Bark Or Bite

Chapter 7

I wake up in my bed, blankets up to my chin, drenched in sweat. I throw them off of me and inhale deeply. As soon as I do, I catch a whiff of Maximus. My head swivels quickly, and I see him sitting in the far corner of my bed.

"How are you feeling?" His deep voice gives me chills.

"Fine. What are you doing here? How did you get in?" My memories from earlier flood in.

"Your father let me in. You're my mate. I have to look after you." His head turns and he looks at me. The room is dark, other than my dim desk light. Even with no light, I can still see the love in his eyes clearly. He looks at me the same way Ian does.

"I don't need to be looked after. I can handle myself." I stand up.

"I know you can. But that doesn't mean I am going to allow you to be alone. I will be with you, by your side, every day." He takes a few steps closer, until he is standing before me, his head looking down towards mine. He's muscular. His hair is in loose curls on top of his head. I can't help but stare into his deep brown eyes.

I turn to walk away, but he grabs my arm.

"Where are you going?" He spins me around to face him. I gasp at the chills his touch leaves on my arm.

"Answer me." His possessiveness radiates through his words.

"I'm just going to get water." I fight back the temptation to roll my eyes at him.

"I'll go with you. I don't want you to pass out on the stairs." He opens my door and waits for me to walk out.

I huff in frustration. "I'm a werewolf sweetheart. I heard that."

Good. I mentally speak.

After getting my water from the kitchen, he finally realizes that I'm covered in sweat.

"Are you okay? You're sweating." He looks down at me.

"Yes, I'm fine. You pulled three layers of blankets up to my chin." I roll my eyes at him, barely missing his line of sight.

"Let's get you in the shower." He grabs my hand to lead me up the stairs.

"Let's? I can shower alone."

"I know you can sweetheart."

Maximus reaches in my dresser an pulls out a tank top and sleep shorts. I am already in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet seat.

"Here." He gives me the night clothes. "I don't have anything extra to wear, so I won't shower with you. After I return from home tomorrow, I'll bring extra clothing to keep here. I'll take some of yours to put at my house." He's serious.

"Why?" I ask.

"Hannah, we're mates. You may not feel it yet, but we will be seeing a lot more of each other."

He reaches in the shower and turns the knobs, hot first. Once it warms up, he opens the door.

"I'll wait for you in your room. Do not lock this door. Yell if you need me." And with that he leaves.

I shower, scrubbing the sweat scent from my skin.

When I finish, I slowly open the door, unsure if he is still there or not. Surely enough, he is standing right next to the door, leaned up against the wall.

"What are you waiting on?" He asks right before pulling me from the bathroom back to my bedroom.

"I have to check on my pack, reassure them of the new changes in my schedule. Kohl will have to be ready for my absences. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. Are you okay sleeping alone tonight?" He raises his eyebrows at me.

"I actually prefer it." He sighs.

"I'll see you when I get back." He exits out of the window.

I'm just not comfortable having anyone in my bedroom that isn't Ian. I can't tell him that. Maximus could tell the council and have Ian killed immediately.

I lay down in my bed, feeling normal for the first time since I woke up. I turn on my left side, away from my window, not even wanting to know when Maximus returned.

Minutes later, I hear a woosh of come through the window.

"Listen, Maximus I'd really like to-" but I'm cut off.

"Who the hell is Maximus?" Ian's too familiar voice floods my ears.

"Ian, I didn't-" He cuts me off again.

"Intend on me finding out? What'd you think was gonna happen, Hannah?" He yells.

"Ian, he's my mate! What do you want me to do?" I watch his eyes get big and hear his breath hitch in his throat.

"So, you love him?" His voice gets low. I hear it turn cold with hate and jealousy.

"No, maybe, I don't know. I guess it's gonna take time." I feel horrible.

"So I guess I was wrong." He states, the hurt evident in his voice.

"Wrong about what?"

"I thought that no matter what came between us, you'd fight. We'd fight together. Not for you. Not for me. I thought we'd fight because our love is stronger than anything we could ever encounter on this Earth. I thought you loved me the way I love you. I guess not." He turns away from me.

"Ian, I do love you." I feel the tears well up in my eyes.

"No, you can't Hannah! Love is a two way street. I'll be damned if I risk my life for a love that loves someone else." He leaves. As soon as he does the tears start pouring out. Ian had never been mad at me. Never yelled, never walked away without saying goodbye.

I cover my sobs with my pillow, shaking the entire bed every time I exhale. How can I ever mate to Maximus, when I'm in love with the enemy?

********

I try drying off my pillow to make it less obvious that I was crying while Maximus was gone. In the middle, I fall asleep.

******

I wake up to a soft hand stroking my face. I then hear a breath and feel the hand tense.

"Hannah wake up." Maximus speaks.

I sit up slowly. "What?"

"A vampire was here." His eyes start to glow, a deep rumble emits from his chest.

"Are you okay? Are you harmed?" He begins searching my body frantically for any wounds.

"Stop, I'm okay." I knew he was talking about Ian, I just didn't know how to break it to him yet.

Maximus howls loudly. It's returned by at least twenty howls. My dad barges in my bedroom door.

"Is everything okay?" Worry is etched across his face.

"No. Some vampire came in Hannah's room while I was gone." He spits coldly.

"I'll call dad." I hear my dad curse under his breath.

"Do we really need to make a huge deal out of this? I ask.

"Yes. I don't care who this vampire is. He's messing with the wrong mate. I will tear him limb from limb, even if I have to kill myself doing it."

Thank you for reading!
The picture is Hannah.

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