C10 Don't you like her?

"Was the bond wrong? Do you wish I had chosen someone else for you?" I wince even as the words pass my lips. What kind of question is that to ask someone? Rose comes up behind me, slowly taking a step until she's facing me. "Did you bond with someone?" I bite my lower lip, trying to contain my shattered emotions. "I don't want it." Sympathy spreads across his face as he takes my hands and leads me into the living room, settling me on the couch. "Who?" "It's a vargr wolf named Luke . "What's going on, who's hurt?" We both look up as Halley and Cara run into the room. Cara fixes her gaze on me, and I can see the moment when she understands that something is really wrong. "Alison's partner is here " says Rose . She speaks slowly, as if trying to make them understand that this is not a happy thing. Cara and Halley exchange glances before the little moon-touched female moves to the couch and sinks down next to me. She surprises me by taking my hand in hers. It's no secret that I've never been kind to anyone in our coven, so I don't expect her kindness right now, but Cara has always been the one with the biggest heart of us all. I hope she doesn't lose it with all the horror we're facing. "Don't you like her?" "I don't know how to explain to her that everyone I've ever trusted has betrayed me." I can't have a partner. My breathing becomes labored again. I feel crazy. I'm sure they think I am. "Alison , I understand you're afraid " Halley says in a low, soothing voice, but the magic that creates mating bonds knows what it's doing. I shake my head. "If I knew what it was doing, I'd never get with it. I can't do this. He's not for me. I don't want...I don't want to be with someone. I clench my temples with my hands as his presence swirls in my mind. There's no escaping him." I need to disappear. I've done it before. I can do it again." The women exchange worried glances. "You can't leave. It's not safe out there "Rose pleads . I'll hide in the human world. I know how to pass as human. I try to stand up, but Cara grabs my hand and forces me to sit back down. I would have to hurt her to free myself and I won't risk her or her puppy. Don't run anymore. That's all we've done in the past and it doesn't work. In the end, it all catches up with us. "And we don't want you to leave, Alison . This is coming from Halle, who is sitting at the coffee table across from me, her red hair pulled back over one shoulder. " You're one of us. We already lost Hester from our coven. We're not going to lose you too. This stuns me. "Do you...do you want me to stay? " I say the word slowly, my brain failing to comprehend any of this. "Of course I do, "Rose replies ." You're our friend." My heart squeezes tightly at those words. I've always felt like an outsider, even at the Sanctuary. Part of that is my fault. I'm not exactly the most tender person I've ever met. Pushing people away, making them hate me, has been my defense mechanism for so long that I don't know how to be any different anymore, and yet despite all that, despite my attempts to remain alone, these women like me. I just wish they hadn't chosen to tell me this now that I have to leave. It's going to be harder to do that after this. "I have to go." "No, you don't. " Halley stands up, looking down at me despite his short stature. "If you leave, we'll find you and bring you back." His threat causes me to narrow my eyes. "You can't track me across the country when I'm covering myself with a mask." "He arches a defiant eyebrow. You want to test that theory? "I look at the others, who are clearly on Halley's side , and if I'm honest, I don't want to leave." What am I going to do?" "Well, the first thing you're not going to do is run " says Cara . Halley and the others can chase you, but I can't, and I want you to meet my baby . " She places a hand on her stomach, which seems to have bulged a little more in the last week we've been here." It's not fair for you to use your son to keep me here I mutter. I'll use whatever it takes, Alison . "Why don't you tell us what it is about him that scares you so much? " Rose asks . "Did he hurt you? An ugly feeling spreads through my body because Luke hasn't done anything wrong. I'm punishing him for things other people, monsters, have done to me." "I don't "admit, because I don't want them to think badly of him either. He doesn't deserve it. "Although it might hurt Dech . "At their confused looks, I add, "He wasn't very happy that he had been training with me. In fact, he gave me a bit of a scare when he saw the bruises on my arms from our last training session. Halley looks at Rose and the look they exchange makes me squint. "What?" He's already Is so protective of you. "It's kind of cute "Halley whispers. Is she crazy, none of this is cute. "He's lost his mind. He chased me, cornered me against the fence and.... "My face heats up as I remember what happened between us." Halley smiles, filling in the blanks herself. "Yeah, I don't see a problem with any of it" she jokes looking perfect. "Yeah, well, I hit Mr. Perfect with my magic." "Halle snorts as Cara's eyes widen.""No you didn't." "He was touching me and I wanted him to stop. "I'm not sure that's entirely true. My pussy reacted to his touch. My panties are still wet from my arousal." "It's okay to be afraid, Alison interrupts Rose over the others" . You wouldn't be normal if you didn't have it. He's a stranger to you and it will take time for them to get to know each other. I wish I had been more open with Samuel . It would have saved us a lot of heartache. "He grimaces . I hate how much I hurt him in the first part of our mating. I don't think I'll ever get over it, even though he says it's okay . "I don't want to think about how this affects Luke too , because if I do, I won't have the strength to push him away. He didn't ask to be tied to someone like me either." "It's been a rough week." Rose gives my arm a gentle squeeze. "There's been a lot to deal with, not only leaving our house and finding a place here, but also everything to do with Hester. Give yourself a break to sort it all out." She's right. Hester broke my heart when I learned of her betrayal. I had no idea she was so linked to the people who are trying to hurt us, to make us do horrendous and horrible things. This week has been hard and the hits just keep coming. "He may be a good friend," adds Halley .