Chapter 8

• Hunter.
• She fainted in my arms, her head fell on my chest, and inchmeal her heavy breathing started calming down. Her luscious dark hair shined even in the dark, her skin was shimmering in sweat and soft as rose petals. She looked like a goddess.
• I didn't deserve her. I didn't even deserve to touch her.
• After how I'd behaved with her over the years, I didn't even deserve to talk to her.
• I had fucked up very badly. In the ways to erase her from my heart, I had committed something I can't even fix now. She deserved happiness, and I'd taken it away from her. She used to be so happy and I took that smile away from her face just for some sick fear of losing her.
• Aria had been and always was the most beautiful female in our pack, everything about her was beyond astonishing. Her smile, her eyes, every little detail of her thrived me. I loved her, I still did but I pushed her away.
• From the very start, my demeanor was completely contrary to what Aria wanted in her mate, she wanted someone who'd be kind to everyone and I was someone who was taught ruthlessness and every Alpha had to attain this quality. I was soft but only on Aria, I smiled but only at her, I laughed but only with her and she did want a mate who could be represented as an example or inspiration but what I'd to do was something every single Alpha needed.
• I couldn't meet her expectations, I knew she might've loved me as a best friend but she wouldn't prefer me as a mate and that was the biggest mistake I committed. I took a decision based on my assumption without even confronting my Aria whom I'd loved from the start.
• I took the worst decision to create such fear in her for me that she would never think of going away from me, and meantime I only hurt her more than I could've ever imagined. Her tear-filled eyes and her continuous questions for why I was ignoring her still ringed in my mind.
• Flashback....
• "Hunter, why are not talking to me?" She followed behind me as I walked towards my locker, "Did I do something wrong?" the tremble in her voice shook my soul but I held myself upright. I didn't let my emotion take over me.
• "Please, Hunter," She grabbed my arm and lightly rested her head against my bicep, "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong. Please talk to me, you know I can't bear you not talking to me."
• I tried to yank my hand away but she grabbed it right away, I avoided looking at her and threw my keys inside the locker.
• "H-Hunter, I'll not do anything wrong again just forgive me this time and tell me what I did. I will never do it again but please talk to me." I heard her sniffle.
• I felt the pain increase in my chest. Damn, it was so harder than I thought. I couldn't meet her eyes. How could I tell her that there was no fault of her in it and it was my own sickening fear that was making me do this?
• "Aria, I'm not in the mood to talk to you now. And yes, don't call me by my name from now."
• "Why can't I call you by your name?" Damn, she was crying. I was hurting her so bad.
• "Because it's only allowed for my friends." I cleared my thought looking at the other side, trying to pry my hand off her hold but it only tightened--She was holding onto me as if she'd lost me forever if she let go.
• "I'm not your friend anymore?" I heard her sob.
• "Leave my hand, Aria. I've better works to do." I sneered.
• "Please, Hunter. Don't stay angry at me like this," She loosened her hold on my hand snuck into the space between me and the locker, I could see her wiping her tear with her other hand, "You know that you are my best friend and more important for me than anyone else. I'll make up for my mistake, I will do anything you say."
• I fisted my hands to stop myself from hugging her and kissing her tears away forgetting about the decision I'd made.
• When she saw I wasn't responding, she hugged me resting her cheek against my chest. I could already feel her tears drenching my shirt. I was so close to losing it.
• "I'm sorry Hunter, I swear on God I'll listen to everything you say. Don't go away from me. I can't bear this silence. Please, Hunter." She sobbed.
• A few students' attention was set upon us, Aria didn't move an inch. She was holding onto me for her dear life, her movements filled with fear and her hands shaking.
• "Move, Aria," I tried to get out of her hold, "You are wasting my time."
• "Never," She shook her head, "I won't let you go."
• "Aria, if you don't move then I'll..." I couldn't finish my sentence as she raised her to look at me, my eyes met with her tear-filled ones.
• "Please, don't avoid me. You know I can't bear your distance." Her voice was barely higher than a whisper. My entire world stopped for a second, I wanted to do nothing else than pull her closer into my arms and never let go but before I could rethink my decision I sided all my emotions and slammed her body against the locker.
• She gasped in surprise the tears that were on the edge of falling now ran down her already tear-stained cheeks.
• "Stay away from me, Aria Wilson! I don't want your company!" I shouted at her face and roughly shook her, "Do you fucking hear that?!"
• The disbelieve poured into her eyes and slide down along with the tears, all her walls seemed to break down, she looked at me, and in her eyes, I could see the pain I'd caused her by both my words and actions.
• "Now, that I've said that loud just keep it in your useless head and don't show me this unpleasant face of yours again!" I spat, my own words felt like a knife stabbing in my heart, "Spare me." I let go of her and walked away.
• But just as I had taken a few steps I felt the tug at my hand, I looked back at her--My anger and hatred for my own self protruded in my eyes.
• "Please..."That was all she mustered before I yanked my hand away.
• "You are dirt, and I don't want to make my hands dirty by touching you." I wiped my hand over my jeans as if she disgusted me, the truth was that the only person that disgusted me was me.
• And I walked away, leaving a broken Aria and a beautiful friendship behind along with the possibilities of a beautiful future I might had with her but my fears had torn it apart and took away the light leaving only darkness in return.
• Flashback..
• I kissed cupped her face with my left hand, I kissed her cheeks, I kissed her forehead, her nose, and every inch of her face like I felt to do every time I'd seen her crying. Every time I hurt her.
• I kept her small frame close to my body. I didn't deserve her, after what I had done...I really didn't deserve her.
• All these years, I hurt her being a coward, letting my baseless fears get power over myself. I broke Aria into pieces because I thought she'd go away from me or, maybe find someone better. I had considered my love one-sided but from what she said today, I was blown away. All the time I had thought of caging her but I couldn't realize that she was already mine.
• I wanted her but I couldn't have her. She deserved better. I was not going to burden this bond on her, the decision would be hers and I'll accept whatever she decides to do. If this even less one percent of my sins I would happily do it.
• I didn't know if I was ever going to get the opportunity to kiss her so I leaned in and just placed a soft kiss on her lips. My wolf Sebastian was already losing control, he didn't want to let go of Aria. He wanted her and so did I....but this was the best to do. She deserved better.
• I opened my Jacket and covered her in it before I picked her up cradling her to my body.
• "I'm so sorry baby. I'm so sorry but I'll make it up to you. This time you'll be the one to take any decision and I'll be the one who'll bear the circumstances." I kissed her forehead and headed to her home.