Nathaniel's POV
I could feel the anger rising, consuming me. I was seeing red. My fists clenched and unclenched, my jaws clamped against each other. I knew my eyes would be pitch black by now - the colour it turned when I was full of rage.
"Take back your words. Now." I said as calmly as I could. I was seconds away from ripping something apart.
"No." She retorted defiantly.
Then I snapped. I did something I was bound to regret. I lost myself in that moment of anger. My body moved before my mind. I lifted my right hand and swooped it backhand across her right cheek. The impact sent her flying, crashing into a tree.
It came out in flashes. Arabella on the floor. The sickening sound of her bones cracking. Her cry of pain. The anguish on her face as she tried to fight her tears.
I stared down at my hand, dumbfounded at my actions. I had never hit a woman before. Killed, I had - if it was necessary. It was intentional, there was a motive. But never out of anger, never like this.
I looked back at Arabella, her eyes were fluttering - she was falling into unconsciousness. There was a pang in my chest as I rushed to her side - holding her fragile body in my arms. "Arabella, look at me!! Please, please. Don't close your eyes." I cupped her cheek gently.
Her blue orbs met mine with a blank look, fluttering open and close."Please... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry Arabella," my words came out in chokes. It was a strange sensation, something I had never felt before. It started like a lump in my throat, there was a painful tugging in my chest. Then my vision became blurry with liquid as tears started spilling out.
I stroked her hair gently, I could still hear her heart beating - at least she was still alive. By then she was already fully unconscious, her beautiful face void of emotion. Her cheeks were dotted with my own tears as I frantically wiped them away, not wanting to stain her with my ugliness.
"I'm so sorry," I repeated again and again as I craddled her in my arms.
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Arabella's POV
I felt the pain before I could even come to. The throbbing in my head. And the ache in my back.
There were voices around me, soft murmurs. I catched a few phrases here and there, "heals fast" "not to worry" "more rest" from a man with a deep voice. then another male voice, asking questions - a hint of anxiety laced in his tone.
I opened my eyes slowly, the room was dark - but low light still needed some getting used to. I felt a hand reach for mine, then another upon my forehead brushing my hair back.
"Arabella?" the man called my name.
"Water," I croaked out, desperate to quench my raspy throat.
There was scurrying before a cold material was pressed against my lips gently. Glass. I parted my lips gratefully and took in the liquid.
By now, I could fully open my eyes. Nathaniel was the one holding the cup, a worried look on his face. His grey eyes boring intently into mine, as if searching for answers.
"Arabella?" he asked again. "Arabella, I'm so sorry...." His eyes now turned slightly glassy, his voice was soft. I noticed that the skin under his eyes has turned slightly darker, he looked worn out from sleeplessness.
Then I remembered everything. My armsstarted shaking uncontrollably as nausea crept in. The scene kept replaying in my head, making my stomach churn. I pushed his hand away angrily. The cup fell onto the sheets, emptying its contents onto the blanket covering me. "Shit," I could hear him mutter as he hurriedly took it off and replaced it with another.
He stood by me silently, but I refused to meet his eyes. I could see him reaching for my hands but I shifted it away. "Leave." I said coldly.
"Ara.."
"I told you to leave."
"Ara please.... I didn't mean to do it... I don't know what came over me, it'll never happen again..."
I looked at him square in the eye. "Nathaniel Jevin, I reject you as a mate."
"Ara?" His voice sounded broken, he looked broken. He gulped hard, clenching his jaws tightly.
"Don't speak or come close to me again, there is no more need for you to." I continued. "Please, leave me alone."
"I'm your mate? You didn't tell me... That explains everything.. It explains all I've been feeling... All this while-"
"It doesn't matter anymore." I glared at him, forcing my tears back. "None of it matters anymore. Don't you get it Nathaniel?"
"Yes it does Ara. You can't - you can't do this to me."
"Oh trust me Nathaniel, I can." With that I pulled the blanket off me, getting up. The blood rush caused me to become giddy, and Nathaniel rushed to support me before I fell.
"Get off me" I said roughly, jerking my hands away from his. But instead he wrapped his strong arms around me, hugging me from behind.
"Please, don't leave me... Give me another chance. " His words came out in hot breaths against my neck.
I struggled to free myself from his hold but he grabbed on tighter.
Exasperated, I raised my right hand and elbowed him as hard as I could in the nose.
"Fuck, Ara!" he seethed in pain as he let go, holding his bruised nose.
"It'll heal" I shrugged, a little sorry for hurting him. But it was nothing compared to what he had done.
I started walking quickly to the door but he grabbed onto my hand forcefully, yanking me back to face him.
"Don't. Do. This." He was getting pissed, his eyes were changing - the way it did before.
"You don't own me Nathaniel, not anymore." I knew the bond between us was already fading, his words and his touch had less of an impact on me now. Once a mate was rejected, the mate instincts would lessen till it became nothing more than a spark. A spark that could be contained. It wouldn't be painful for us to be apart. Given a few months, it would become nothing more than a dull, tolerable ache. For now though, my heart still paltipated at the sight of him being angry, he was a very sexy man when agitated. His chest heaved heavily as he looked at me from below his long eyelashes.
"If you don't want Faye to get hurt, you will stay by me."
My eyes widened to the size of the moon, "Faye is alive? She's here? In the castle?" I rained questions on him.
"Yes, she will be fine. As long as you listen to me."
I took a step back, "You're blackmailing me?"
"If I have to," he stated simply, a harshness in his voice.
I scoffed, glaring daggers at him. "You are a monster. You know, for a while you had me fooled.I thought I could actually love you"
He winced slightly at my words, but he resumed his stoic expression half of an instant later. "Yes I am. And you will stay by me. You WILL love me. You will do exactly as I say. Or I will hurt the ones you love most."
"Fuck you," I was suprised at the obscenity of my words, but it has been a long time since I was this angry.
What he did next though, was completely unexpected. With vampire speed, he grabbed me and pushed me against the nearest wall - cushioning the impact with his forearms. Then he cupped both my cheeks, and kissed me. Hard.
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