Chapter 186

My heart seized in my chest.

My lips parted in shock as I willed myself to hold back the tears that were threatening to fill my eyes. There had been times when I’d witnessed Arthur’s rage...But never was it solely directed at me.

Until now.

I felt my wolf cower and whimper within me from the anger that permeated off of him. It had me inching back, wanting to put some sort of space between us. Deep down, I knew that Arthur had every right to be feeling this way.

What happened with Ava, her physically attacking me, was circumstantial. No one could have predicted that she would do something so reckless and violent—not to mention out in the literal public for everyone to see.

It was a terrible feeling like I had somehow disappointed my own mates without doing anything.

The two of them must have noticed my movements because they both went still.

The room was silent until Liam softly spoke out. “Arthur, please. Calm down.”

“I can’t,” he gruffed.

I tried to take in a steady breath before speaking. “What exactly are you mad at me for, Arthur?” I asked. “Are you mad at me because I told you and Liam to wait back here while I went to meet up with Ben on my own? Or are you upset because Ava decided to claw my face—”

“If we were there, we could have stopped her from letting that happen,” he said firmly.

I bit the inside of my cheek in frustration and shook my head.

“You don’t know that.”

His jaw clenched as he reached for his phone. From what I could see, he seemed to be pulling up some kind of video. He practically shoved the small screen in my face.

“See this?” he questioned darkly.

It was a literal video of when Ava grabbed me by the back of my bag and attacked me outside of the library. I wanted to tear my eyes away from the unsightly scene that would be forever branded in my mind.

As well as my skin.

I watched Ava raise her arm back and slash her claws across my face.

“I—”

“This video has already been seen all across campus,” Arthur noted.

“What’s your point?”

The corner of his eye twitched with irritation. “My point is, did you see the way in which she attacked you? Did you notice how she hesitated and hovered over you?”

“So, what?” I sighed.

“So, in those few seconds one of us could have stopped her,” he explained. “Do you know how close she came to killing you?”

“Olivia was there—”

“She shouldn't have been the one to intervene! Yes, I’m thankful and glad that she did. But it should have been us.” The way Arhtur’s voice cracked at the end caused my heart to ache even more.

“Okay,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have told you to stay back here while I went to meet with Ben.”

Liam stepped forward. He lifted his hands to frame my face, carefully being mindful of the bandages that Bonnie had applied earlier.

He pressed several, light kisses along the side of my cheek and then finally to my lips.

“Go and get some rest.”

As I headed back down to my room, I felt Arthur’s close proximity on my heels. Right as I reached for the handle on my door, I felt his arm snake around my waist and pull back till I was flush against his chest.

He buried his face in the crook of my neck and held me close. “I can’t lose you, Ella,” he said quietly.

A wave of warmth flooded through me. Any feelings of anger I may have had before had melted.

Now, I wanted to comfort him and keep him close.

“You won’t.” I let myself lean back into him. “Arthur...Can I...Do you...”

“Spend the night with me,” he said.

My cheeks became flushed as I nodded my head. I was grateful that he could see through my stumbling over my words. He loosened his hold so I could turn and face him. I wrapped my arms around him, wanting to ease his worry.

He led us into his room and closed the door. Today had been unexpectedly exhausting for everyone. Arthur’s phone kept going off and from what I could see, it was Cecilia trying to get in touch with him.

Arthur snarled under his breath. “She’s been messaging me all day, since our meeting.”

He showed me the messages—each one pertaining to how he should bond with me regardless of the proper mating procedure.

I took Arhtur’s phone and placed it off the desk before turning around and pulling him in for a deep kiss. He brought his hand up to cup my damaged cheek and gently coaxed my mouth open with his tongue. I easily succumb to his demanding nature.

I could tell that he was still distraught. He broke the kiss only to lean his head against mine.

“I don’t know what to do. I’ve never been at war with my own family before,” he admitted weakly.

“I know. The important thing is that you’re on the right side of things, morally speaking.”

Regardless of the fact that we were mates, I admired Arthur's desire to bond with me on our terms.

“I’ve just never felt so powerless.”

I shook my head. “Arthur, that is the very last thing that you are. Now, come on, we should both get some sleep.”

Arthur handed me a spare shirt for me to sleep in and the two of us climbed into the long mattress, slipping under the blankets. With his arms wrapped securely around me, he leaned in to press a light kiss to my neck.

“I need to feel close to you.”

And I wanted nothing more than to feel him.

...

Sunlight started to stream through the blinds the very next morning. I couldn’t believe how heavily and sound I slept. Arthur was still pressed firmly against my back with his arms curled, protectively around me.

I loved how secure I felt that I never wanted it to end. The only thing that would have provoked me to get up was to check on the healing process of my injuries.

Just as I was about to move, I felt Arthur’s hold on me tighten. He sifted only slightly, burying his nose further into my neck.

“Don’t you dare move,” he growled.

I couldn’t keep from grinning. “Arthur.”

A sultry tone filled the air. “Do you have any idea how badly I’ve wanted to have you like this? Next to me...In my bed...Completely at my mercy.”

I struggled not to break out in laughter.

“Oh, really?” I asked playfully. “I don’t feel like I’m at your mercy.”

I felt the bed dip as Arthur pushed himself up on his forearm in which he was now hovering close above me. There was a dark glimmer in his eyes that sent chills down my spine. But it wasn’t out of fear...It was desire.

My eyes dropped to his lips. I reached up to palm his cheek, wanting to pull him down to me.

“Arthur...”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

His gaze drifted over me with hunger. “Do you know how impossibly maddening it was for me to smell you on Liam during all those hockey matches?”

Again, I felt myself flushing under his intense eyes as his fingers made a work of the buttons on the shirt I was wearing.

He leaned down to press a searing kiss to the center of my chest. “I want to learn every inch of you.”