Unexpected Solace

~Rowena~

“You know each other?” I squeaked.

I shrank back, clinging tighter to Kaelar’s solid frame. Soren’s heavy scent of pine and englewood flooded the parking lot, hitting my senses and toying with my already shredded emotions. My inner wolf whined, a pathetic, desperate sound clawing at my ribs. She wanted to leap out of my chest and submit to the man standing a few feet away.

Neither man responded to my question. Instead, Soren took a rigid step closer. He reached for me. His movements were stilted, jerky, like a puppet fighting its own strings. His jaw tightened, the muscles ticking under his skin as a low rumble vibrated in his chest. His inner wolf was clawing for control, desperate to claim its true mate. The heartbreak from his earlier rejection was still a fresh, raw wound in my mind. I cowered away from his outstretched hand, pressing my bloody face into the worn fabric of Kaelar’s shirt.

“I’m okay,” I said. I fought to keep my tone even, but the tremor in my voice gave me away. “Really, it’s fine. Um, Kaelar is just helping me out.”

Kaelar seemed confused by the bizarre, heavy tension thickening the air between Soren and me. The standoff felt electric, two dominant presences clashing over a bruised, bleeding girl. Thankfully, Kaelar caught on fast. He recognized the situation was far beyond uncomfortable. He adjusted his grip on my waist and legs, turning his shoulder to physically block Soren’s line of sight.

Striding to the Impala, Kaelar pulled the passenger door open. He proceeded to place me gently on the leather seat. I tucked my knees up, trying to make myself as small as possible. Kaelar straightened his spine and pivoted to face Soren again.

“She was attacked by some students,” Kaelar said. His voice was casual, but his posture was rock solid. “Gonna take her down to the healer to fix her up.”

Kaelar grabbed the edge of the door, trying to close it behind him to shield me. Soren lunged forward. He shoved his hand against the metal door frame to stop it from shutting. Soren wrestled with his own instincts, his broad shoulders shaking under his shirt. His knuckles turned white. His hands curled into tight fists.

“I should… come with you,” Soren said.

He spoke with uncertainty. The words sounded forced out of his throat. His inner wolf was clearly fighting a brutal war against his rational mind, demanding he stay near his fated mate. Soren stared down at me huddled on the passenger seat. A dark, possessive glint overshadowed the previously soft brown of his eyes.

I shook my head silently. The instinctual, biological part of my brain screamed for him to stay close. I wanted to crawl into his arms and let him scent me, to let him heal the bruises on my skin. I did not have the physical strength to tell him no out loud. I glanced at Kaelar, pleading with my eyes for him to handle the situation swiftly. Get me out of here.

Kaelar gave me a small, reassuring nod. He turned back to Soren and slapped a firm, warning hand flat against Soren’s tense shoulder.

“She’ll be fine,” Kaelar said, his tone dropping an octave. “You can visit her later if you need to.”

For a dangerous second, it looked like Soren would snap. His lip curled, exposing a flash of teeth as he glared at the cool hand resting on his shoulder. The alpha aggression rolled off him in waves. Kaelar did not flinch. He calmly removed his hand and folded his arms across his chest.

“Isn’t Sloane going to be wondering where you are?” Kaelar asked.

The name acted like a bucket of ice water. The mention of Sloane seemed to shake Soren out of his volatile, possessive state. The dark glint in his eyes shattered, replaced by a sudden flash of guilt. He blinked hard, the tension draining out of his arms. He took a staggering step back away from the Impala, allowing Kaelar to finally push the passenger door shut.

With one final, tortured glance through the glass in my direction, Soren turned his back. He headed back toward the main college buildings, dragging a heavy arm over his eyes.

Kaelar stood in the parking lot, staring after Soren for a long time. He watched until Soren disappeared around the brick corner. Then, Kaelar rounded the hood of the car and climbed into the driver's seat. He shut the door, sealing us inside the quiet cabin.

“Put your seatbelt on,” Kaelar said.

It took me a moment or two to process his words. My brain felt like it was stuffed with cotton. I pulled my gaze away from the window and the empty spot where Soren had just been standing. I faced my new acquaintance.

“Uh, potentially fractured rib cage?” I asked.

I did not mean for the response to sound quite so condescending. The brutal interaction with Soren, combined with my aching, battered body, left me in a sour mood. Kaelar ignored my attitude. He shoved the key into the ignition. The old engine roared to life. He shifted the gear and pulled out of the parking bay.

“Fair point,” Kaelar said. He reached behind his seat without looking back. “Here. For your face.”

He handed me a clean cloth towel from the back. I took it with shaking fingers and pressed it hard against my dripping nose. The thick fabric soaked up the warm blood. The rest of the car ride was silent, albeit not wholly unpleasant. The heavy, suffocating scent of pine was gone. Instead, Kaelar’s scent filled the space. It was comforting, grounding.

