RANK

Chapter 34

Nya wasn't realizing the level of comfort he was providing as he held onto her. He smelled so good, his own scent, which was becoming familiar, and he felt so warm like an electric blanket snugged tight up against her body. Then there was his hand holding her to his chest, gently caressing the back of her head, and it made all the difference. Everything was right in the world within the space between his arms.

"You should eat." He says softly. "I'll make you something. What would you like?"

She raises from his chest and inspects his features. How all of this drama could be going on and he still could be so benign she didn't know. "What did you do to me last night?" The question rolled off her tongue.

"Excuse me?" He cocks a brow. "You should be asking what you did to me last night."

Her eyes widened. "You're lying..." She backs out of his hold.

"Am I?" He moves forward making her take another step back.

"I'm not hungry." She spins around to get away only to be grabbed by her wrist and yanked back coming face to face with his sharp glare "Believe it or not Nya, I prefer for you to be awake."

"Are you saying that I came to you in my sleep?"

"For the second time."

Her stomach churched. She didn't even want to know anymore. Saliva was building up in her throat like she was going to vomit. "I wouldn't..."

"You did."

"Don't fight it, Nya..."

"There's nothing to fight..."

"You can deny it on the surface, but on the inside, you know we are fated to be together."

She looks down at his fingers still around her wrist and tries to pull it out. "If that were true then why did you fight it?" She twists and turns and manages to get it free, snatching it away like her purse back from a robber.

"Because I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have, because for the first time I was outmatched. Didn't have a chance."

"Imprinting, right..." How could he want to be with her suddenly? She is everything he hates. Imprinting shouldn't force them to be together when she is clearly the opposite of what he likes. "I am a walking glitch. I am weak. Why would you want that load? Why would the pack want me as their luna?"

He grits his teeth. "You will understand soon enough."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, after a little digging, I found out that birds imprint as well, they just take a little longer is all." He takes a step closing the gap between them. "So it's only a matter of time, my little bird."

"I won't." She swallows and before she could take an inch of space behind her his arm is snaked around her hips. Her breath hitched.

"We'll see about that."

"Le... let me go."

He leans in closer instead. "Why? Because you like it? Because you'll lose yourself? You'll let me do the things I want?"

"Please..." She begs in a low whispery tone.

Abruptly he drops his hands and crosses them behind his back and ugh, it was an icky feeling. Empty and alone, cold and depressing. "Thank you." She hoped he didn't hear the disappointment in her voice.

"Come on, I'll make you breakfast." He walks in the direction of the kitchen but stops and turns back when she doesn't follow.

"I'm not hungry."