My Only Love [PG13+] *EDITING*

16. Proposal

“What are you doing here?” I ask snappily. In the darkness I saw Jarred’s emotionless face turn from blank to guilt-ridden. I felt bad that I had done that to him but he was ignoring me! His mate! “Lost something back here or what?”

“Yeah. I lost someone.” He murmured, walking closer to me. I felt his warmth from my back, felt him turn me around. Not once did I fight his touch. Jarred lifted his hand up and caressed my cheek. I fought the shiver that wanted to escape through my body. “You.”

I took a hold off his hand and winced, hating the burning lust—the love—that built up inside me. “Why are you ignoring me then, you asshole?” I croaked out.

Again I watched the guilt wash over his face. I looked away, not wanting to know why he was guilty. Mates were ever rarely guilty unless they’d done something stupid. Ignoring your mate was one thing but I couldn’t help but remember the feeling of not being good enough for him. Maybe I wasn’t good enough for him. After all, I was me, a broken Alpha daughter. I didn’t even own the rights to my mothers’ land, I didn’t own the title of ‘Princess’ since my mother had never properly acknowledged me as her daughter. I was practically replaceable and Jarred was stuck with me.

I couldn’t help but feel like a failure. He reached over again, taking my chin and looked at me. His features, once soft and filled with love was now filled with anger. “I can hear you.” He choked out. “Don’t,” he starts, pleadingly. “Don’t ever think you’re not good enough, Gabby.”

I forgot how nice it was to hear him sound so loving. “If I was good enough then maybe you’d be here for me, Jarred.” I met his eyes. “If I was good enough then I would have bonded with your family as the wolf spirits had planned it out to be. I would be worthy of being your Luna. I’m none of that. I’m practically a Rogue.” I spat out, again the disgust I felt of myself made Jarred tighten his hold on my chin.

 “You are worthy of me and so much more, Gabrielle.” Using my full name I knew he was being serious, I knew he wasn’t simply trying to make me feel better. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been paying attention to you.”

“It’s not just that though, Jarred. My mother is coming. My brother is too. I could strike a bargain with them and end this all. I know it—every Alpha here know it. You do too.” His blue eyes hardened, immediately they turned black, he growled at me and I knew he was fighting an internal battle with his wolf.

I’d never seen Jarred possessive. I figured it was because I twisted his mind with a forgetting spell. I figured it’d probably be the fact that no male wolf eyed me due to the fact that they knew I—or my crazy family—could harm them. But now, as I stared into my mate’s dark eyes I knew for the first time that he is possessive. I knew he gave me a long leash, I knew that he gave me freedom to roam around. Male mates’ never usually allow their females out of their sight if it could be avoided.

Seeing Jarred’s wolf take over made mine want to come out too but I fought her. I knew that I needed to calm Jarred down before we both did something that we’d regret. “Come back to me.” I whispered, wanting to see Jarred’s blue orbs. I leaned forward and went on my tip toes. I was only as tall as his chest so he leaned a little. His wolf must have thought I’d give them a kiss but I leaned towards his ear. “Come back to me, baby.” I purred.

He shivered. I pushed myself away from him and found his blue eyes hooded with need. He reached over to touch my face and I let him, leaning my cheek into his rough palm. “I love you.”

“I love you.” I honestly said, he released a breath that he seemed to be holding. I was unprepared for his next words.

“Marry me, Gabby.”