Taming Beasts | MxM | Petshop

Part 25

I jumped up with a start when I heard the front door opening, scrambling off Vince' bed as fast as I could in fear of him noticing. I'd spent the night curled up in his sheets, engulfed by his scent, relishing in the illusion that he cared enough to be by my side instead of out there, fucking someone else. I had been confused, and hurt, and my feelings hadn't changed considerably since then.

I entered the living room under Vince' scrutinizing gaze, aware of the confused frown that was edged onto his brow as he watched me exit his bedroom. He didn't ask what I'd been up to, and I went past him without even glancing his way, ears pressed flat against my head.

I had almost reached the guest room when his shoes clicked on the parquet floor, and he called out my name. I halted involuntarily, hating myself for still longing for his embrace. I'd made a mistake, I'd realized that, I'd sworn to do better - and yet there I was, still paying the price.

"What were you doing in my room?" Vince asked sharply as if I'd trespassed.

I turned towards him, a low growl rising in my throat while I was staring him down. The tip of my tail mopped the floor.

"Moondrop." His nostrils flared with suppressed anger, but I wasn't budging. He didn't deserve an answer in the first place. "What were you doing in my bedroom?"

"What were you doing not in your bedroom?" I deadpanned. The thought fuelled my emotions that turned from depressed to enraged as they forced me to come face-to-face with my own stupidity. It didn't even help that Vince blanked briefly. "Thought so."

"Wh - What the? - You didn't want me here!" He exclaimed incredulously before running a hand through his hair and looking anywhere but at me.

I knew I should stop talking. There was no sense exchanging words with Vince, anyway. He wasn't listening, never was. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Slut."

His mouth opened to reply, but he forced his lips shut into a bloodless line. I heard the heavy breath he took rushing up his nose - and shivered as his pheromones wafted over me a second later. Usually, he would've been aroused by such a quarrel, but not that day. His scent had taken on a threatening edge, causing me to back off snarling as he advanced.

I ducked when he'd forced me against the wall, glaring down at me. Vince crossed his arms over his chest, and his muscles strained against his shirt.

"You're going to tell me what the fuck's your problem, and you're telling right - now."

I wasn't, though the way he was hovering above me inclined me to at least consider otherwise - even as I looked left and right, searching for an escape. Eventually, my gaze slipped past his features, then snapped right back when I registered his conflicted expression. He was gnawing at his bottom lip, brow furrowed as if in pain.

I recoiled further until my back was pressed flat against the wall.

"I just don't get what's going on with you. Leah -" He broke off with a sigh and shook his head. "Nevermind. I'm tired. You don't like me because I'm a slut, I get it."

He waved his hand dismissively, already turning away from me with his shoulders slouched unfamiliarly. Confused, I took a tentative step after him, sniffing at the scent he'd left in his wake to discern what he was feeling. I didn't get anything except for a heavy dose of stress, though.

I trailed after him at a safe distance, then stopped once he'd slumped down on the couch with a groan. He sounded annoyed when he asked, "Why are you following me?"

Head resting against the couch, he turned his face barely enough to catch a glimpse of me. I averted my eyes and shrugged.

"You don't know or you won't tell?"

My gaze flickered back, and I was startled to see him regarding me so seriously. He was too intense to keep looking. Once more, I shrugged.

Vince sighed. "You said you regret sex with me."

My ears buried themselves in my fur at the memory of his hands all over my body and his cock inside my ass - and the subsequent loss of both.

"You still regret it?" he asked tiredly.

I didn't need to think on that. My heart quickly reminded me that I'd been hurt more than worth, so I nodded.

The couch groaned as Vince adjusted his position with seemingly rough motions. His fingers brushed the fabric of his shirt, and I guessed he'd crossed his arms once more. A minute passed before he spoke up again. "Was it that bad?"

I looked up startled, but he was staring straight ahead, making it impossible to see much of his eyes. Apparently, he was capable of misinterpreting things perfectly fine without me saying a word.

Vince grunted, digging his fingers further into his arms. "You seemed to like it just fine while we were at it."

"Vince," I said flatly, and his whole body went rigid in response. There was as much sense talking to him as there was not, I guessed, but I was suddenly sick of him creating his own version of my thoughts, sick enough to speak up. My tail lashed through the air, and I felt my claws against the firm wood beneath them.

"I liked it. I enjoyed having sex with you, but it's not - it's just - " I broke off with a shake of my head, suddenly reluctant to share. It was bad enough to admit to myself that I liked Vince and therefore suffered at the thought of him being with someone else, so I didn't need to add to that by revealing my feelings to him.

"Just what?" Vince pushed.

"It's not worth the trouble," I murmured barely loud enough to be intelligible, though Vince understood perfectly fine.

He was on his feet with a start, throwing his hands into the air as if he was trying to chase away someone, or something. His gaze was furious, and his eyes glistened with emotions that were threatening to spill. "Sorry for not being worth it. Anything else?"

"You just won't get it, will you?" I snarled loudly, lips pulling back to reveal my fangs, indicative of my boiling emotions and thinning patience. A feral growl thrummed in my throat.

Vince stared me down unimpressed. "Get what? That you're in love with me?"

My heartbeat spiked sharply, and my breath caught in my throat, both causing a hot pain to flare up in my chest. I was perfectly still, too shocked by the casualty of his words, the truth lying behind them - and the fact that Vince knew I cared.

He huffed out a laugh that fell silent right after it had erupted. Then, his expression slowly blanked. "You can't be."

I could, and I was, but to hell with him and that excruciating sadness that made life seem pointless. Defiantly, I stalked off, though he rushed past me immediately to block my way.

"You can't be!" he stressed for no apparent reason. When I refused to answer yet again, his eyes narrowed accusingly. "You can't! You can't claim to fucking love me and then say I'm not worth it."

"But you aren't," I growled finally and brushed past him.

He didn't stop me this time. Still, he needed to have the last word, though it sounded more like he couldn't bear the thought of the conversation ending like this. "You're the worst fucking tease on this planet, you know that?!"

Quietly, I closed the door to the guest bedroom.