Hey guys! Really sorry for the late update.
CHAPTER 14
I looked at myself in the mirror. I could see the changes in myself. The color in cheeks, the brightness of my eyes, the fact that I was actually putting effort in my everyday appearance. My hair were hanging down my back, long and lustrous, I had actually worn a floral summer dress with black leggings and matching black pumps. I stared in the mirror.
"You fool."
Why was I behaving like this, Hunter had made it pretty clear that I was nothing but a possession. I knew I needed to wait. To give him time to properly know me and form his own opinion. But what made me so bloody furious was that why was I the only one feeling like this? Why was he not affected even a little bit? It was so unfair. I sighed. I knew I needed to stop pitying myself and get on to work. But first I needed to go to Hunter. He had texted me to meet him upstairs before leaving. I had never been on the above floor the whole time I had been here. Shaking my head at my vexing bouts of self-doubt I headed out of my room. There was pretty much no one in the corridor, having gone down to start their day, so there was no hindrance of following social etiquette in my way as I ascended the stairs. When I reached the floor, I don't know what I expected, but what I found wasn't it. The floor was like a separate apartment in itself. Gleaming wooden floor, there was a TV lounge that was a square area in the middle, one step below the rest of the floor. It was the only place that was carpeted. As I further stepped inside I saw the kitchen, all kinds of utensils hanging from the hooks on the wall above the stove, the marble counters and the black and white marble checkerboard floor. It was stunning.
"Hunter?" I called out. No reply. I repeated again but still no answer. When I didn't get a response the third time, I decided to move towards the doors which I guessed were bedrooms. There were three doors on the right and one door in the corner on the far left, but that was the only door that was open so I decided to check that out first. I went inside and realized it was a study slap office. There was big mahogany table on the right with a large black comfy chair and in front of the table was a black divan and a small side table. The whole room had was carpeted in maroon. There were large shelves far back of the room, filled to the top with books. I walked towards the shelves and stroked the book spines as I tried to take everything in at the same time. So many books, it was my own personal wonderland. I picked up Jane Eyre, one of my favorites, and skimmed through, the yellowish color of the pages, an indication to its senescence.
"Kitten."
Startled, I squealed, the book falling from my hands, but Hunter who was right behind me, so close, caught it and leaned forward, I could feel his whole body against mine, and put it back in its place. But he didn't move. His hand came on my stomach, stroking my navel. My breathing escalated. He slowly moved my hair, my heart was beating so fast, I was sure he could hear it. His mouth slowly descended on the sensitive flesh of my mark. He kissed it softly, just a brush of lips, I shivered with equal amount of trepidation and anticipation. His tongue peeked out in a slight caress. I gasped at the sensation, heat pooling in my veins and deep in my belly. His hands came around me, tightening and pulling me closer to him so every inch of my back was plastered to his front. He ran his nose up the column of my neck.
"Hmmm, you smell delicious." His rasp went straight to my core. He sucked my earlobe, first biting it then laving it with his tongue. My breaths had turned into short pants and the tingles all over my skin had me pushing deeper into his embrace. Suddenly he turned me around and his mouth was on mine. He kissed me with a ferocity and possessiveness that undid me. My hands found its way to the back of his neck. His tongue laving the crevices of my mouth, caressing mine. I sucked his tongue into my mouth, he growled, kissing me harder. I tugged at his bottom lip, I loved his bottom lip, and he slowly separated his lips from mine. I slowly released his lip, gasping for air. I wasn't even surprised when he didn't even have a hitch in his breathe. But his eyes...his eyes....I will never forget the intensity, or the pain I saw in them. It hurt to look in them because I could almost taste his suffering, but why?
"Hunter..? Is everything okay?" I saw it this time. How he blinked and his eyes went blank. His face completely devoid of emotions. It was almost like I had imagined it. Almost. But I knew what I saw. And I wasn't letting it go. If this relationship was going to work, it was about time we started putting some effort into it.
"Hunter? Are you ok?" I touched the hard line of his jaw, which his was clenching so hard the muscle ticked.
"Everything is fine." His voice held a warning I couldn't ignore. I had come to know Hunter enough to know the more I will push the more he will retreat. "Come let's sit, I want to talk about something." He pulled me towards the divan.
After taking a seat I turned towards him.
"What do you want to do with your life Kitten?"
"Excuse me?" I was a little perplexed at his sudden interest.
He sighed, like talking to me was such a nuisance, "With your life Kitten, what do you want to do? to become? You can't be a waitress your whole life."
"What's wrong with being a waitress?" I asked indignantly.
"Nothing." His tone flat. "But its pointless, I can give you everything you want, there is no need to lower yourself to serve other people, you do not need to just stand there while some halfwit tries to make a pass at you. So you will quit, and if you want to continue your studies, fine by me, but you're not working in that diner anymore."
I gaped at him, I really didn't know what to say.
"But then...what am I supposed to do?"
"Do you want to continue studying?" He asked as he stroked my cheek with his finger. I shivered at the contact.
"Yes, I think so....umm...I want to become a marine biologist."
I had expected him to laugh, to tell me what a ridiculous notion it was for a messed up girl like me as Abby had, try to gently persuade me to find a less ambitious career like my Mom had, but he didn't.
"Okay, but I can't let you go, the nearest college here is in another town so you'll have to stay in the dorms, and I won't allow it. You can do your Bachelors online, it will take about four years and then when you have that you can do your Masters and then after you're done with that, for your PhD, if you want to pursue that, We'll think of that later."
I just stared at him. My throat clogged with emotion. He hadn't said if , he'd said when. Like he had complete faith in me, like he knew I could do it. He didn't know his confidence in me was the most precious thing he had ever given me. My Mom, I knew she loved me, but she had never had faith in me, not like that. Her opinion of me, even Abby's, were shadowed by my shortcomings, my phobias. But Hunter, even though he knew me, all about me, still he believed in me. I would've done an online course anyway, if given the choice. I knew I wasn't ready to go to a completely new college in an unfamiliar city, without knowing any one. And I wanted to stay close to Hunter too. I didn't think I could survive without him in my life anymore. I leaned forward and hugged hime tightly.
"Thank you." I whispered. I felt him kiss my head, I snuggled closer. But...I moved back so I was facing him.
"I don't think I have enough money yet. I do have some money that my Mom ha-"
His growl cut me off, he looked at me with a how-dare-I-ask-such-a-question expression, "You are mine Kitten. My responsibility, you want something you come to me. I will pay for everything."
I nodded, "I'll pay you back after some time."
He made a frustrated sound, making me feel like an inept imbecile, "Kitten, one last time, You. Are. Fu**ing mine. What's mine is yours. Got it?" He tapped my forehead, "I don't want to have this conversation again."
Before I could say anything he continued, "Now about your living arrangement, you're coming up here with me."
"Is this your study?" I asked looking around again.
"This whole floor is mine. I live here and the condo, whichever suits me. But since you're here, I thought it would be better for the you to be closer to the pack, so we'll live here, at least for a while."
"You moved here for me?" I asked, touched.
"No." His reply couldn't come quick enough, "It's for the betterment of the pack. The Luna should be not only a part but the spirit of a pack. You need to interact more with the people and make yourself known."
I was starting to get him. He must care for me. He had to. No one was that considerate of some one with caring for them. Or maybe I was just grasping at straws?
"You'll apply to different colleges. And wherever you get in, tell me and I'll arrange everything else ok?"
I just nodded. I don't think I was processing everything yet.
He stood up, "I have a few meetings, so I'll see you when I get back."
With a kiss to my forehead he was gone, leaving me reeling from the sudden changes in my life.