Chapter 65: Show me how much
Ayla pulled the door open wider, stepping back to let him in. Her face was carefully blank, but he saw the tightness around her eyes.
Ares walked into the room, stopping in the center and turning to face her. She had her arms folded across her chest, staring at him
"Ayla" He began "About what you saw with Willow earlier today, It was not..."
"It is none of my business who you choose to spend your time with." Ayla cut him off with a flick of her hand, turning away from him. "We are mated, Ares. The ritual is complete so you owe me absolutely nothing."
Ares groaned. "For goddess’ sake, Ayla, please let me finish..."
"No." Ayla interrupted, spinning back to face him.
She was bristling with anger, her violet eyes flashing.
"No, I do not want to hear whatever excuse you have cooked up. You left without saying goodbye. You left me in your bed, wearing your shirt, after you had marked me and you had taken my virginity, and you did not even have the decency to wake me and tell me you were leaving or better? Write me a note explaining why you had to leave."
Ares opened his mouth to speak, but Ayla was not done with him.
"You come back and instead of speaking to me like an adult would, you decided to punish me because you found Cassian and I together." Her voice rose. "And with Willow of all the women in the world. You know all that she has done to me and have you forgotten so soon what happened to you at her party?"
"I know, Ayla and I am..."
"You stick your tongue down her throat..." Ayla continued. "...in the middle of the hallway where you knew I would see and let us not forget that you have been in her room every night since you came back from the borders, letting the whole pack whisper that the Alpha prince has grown tired of his Omega mate."
"It was not like that..."
"Then what was it like, Ares?" She stepped closer, her eyes blazing. "Tell me. Because from where I was standing, it looked exactly like what it was. You using her to hurt me because your pride could not handle seeing me with your brother."
Ares stared at her.
She was magnificent like this. Angry and untamed, her chest heaving and her cheeks flushed. The fire in her eyes made his body heat and there was something else too.
He could smell her.
Her scent had hit him like a wave immediately she opened the door, filling his lungs. It was unmistakable, the headiness of her arousal. It made his cock throb and his mouth water so bad.
He tried to push it down, to focus on what she was saying, but his body was not listening. The bond between them pulsed, amplifying every sensation until he could barely think. All he could do was feel the heat radiating off her skin, his eyes taking in the way her pupils were dilated.
She was angry with him but she was also utterly aroused.
"Are you even listening to me?" Ayla snapped.
She was standing right in front of him now.
I am sorry, he pushed his thought forward.
Her eyes widened in surprise. She had heard him.
"Get out of my head." she snapped at him.
I missed you, Ayla...every single day and every single night of each day, he sent another thought, taking a step toward her.
"I said stop doing that." She backed away from him until her shoulders hit the wall.
Ares closed the distance between them in three strides. His hands came up, bracing against the wall on either side of her head, caging her in. He could smell her more clearly now and it made his head spin with hunger. The voice of his wolf in his head begging him to taste her made Ares’ knees weak.
I could not think of anyone or anything else but you, he mind communicated, gazing into her eyes. Every night at the border, I lay awake thinking about you, wondering how you were doing.
Ayla scoffed, but her voice wavered as she spoke. "You lie. Your visits to Willow’s proves that."
"Because I wanted to make you jealous." Ares finally spoke.
"What?"
"I was jealous...when I came back and saw you with Cassian, saw his mark on your neck. I wanted to tear him away from you and I wanted to remind you that you were mine first. I went to Willow because I wanted you to feel even a fraction of what I felt seeing you with my brother."
Ayla stared at him in shock.
"You are a fool," she whispered.
"I know."
"A complete and utter fool."
"I know that too." Ares murmured.
Ayla shook her head.
"You left me without a word. Do you have any idea what that did to me? I woke up in your bed alone and you were gone."
"Ayla, I have no words to explain why I did what I did but I thought that if I left without saying anything, I could protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Ayla asked in confusion.
Ares’ eyes clouded.
He could not bring himself to tell her about Freya.
"It was a stupid decision on my part" He said instead. "I was a coward and I am sorry."
Ayla looked at him.
"Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper now. "Why did you really come here?"
Ayla leaned closer, his forehead almost touching hers.
"I want to drown in you, Ayla."
Her breath hitched at his words.
"I am here because you mean so much to me," he whispered, a chuckle escaping him. "Surely, you can see that? How much you mean to me?"
"Show me." she said. "Show me how much I mean to you."
Ares’ breath caught in his throat as he stared at her.
She was challenging him... his little Omega, all grown up.
His lips curved up in a smile.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Instead of answering him, Ayla reached up and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him forward until his mouth crashed into hers.