Chapter 119

Play it cool.

She had to play it cool or he would discover that something was wrong.

"I had the physician check on you? You can't blame me for that, Zezi. You passed out right after getting my mark. I was worried. That wasn't supposed to happen and it did. We were supposed to complete the bonding process and I wasn't---" his voice quivered slightly, and she felt the fear rushed through her, crossing through her veins like that was where it was supposed to be, before it was shut down immediately.

He was trying to hide his emotions from her, that gave her conflicting feelings.

Although she was sure about the fact that it had been overwhelming. She had gotten a taste of how it felt to share a bond with him before, some months ago when he had fed her his blood but this was different.

This was stronger and deeper than anything she had ever felt.

The gap in-between them felt like it had been bridged, and there was no way to describe their emotional connection at this point.

It all felt so new.

"I was scared that I had seized your soul." His eyebrows furrowed and he brushed his hand over her hair, an action she caught herself closing her eyes briefly to. Everything he had, everything, had some irresistible effect on her.

Was this how she would keep feeling toward him?

Funny that she had thought he was hard to fight before, this was worse.

This had her weak in the knees.

This had her vulnerable.

This had her longing for him.

Connected. So connected. Too connected.

Zezi was certain that there was possibly no connection that existed beyond this.

"I thought I killed you."

That wasn't funny at all, but she chuckled and he blinked at her, confused.

The worry about him having a Physician check her seeped away, all she could feel right now was the peace of being around him.

She loved the smell of rain he carried with him, the aura completely comforting.

Her mind was working up a different plan and her heart was going against it.

This might just be her toughest battle yet and that was coming from a War General.

"I'm your mate. Marking me cannot kill me." She shrugged, pinching his cheeks and falling back into his bed.

Now, where was control? She needed it right about now.

"I was also worried about---" he trailed off, sighing, then he stood up and tilted his head to a side. "You marked me, right?"

"My wolf did." The words slipped past her lips, she wasn't going to start sugarcoating words for him. Her mind was all over the place and she wasn't going to put her head through more stress just to give him a suitable lie.

Besides, she didn't want to lie to him.

It didn't seem right.

His shoulders slumped as he leaned against the wall.

What was that supposed to mean?

That she didn't want him still?

That it was only her wolf that wanted him?

That her wolf had forced her to take his mark?

It was just her instinctive, beastly side that wanted them closer?

By the Blood, had they even made any progress at all?

He had waited because he wanted to be sure that when they would mark each other, it would be because they both wanted it.

Not because fate had put them together but because they chose each other too.

He had been waiting for her to choose him and when she had dug her canines into his flesh, he had believed that had happened but now, it seemed things had gone wrong.

Earlier when she had referred to herself as his mate, he had thought all was well but this?

Had he waited for nothing?

She stood up from his bed and walked to him, her fingers trailing up his sleeves making him freeze at the spot as he searched her eyes to know what was going on in her head.

She was blocking off her emotions and that had only made him feel more on edge.

His mate wasn't even that comfortable to not be on guard around him.

He lacked her trust.

Although, he was doing the same, he was doing that to get real answers from her and not ones influenced by pity for him, that was even if she could even feel that towards him.

Her fingers finally trailed around the mark and he shut his eyes at the pleasure that brought him. His gum ached as his fangs fought to emerge and sink themselves into her flash again. To taste that liquid that drove him wild.

It was hard to stand still while her fingers lit his skin on fire.

"I'm not complaining." Her eyes were unfocused, her actions affecting her too.

"I think she did it because she knew I wanted it too. I guess I am not as bold as I think I am sometimes."

She pulled her hands away from him and he whimpered at the lack of touch, the sound foreign to him right after it made it past his lips.

He straightened up, standing tall and firm.

This female was always seizing every opportunity to bring him down to his knees, making him weak and vulnerable, and every time, she would succeed.

When the silence lingered for too long, she threw in a question.

"When should I return your shirt?"

"Keep it." He shrugged.

"Al--right," she pulled the fabric closer to her body.

She had no intention to return it anyways.

"Well, I have to leave and go back to my room."

He chuckled, walked past her, and fell into bed, her scent was strong here.

He loved it.

He could have just moved closer to the source but that would have led to something else, and he didn't want to rush things. Despite her show, he had sensed that she was still taking this in slowly.

"You are already in our room."

She squinted her eyes at him, an argument forming in her head, right on the tip of her tongue when he was suddenly in front of her, his tongue slithering lightly against his mark on her, an action that made her too weak to stand on her own, but his hand anchored around her waist came of good aid. Her fists wrapped tightly around his shirt, while she unsuccessfully bit back a sound of pleasure.

He chuckled lowly at her struggle, one day she would finally give in completely.

Valerick knew that although she had promised him a fair chance, she was still fighting.

Stubborn.

That was what she was.

It thrilled him.

"Fine. Leave. Just know that wherever you go, I'm going there with you."