Silenced

XXXXII| Mates

Ashton walked passed my frozen form, but when he did, I was finally able to snap out of my shock.

Quickly, I hurried after him.

"Hey!" I called after him as he quickly walked up the stairs.

Ashton didn't slow down for me, he only seemed to try and walk faster, trying to get away from me quicker. I didn't like that. I had questions and he was going to answer them.

Finally, when he tried to enter his office again, I grabbed his arm and yanked him a bit. I knew he was stronger than me, so the yanking was really nothing to him, but he stopped.

"Answer me." I hissed, glaring.

His eyes were no longer that dark green color, but hazel. With those eyes, he looked deep into mine, searching for something.

He sighed heavily and nodded, once again tempting to go into his office. I followed him in, closing the door behind us while I glared at his muscled back.

Did I forget to mention that he was naked?

His back was covered with small scars, most of which were faded. Yet, they oddly added understanding to him. Like how he was able to see my wounds as something other than me actually getting mugged. He knew.

"Ask." His voice was strained, almost like he didn't want to talk; almost like he was going to cry.

I paused for a second, questions floating around my head. They were there, but the words... The words were all jumbled and mixed, I couldn't find the ones I wanted.

Gulping I just said what was clear first.

"Are you guys like those bad romance werewolves?"

Ashton turned to me, finally having some boxers on. He deeply looked confused, causing my cheeks and the back of my neck warm.

"In some romance books that deal with werewolves, they tell some stupid thing about being soulmates... Are you guys like that?"

The room went silent for a moment. I then realized what I asked, what I truly asked.

Anger coursed through my blood, making me narrow my eyes on him.

"You are! Aren't you!" I growled.

The hazel eyed werewolf frowned, looking more confused. Like he didn't know!

"What?"

I shook my head, curling my hands into fists.

"Are we mates or something? Is that why I fucking have a crush on you?" I bared my teeth, growing angrier and angrier.

Were my emotions just some fucking game? Were they just some stupid fucking thing that some Goddess or entity could play with? Was everything that happened to me just some excuse to get me closer to him?!

"Harley," His voice slapped me out of my head, my eyes looking deep into his searing green ones. "Unlike how popular media likes to portray us, we don't have True Mates. That's rare." He gritted out the last bit, stepping close to me.

"True Mates?" What idiotic title was that?

"The thing you're talking about. Wolves with a True Mate are branded." He emphasized the word, now grabbing my biceps. "Neither of us are branded with anything but scars. Scars from your father and my wars." His grip tightened some, but loosened.

My heart started to race, his emerald eyes just looking into my pathetic, scarred soul. I felt so weak and fragile... My anger all gone.

"Then... Why do you-"

"Because, we do have mates, but we get to decide, on our own terms, if we love them or not." His voice softened. "If we want to marry them or not. All we have are mild feelings of want, but the want is for us to know them!" ONe of his hands moved to my cheek.

My brows furrowed a bit, his words both flattering and confusing me. Why would he even try to know me? I was nothing.

I shook my head, tempting to pull it back. He held me close, almost refusing to let me leave.

"I care for you... I want to be to be your one and only... But it is your choice." His hand softly caressed my cheek, my heart beating only faster.

"I have to go." I slapped his hands away from me and ran. I ran out of that damn office. I ran out of that Mansion, out of the Manor. Just out! Out into the forest, out where his words couldn't follow me. Where his loving eyes couldn't see me.

Why did I have to crush on him?

Hey! So, yeah... I missed last Sunday... And tbh, I did that because I didn't want to be on my computer. I still go to school so, I have to do the online classes. Which honeslty makes me not want to write. I'll try to keep up on my writing.

                  ~SR