Word Count: 1838

~Vaela

With my palm pressed against my sweaty forehead, I stride out into the alleyway, pacing back and forth.

"I can't believe you did that," I exclaim, glancing back at Hale who saunters casually from the restaurant, smirking smugly.

He's essentially confirmed I will never see Alexander again.

I back away as Hale advances on me, the heat in his gaze telling me everything I need to know. The build up of my orgasm has diminished into nothingness, but the dampness between my legs suggests another word from Hale could remedy that.

His gaze flashes, searing hot. "I can't believe you didn't find your release when I told you to."

My breath hitches, but I refuse to let him see how much his words affect me. I came on this date to stop thinking about Hale, and now I'm ready for him again.

"We were in a nice establishment," I comment breathily.

In reality, I got up because there was no way I was going to go through with that, right in front of Alexander.

Hale holds his hand out to me. "Come on, I'm taking you home."

The moment we returned to the house, I excused myself to the bathroom, to calm down. I have to be careful about what happens next, knowing a few words could send Hale and I hurtling into bed together.

Stalking from the bathroom, I watch Hale shrug off his jacket, turning back to look at me.

"I think we should go to sleep," I murmur.

He dips his head, seeming to understand what I'm referring to. "Why don't you come sleep in my bed tonight."

"Hale," I warn. "You and I both know that isn't a good idea."

He holds his hands up defensively. "I won't touch, I promise. I just want to be near you."

Maybe it's because he says it so earnestly, or because the thought of having someone to sleep next to sounds so appealing, that I agree. "Okay. But no touching."

Surprisingly, Hale keeps his word and doesn't touch me the entire night, although by morning, his arm is banded around my waist, my back pressed against his chest to the point I have to be careful when prying myself away from him.

Yawning, I wander into the kitchen, stretching under the watery sunlight streaming through the window.

Today I need to confront Hale. It has to happen.

The near silent sound of Hale's bare feet padding across the floor near me makes me turn. His pants are loose, slung around his hips. Yet another taunt to me.

"I can't believe we slept together last night," I mumble, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

He quirks his brow. "In what sense?"

"We slept in the same bed."

"I wanted to keep an eye on you." He brushes past me, opening one of the top cupboards. I watch him quietly as he fills his glass with water, taking a long drink from it.

I run my fingers along my lower lip. "This has to stop. This time, it stops."

"What does?" He wipes a few droplets of water from his chin. He's acting as though he doesn't know what I'm talking about, his blank expression never wavering.

"The flirting, the seduction, the touching me under dinner tables and pressing me against walls," I insist.

He breathes out slowly. "But you enjoy it."

"But you're not my mate." Alexander not being my mate wasn't exactly a surprise, but it's disheartened me nonetheless.

I'm tired of not feeling like myself, being perpetually cold and always knowing I'm vulnerable to the smallest of threats. Finding my mate would alleviate that, and I'm finally at the point where my relationship with Hale isn't worth risking that.

"It's just some fun before you do find your mate. A way to relieve your tension."

I can feel the frustration within me, threatening to burst out. "Why do you do it? Actually...Because if I'm not mistaken, you haven't finished once during these moments."

"I get a lot of pleasure out of it, I assure you," he murmurs, his gaze travelling over my body, as if reliving the moments we have had together.

"No more. I'm done," I say firmly. Anymore, and it will hurt to much to be away from him.

I can feel Hale monitoring my expression, determining the seriousness of my intentions.

"Okay. No more, Vaela," he concedes.

I know he won't push what I'm not comfortable with, but I need him to see how much I mean this. "I mean it. You can't be seductive, you can't even look like that."

"Like what?" Hale asks, smirking as I gesture wildly over his body.

"So attractive. You make it impossible to stay away from you," I growl. He's currently shirtless, the morning light tracing over the strong lines of his abdomen. How am I meant to resist something so beautiful?

"What do you suggest I do?" Hale folds his arms over his chest.

"I don't know...Cut your hair, cover your tattoos and stop looking at me like you're undressing me with your eyes," I exclaim.

Hale attempts to smother his smile, but it's no use. "Consider it nothing but blank stares, long jackets and a janky hair cut from now on."

I roll my eyes. "I'm serious Hale."

"I know. I'm listening," he assures me, resting his hands on my shoulders, shaking me gently.

