh. “Oh, it looks exactly like what it looks like. I walk in and find you two making out before the biggest ceremony of the year!”
“Della, please,” I said, lowering my voice. “You don’t understand. We’re not…”
She crossed her arms. “Not what? Mates?”
I sighed, rubbing my temple, “We are. But it doesn’t even matter. We’re going to reject each other after the ceremony.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Reject each other? After what I just saw?”
My face burned with embarrassment. “I don’t know what got into him. He kissed me. I didn’t kiss him.”
Della threw her hands up. “He was not acting like a man that wanted to reject his mate. What are you doing, Talia?”
“I don’t know,” I said quietly. “I thought that rejection was the plan, but now I don’t know anymore.”
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She frowned, her tone softening. “Talia, do you even know what you want?” she asked.
“I don’t,” I admitted. “Everything’s a mess. I thought I wanted to move on, to make things simple, but he keeps doing things that confuse me.”
She exhaled slowly, watching me. “You want to know what I think?”
“What?”
“He’s jealous.”
The word caught me off guard. “Jealous?”
“Yes,” she said, her tone matter of fact. “You went on a date with Colin, and suddenly Nolan’s storming in here, acting like you belong to him. He’s definitely jealous.”
I stared at her. “No, that can’t be it. He doesn’t even want me.”
Della raised an eyebrow. “You really believe that? Actions speak louder than words, Talia.” She stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m not saying he’s right for you. I’m just saying, maybe think about giving him another chance.”
For the first time in a long while, I had no idea what I felt.
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