The Hybrid

{Wasteful} chapter 26

I walked into his office fully intending to get the answers that I desired and leaving the room without any space for argument, but once I had passed the doorway the sweetest scent I had ever smelt in my life crashed into my nostrils and halted me from opening my mouth. My hand slapped against my nose in an attempt to minimize the scent and I sucked in my breath. His scent grew more permeant from the last time I smelt him. This must be an effect of the marking because when I locked eyes with him he did not seem nearly as affected as me. His eyes blinked rapidly as if to reassure himself that I was standing before him. I leaned closer to the door.

This was one of the side effects of the mate bond. The scent is one of the first indicators of finding your mate. Your mate's scent is intoxicating to the point where you would be happy to drown in it. Everything, after you are marked, becomes heightened. Everything.

He was silent. He watched patiently as I struggled to compose myself. It didn't help that his eyes burned into my skull and studied my every movement. My wolf begin to rise herself up at the presence of her mate and I mentally prepared myself for if she decided to lunge to the surface. I glanced at the chairs stationed in front of his desk and decided against resting in any of them. The distance was good for my head. It kept it unfogged.

I grazed my fingers along the indents on my neck and channeled the memories of that day in the forest. The fear of being stuck in this place and the sadness of my predicament. Jonah's crazed look and the way that my pleading for him to stop was met on dead ears. He would always take what he wanted and he didn't care who he had to hurt to get it. He was an Alpha and his reputation did not fail him. A burn sizzled in my chest and I removed my hand from my neck.

"Did we mate," I asked, deciding not to beat around the bush. This question visibly took him aback as his eyebrows shot up and lips parted. The fingers around the pen in his hand twitched and he had to set it down on top of the papers sprawled on his desktop. He blinked and licked his lips. I know that if I were in his position I would act similarly. Embarrassed to be asked such a lued question outright but right now, I did not have enough in me to care. He should be more than embarrassed. He should be angry like I am angry.

He cleared his throat thrice before finally speaking. "No."

I release a breath I was not aware I was holding upon waiting for his answer. I had fully expected him to say that we had. Usually, newly mated pairs were inseparable from one another. Always touching and kissing. So handsy. But this was a huge relief. I quickly glanced at his neck and saw no mark. My shoulders sagged down in relief.

I know that completing the mating process doesn't help my predicament. With a mark carved within my skin, he can still find me whenever I go but he is withheld from his true power and I have not succumbed completely to his influence. The mate bond has not engulfed me.

"How are you feeling," he asked me. His eyes lingered on my body as if he were checking for injuries.

My eyes narrowed into slits.

"Do you feel any pain anywhere? Have you been eating?"

I scowled and looked away from him because his concern for me made me feel warm.

"Ah, I'm sure you already know the answer to those questions, " I sighed, leaning my back against the wall and crossing my arms over my chest. He had eyes and ears all over this pack. I was certain that he already knew how I was doing or even if he did not, he could easily find out that information.

He rubbed his jaw roughly and sucked in his breath. I jumped off the wall as he ascended from his chair and started to make a move around his desk. The movement caused his scent to whisk in my direction and I pulled my head back. Putting one hand in the air and the other on my nose, I rushed to speak.