Book Smart

Sixteen

I can't find it in myself to step further inside the door while unable to slow down my tears. Just seeing Silas forces the abysmal feeling consuming me to flee. I still feel like I'm in shock from Grammy's unabashed hatred. She never made any secret of her dislike for my father but she had never outright blamed him for his and mom's death... No. Not his...Not Dad's. Just mom's. And then to liken Silas into the same category without any reason to. Sure the rumors floating around painted him as an Alpha with an attitude problem when he's not. I hadn't been able to get away from her fast enough. I barely looked at the clothes I managed to shove into my bag, and I'm not entirely sure I managed to grab everything I need, but at this point, I don't care. I needed to be with Silas again. I needed to see him...smell him... Make sure he's real and not just a figment of my imagination. That this isn't a dream turned nightmare. My mate. The one going to build a library just for me and whispers sweet things to me while kissing my neck. The one that likes making me feel good. He'd never talk to me like I'm too thick in the head to make decisions for myself...He wouldn't be mean... He hadn't been anything but kind so far, even if he is a touch overprotective.  In the end, it doesn't matter. Silas takes one look at me and is up and out of his seat, his arms pulling me to the safety that comes with being snuggled tightly against his chest. I'm cocooned in his warmth and it's all too easy to let myself melt against him free of judgment and worry. My safe place.

The moment I'm cradled in his arms the dull ache of the horrible memory starts to subside, his hands rubbing my back to help me calm down. He doesn't seem to care about the mess I'm making of his shirt as I curl my fists around it, rubbing my face into his chest despite the slightly runny nose accompanying my tears. I do all I can to pull in enough of his scent to soothe my frazzled nerves and he notices, pressing into me more to ease my distress. All I have to do is close my eyes and let all of him wash over me in the form of soft touches and gentle kisses being smoothed into my hair.

How could Grammy ever think that Silas could hurt me?

"What's wrong, Sweet Boy? What happened?" Silas croons softly into the top of my hair as he gently rocks us back and forth, one of his hands finding my hair and stroking away some of my sorrow.

....
Silas
....

Adrian whimpers as he wraps himself around me like a glove, seeking comfort in my sheltering embrace, his hot tears seeping into my shirt as I pry the stuffed backpack off his shoulder and drop it at our feet. He gives a soft moan as he nuzzles into me as much as he can, apparently not caring about whether or not he can actually breathe as he presses all of himself into me, only sniffles and whines escaping with his tears.

"Is it me? I was gone too long?" I question. It had pained me walking away from him, harder than even leaving him to walk down to the mess hall... Maybe because this time he was only down the hall... Or the fact that he had started to return my affection so freely. His effort to give me a matching temporary mark had left me even more enthralled with him than finding him so charmingly asleep this morning.

I had done what he had asked me to in an effort to appease him but now here he is in front of me with tears pouring down his face seeming utterly defeated. My poor angel had had so many emotional ups and downs today, he must be so exhausted. He's drained and it shows in the way his shoulders slump forward. The way he collapses into me so completely letting me hold him up.
It makes me want to snap him up and cuddle him until I can coax a giggle or a smile out of those pouty lips of his. My beautiful mate should be happy and content and to see him the complete opposite destroys me on the inside.

My gentle mate certainly did have me wrapped around his pinky finger and he deserves nothing less, especially not the tears streaming down his face. It left me craving him, needing his soft touches and shy sweet smiles in place of his tears. I want my sweet boy happy again. I had certainly been in agony being away from him, I can only imagine he felt the same...the way the mating spark wraps itself around our throats and strangles us with each step we take away from each other.  I can only hope. Despite needing to say goodbye to his spitfire Grandmother I hope he had missed me... But I hadn't hoped for tears. Clearly, just asking to be separated early had upset him...had he been crying the entire time trying to pack his bag?

"No! Yes, but no.." He sobs from his place buried in my chest, "Grammy was being so mean, Silas..." His voice gets smaller and more broken sounding as he elaborates, trying so hard not to let himself fall apart completely. What a life it must have been trying to handle all of these overwhelming emotions on his own. No more though... I'm here now to shoulder him.

...
Adrian
....

"I'm so sorry, Love..." My tender mate whispers to me, cradling me impossibly closer. His compression is exactly what my body needs. I soak him in and try and focus on the feel of his hands, the one stroking my hair is so careful as the other plasters me against him so lovingly.

The way his intensity so flawlessly zeros in on comforting me makes me want to practically scale him like a tree and hide away.

Grammy is wrong.

Silas won't ever hurt me. Ever.

"Tell me what happened, Baby..." My mate sighs softly as he leads me into the room.

He sets himself back in the seat across from Alpha Collin who had been watching us with express interest since my arrival and pulls me onto his lap.

It takes me two seconds to be situated in a way that is comfortable for us both, my face hidden away in the crook of his neck while his arms keep me safe from the outside world.

One arm is looped around my waist, the other hand cupping my face with a tenderness someone of Silas's size shouldn't be capable of and keeping me trapped against his shoulder.

"Grammy thinks I should reject you, " My voice cracks and the sentence draws a growl out of my fierce protector that doesn't stop until I uncurl one of my palms and press it against his chest, "I don't want to."

He kisses the top of my hair and flexes around me as though he wants to squeeze me tighter than he already is but is resisting the urge.