The salty tint of a sea breeze was detectable even through a nose clogged with blood and swelling tissue. It calmed my frantic heart rate. Kaelar reached out and flicked on the radio at some point. Low, rhythmic music filled the background. I closed my eyes, leaning my throbbing head back against the leather seat, and allowed myself to drift pleasantly into unconsciousness.

~Soren~

Tearing myself away from Rowena was the hardest physical act I had ever done. Every step away from the parking lot felt like dragging hundred-pound weights chained to my ankles. Walking back into the main college building, I ignored the stares of passing students. I made straight for an empty lecture room at the end of the hall. I stepped inside and slammed the heavy wooden door shut behind me. I slammed it much harder than I intended. The thick wood splintered near the frame, the hinges creaking and groaning in protest under my unnatural strength.

I paced the front of the room, my chest heaving. I planted my palms flat on an empty desk, leaning my weight over the smooth surface. I ran through the chaotic events of the day in my head. I had sensed her from the very moment I woke up this morning. As much as I believed I was prepared to handle the mating call, her scent was overpowering. It bypassed all my logic.

Waiting in the hallway earlier, watching her hesitate to approach me, I felt as if I were standing in the middle of a vast, open field. She smelled of fresh air, sprawling pastures, raw lavender, and light rain. It was pure. It was intoxicating. My inner wolf craved her, tearing at the walls of my mind. I had fought so hard to keep my head down during that moment, scanning the notes gripped in my fists without actually reading a single word.

I could not keep my eyes off her for long. I scrambled desperately for the right words to say, trying to let her down easy. I had not expected her to run away in tears, although I could not blame her. Standing there, pretending that every cell in my biological makeup was not singing for her, I gave the worst possible first impression.

Rowena was perfect. Talking to her up close, holding her trembling body in the greenhouse, I could have betrayed Sloane right then and there. The urge to kiss her, to mark her neck and claim her as mine, was a fire in my blood. But Sloane and I had promised each other. We made a pact. If Sloane was not my true fated mate, and I was not hers, we would reject whoever the Moon Goddess gave us. We would stay together no matter what.

We were a duo for years. We spoke about this day constantly, planning for it even as children. When I was nine years old, I crafted Sloane a makeshift ring made of twisted twigs and yellow dandelions. I swore to her that one day I would marry her. I loved Sloane. I always would. I could not abandon a lifetime of history and loyalty for a mate I had only known for half a day.

And then there was Kaelar. My grip tightened on the edge of the desk, my claws extending enough to gouge the wood. I knew he was coming to visit town. Our fathers were fast friends for years. Kaelar and I grew up together, essentially acting as brothers. Why the hell was he hanging around Rowena? Why was he holding her in his arms? Why did she look so eager to let him carry her?

Furthermore, she was bleeding. Her face was a mess. Did he hurt her? Did he fail to protect her? How dare he lay a single finger on my mate. Friend or no friend, I would not hesitate to tear his throat out if he so much as—

I stopped myself. I lifted a hand from the desk and rubbed my eyes roughly with my index finger and thumb. I was letting my inner wolf dictate my emotions again. I felt territorial, possessive, and infuriated at the sight of another man standing near my true mate. But Rowena was not mine to possess. I had told her so myself. I pushed her away.

Obviously, Kaelar did not know about the mating bond yet. He was just helping out an injured girl he met on campus. Rowena had every right to be wary of me. I gave her nothing but mixed signals and ruined her birthday. I felt torn right down the middle, tormented by conflicting loyalties. It was not supposed to be this difficult to choose Sloane.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding.”

I spun around. I had not heard the door open, but Sloane stood right behind me, her arms folded across her chest.

She wore a flowing green sundress. A deep, irritated frown marred her face. She waltzed past me with confident steps and hoisted herself up onto the edge of the desk. She sat there, swinging her bare legs back and forth beneath her.

“I’ve been looking for you all morning,” Sloane said.

I stepped forward, coming to stand between her swinging legs. She opened her knees wider to welcome me in. I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around her waist. I buried my face deep in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her skin and brilliant blonde locks. She smelled of harsh chemical conditioner and expensive designer fragrance.

I did not mind the fake floral odor right now. I needed the familiar routine. I needed reassurance. I needed to remind myself that picking her was the right decision.

Sloane ran her manicured fingers slowly through my hair.

“So you found her,” Sloane said. Her tone was dangerously casual.

Her plump lips brushed against the shell of my ear.

“Your true mate?” she asked.

I tightened my arms around her waist. I wanted to melt into her, to assimilate into one single being that had no true mate and no agonizing biological mating call to deny. “Yeah. How did you know?”

She blew a short, mocking raspberry against my neck. I knew she was rolling her eyes without even needing to look at her face.

“Daphne, obviously. She said she saw the two of you talking near the bathroom. And then out in the garden. She said you were holding her.”

Sloane went silent for a moment. She stopped stroking my hair, waiting for me to deny the accusation. I squeezed my eyes shut, hiding my face in her neck.

“It wasn’t like that,” I muttered. “I was honest with her about us. She was hurt. I was just trying to be nice to her.”

