Tino's POV
"Hey, you going downstairs?" Vincent asked as he walked inside my room. He closed the door behind him and laid down next to me. Both of us stared at the ceiling.
"Should I?"
"That's up to you."
"Are you?" I asked turning my head slightly towards him.
"I think so. I don't know man, she's back. And regardless of how upset I am and how hurt I am. There had to have been a reason she left. I wanna know what that is." He took a deep breath and continued. "I don't want to waste any more time. I missed her. I want her. So yeah, I think I am going downstairs. And I'm not letting her leave my sight again."
Vincent pushed himself off the bed and headed towards the door.
"I think you should do the same."
The door closed softly but the way my head was spinning, it sounded extremely loud. Part of me wanted to listen to him, and his advice. Was he going to forgive her that easily? If he did, and I didn't. I would look like a complete asshole. Even though I already did that on my own when I growled at him.
'Zay, I could really use your help right now.'
Silence.
'Our mates are back and I need to know what to do. I don't even know how I have survived this long without you.'
Nothing.
'You're being a dick by ignoring me.'
...
'DAMNIT you stubborn wolf. You're not the only one hurting and feeling like going to a hole. You can! I can't! I need your help, I'm not made to be doing this by myself.'
Crickets.
'Fuck you, Zay. FUCK. YOU.'
I growled out to him and I could feel that I hurt him, but I honestly didn't care. I was hurting too and he left me. He abandoned me.
I couldn't stay in here all night, there was no way my father would accept that. I pushed myself off the bed and looked down at my outfit. Black sweats and a black crewneck. I just shrugged and walked out. This was all he was going to get, the father would understand. He would have to.
I heard laughing and soft music playing as I walked toward the living room. Thankfully everyone else was still in the dining room, so I had the living room to myself.
A soft smile covered my face as I looked at the picture of my Nonna sitting on the fireplace mantle. I walked closer and grabbed it, holding it gently in my hand. I could feel my eyes start to water as I looked down at her. Her beautiful smile, her kindness...I missed her.
"Tino." His voice was soft, but it crashed into me like a wave. I would hear it from miles away.
I slowly set the picture down, but not yet turned around to face him.
"You don't have to say anything. I understand. I just want a chance to explain myself." I was silent.
"First, you must know I had no intention of leaving you ever. If it wasn't for the circumstances and your safety being at risk I wouldn't have left."
"My safety?" I questioned and finally turned to look at him. His silver-grey eyes met mine.
"Yes, your safety. Please let me explain." He took a tentative step forward and motioned to the couches. I huffed out and rolled my eyes and uttered a short 'fine'. I sat as far away from him as I could.
"I don't quite know where to begin, so I will start from the beginning." He sighed and leaned forward. Putting his elbows on his legs and taking a deep breath.
"As a Lycan, you know that Lycans are descendants of the moon goddess. That is the same for my family as well, but we are directly descended from her. Meaning that her first Lycan child she made, is my ancestor."
"Because of that, it has been known in my family that we may hold a special connection to her. We did many years ago. But the past few generations have not experienced such a connection. That was until recently. With Kona and I. We were gifted with a connection to the moon goddess, and powers."
"Powers?" I questioned.
"Yes, powers. We can control minds and mind compulsions. And we both have grown in strength." I nodded in understanding.
"The rogue Lycan has wanted our powers for some time now since he was younger and he found out about them." Koa cleared his throat and he leaned back.
"How did he do that?"
"Yes, well. Kristoff was a dear friend of mine for many years as children. But his parents were enemies of my father. They wanted to take over the pack. They wanted to be Alpha and Luna. To my whole family. And in that, my father and I did what we had to do. Father killed his parents, and because Kristoff was still young, just a mere fifteen. My father thought it best if he was shunned from the pack. Never in a million years did we think he would go rogue. Maybe join a new pack, but not this."
"He has been hunting us for a while now. Trying to find ways to insert himself around to get to us, to get to me. He wants to be King. Get what he feels he is owed. But that is why I felt. He had no idea that this pack would mean so much to me, he just settled near here. But if he had found out--"
"Found out I was your mate..." I interrupted, my eyes low to the floor.
"Yes. He surely would have killed you. And I was not strong enough in my magical abilities yet. He would have been able to suck them out of me easily."
"And you would have died?" I interrupted again, my chest getting tight.
"Yes, precisely. That's why I left. But I didn't know that I would be gone for so long. And for that I am sorry." He still talked like he was born in the 30s and I hated that I missed it. I hated that I missed how he talked to me.
"Why didn't you bring your phone? Why didn't you tell me that before you left?"
"If I had told you, would you have let me go? Would have followed me and left your pack? Would you have visited me? Would you have mated me? Would have smelled like me?"
I met his eyes and his gaze was intense, and I fought every urge to go to him and have him hold me. But as I listened to his questions and how the word 'no' danced on my tongue. I wanted to tell him that I would have let him go, but I know that is not true. I would have begged him to stay. I was already his the moment we met. I hated it.
"I just wanted a chance to explain." His voice trailed off as I stayed silent.
What else was there for me to say? Zay was pushing me to continue the conversation, to have him around me. But that is foolish.
"I don't trust you. I don't believe your words either." I told him truthfully.
"I understand. And you have no reason to." He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands across his thighs. "We haven't known each other for long. Maybe...maybe we should start as friends? Get to know each other without the pressure of anything. Then after a few months, you can decide if you want to reject me or not."
The idea of rejection stung, stung badly but I ignored it. Could I agree to be his friend for a few months? Could I handle being around him, getting to know him? Maybe.
"Three months. That's all I'm giving you."
"Yes of course. Three months. And if by the end of those three months, we are not..." He took a break to clear his throat, his face heating up but continuing. "If we are not fully mated then we can agree to reject one another." His eyes were low to the floor not looking at me.
"That works for me." My voice was small, and my eyes avoided his. If we were going to be friends that meant I had to find a way to be around him. He pushed himself off the couch and fixed his pants.
"Try not to growl at me again, yes?" He questioned with a playfulness in his eyes.
I just gave him a nod and turned away my eyes focused on the carpet in front of me.
"I'll see you around, Valentino."
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until the next...