Chapter 20
Unknown POV
What pleasure does Ryan get from sleeping with the enemy? Does he even see the girl from Night's Edge pack as an enemy? He should. That damned pack stole our land and it's high time we take it back! Those traitors deserve all the bad coming their way, and they deserve to die, every last mutt - except that beautiful girl. I can't believe I never learned her name, but I have learned that Ryan is seeing her today. That's lovely, absolutely lovely.
"Bring me a cup of water, would you?" Ryan's gravelly voice filled my ears.
I smiled tightly. "Yes, sir, at your service," I said. It was the phrase we were taught to say.
In the kitchen, I thought about slipping poison in his drink, but quickly decided against it after I realized that Ryan would automatically know it was me that put the poison in it. That's okay, I'll get him soon.
"So, this girl will be brought to me safely, understood?" Ryan had on his 'Alpha' voice during the meeting. Everyone nodded in agreement, but I didn't. I couldn't help but steal glances at the marvelous girl sitting next to me. After noticing my looks her way, she stared at me in curiosity with her eyes like an endless ocean. Ugh, she's so beautiful; it hurts not to look at her.
"What are you going to do with Girl of Death? Oops, I meant Ivy." She flushed the color of salmon. It was adorable, but doesn't she know that she can't ask questions like that? I became sacred of her fate. He wouldn't kill the informant, would he? Of course he would, he can kill anyone. Like my parents.
"Who told you about Girl of Death, puella mortis? Tell me!" The vein in his forehead bulged like crazy.
"What?" She squealed. "What are you talking about, puer-something-or-other? Girl of Death is what we call her at school. It's just a nickname. Chill out."
"Do not fucking tell me 'chill out'! Puella Mortis is no laughing matter! Tacite, puella lente! Nemo sabes! Nemo! Servi, ad ianuam ducet."
As the slaves led her to the door, she managed, "Wait! You're not going to kill me are you, Ryan?"
"No of course not," Ryan said with a smile, surprising us all. "You're way too beautiful to kill. Oh no, that would be a waste. C'mon, let's go upstairs and have our private time, shall we?"
Though, I'm not to proud to admit it, I was burning with jealousy as he dragged her out of the room. She didn't look too happy. "But, my boyfriend might smell you on me!"
Then you'll take a shower. Let's go."
She didn't go upstairs willingly.
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Ivy's POV
Gym hadn't been tiring, but when coach told us to pair up for cardio exercises, I felt more tired than ever.
I didn't allow myself to turn around and face Owen, in fear of him wanting to be my partner. Instead, I walked towards some girl that had been nice to me once. I don't even remember her name. "Hi, um, you want to be partners?"
She turned around and gave me a look that I can only describe as sympathetic. "Sorry, but I'm already working with Carol." She motioned the girl behind her. "Why don't you work with Owen? He hasn't got a partner yet. Shocker, right? A hot guy like him should've gotten a partner within a freaking second..."
I buried the irrational anger down and turned around in hope of finding someone without a partner. Well, someone other than Owen. When I had no such luck, I finally allowed myself to look at Owen. He was already looking at me with a hurt expression. "You seriously don't want to work with me, do you?" He asked as I walked towards him. I had the sudden memory of kissing him. I blushed. Then I remembered how that particular kiss ended.
I rolled my eyes. "What is it with you?" I asked as he handed me my jump rope. "You say you like me so you kiss me. You go MIA and then we have a heated make-out session. I tell you we're done, but you come back for more. Um, you know you have a girlfriend, right? And still you kiss me. And now you make it seem like I'm the bad guy?" I scoffed but there was tears gathering in my eyes. "Like you said on Halloween, it was a mistake going over to your house, but was the real mistake you kissing me?"