Sloane shoved my shoulders, pulling away from the embrace. She looked me dead in the eye, her expression hardening.

“Did you reject her?” Sloane demanded.

It was hard to maintain eye contact with her. I had never been able to lie to Sloane successfully, and today was no different. I lifted my hand and cupped her delicate face, tracing her cheekbone. “Not exactly…”

Sloane swatted my hand away. She pulled back further and moved to slide off the desk.

“Not entirely,” I rushed to continue, trying to keep her close. “But I told her I couldn’t be with her. I love you, Sloane.” I gripped her waist hard, locking her in place so she could not stand up. “I love you.”

Her green-gray eyes were piercing, blazing with sudden anger. Her plump lips twisted into a cruel sneer.

“Then why didn’t you reject her?” Sloane hissed, her voice echoing in the empty room.

I let go of her waist and straightened my posture. I pressed the heels of my palms against my eyes in pure frustration.

“She asked me not to do it today,” I explained. “She was crying, Sloane. It’s her birthday. What difference does it make if I do the official rejection tomorrow instead?”

Sloane slid off the desk, landing on her feet. She stepped right into my personal space. She raised a fist and pounded it hard against the center of my chest.

“You don’t want to reject her, do you?” Sloane yelled. She pounded my chest again. “You selfish prick! You can’t ignore the mating call. All of your childhood promises were just a bunch of lies.”

She was much shorter than me, but her presence felt massive. She towered over my conscience, her words slicing into me like silver daggers.

“Just admit it to me right now,” Sloane demanded. “You don’t want to ignore the bond because you’re weak!”

I reached out and gripped both of her flailing wrists in my hands. I pulled her arms down, pressing her trembling fingers against my lips to quiet her. “I’ll do it, okay? I will reject her. You just need to give me some time to handle it.”

Sloane stopped fighting my grip. She narrowed her eyes, regarding me with a cold, calculating stare. She jutted her chin out defiantly and yanked her hands out of my grasp.

“I’m the only one who understands you in this pack,” Sloane sneered. “Not your overbearing dad. Not your stupid friends. And definitely not her. I’m all you’ve got.”

“I know that,” I whispered.

I lowered my head. I just wanted this whole day to be over. I wanted to escape this argument, escape the lingering guilt, escape my confusing, terrifying feelings toward Rowena. All of it.

“I’m the only person in this world who truly cares about you,” Sloane continued. Her voice dropped to a manipulative, coaxing purr. “Who stood by you all these years while you struggled? Me. I did. I charmed your father when he was ready to write you off. I got along with your useless friends to keep up your image. I built your reputation. I got you the status you have today.”

She stepped closer, bringing her face right up to mine. She reached out and gripped my chin tight, her nails digging into my skin, forcing my head up so I had to look her in the eye.

“Without me, you’re nothing,” Sloane stated.

I knew I should not let her talk to me like that. My wolf growled at the disrespect. But she was right about everything. We needed each other to survive the politics of the pack. We always took care of each other's messes.

“I know,” I conceded.

“Besides,” Sloane whispered. She loosened her painful grip on my chin, moving her hand to gently caress my cheek. Her sharp eyes softened slightly, shifting from rage to deep lust. “She could never love you like I can.”

Sloane leaned up and pressed her lips firmly against mine. She lassoed her arms tight around the back of my neck, anchoring me to her. I leaned into her kiss. I let the physical contact wash over me, convincing myself that if I could just stay close to her body, everything would be alright. The bond would fade. Sloane pulled me forward as she walked backward, bumping her thighs against the edge of the wooden desk.

Lost in the desperate moment, determined to push Rowena’s crying face out of my mind completely, I grabbed Sloane by the hips and hoisted her up onto the desk. She wrapped her slender legs around my waist, pulling me flush against her body. She knotted her fists into my hair, tilting my head to kiss me harder, more passionately.

I let my hands wander, needing the physical distraction. I slid my palms up her thighs, pushing the fabric of her green sundress up around her waist. I reached between her legs. I touched her genitals beneath her dress, sliding my fingers through her slick wetness. She gasped into my mouth, her hips rolling forward against my hand. She reached down, pulling frantically at the button and zipper of my jeans.

I shoved my jeans down, freeing my penis. Sloane moaned for more, her nails biting into my shoulders. I lined myself up and thrust forward, inserting my penis into her vagina. The tight, wet friction was a brutal, grounding sensation. It blocked out the scent of lavender and rain. It silenced the howling of my inner wolf.

I thrust into her rhythmically, the desk groaning under our combined weight.

Sloane sighed directly into my ear, her breath hot against my skin. “Don’t leave me,” she begged between thrusts. “Promise me you won’t leave me.”

I threw my head back in sheer pleasure as she slid her wet tongue along the sensitive column of my neck. I looked down at her face, grinding my hips forward, kissing her hard on the mouth again.

“I won’t,” I swore to her, the finality of the words sinking into my bones. “I promise.”