Emma's Mate (ON HOLD)

Chapter 9

Emma Smith

My mate, Ashton Williams, is staring at me in silence. His face is devoid of emotion, but upon closer inspection, his eyes reveal a multitude of feelings.

But that's not all. He exudes authority. He is no longer the Ashton I knew three years ago. This man is a force to be reckoned with. How could I have forgotten that he is now the alpha, no longer just the soon-to-be alpha? The raw power he emits is undeniable proof of his dominance.

His body is stronger than I remember it being before. His features have sharpened and matured. He was always attractive, no doubt about it, but now he is the picture-perfect man: confident, strong, and authoritative.

He was always confident, but now that he is the alpha, the power he exudes makes him appear even more so.

I'm not sure how long we locked eyes, or more accurately, how long he stared at me while I avoided his gaze. I couldn't maintain eye contact. The emotions in his eyes made me cringe, even though he tried to hide them behind a stoic expression. My lips trembled and my eyes welled up, but I refused to let a tear fall in front of everyone.

I have so many thoughts running through my mind, but the most important one is that I am not ready to face him. I feel deeply ashamed for causing him pain with my rejection.

I never realized I was an escapist until I ran away from home. It was a wake-up call for me. I have a tendency to avoid difficult situations. Before moving to New York, my life was smooth sailing, so I never noticed these issues. Now I see that my main problem is being an escapist and an insecure person.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize when someone entered through the door. I didn't notice them standing in front of me or calling out to me. It wasn't until I felt a gentle shake that I finally snapped out of my reverie.

"Princess," someone said softly. "Dad," I whispered, feeling a wave of relief wash over me at the sound of his familiar voice. I didn't need to look at him to know it was him. Just hearing him say my nickname was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

As I buried my face in his chest, I couldn't help but cry. It had been three long years since I had last seen him, and the emotions were overwhelming. "I missed you so much, Dad," I sobbed, clinging to him tightly.

He held me close, comforting me with his presence. His gentle words and soothing touch helped to calm my racing heart. Finally, after so long, I felt safe and loved in my father's arms.

I'm not sure how long I had been crying before someone cleared their throat. Stepping out of my father's embrace, I looked around to see who was trying to get our attention. It was Stacy. "What's wrong, Emma?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand and glanced around, realizing that Ashton hadn't moved. He was still standing there, gazing at me. I could see his eyes glistening with tears despite his stoic expression.

He has undergone significant changes, particularly in terms of his physical appearance, but one constant remains - his eyes betray him. Despite his efforts to conceal his emotions behind a facade of strength and dominance, those who are familiar with him can easily discern his true feelings by simply looking into his eyes.

"Hey Stacy, this is my father," I said, tearing my gaze away from Ashton.

"I gathered that, Emma," Stacy replied. I glanced around awkwardly, unsure of what to say. I had never shared details about my personal life with anyone before. How could I explain the situation to them?

My father smiled politely at Stacy. "We'll catch up with you later, Stacy. Right now, we need to have a private conversation with my daughter."

"Of course," Stacy said.

My father looked over at Ashton, who was still staring at me.

Stacy came up to me and whispered seductively, "Who's that handsome guy, Emma? Please tell me he's not your boyfriend. You're not into any of this, right? You made it clear when I tried to set you up with Henry. I don't want to let such a sexy, delicious man go to waste. I want all of him for myself."

I furrowed my brow and turned to face her. I hadn't realized she was checking out Ashton until now. Glancing over at the other girl, Lisa, who was with us, I noticed she was also eyeing him.

A strange feeling stirred within me. I had never experienced this before. I had seen Ashton with countless girls, kissing them and getting intimate with them, but I had never felt anything. Could this be the mate bond? But that didn't make sense. I had rejected him, severing any connection from my side. I shouldn't be feeling this romantic attraction towards him. So why am I feeling this way? I wasn't happy about other girls showing interest in him. But why?

Is this jealousy? I have never experienced feelings for anyone before. I am unfamiliar with what it's like to be envious, to be sexually attracted to someone, or to love someone. My only knowledge of these emotions comes from the romantic novels I have read. So, what I am feeling now seems to resemble how jealousy is portrayed in those books.

I frowned. It bothers me that I feel jealous while Ashton revels in the attention of these girls. He has always thrived on the company of attractive women, especially since the Emily incident. Now, he seems to have a preference for hot girls and enjoys their admiration.

On the other hand, I don't consider myself particularly attractive. I suppose I have a plain appearance with a decent face and an average body. I am on the chubby side and nowhere near the caliber of girls Ashton usually dates.

But he is my mate. Yes, he is my mate, but he is not mine. Why am I feeling insecure or jealous? He will never be mine, and I know that. Despite being my mate, he will never want me. This realization breaks my heart once again.

I glanced over at Ashton, expecting to see him reveling in the attention and eyeing the girls around us. To my surprise, his gaze was fixed on me. The stoic expression that had been present on his face since I first laid eyes on him had disappeared. His eyes had displayed a multitude of emotions earlier, but now they were filled with mischief as a smirk played on his lips.

My father, who had witnessed the entire scene, was thoroughly enjoying it as it unfolded. I shot a glare at Ashton and my father, causing my father to chuckle and Ashton's smirk to deepen.

"What a jerk," I muttered under my breath, giving Ashton a disapproving look.

He didn't say anything; he simply shook his head and smiled, slipping his hands into his jeans pocket.

"Alright then," my father clapped his hands once, as if to get our attention. "We need to have a private conversation, so let's find somewhere more secluded."

I turned to face my father, feeling all my other emotions disappear. They were replaced by the overwhelming shame I felt for my actions. When I looked back at Ashton, I noticed a change in his expression. His face was no longer blank; instead, I saw something different. Could it be hope that I see in his eyes?

............................................................................

Author's note: If you enjoyed this chapter, please vote and leave a comment. Thank you for taking the time to read this.