Owen stopped jumping. "Maybe I shouldn't have kissed you, but I don't feel bad about it. In fact, kissing you makes me want to kiss you more..." He stepped towards me with puckered lips. I smacked him away angrily. He chuckled, of all things. "Ah, maybe I'm not the problem. Maybe you are. Like right now, I know you're angry, but I do see you blushing. Flattered? You always tell me that you want nothing to do with me, but as the saying goes: It takes two to tango. You kissed me willingly."
I glowered. "You have a girlfriend; you shouldn't be worried about me."
He mimicked my tone. "You have a boyfriend; you shouldn't be worried about me."
I threw my jump rope to the ground in exasperation. "That's the thing, Owen. I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about me! I'm trying to spare myself the pain. I just need to know if you really, really like me. Yes or no, it's as simple as that."
Owen suddenly looked as tired as felt. "Ivy..."
"And don't tell me that you like me as a friend, because that's just avoiding the question. And quite frankly, I don't think we'll be friends after this... And don't forget to factor in your little girlfriend, Emilie. Now, tell me, do you really like me?"
I could tell that when Owen was looking at me, he was calculating his decision. I felt an agonizing sense of disappointment and nausea. I always dreamed of him saying: Yes, I like you! In fact, I'm in love with you! He'd ride his white horse and take me away, but as the seconds ticked on, I knew he wasn't going to say it. I shouldn't have been surprised when he said, "No, I don't like you. I never did. Sorry if you wanted I to like you, but it's kind of obvious that you and I never had a thing. I'm popular, and you're a freak, we're socially incompatible, but I'm still up for sex if you are."
My heart dropped into my gut. He wasn't supposed to say that. He's supposed to be the nice jock. The only popular that cared... but he's just like the rest of them! That jerk! I slapped his across the face as hard as I could, leaving us both wounded. We stood there, face-to-face, breathing hard.
The nauseated feeling increased and I just couldn't take it anymore.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Owen's POV
It's an awful feeling knowing you caused someone, especially your mate, pain.
I just stood there, watching Ivy collapse in tears. I wanted to cradle her and beg for her forgiveness, but I can't exactly go "psych!" and laughed until stomachs ache. NO, she's dying on the inside. Suddenly, I remembered the pain caused by rejecting your mate. Did I reject Ivy? Only asswipes and and and dumbasses reject their mate.
Coach blew the whistle, making us all take a knee. Apparently he, and everyone else, heard Ivy's crying and was rushing to her. I pushed my way closer to Ivy, trying to protect her.
"What happened over here?" Coach demanded to know. Ivy tried to compose herself, but was unable to answer in a steady voice.
"I accidentally hit her with my jump-rope," I found myself saying. Coach looked at me like he was just realizing I was there. "I mean, I was going at a steady pace like you taught us, Coach, and I just didn't see her. Ivy will be okay, though. Right, Ivy?" I smiled at her, but was pleading with my eyes for her to go along.
"Get away from me, you jerk!" She screamed. She glared at me with sad eyes, and for a second, I thought she would start crying again. My whole body ached with her grief, but I kept silent.
Suddenly a fight between two girls broke out at the other side of the gym giving me the excuse I was looking for. Everyone was already running over there and crowding around them, screaming, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Coach, stuck between two issues, decided to see what was happening with them.
"I'll take her to the nurse," I offered. Coach dismissed us without second thought.
"I told you not to go anywhere near me," Ivy said with the most venom in her voice I have ever heard. We had just left the gym and were walking outside where no one would be able to hear us. I winced, but placed my arm around her. She promptly shook me off.
"I'm not going to hurt you," I scoffed.
"How the fuck can I trust you?!?" She yelled.
"Ivy-"
"No, you just told me you don't like me... that you just wanted to hook up with me..." She winced as she spoke. "Y-you called me a freak. I just thought you were different. But what am I thinking? You're right. I'm a freak and you're a popular. You were right, Owen Ezra. Whooptie-friggen-do!"
This made me angry. "You're not a freak! You're Ivy Walker and I'm just Owen. You need to love yourself more, Ivy." She rolled her eyes at me, which made me feel like I just told her the lamest joke. It pissed me off.
