There is no us
1341 Words
Gabriel POV
The room was tense, the air thick with suppressed emotions. Christian stood behind Gabriel, a hand still on his son’s shoulder as if keeping him tethered. Antonio paced like a caged animal, his anger simmering just below the surface.
“This is not happening,” he growled, throwing Gabriel and Christian an angry glare. Maya stood by, staring in the distance. It was as if she was barely noticing what was going on. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, not even when his father and Mackenzie were talking in hushed tones. Finally, they seemed to have agreed on something.
Gabriel’s wolf was howling inside his mind. Was he going to be forced to reject her? Because he woudn’t. She was everything he’d even wanted.
He’d seen her at campus more than a few times, and he’d felt drawn to her, not understanding why, until now.
“Six months,” Mackenzie spoke, her voice firm. “We give it six months. No rejections until then.”
“Absolutely not,” Antonio snapped, but Mackenzie cut him off.
“They’re mates, Antonio. This is the Moon Goddess’s will. We need to give them time.”
Maya sat stiffly in her chair. He could hear the steady thump of her heart, but not matter how much he longed for her, his eyes burning into her, she did not look up.
His father finally spoke, his tone measured. “Gabriel will respect the arrangement. But let’s make one thing clear—this isn’t a negotiation. They’re mates, and that bond will not be broken lightly.”
The storm outside rumbled faintly, as if echoing the tension in the room. Maya’s hands clenched in her lap.
Six months… it felt like an eternity to win her over, but at the same time, if felt as if it was too short.
“Fine,” Antonio bit out. “Six months, but—”
The deal was made, but as Alpha Antonio started barking out requests, Gabriel knew he needed to step out of the office. His magic, that had barely settled, was churning inside of him again, waiting to break free.
The heavy oak door of the Alpha’s office clicked shut behind Gabriel as he stepped into the hallway. The air outside felt colder, sharper, as though his emotions were leaching into the atmosphere. He rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the tension that clung to him like a second skin.
“Gabriel!”
The sharp voice made him stop in his tracks. Morgan stood there, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her blonde hair falling in loose waves around her face. Her red-rimmed eyes were filled with unshed tears, and her lower lip trembled as she stepped forward.
Gabriel closed his eyes briefly. He should have seen this coming.
“Tell me it’s not true,” she whispered, her voice cracking as she came closer.
He met her gaze, his expression grim. “It’s true.”
Her breath hitched, and the tears spilled over. “No, it can’t be. We’ve been good together, Gabe. I—I love you.”
Guilt twisted in his chest like a knife. He stepped forward cautiously, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. “Morgan, I told you from the beginning that this could happen,” he said, his voice low but steady. “I never lied to you about what this would mean if I found my mate.”
She shook her head violently, her hands clutching his arms as if she could hold him in place. “But I thought… I thought maybe you wouldn’t find her. That I’d be enough.”
Gabriel sighed, his jaw tightening. “You are enough, Morgan. You’re amazing. But this bond... it’s not something I can ignore.”
Her face crumpled, and she pulled back from him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I gave you everything, Gabe. My time, my love... my virginity. I thought you felt the same.”
His chest ached at the hurt in her voice. “I do care about you,” he said softly. “But this isn’t about feelings. It’s about the mate bond. It’s not something I can control.”
Morgan’s eyes darted to his, a flicker of desperation flaring in their depths. “Then reject her,” she pleaded. “You don’t have to follow this bond. You said it yourself—it’s not about love. You can still choose me.”
Gabriel froze, his wolf snarling in protest at the mere suggestion. Draven surged forward, demanding to claim their mate. No one else but her, Draven growled in his mind.
“I can’t do that,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I wouldn’t do that to her—or to you.”
Morgan stepped back, her hands trembling. “I could be your mistress,” she said, her voice breaking. “We could make it work.”
His head snapped up, his expression hardening. “Don’t,” he said firmly. “Don’t say that. You deserve better than to be someone’s second choice.”
Her lip quivered, and she let out a bitter laugh. “Second choice? You made me feel like I was your everything, Gabe. How am I supposed to just let you go?”
He reached out, brushing her arm gently. “You’ll find your mate, Morgan. Someone who will love you the way you deserve. Completely.”
She shook her head, tears spilling freely now. “I don’t want anyone else.”
The sharp scent of salt filled the air as her sobs grew louder. Gabriel’s chest tightened, but he held firm. This was for the best—for both of them.
“I’ll come by and grab my things from your dorm on Monday,” he said quietly, stepping back.
Morgan stared at him, her face etched with betrayal. Her voice wavered as she said, “You don’t care, do you? Not really.”
He hesitated, guilt flickering in his gaze. “I do care. But I have to follow the bond. It’s who I am.”
Her face twisted with fury as she glanced past him suddenly. Gabriel turned to see Maya standing at the far end of the hallway, her sapphire-blue eyes locked on them. His heart stuttered in his chest, and his wolf howled, surging forward at the sight of their mate.
Morgan’s expression darkened. “Perfect,” she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. “Guess she gets to see how quickly you move on.”
“Morgan,” Gabriel began, but she stormed off, brushing past him without another word.
He turned back to Maya, his heart pounding in his chest. Her expression was unreadable, her arms crossed tightly. “I hope you didn’t just do that for me,” she said, her tone icy. “Because I’m not ending things with my boyfriend. Adrian and I are fine.”
Her words were like a punch to the gut. Gabriel felt his wolf’s growl rumble low in his chest, but he swallowed it back. His magic simmered, wanting to surge forward, but he forced himself to stay calm. “This isn’t about Adrian,” he said, his tone firm but low. “This is about us—”
“There is no us,” Maya snapped, cutting him off again. “Whatever this bond is, it’s not going to change anything. I have my life, and you have yours.”
She turned on her heel, her long hair swishing as she stormed off down the hallway. Gabriel clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as Draven snarled in frustration.
She’s ours. Draven growled, the words echoing in his mind. Gabriel stood frozen, watching her disappear, the faint scent of earth and rain lingering in the air.
He took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to push down the storm brewing inside him.
This is going to be a long six months, he thought, running a hand through his hair.
- Writer
