Chapter 40 Still Mine
ARDEN
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I turned around and saw the only man I have ever loved standing before me. However, the safety I once felt in his presence had now been replaced by a twinge of fear, and the butterflies in my stomach that once soared with giddiness now felt more akin to dread.
Arden,” he said my name in the same way he always had, yet his tone starkly contrasted with our last two encounters.
We were alone in this maze–like garden, and I instinctively took a step back. To my relief, he made no move to close the distance between us. “Where’s Sienna?” I finally asked, my voice taking on a slightly mocking tone that emerged unconsciously.
He sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his hair. “Sienna and I… we’re not together.”
My eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “Oh, so it was just a one–night stand? You were merely messing around?”
He pressed his lips together, hesitating. “I just ”
Then he stepped forward, his gaze locked onto mine with a sincerity I never believed him capable of anymore. “You know how it is in my family. They’ve never been fond of you,” he said.
This had long been an understood issue within our pack, but we had never addressed it in our relationship. “My parents are questioning my capabilities as an Alpha, so I… I needed to prove myself,” he explained.
*By sleeping with my best friend?”
He ran a hand over his face in exasperation before sighing heavily. “I didn’t want to, but I was blinded. You’re the person who knows me best–my insecurities, my struggles with my identity within this family. Despite being their son, I feel like I have to prove myself time and again as a capable leader?”
“When I slept with Sienna, it was one of the darkest moments of my life. I truly didn’t know what I was doing.”
“And yet, the two of you came to school together this morning,” I recalled. His eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly deflected my accusation.
“I talked to her. I said we needed a break. That was the only reason,” he asserted.
At this point, he had closed the gap between us, fingers entwining around my wrists. Despite the rejection of the mate bond, I couldn’t deny the familiar sparks that ignited with our skin’s brief contact.
I closed my eyes, allowing frustration to course through my veins. “I don’t understand you,” I muttered, pulling my hands away. For a fleeting moment, I noticed the hurt flicker across his face, but I swiftly pushed it out of my mind.
“You were the one who cheated on me. You rejected me right after, and now you’re telling me you want me back? It doesn’t make sense, Jaxon!” I exclaimed, my voice rising louder than I had intended.
“I know,” he replied softly, his gaze dropping to the ground. “But I made a mistake.”
There was a newfound calm in his demeanor, a touch of maturity I hadn’t seen before. “I loved you deeply when we were together, didn’t I? So, let’s just bury the past and return to how we used to be, hmm?” he said with a tentative smile.
Yet, despite the calming aura he exuded, agitation brewed within me. He continued to look into my eyes with hope, but I crushed it–beneath my resolve.
“You’re only saying this because you discovered I’m still a virgin,” I spat. “Even now, you’re just using me to achieve what you truly desire–power.”
Slowly, his expression fell, and I began to back away. “And what?” I pressed on. “You want us to return to the way things were?”
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10:45 AM
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Chapter 40 Still Mine
“Jaxon, you know that could never happen now.”
“Jax,” he interrupted, his jaw tightening with what appeared to be frustration. “You can still call me by that name.”
I sighed and turned away. “Not anymore.”
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“We cannot go back to the way we used to be because I am not the same person you once knew. And clearly, you are no longer the person I have come to love.”
watched as he stiffened, but I continued to speak. “We will never return to the way we were because you ruined that. I’m not going back to you just because you broke up with Sienna. Quite frankly, I wish you a very happy relationship.”
His lips were pressed together so tightly that they appeared a shade of blue. “So, don’t come near me ever again. We’re bound to live different lives from this point forward.”
With that, I stepped to the side, attempting to leave him behind. However, to my utter dismay, he gripped my wrist tightly. “Let go,” I spat. We were in a secluded area, and Jaxon’s sudden change in demeanor reminded me that he was capable of much more than I cared to consider.
He didn’t listen. Instead, he placed his hand on my waist, pulling me unnervingly close until I could smell the distinct scent of his breath. I pressed my arms against his chest, trying to create a barrier between us, but he leaned in closer, his nose almost brushing against mine.
“I…” he began, his eyes trailing down to my lips, … was the one who ever truly devoured your lips.”
“I was the one you turned to when you needed to vent about your family. The one you cried to in moments of despair. The one you laughed with during good times.”
“Your first date, your first kiss, your first flowers, your first taste of attention from a man–it all came from me. No matter how hard you try to deny it, we are mates, Arden. We are intertwined by an undeniable bond crafted by the Moon Goddess herself.”
“So, at the end of the day, you are mine, Arden,” he declared through gritted teeth, the warmth of remorse in his eyes slowly morphing into a dangerous determination. “You might deny me now, but mark my words–you will choose me soon.”
Just then, he placed his hand on my neck, his finger grazing over the mark on my gland. I couldn’t help it; my body stiffened, and I bit my lip to suppress the sounds that threatened to spill forth.
His smirk widened as he observed my reaction, and despite my best efforts to glare at him, it felt futile. I despised how my body still responded to him, even after everything I had done to resist.
“Let Go,” I commanded, this time with more conviction. Fortunately, he finally released me.
“I’m letting you go… for now,” he said, stepping back.
“But just know, Arden–at the end of the day, you will be choosing me at the Ivory Solstice.”
“I’ll make sure of it.”
