Life couldn't have been better. I never thought I would be so attracted to a man but just seeing Sebastian bent over a table or seeing his exposed skin made me so horny I couldn't get enough of him.
I'd yank him into whatever empty room I could find and kiss him senseless. We'd fondle our way into orgasm before kissing goodbye. We'd yet to fully mate and I think that was because of me.
We'd spent many nights in each other's beds but we never did more than touch. I knew he wanted to, I could feel his disappointment when I veered away to something else.
One morning, two months after our first date, I awoke alone. Sebastian had slept in my bed the previous night, we'd brought each other to ecstasy, but for some reason he'd left.
With a yawn, I went in search of my mate. I found him in the alpha's office, his broken voice froze me in place.
"He doesn't want me!" I heard him sob.
"Nonsense Seb, of course, he does, he just …" my uncle started.
"No Alpha, if he wanted me to be his mate we would have mated already! It's been two months!" He sounded so broken. "All he wants is someone in his bed."
My heart snapped in two. That wasn't true … was it?
"Sebastian," my aunt cooed.
I heard his sobs before he took a deep breath.
"He tells me he doesn't care if people see us, but he never takes my hand in public, or kisses me on the cheek like the alpha does with you. Some of the female wolves have asked me if we are actually mates, to them we look more like friends."
Is that really how people saw us? Is that what I was doing? As I thought, I realised he was right. I'd never shown him any affection in public, only in private. But that's because I'm a private person. I don't particularly like public displays of affection but when I think about it, I did hold Millie's hand when we were together, I did kiss her cheek in public. I felt like a bastard and a jerk all rolled into one.
"Whenever we are together and it seems to be heading that way he switches. If I try to bring the subject up he distracts me or acts like he hasn't heard me."
A pang of guilt settled in my stomach.
"I want to be his mate but I don't know if my heart can accept settling for just a lover. I think I need to step away now before it gets deeper than it already has. I think I …"
'No! Please don't say it Tian!' I thought.
"I think I need to break up with him and move out. Max and Bonnie said I could stay with them since Max is going to the SilverClaw pack for a while."
"Yeah, maybe that's a good idea," my Aunt agreed.
"Marie!" my Uncle called out.
"No John," she called back. "I think it's what they both need. Liam needs this to really figure out what he wants. I understand he may be reluctant to mate again after what happened but he can't keep hurting Sebastian like this."
I heard my Uncle sigh and I'd heard enough. Quietly, I went back to my room and sighed as I flopped onto my bed.
"What the fuck am I going to do?" I asked the empty room.
Just then the alert sounded and I raced outside.
"What is it?" I asked Uncle John as I approached.
Sebastian was there too and I didn't like that. It could be dangerous and he should be with the other mates, witch or not.
"Tian? You should be with the other mates," I told him.
He rolled his eyes at me and looked angry, I was a little taken about.
"I'm the pack witch and a powerful one at that. Plus I'm no one's mate, am I Liam?"
It was like a stab to the chest. I knew he was hurt but I hadn't realised just how hurt he was.
"Tian, I …"
He turned from me and I growled low.
"What was the alert?" he asked my Uncle.
"A group of witches came to the border, they're being escorted by our sentries. We don't know what they want or if they are connected to the previous attack."
"How many witches?" I asked.
"Three that I know of two females and a male."
As we waited I inched closer to Sebastian but he stepped away. My wolf whined in my head and my heart ached.
"When are they getting here?" I growled out angrily.
I felt frustrated and wanted to take my anger out on something or someone. Sebastian gave me a glare as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.
"I'm sure you're just eager to attack the witches, aren't you?"
The coldness in his voice and the hurt in his eyes had my wolf whining again and my heart aching.
"What? No, Tian, I just …"
"There here," Uncle John interrupted me.
We all turned as we watched the trespassers approach. There was an older couple with a young woman with them. It took me a moment to register Tian's gasp as he stepped backwards.
"Tian?"