The Beta's Choice

14-Confessions

After Tobias clears away the plates, completely ignoring my offer to help, he carries me back into the sitting room. My instinct is telling me to protest against Tobias carrying me everywhere but deep down, I love being pampered by him just a little bit.

"I'll show you to your bedroom." Tobias breaks the silence as he tends to the fire. "You must be exhausted and need to sleep."

I nod my head sleepily, I have hardly slept in weeks, too afraid of Blake hurting me again, and I can feel it. My hand reaches out from under the blanket to touch at the three angry gashes on my cheek. They have scabbed over but I suspect they will still scar.

"Ok then." Tobias slaps his palms on his thighs and stands from the fire. "Let's get you to bed little tree-wolf."

His nickname for me makes me smile as I hold out a hand for him to take. I never expected to be so comfortable around Tobias as quickly as I am. I've only known him for three weeks or so and yet I feel like I would tell him anything. I almost feel with him, as I imagined I would feel with my mate.

Stop, that's dangerous thinking. Tobias has a mate waiting for him. I can't cross any sort of line or I'll be punished once again for just existing.

I walk behind Tobias as we climb up the wooden stairs, my hand in his. When we reach the top, Tobias has to stoop slightly before he can stand to his full height.

Giggling, I make Tobias turn and look at me with a rueful smile on his lips.

"What?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me as I climb the last few steps after him. I make note of the fact that I don't have to stoop down even an inch, but that's hardly surprising as Tobias must easily be a foot taller than me.

"Didn't you build this house yourself."

"Yes," he nods his head and I notice he puffs his chest out in pride slightly as he reaches up and leans his arms against one of the rafters. With his arms stretched up and a proud smile on his face, his attractiveness takes my breath away.

I want to look away guilty but I keep my eyes fixed on his face.

"I was just thinking that if you made this house, why didn't you make it big enough for you?"

Tobias' face falls for a moment and I instantly wish I'd just kept my mouth shut, an agonising second passes before his face lights up again.

"Oh, right. I'll admit it was an oversight on my part." He chuckles and my shoulders relax so I laugh along with him. I can picture Tobias forgetting his height when building his own cabin. Even when he stands, he stoops his shoulders to appear smaller, especially when he is around Blake.

"Come on then Immy, I'll show you to your room and then you can use the bathroom or whatever."

"Thank you, I'm sorry I can't give anything in return."

"In life not everything has to be an exchange, Imogen."

I don't know what to say to that so I keep quiet. I sense that the way Tobias sees the world is very different to the way I was brought up to see it.

"Here's your room." Tobias announces softly, laced with pride as he opens one of the closed doors. "It's slightly smaller than the other option but it's warmer, I hope you like it."

"It's super, thank you." He smiles down at me as I look up at him with grateful eyes.

"Alright then, I'll leave you to sleep- sleep for as long as you need, alright?"

I nod again and start to walk towards the room, I forget for a moment that I'm still holding his hand so as I step away I get pulled back against his chest.

Blushing, I push away from his chest with my palm and a mumbled apology. Tobias' chest chuckles against my cheek and he bends down, pressing a tiny kiss to my forehead.

I gasp and pull back, stepping backwards into the threshold of my room. The place where his lips touched my skin tingles and I know it's wrong.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Why?" He questions, my mouth drops open in surprise because I don't understand why he doesn't understand.

"Why?" I exclaim feeling the fire burning in my stomach. I won't have his mate being treated like I was, I want her to feel special and loved and I can't bear to be the reason she gets disappointed. "You have a mate waiting for you! She'll hate me if you keep doing that!"

The irritation and burning fire in my stomach vanishes as I watch Tobias' face fall and all I'm left with is shame. My anger came from a place of defending his future mate but maybe I should have trusted Tobias and kept my mouth shut.

"Imogen..." His voice is hoarse, it sounds like tears are threatening to fall and it makes me hate myself, "I don't have a mate. She died but I'm sorry, I shouldn't have touched you like that without permission."

Sighing, I bite my lip. I feel overwhelmingly guilty and I can't believe I yelled at him for a mate, a mate he lost. Losing your mate is the worst thing to ever happen to a wolf, it's like losing a piece of your heart and being told to keep breathing.

With a heavy, shamed heart I walk back over to where Tobias is standing, his head bowed in pain. I open my arms and slowly wind them around his chest, I rest my head over his heart and wait for Tobias' reaction.

After a moment, his arms tighten around my body and his chins rests on the top of my head.

"I'm sorry." I whisper into his chest, "I should have just kept my mouth shut."

"You don't need to be sorry, you were right to stand up for yourself and my mate. And as for keeping your mouth shut, I don't want you to do that. Seeing that fire in your eyes was like seeing you come alive."

He sighs heavily, my head lifts along with his chest. I should have left his embrace by now, this is wrong and yet my wolf is not whining she's strangely content.

"Come on now, you need to rest. We can talk some more tonight."

I nod my head and unwind my arms from around him but I hesitate before leaving his warmth and proximity.

"Sleep well, Imogen."

Tobias bends down and kisses my forehead once again and this time I'm at a loss for words.

Blushing, I blink up at him and treat him to a small smile before I turn and head into the room. Tobias waits outside my door for a moment to check I'm happy with the room. I look around at how cosy and perfect this room is for me, the thing I love the most about the room is the tiny wood burner which is kicking out a delicious amount of heat.

Tobias clears his throat and then heads back down the hall, I initially can't decide if I should leave the door open or shut but then I think about Blake finding us and me not hearing so I keep it open.

Throwing back the covers, I curl up under the soft blankets and immediately relax into sleep with the easy knowledge that Tobias is close by and ready to protect me.