Gifted

Chapter 35 - Sage

I hadn't expected this. For him to be so—calm.

His words ticked over in my head. He thought I was his mate.

He wanted me!

Even though I just told him I was different and there was a strong possibility I'd killed people and wolves.

Not only that, he was willing to risk his position and his brothers as the head of Wolfe Industries in jeopardy—just for me?

Could I allow him to do that?

Was it wrong to want it so much—want him so much?

Looking into his eyes, still dark from his shift, he looked vulnerable and unsure.

Not the Hunter I recognised. I doubted anyone had seen this side of him.

"Please Sage, you're killing me here. Are you mated to someone someone?" His voice lowered humming with possessive undertones.

I shook my head. "No, Hunter."

Relief reflected for a brief moment before a darker look shadowed his face. "What about, him, Sylar?" He flicked his chin up. "Pearl told me you dream about him."

"You don't have to worry about me and Sylar, Hunter, he's my brother."

In an instant, his face softened, from dark to relieved—hopeful. "Really, yeah? Wait a minute, I thought all your family were dead?" he asked.

"Oui, I thought so too. But it appears my grandfather has been lying to me for the last nineteen years."

And he murdered my parents.

I couldn't tell him that...yet. I wasn't ready to deal with the brutal pain of that fact.

Too late. It hit hard, striking my chest as if stabbed.

My bottom lip quivered, my eyes burned with tears, unable to contain them any longer. My hands rushed to cover my face, not wanting Hunter to see me fall apart.

"Baby," he cooed as he pulled me flush against him. The heat of his body ripped through my ice walls, warming me. "I'm here," he whispered and his words filled me with something I hadn't felt since yesterday—hope.

It made me cry harder.

"Shhh, Sage. Baby. I'm never letting you go, listen to what I'm saying yeah? I want you."

I inhaled a staggered breath. Just him calling me baby affected me more than expected. Heat crept up my neck and across my face whilst my face remained buried in the hard wall of muscled chest.

He deserved my honesty having told him my darkest secret and he hadn't rejected me.

"Yes," I mumbled.

"Yes, what?" he asked softly, kissing the top of my head.

I pulled my head and had to tilt my head back to see him. His eyes now back to their beautiful brown, warm and trusting met mine. "Everything tells me you're my mate. You're mine."

His shoulder pulled back as he stood a little taller but kept his grip firmly on me. A smile crossed my lips as something else happened. His erection was poking into my thigh insistently.

Cockily, he raised an eyebrow, a devilish smirk lifting his lip. His thumbs came up to my face, swiping away a stray tear. "Sorry, he's happy... and my wolf too. He's prancing around and howling. He smiled, shaking his head. "You have his arse whipped too."

My smile fell as I nibbled my bottom lip.

"Sage?" He gripped my chin in between his fingers, lifting my face to look at him. "What?" he prompted.