Ivana

I whipped the door opened to see him standing there. What I saw in my eyes tugged at my heart. He looked upset and frustrated. I opened the door wider, giving him more access. He entered into the room and I closed it behind him.

He turned to me. He was hesitant but took a step forward. I stood my ground. My face not revealing anything but my heart was aching. We were so close and our bond was getting stronger. It was so hard not to want to throw myself into his arms.

"Ivy." He said softly. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Killian. I shouldn't have agreed to train with you. I should've just found someone-"

"No." His sharp interruption stopped me. He took another step toward me and inhaled deeply with his eyes closed as if trying to control himself. His hand lifted mid-air as if he wanted to touch me but he stopped, putting his hand back at his side.

"Why are we doing this?" I asked feeling rejection and hurt.

"Doing what?" He asked, his eyes opening to look at me.

"It's clear we aren't meant for each other. How are we going to tell our parents?"

He didn't answer. Instead he avoided the question. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to taunt you. It's a habit I need to stop."

"You have always bullied me, Killian."

"I promise to stop."

"You will never stop." I said and my eyes stared back at him angry. "You have done enough, Killian. Not even two nights gone by since you have been back and already you have already made my life miserable."

His voice rose as he spoke. "So what do you want to do? Reject me?"

"You know I can't do that." I said to him and I took a step back.

He took a step forward. His eyes sharpening as he grew angrier. "What the hell do you want then?"

When I didn't know what to say he shook his head and a low sarcastic chuckle left him as he scratched his nose as if I was the most annoying thing to him.

"Seriously, you really need to stop with this attitude." He growled.

"What attitude? I'm not the one who kissed the other person. I wasn't the one who the next day beat up a random guy-"

He pinned me up against the wall. His body pressed against mine. I stopped talking. I can feel every inch of his body on me. I licked my lips and his eyes dropped to my lips. He slowly lowered his head in attempt to kiss me but I turned my head.

"Stop." I said.

"Why are you always like this?" He gave me a disbelieving look. "I thought after six years you would at least change, stop being such a crybaby. I only taunted you a little and you broke into tears. How are you going to becom-"

I slapped him across the face hard. I gasped at what I did and covered my mouth. I not only hurt him but I caused my mate pain. I moved to apologize but he released me. He took a step back and shook his head.

"You decide what you want to do with us." He growled out and left. His back was rigid and tense from anger. I called out to him but he left.

Immediately, I felt bad. I stared at the hand that I hit him with. Goddess, why did I do it but he really did hurt me. I am strong. I am to be an Alpha. I closed my eyes tightly as I tried to reason in my mind what just happened. What he said provoked me. It hit a nerve. I was upset but goddess did it hurt me. It was as if I put a knife into my own heart. I bit my lips hard to the point of it bleeding. I was feeling so many emotions.

I hid in my room until night time. Killian didn't come looking for me. I was left alone to think. The look I saw on his face, goddess, it replayed over and over in my mind. He was hurt. There was pain in his eyes and it drove a stake through my heart.

It's the bond. It must be.

I shouldn't feel bad.

He was a bully.

He hurt me.

Damn it. Giving up halfway through the night, I stopped convincing myself, I felt bad and guilty and that was it. I needed to apologize. I crawled out of my bed and padded my way to the door. I walked around the corridor because his room was somewhere around here until my heart tugged a little after passing a door. I turned to it and knew instantly it was his.

I knocked on it quietly but he must be asleep. I turned the doorknob and surprisingly the door opened. I walked inside the dark room and saw a sleeping form on the bed. I walked over to the side of the bed he was sleeping on. He had his blanket down to his waist. His bare tattooed chest left for me to see. My eyes flickered up and even without the light; with my wolf eyes I can see the red mark on his face with a hint of bruise. I winced. I did slap him really hard. Kneeling on the ground I cupped his cheek that I slapped. The sweet tingles that erupted from that touch spread like raindrops on a glass window. He moaned and moved closer to my palm. I swallowed hard and was about to remove my hand when he grabbed my wrist.

I looked up to see him awake.

"Ivy?" His sleepy voice asked as he blinked a couple of times .

"Yea it's me." I mumbled and tried tugging on my wrist for him to let go. He pushed himself up to a sitting position without letting my hand go.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I-I-"I licked my lips as I silently mustered up some courage. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Are you here to tell me you don't want me?"

"No." I said immediately and realized what I said. "I mean I am not accepting you but I am not rejecting you too."

He arched an eyebrow and I tugged on my wrist again. I looked at the mark on his cheek again and again the sharp jab in my chest happened. I sighed and moved to sit on the edge of the bed as I moved my hand again to touch his cheek. His eyes remained on me as I did it.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." I whispered sadly. "I was just so angry."

He laughed a little. "Not really your fault. I deserved it. I shouldn't have said those things."

"Yes, you shouldn't have." I responded and we both grinned.

We were silent for a moment before I spoke up again. "My mom told me that a mate's touch is the most healing remedy to you."

He didn't say anything. I adjusted myself and continued to caress his cheek. A comfortable silence fell in the air as we both relished the feel of our bond between the touch.

"Do you remember that one time when I went apple picking in a skirt?" I asked.

He chuckled and smirked. "Who can forget the princess underwear you were wearing."

I felt my cheeks heat up and I looked down at my free hand on my lap as my other still caressed his cheek.

"It was the only pair of underwear I had left."

"So you say." He said.

I rolled my eyes. "Why did you save me from falling to the ground?"

"You're always so reckless, Ivy." He said. "I had to jump under you."

"Yeah but I fell on top of your body hard."

"If I didn't you would've fell and probably crack a skull." He muttered. I huffed and tugged at my hand from his cheek but his grip on my wrist tightened.

"I wasn't that reckless." I mumbled. He laughed and I adjusted again in my seat to get more comfortable. We began talking about our past and things we did together. It was sort of calming and relaxing. It was as if we didn't just had an arguments several hours ago.