Aether's Claim | Editing

Chapter 13

I froze.

Aether pulled away quickly, gaze flicking between my eyes before he turned away from me.

My mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something but no words came out.

"Sorry." Aether said, cutting the silence in half.

I didn't answer him, and he lifted his head to look at me, a smile breaking out onto his face as he saw my expression.

I couldn't stop the smile breaking out onto my own face either, a chuckle escaping my lips as I thought of the absurdity of it all.

"I really do want to help you," Aether began, "You don't deserve any of this. But just say the word, and I'll leave you alone."

I needed to think about it, needed to weigh the pros and cons about in my head. I also needed to see Ares again and decipher if he really did want me, or if he was ready to drop me at the slightest inconvenience. I needed to see what my options were, I didn't just want to start severing the mate pull under the idea Ares wasn't fighting for me, I needed to know before I did that.

"I just need time, Aether." I explained.

Aether's expression hardened slightly, "You want to know if Ares will take you."

I didn't answer him.

"How long are you going to wait, May?" He queried, and I understood his point exactly.

But I couldn't exactly fight the mate pull, and my wolf would never let me start to weaken it without first having made absolutely sure Ares would never claim me, and even then, she'd still have hope that he would change his mind.

"I just want to think about it." I explained again, my voice quiet.

I had overwhelming thoughts about if I was making the right decision, were this would lead me in the future, but right now I just wanted to focus on where Ares and I stood - no matter how foolish it was.

Aether nodded, ending the conversation, and began to make his way to my bedroom door. I was itching to see Ares again, but it was still breakfast time and still hours before we could see each other at night, when everyone was asleep.

"I'll have my decision made in a week." I said to Aether as he left, my stomach grumbling as the door shut in front of me.

I slumped onto my bed and groaned, thinking back to the kiss me and Aether had just shared. It was fleeting and quick, and it left me feeling nothing more towards him and nothing less to Ares.

Truthfully, I had hoped my first kiss would be with my mate, so Ares, but after the mating ceremony that was looking less and less likely. It irked me to some degree that Aether had kissed me with no warning, without me permission, but I had pushed him over the edge with my questions about his past, so I should've seen his heightened state of emotions coming.

My stomach rumbled again, and I finally gave in, slipping on some comfortable clothes and leaving my apartment to hopefully get some breakfast before it was cleaned up. The chances of me seeing Ares were slim, as the Alphas either ate within their quarters or early on during breakfast when it was peak time, but I still threw on my hood over my hair and my gaze to the floor as I entered the hall.

It wasn't as full, which I liked, but there were still pack members milling about; cleaning up and chatting with friends. I made a beeline for the buffet table and began loading up my plate with food, my stomach growling louder as I anticipated eating.

It would be the first time in a while I would get to eat a full meal, and once again I was grateful for that night with Ares as it had turned around my appetite and brought it back.