"There you go again with your wishy-washiness," Ivy stated angrily. Her eyes were watering up with frustrated tears again. "So now you're telling me that you like me? I just don't get you and your bipolar feelings."
I sighed. Letting Ivy go for the good of the pack and my relationship with Emilie wasn't a good idea. Well, it's too late to turn back now. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see Ivy's pain when I tell her again. "No, I don't like you, but I do have major respect for you as a person. Maybe I confused respect and love. I don't know. But I do know that you deserve the truth: I just don't like you like that."
"So you really don't like me, huh?" She rubbed he hand on her temple as if the whole situation was giving her a headache. I felt the same way. "If you respect me then why did you go off on me earlier? You could have let me down easy, you know. You didn't have to call me a freak!"
I hung my head in shame, the feeling of calling my beautiful mate names like that. I didn't feel any kind of happiness when I told her that. Actually, it was the opposite. "I'm sorry," I said quietly, as my face heated with embarrassment, "I'm not experienced in these types of situations. I didn't know what to do... I'm a total screw up and you have every right to be mad at me. I'm a man-whore just like you thought."
Ivy looked amused. "I never thought of you as a man-whore. I thought you were nice, popular, amazing muscles..." She blushed and cleared her throat."But I never thought of you as a man-whore."
I couldn't help but feel all warm at her compliments. A smirk grew on my face. "Thanks, oh and by the way, you're a fantastic kisser." Now, Ivy looked annoyed and I grew nervous. "What?"
"You're not supposed to like me, remember? And where are we going? I don't know about you, but I've had my fair share of anti-bacterial and medicines at the hospital with Mallory. The last thing I want is to sit in a cot."
"Ivy, doll, you're just in luck. There's a bench where nobody can see us right over there..." I pointed to the side of the 400 Building. "Seriously, ivy, we need to talk."
"Agreed," She said as she sat down. She sprawled her legs in front of her and I couldn't't help but notice how deliciously light her legs were. "Owen, why did you choose Emilie over me/"
I was kind of thrown off-guard with that question. I cleared my throat awkwardly. "I don't know how to answer that. I mean, I guess I like her more than I originally thought. But that's not say that i think any less of you! Actually, i respect you more now. You dealt with my- what did you call it? Wishy-washiness- for a while."
Ivy laughed so humorlessly, and so frankly, that it kind of turned me on.."Owen, you know what type of person Emile is. I know you know how she treats me. You can't honestly tell me that you prefer bitch over nice. There's no way you can be this blind!Don't you know how much power you've just given her?"
You have no idea, i thought.
Ivy continued. "She'll think she's even greater than she already is. Wake up, Owen, you're ruining my life. You're breaking my-"
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Ivy walked away before I could even say anything.
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Ivy' POV
After work that night, I was driving around aimlessly. Mallory had called me several times, but I let it go to voice mail.
I drove to the nearest fast-food drive thru and ordered a jumbo soda just to t the taste of Owen's mouth out of my mouth. i dind't want to think of him or have anything to remember him by. He told me he that he didn't like me like that, but when he showed up to work with flowers right after I got off of work... it was kind of expected.I hate my lack of self-control...
"Ivy, I came by because I wanted to apologize. I know I was a total jerk at school today for telling that I didn't like you like that and y'know going off on you. I'm sorry, okay? I really can't stand to see you so upset. I can't let us not be friends. That's why you are coming to my big party on Saturday. Deal?"
I blinked to make sure he was there and really saying those things. "I will definitely come to your party on Saturday, but why did you bring those roses?"
He laughed nervously. "I didn't know what else to bring."
"Owen! You coming here was a gift in itself."
He pushed me gently against my car and buried his nose in my neck. "Ivory walker. Doll, you're the sweetest girl that has ever lived," He said in a low voice. "Mallory doesn't know how incredibly lucky he is to have you."