Staring up at him, I can tell he will make an effort not to seduce me, not to tempt me any longer. But what about me? Will I be able to stop being tempted by him? Even now, I feel like my resolve is slipping.

Tugging away from him, I start pacing back and forth. "This is truly hopeless. I can't do this anymore, waiting for a mate when you're around."

"You know I can't leave you. Not yet," Hale breathes, as if he suspects I'll storm out the door and never come back. It's sounding more and more tempting as my frustration starts to overwhelm me.

"Right, until I find my mate..." It's a vicious cycle.

His fingers clench around the edge of the counter. "Which you will, soon."

"I only want you. I don't see myself with anyone except you, Hale," I say in one breath, before I lose my confidence. He needs to hear what I suspect he already knows, but it feels good coming out of my mouth.

Hale's expression softens. "I want you too. You have no idea how much I want you."

I stare at him. There's only one thing to do, and there can't be any more excuses any longer. If it doesn't happen now, it never will.

"You need to touch me."

Hale takes a long, slow breath. "Vaela..."

"No Hale, you need to touch me. You insist on not having a mate, but neither of us can truly know until we actually touch." I hold my bare hand out to him, encouraging him to take it on his own.

He stares at it. "And if we aren't?"

"Then I can stop thinking about it." It will be disappointing, sure, but then I won't have to wonder. And wondering is half of what makes this situation impossible.

"And if we are?" I can see the pain in Hale's eyes. That day, when he had been so vulnerable, telling me I was the only good he has had in his life for a long time, and he didn't want to lose it, still sticks with me.

I don't want to hurt him.

"Then all my problems will be solved. I mean, do you even want to be my mate?" I throw my hands up.

He frowns. "More than anything."

"So why avoid touching me?" I press. Maybe it's because I want to hear him say it again, to tell me that being my mate is all he wants, validating how I feel about him
He runs his hand down his face. "Because once I do, and it's confirmed we are not mates, then you will stop wondering. And I will be left mateless, wanting you, even after you're gone."

"There's only one thing that can be done," I murmur.

Hale eventually sighs, closing his eyes. "Okay. How do you want-"

I step toward him, grabbing the fabric of his shirt. "Kiss me. I've wanted to kiss you so badly for so long."

He looks down at me, attention slowly drifting down to my lips. I swear I'm not breathing, and haven't been for a while as he leans closer, and our lips touch.

His lips are barely pressed against mine for a moment before I'm reeling back, fingers brushing against where the flutter of sparks were felt.

Hale is staring at me with widened eyes, slowly processing that we are, in fact mates.

"I can't believe it," he breathes cupping the side of my face.

"I can. You're my mate," I whisper.

His smile is the warmest I've ever seen, and for a moment, I'm convinced he might tear up. "So it seems."

Mate. It was Hale all along, despite the doubt, despite the fear of being mated to an Immortal Sin.

A Pureblood...

I blink. "Wait...Wait, you're my mate."

"Yes..."

"I was just thinking short term...You save my life, you stop all the searching and worrying. But what about the long term?" I ask breathlessly, a million possibilities of what my future may look like flashing through my head.

Hale reaches for me again, but I step out of his reach. "We will be together."

I've wanted this since I laid eyes on Hale, and yet I can't escape the panic rising up within me, spurred on by the sudden infliction of world-altering news.

"Exactly...I don't know if I can do this."

Hale shakes his head, approaching me with cautious steps as I back away. "You can, you're just overwhelmed."

"I think I need some air."

Hale doesn't stop me, as I then, fleeing out the door and onto the street.

Hale is my mate. After everything, it's him, and now, he's the one I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. It's both an incredible and horrifying thought.

I pace back and forth in the street, thinking.

I should go back in there, and forge the bond with my mate. He can free me from my pain, and I'm out here, panicking.

Summoning a deep breath, I turn back toward the house, but instead of seeing the entryway, I see a painfully familiar person standing right before me.

Before I get a chance to scream, they knock me straight over the head, and everything goes black.

💜••💜

As always, the story will be available 10 chapters ahead on Radish!!!

You can also find it on GoodNovel (:

• A DEMON'S KISS IS OUT NOW ON WATTPAD•

"You...You what?"

Kastriv examines my husband with an unforgiving, ice cold gaze. "I want to fuck your wife. And you're going to let me."

~Midika 💜🐼