Chapter 4 CHA

Kai's face eases as his concern for me overrides whatever anger he felt towards me. He moves closer, inhaling the air surrounding me coarsely. I move backward while still softly crying behind Jasper. Kai's back turns to me; my rejection of him has caused him a little pain. His fists are clenched at his sides as though he has something within him that he cannot control.

"Kai! What have you done to her? She's an innocent young girl! Have you broken her ribs?" Jasper shouts.

"I've not touched her, Jasper. She told me that I was an arrogant, vain, obnoxious human being. I lost my temper and punched the wall," Kai explains.

"Well, she got most of that right," Jasper cries, "because you are being an arrogant, vain, obnoxious-" Kai cuts him off.

"Jasper. Point taken! I'm an a*****e! But she is acting like she doesn't know what a mate is. She's pretending she doesn't know she is a rogue!" Kai shouts.

"That's because she doesn't know!" Jasper yells. Kai gives Jasper a confused look, then looks at me. I'm just as confused.

"Look. I don't know what game this is, but I don't want to play along anymore. Just let me go home and neither of you will ever have to worry about seeing me again," I say, still with tears streaming down my face.

"Aurora. I'm so sorry about Kai. Please. You don't have to quit your job here at the diner. You know you're safer here than at home," Jasper explains.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kai asks.

"Mind your own business," I snap. Kai appears taken aback. He crosses his arms.

I was safer here, Jasper, but Kai has some sort of agenda for me. I don't know what. Thank you for being kind to me and employing me all this time but I can't work here anymore," I cry, and kiss him on the cheek goodbye; his eyes are tearing up. Kai lets out a growl. I approach the stool where my handbag is, and swing it on over my shoulder.

"YOU! I feel sorry for whoever you search for and you call your partner! It would be a curse to be with you!" I exclaim. He is deeply hurt by my words; he cannot even look at me.

Before I can storm off and go, Kai is already seizing my wrist. He pulls my hood off my head swiftly, and with the piercing eye contact we have, I am struck by a magnetic rush of endorphins and dopamine flood through me; my stomach clenches at the instant feeling of butterflies. I am suddenly drawn into another world; all else that surrounds me fades away; he and I are all that's left.

I have no clue what is happening now. I feel so strange. I'm craving him and he was so violent two minutes ago. I'm so mesmerized by his eyes; this is like a trance or something. Kai is staring into my green eyes intensely, before his eyes briefly flash a different color.

"You're my mate," he whispers, stepping closer to me. I hesitantly snap out of the magnetic, lustful trance.

"Stop. Don't you dare touch me," I yell. Jasper simply stands there with a shocked look on his face.

"Alpha, are you sure Aurora is your mate?" Jasper asks in shock.

"She's a rogue. This is not possible. Shit... " Kai says to himself, pushing his hand through his hair, stressed.

"You're right. Whatever you think is happening, won't be happening. We can agree on that," I yell. Kai just stares at me.

"Who did that to your face?" He asks softly.

"Mind your own business," I yell, swiftly moving out of the kitchen through the diner, and running out the door.

I easily hasten my steps. At last, when I am breathless, and my broken ribs can no longer take it, I have no choice but to stop and face him.

"Why are you following me?" I would like to know.

"You're my mate whether we like it or not. I have to follow you. It's my business to know who did that to your face," he says, authoritative but relaxed.

"You didn't care about me when you slammed your fist into the wall above my head," I yell.

Aurora, please, I apologize. I would not have done that if I knew what you've been through. If I knew you were telling the truth about not knowing you're not human, I would have been more polite." He guiltily gazes at the floor.

"You have really lost it now! Not being human? What is that supposed to mean?"

"How old are you?" His tone has changed again.

"I'll be eighteen in two weeks." I try to ward off his gaze.

"You won't receive your wolf until then. I've had mine for four years. I'd love to show you exactly what I mean if you'll allow me," he requests, politely.

I'm panting; I'm trying to stay calm and not get more upset than I'm already getting.

"Are you okay?" He actually sounds like he's concerned about me.

"I don't want a wolf for my birthday and I don't want to meet your pet wolf, or any wolf!" I try to walk away but the pain is too great.

"You've met a werewolf before?" He is surprised.

"A werewolf? What's wrong with you? There's no such thing as werewolves. I mean wild wolves. I was a child, my mum and I ran into a wolf in the forest. Something awful happened and I've been afraid of wolves ever since. I can't even get close to pet dogs let alone wolves. If you have a pet wolf, we're completely incompatible." I try to walk past him again with no luck.

"What did you do to the wolf?" He asks, curious.

"You're not very good at minding your own business, are you?" I scold.

"Not when it comes to my mate." He answers immediately.

"You've just told me I'm a rogue and you wouldn't have a rogue as a mate. So why are you still referring to me as your mate when you don't even want me?"

Kai steps nearer to me and it's impossible not to gaze into his eyes.

"You're so beautiful under all those bruises. All I want to do is scoop you up in my arms and bring you home." He's speaking as if he really means it. "I want you to come join my pack. You don't have to be a rogue anymore.". We can be together." His voice has dropped an octave again; if I hear any more sincerity from him, I'm going to melt right into this sidewalk. He reaches out slowly to take my hand.

I pull back from him.

"No," I say.

"No?" He looks surprised.

You're assuming I'm going to be your girlfriend after just meeting you. Never mind the fact that you were a total jerk to me recently. You only want to go out with me because you feel sorry for me. And you think I'm going to join your cult? Pack? Whatever you call it. And talk nonsense about werewolves and fairies?" I yell.

"That wasn't what I was saying. And I didn't say fairies, either. Come back to the diner with me and I'll explain it all to you. Everything that you need to know about us, how it works and what to watch out for," he tries to reason with me.

"We're werewolves?" I ask him. He just stands there and nods.

"So, you're telling me, I'm cursed? I'm mated to you and we're werewolves?"

"You are not cursed, Aurora. It is a blessing from the Moon Goddess," he tells me.

"You know what? I don't want to hear it. I'm exhausted, I'm injured, and I don't like you," I bite back; he stiffens at my tone. I take a dash towards the trees as well as I can, trying to escape him.

"Wait!" He yells, chasing after me.

I hide behind a tree, trying to hold my breath, and remain as quiet as I can.

"Aurora. I know you're here. I can smell your scent a mile away," he yells.

I dip my hands into the mud surrounding me and rub it onto my face and clothes. He is close to me. I can imagine him sniffing the air around him as he tries to catch my scent. The darkness I am sitting in conceals me.