a Primal Pursuit

twenty nine

"I can't sleep. I'm angry."

"I am aware you cannot sleep." He grunted. "I can hear every damn movement."

"Why? Where were you?" I couldn't help but snap.

"Next door. Sleeping."

My heart beat in my ears, my teeth clenching as I nodded solemnly. He could sleep whilst my mind plagued me with too many thoughts?

"Don't look like that, Tulip." He murmured, sitting down next to me. "And why are you hiding yourself?"

"You could've been anyone."

"Then you should lock your door, or not sleep naked." He cocked his head.

I glared at him, able to see his amused smirk now he was closer. He frustrated me to hell and back, and he could just smirk about it.

But how could I tell him I didn't lock the door because a part of me hoped he would come back? That a part of me felt guilty. That would just be boosting his ego, and I didn't want to play that game right now when I wanted to win.

Sighing, I fell back into the pillows. "You can go. I'm sorry if I woke you."

He sighed too, running a hand over his face. "I couldn't sleep either."

Rolling onto my side, I hid the small smile of victory in the pillow. Clearing my throat, I pulled the duvet higher over my body.

"Sucks for us then."

"You realise it's the bond, right?" He clicked his tongue.

"Perhaps." I shrugged, peering at him from over my shoulder. "Maybe you should've thought the whole marking thing through. Then we wouldn't feel like this."

He grumbled softly. "You marked me, remember?"

My eyes narrowed, and I internally cursed myself for the slip-up.

"You let me."

"Only because I wanted to bear your mark." He admitted.

I rolled onto my back, my stomach fluttering. "You did?"

"Yeah, makes me stronger and scarier."

My small hopeful smile crashed and burned, so I picked up the nearby pillow and smacked him across the face with it. He laughed softly, grabbing it and throwing it back at me.

Grunting, I avoided his gaze. "What time is it?"

Despite just admitting he wanted to have my mark, he didn't seem affected. Meanwhile, my stomach was doing so many flips my heart couldn't keep up with the cardio. Glancing down at his phone, he grimaced at the hour it showed.

"A little after one. Not that late." He murmured.

"Still later than normal." I groaned. "I have been awake for three hours!"

"Just lay down, I will wait here until you sleep." He sighed.

I eyed him curiously. "No touching?"

"No touching." He smirked.

I hummed, but rolled onto my side and settled my head down onto the pillows again. I was facing him, and he stared at me in silence before looking away at his phone. Sighing, I closed my eyes and let my body sag into the mattress.

It was strange. I could feel my entire body give in. The bond was satisfied, a barely noticeable hum in my body. It agitated me that it was that simple; that his mere presence could calm the bond. I was getting used to understanding its weird little quirks within me, even if it came with freakishly good hearing.