Chasing Tara

Stolen Kisses, Pretty Lies

Tara's POV
We pulled away as soon as we heard clapping. I blushed a deep red as the whole ballroom was filled with applause.

Well some people were clapping. Most of the females were shooting me glares. I gave them the stink eye in return.

I could feel the sparks everywhere. Jake held my hand and slowly led me out of the ballroom.

I didn't know where he was taking me but I trusted him. We walked down corridors and halls until we ended up in the garden.

I remembered being here. Jake sat on the swing under the Oak tree and pulled me onto his lap.

The crescent moon was out and as shining on us brightly. I stared at his face. He showed no emotion and it worried me. What was he thinking?

"Do you remember the first time we came here?" He asked softly. I nodded. "You dared me to get an apple from the highest branch on the tree." I answered.

He nodded. "You, being you, slipped and fell on me. I swear you crushed me with your heavy weight." He said.

I glares at him and playfully hit his chest. He chuckled at me. "I wasn't that heavy." I defended.

"Do you want to dance?" He asked as he stared at me. I nodded. I got off him and he got up and pulled me close.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and placed my head on his chest. He tensed a bit before wrapping his arms around me.

We just swayed to the sound of the wind. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent as I listened to his slow heartbeat. I had missed his warmth.

"When I was growing up,,I wanted a mate. It was because of what my parents had. They loved each other so much. I wanted to have that kind of love with someone.

Then my father went to war and he later returned as the king. He was crowned and we moved to the palace.

At first I was happy. I had a large house and I got anything I could ever want. But then it tore my parent apart. I watched as the love died from their eyes.

They barely even talked. So my brother and I grew up without having the love of our parents. Because my mom was heartbroken and filled with pain and anger.

Anger at my dad for causing the death of her first born. My elder sister Freya. He claimed it as a sacrifice that he had to make but in reality it wasn't.

That was when I decided that I would never do that to anyone. Those days that I saw my mother look like she as dead.

Like she wasn't living. She looked so empty and hollow. There were days were it hurt to even look at her.

But now they're here and together, because I made some choices. I did some really bad things just for them to be happy." He paused after that.

What had he done? What choices? I kept quiet. My mind was still absorbing everything he had just said.

I never knew he had an older sister who's dead. "Those choices put you in danger as my mate. That was why I rejected you. I had to make you safe before I could tell you the truth." He said softly.

He pulled me back and stared into my eyes. "Now that you're safe, I can tell you the truth. I love you Tara.  I've loved you since the day you came to the castle.

Ever since I set my eyes on you, I knew you were the one. But me, being me, I couldn't tell you. I didn't know how.

You were so perfect and I s so tainted, I never thought you'd accept me. But I realized after you left that it was better to tell you and have you leave me.