Ava's POV
"If you have something to say to me, say it." Jared said from behind me.
Recently, he had formed the habit of always calling me up to his room to help with the simplest chores. I'd cook, clean and even prepare his bath for him like I've just done now.
I kept my gaze lowered to the floor, as I approached a very naked Jared with a towel in hand. He had just walked out of the bathtub unabashedly, water dripping down his body. It was very common for shifters to walk around naked but I'm no shifter, never shifted my whole life. Perhaps that's why it's pretty awkward for me.
"It doesn't matter." I replied him, looking away from his direction. It took everything in me not to jump into his arms right then.
"Mmm." He simply said, walking out of the bathroom to his bedroom. I followed quietly behind him.
I watched him casually slip into a robe, the muscles on his back twitching deliciously. My wolf couldn't really talk to me like other shifters but I felt her growing excitement... and even arousal. Jared was sculpted into damn perfection and I found myself thinking about things I shouldn't.
"I know you're worried about me. You think I won't stand a chance against my father." He suddenly said, turning around to face me.
"You won't." I simply said, louder than I wanted to. I saw the corner of his lips tug up, ever so slightly.
"I guess that's the mate bond speaking." He said, making me frown.
"You're wrong. I've been your friend since we were kids. I've always looked out for you, even before the mate bond." I argued, looking him in the eyes.
"...till you left, show up again, acting like you barely know me."
"I didn't leave. I..." He wanted to say something before he suddenly stopped. I walked towards him with worry written all over my face. He definitely has quite a lot to say.
"I'm a bastard, Ava. A product of my father's secret affair with a vampire. I'm part werewolf and part vampire, a fucking hybrid."
"I'll never truly be accepted by the pack as their leader...and I'm fine with that, my life is short after all. My life is too short to be spent cowering away in my father's shadow." He gritted his teeth in what seemed to be annoyance.
"I may not win but death doesn't scare me anymore. It has to be done. My father needs to be stopped and it seems I'm the only one who isn't too scared to face him."
"But what about me? What about...us?" I suddenly blurted out, feeling my emotions get the best of me. I couldn't help but feel like my fears were slowly coming to reality.
Jared closed the little distance between us. I could literally feel the heat radiating off his body, as I looked at his broad chest. This proximity was doing things to me and I knew he felt the same too. I looked up to his mesmerizing eyes that seemed to be giving off a faint red glow.
He slowly raised his hand up to caress my cheeks, making me close my eyes and relishing the feeling.
"I've always wanted a mate. One I'll settle down with and live up my few remaining days." He said suddenly, a far away look in his eyes.
"I've always imagined dying in the arms of the woman I love. Dying a happy man." He continued.
"But then... What becomes of her after I'm gone? What becomes...of you?"
"You'll be known as the one who soiled herself with a hybrid, an impure. You'll be hunted like a rabbit, with no one to protect you. I'm not even sure we'll be able to sire offsprings." He said, making me step back from him immediately. Why was he telling me all that?
"You deserve better than me." He told me.
"You don't get to decide what I deserve." I said in a shaky voice. I could feel my heart shattering already.
"Of course not." He said, walking towards me again.
"Let's run away. Let's leave all these and go somewhere far away." I began to plead desperately, feeling tears well up my eyes. Jared just had a sad smile on his face, holding my hands in his.
"There's no running from fate." He said.
The full moon is probably already out tonight and Alpha Damian will be at his peak strength. The whole pack will be gathered at the arena to watch a father fight his son to the death...for a fucking title. I guess it's just the way of the wolves.
Jared's mind was pretty much made up and there's no going back now. The battle will be commencing in a matter of minutes. I lost my father to Alpha Damian and now I'm about to lose my mate too?
"Freya will be around to take you away, if anything goes wrong." He said.
"I'll remain here, Jared. There's no running from fate, afterall." I replied him with a straight face. There was no use crying now.
I spun around and barged out of the room, leaving Jared with a blank look on his face. I ran into Freya, who was wearing her signature smirk, without a care in the world. She suddenly turned serious, when she saw my distraught look.
"Little bird!" She called out to me, as I ran away from her. I didn't want anyone to see how sad I was. And I really hate that nickname too!
I found my way to the omega quarters, threw myself on a random bed and bawled out my eyes. I didn't know how long I cried for but I was startled by the sudden howling from the Pack's arena. The battle was about to start. I had to be at the arena... even though I didn't want to.
"There you are, little bird! Come on." I turned around to see Freya standing by the door. She stepped inside, looking around for a moment before walking towards me.
"There's something you should know." She said, a solemn look on her face.
"...the actual reason why Jared will be up against his father tonight."