WILD

thirty eight

"What the hell is his problem?"

Lorena paced around her own room as Max sat on her bed, listening to her rant.

"Well, maybe he just feels guilty about you being here."

Lorena growled and rolled her eyes, tangling her fingers in her hair. "I feel like every time we start to make even a little progress, one of us says or does something to bring us back to square one. I want so badly to move on, because it is what it is and I can't change anything."

Max crossed her arms and sighed. "Well, Orion needs the chance to process all of his feelings too. There's a lot going on. His dad is dying, your parents are here, you're here. It's just too much, probably."

Lorena nodded. "I know, but it's so exhausting to not make any progress concerning us-"

There was a knock on the door and from the sound of it, Lorena knew it was Orion. "Come in."

The door swung open, and Orion was standing there. Max stood up at attention and Orion waved her off, telling her to relax. "Can Lorena and I have a minute?"

Max nodded and gave Lorena a look before heading out.

Lorena watched the door shut and she turned to Orion, following him with her eyes as he sat down on her bed. "I told you to meet me in my office."

She ignored his comment. "You were being weird. What is the matter with you?"

Orion smiled softly. "I want you to leave."

Lorena's face went from an expression of confusion to an upset one. "What? Why?"

He patted the space next to him on the bed, and Lorena quickly sat, wanting to know what the alpha was on about.

Orion sighed and shut his eyes, allowing his head to roll back so his face was towards the ceiling. "Its better for you, Lorena. And I know how badly you miss your old pack. I don't want your family to leave without you."

Lorena was feeling slightly irritated. She did want to go home very badly, but that was before her old alpha tried to have her killed, and she found out he sold his own daughter to some maniacal alpha just for the chance to overthrow his own nephew and take the throne.

"I don't want to go right now."

Orion shook his head. "Don't argue with me on this, Lo," he spoke sternly. "You need to be with your family for now. It will give us both an adjustment period before we have to rule together. I know you miss home. Your parents want you home and I'm not going to let them go home without you."

As what he was saying set in, Lorena grew even more upset. She didn't want to have to say it out loud, but she didn't want to leave Orion. As much as they fought and were at each other's necks, she sort of enjoyed Orion's company. She enjoyed Orion's pack, where she had freedom that she didn't even know she was missing out on.

Again, every time she felt like she could get used to this new life, something like this had to come an ruin it.

"I love my parents, but I don't give a shit what they want! They aren't going to have to live with my decisions or life choices. I used to miss home and now I don't. Why is it that now that I want to stay you want me to leave?"

Orion pressed his lips into a thin line, and Lorena noticed the irritation but didn't back off.

"Watch how you speak to me, Lorena."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll speak to you how I damn well please. I'm an adult, thank you very much!"

Orion stood up to regain some control of her and reign her in, but she stood up too, unintimidated. "Lorena-"

"Orion."

She crossed her arms and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to argue with you, Lorena. You may disagree, but I will have you and your parents escorted off of the property. You have 24 hours to pack what you want to take with you."

Orion turned to leave and Lorena grabbed onto his arm. "Orion..."

He turned back to see his teary-eyed mate and it felt terrible to know that he was the cause. He had never seen a look of betrayal or hurt as badly as the look on her face and it tore him up inside.

She bit her lip and let his arm go, looking down at the carpet. "Why? Why are you doing this? Why don't you want me anymore?"

She wiped away a stray tear from her cheek, but it was no use holding the tears back.

Orion grabbed her and slowly pulled her toward him, holding her head to his chest. At this, she let all of the tears and sobs loose.

Of course Orion wanted her. He never would've put up with all of her bullshit as long as he did if he didn't want to be with her. But he knew that if he didn't correct her, it would be easier for her to leave.

He grabbed her face and at the same time, ran his thumb lightly over the mark he left on her neck; the pattern that was left was unique to him and her only.

This seemed to calm her down and Orion kissed her on the forehead before turning to leave.

The door shut and Lorena threw herself back onto the bed, screaming into her pillow.