My eyes burned with tears unshed tears. What Owen didn't know was that Emilie didn't know how lucky she was to have him. "Yeah thanks, " I whispered," Do you want me to compliment you too, to raise you malke ego?"
I could feel Owen smile against my neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I couldn't help but notice how perfect we fit together. "No... you don't have to, but it would be nice..."
"Okay, Owen, you have pretty eyes."
"Uh-huh. Keep going," He said as he kissed the base of neck, seding tingles throughout me.
I shuddered. "You have soft hair." I ran my hands through his hair to prove it.
"Right..."
"You smell amazing," I said. he chuckled.
"So you you," He said as he licked me. "And you taste even better."
"Your lips are soft!" I blurted out. I tried to control my breathing, but I wan't too worried about that. I was focused on the way he made me feel.
"Really? I don't remember whether your lips are soft or not. Can you refresh my memory?" Before I could answer him, he moved his lips toward mine. He kissed me gently at first, but then our kisses turned heated. He pressed himself against me, making me burn with desire. I was vaguely aware that this was wrong, but I pushed that thought away.
At some point, Owen layed me on the backseat of my car and held himself on top of me. We kissed until my thoughts were consumed my him and his actions. He tugged off my shirt and held me by my waist. We kissed even more and I felt my work skirt being tugged until it was at my ankles. I found it unfiar that only I was in my underwear and he was fully clothing, so I tugged on the hem of his jeans until he did what I wanted him to.
"You sure?" He asked as he traced patterns on my stomach. I nodded fiercly.
"Yes," I managed after I remembered how to speak again. He smiled and kissed my softly. He brought his hand above my stomach, and placed it on my bra. He was about to pull it when my phone rang.
My ring tone was the sound of Mallory's voice telling me to pick up.
"This was a mistake," I said as the ringer died out and the notification chime went of. "Please leave Owen, and don't come back. Go have sex with your girlfriend. oh my god, I can't believe I... just go!" I handed him his pants and forced myself to look away as he was putting them on. "What if we had gone all the way?"
"I'm sorry this was a -"
"Mistake," I finished. "why can't you control your hormones? why did you have to kiss me?"
Owen's face became a cold mask." It's not like you were fighting it. You wanted it. Instead of blaming everyone else, take a look in the mirror. I said I was sorry and I am. This was a mistake though. Bye, Ivy, and this time I mean it." With that he exited the car and held my gaze briefly before walking away. Shortly there afterwards, I heard the sound of his car driving off.
The roses he left, made the whole car smell. the smell reminded my of him. As I contineued driving with my soda, I threw them out the window. I'm done with Owen. Totally and completely down with him.
Mallory called once more, but this time I answered. "Hello?"
"Yes, I was looking for Ivy Walker."
I smiled. "This is she."
"Oh well, I was beginning to think she forgot she had a boyfriend."
I grimaced because he was right.
"Sorry," I said. Sorry seemed to be the theme of the day. "They asked me to stay late and I forgot to turn off my phone and-"
The lights came out of nowhere. I saw the blur of the car, but I didn't brake until after it collided with my right tail-light. A man climed out of the car and I think Mallory was yelling through the phone. The man had brown hair and pale skin. He was saying something, but I don't know what.
"I'm so sorry! Oh my God, you're just a kid! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you want my insurance information? Ma'am? Ma'am?" I think that's what the Guy with pale skin and Brown hair said. something about him made my skin crawl. Yet I felt attached to him in a strange way. What the hell.
"Baby, what happened?" I heard Mallory shout as I pressed the phone to my ear Again. The car came out of nowhere, so suddenly that I didnt- couldn't scream, I thought. I'm okay, I'm not okay. I'm in a daze...
"Nothing," I lied as I drove away from the handsome and creepy man that stood by my window. I didn't care about leaving him. I don't care about Owen anymore.
I don't care.