Chapter 50
Thane
I am sitting here in Ayla’s room mulling over the folder of information in front of me. Kian Crestford. 26 years old. Member of the Midnight Pack. Owner of Last Call Bar and Grille in town and apparently Ayla’s fated mate. Cyrus dug him up rather quickly using CCTV. Young, mediocre man with a rumored gambling problem. Sure, he is decent looking and healthy, but he really has nothing to add to little wolf. I find myself surprised that the fates would pair hier with sotne average shifter when she seems so much bigger, so much more. I can’t picture little wolf as average, or anything below high level of excellence for that matter. She has such a vibrant life inside of her that needs to be restored, and I can’t picture that Healing taking place in a bar. Will she want to work there? Will she put her safety at risk mingling with other shifters. Shifters that could stare at her all night and make advancements towards her fueled by liquid courage. The idea of other alphas anywhere near little wolf has me growling and Ronan snarling.
However, as I stare at little wolf, I have to remind myself that she can’t be mine. If Kian proves to be her fated mate, all closeness between us needs to be cut off. I couldn’t continue to help her and have these strong of feelings towards her. I may not be able to control myself and that wouldn’t be fair to her or her mate. What a fricken mess–1–have made.
“Alpha Thane, I have the medication to arouse Ayla and get her out of her sedation. Is it okay if I proceed? Yes Eric, it’s been two days. Let’s wake her up and see if anything has changed.” Eric proceeds to inject medication into Ayla’s IV site. Little wolf immediately starts to roll her eyes back and forth under her lids and can hear faint, deep groans as she tries to arouse herself. “Little wolf, it is Thane and Eric. You are in the clinic, and we want you to wake up for us.” She makes a cute frown slash pout face and starts to move her arms and legs around a bit. “That’s it little wolf, wake up. You can do it. I need you to open your eyes Ayla.” a few more groans and those beautiful teal eyes are blinking heavily at me.
Hello, little wolf. I am glad that you could come back to us. Do you feel okay?” I ask her while reaching out and holding her tiny hand in mine. Damn I missed that little hand. She looks up at me with a mixture of confusion and longing. Like she can’t believe she is seeing me. Damn it. I shouldn’t have stayed away from her, but I also needed and continue to need to. She can’t be mine. I can’t be hers. She nods her head “yes.” and I help her sit up and take a drink of water. “I am going to fill you in on what happened and then we can talk with a pad of paper afterwards. You were having a panic attack and hallucinating and hurting yourself. Eric and I decided to sedate you and bring you to the clinic. While here at the clinic we tossed around theories about reconnecting to your wolf among other things. We decided to sedate you deeply in hopes you would find your wolf and reconnect. It has been two days since we sedated you. Did you make contact with your wolf?” She studies me hesitantly for a several seconds before nodding her head “yes.” “Did you reconnect with your wolf Ayla?” I ask hopeful, but she nods her head “no.” “Were you able to have a conversation with her?” she nods her head “yes.” “Well, that is a start I suppose. I was hoping you would connect with your wolf because I need her help.” With that she stares at me with her brows furrowed, confusion written on her features. “There has been a shifter come forth from the town that claims he smelled his fated mates smell in the hair salon I took you to, and that the smell that triggered it was lavender. Which, to my knowledge, you are the only shifter around her with that unique smell and you did get your hair cut there prior to him.”
She sits up more and draws her knees to her chest. Damn it, she looks scared and confused. Not what I wanted when she just woke up. “I know this is a lot to take in Ayla. Especially with us, but I have to talk to you about it. See how you feel about meeting him. I am concerned that you may not be able to recognize the fated mate bond without your wolf. However, Eric feels that contact with your fated mate could bring out your wolf and he recommends you meet this potential mate of yours asap. The choice is yours. I have his information. We tracked him down. Regardless of what you decide, we also need to talk about us.” She looks at me sadly, takes a deep breath and nods in agreement while frowning. “Let’s get you dressed and get you back to your rooms. We can talk then, and I can have some food delivered. I am going to let Eric know while I step out.” She nods in agreement, and I step out of the room. I had my nose a millimeter above her sweet cunt, but I leave the room for her to get dressed? I don’t understand my actions, but I can get lost in the memory of my face between her legs while she came all over my hand. “Eric, can you send someone in to help her dress and then I will take her back to her rooms.” “Yes alpha.”
30 minutes later we are driving back to the packhouse. The elevator provided an awkward silence and so did the walk to her rooms. I don’t even know where to start with this conversation. My mind and my heart are warring within themselves, and I am left with confusion to sift through. Ayla sits on her couch, and I sit beside her. Clearing my throat, I decide to break the ice first. “Ayla, I want you to know that I pulled away from you. I realize I did it and I made that decision for many reasons, but you deserved to know about it and my thought process behind it, especially after the night we had, and I apologize for not talking to you. This is a difficult conversation for me. I decided many years ago that I would wait for my fated mate. Family is important to me, I have none left Ayla. I want to give my full self to my fated mate and make myself a new family. One that I love with everything and protect with all of me. I decided that I wouldn’t have relationships, that I wouldn’t give any piece of my heart to anyone. For the first time, that has been difficult for me to do. To remember. I find myself longing for you and wanting to give you a piece of me that nobody
Chapter 50
has, but I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to you if we continued with the traction between us and then I find my mate and have to leave you. Not after what you have seen through. Maybe me pulling back was a blessing. Now, you have a potential fated mate. That may have not happened if I hadn’t pulled back. I don’t know. I do know that I don’t want to pull back. I am jealous and I want you to
