Chapter 7

I was sort of still freaking out. I mean who wouldn't when they just heard you wolf probably shift in a freaking wolf. It wasn't even my choice. Now don't get me wrong, it would be kind of awesome to be able to shift into a wolf, but Ashton took my choice away when he bit me.

Kat had the good idea to give me some chamomile tea. Something about my heart beating fast. I keep forgetting that they could here stuff like that. I was getting a little more relaxed, but I still didn't know what to do.

"Is it still possible to reject Asthon once I've changed?" I saw Ashton looking up at the mentioning of his name.

"It is possible, but because he marked you, he would most likely die of a heartbreak. You see, a wolf gets one mate in its life. Sometimes but rarely twice when a mate dies or when rejected fully before the mark."

"What do you mean rejected fully? He rejected me the moment he saw me, and I rejected him months ago"

"Yes, my dear you did say it, but when Ashton rejected you, you never accepted it and the same applies to Ashton. With other words you never accepted each other's rejection. You did say once that you accepted his claim in being your mate."

"BUT THAT WAS BEFORE I KNEW WHAT HE DID"

"Yes, my child I know, but that's not how this all works. I mean how do you really feel when you look at him"

"I hate him"

"No, you hate what he did to you, but when you listen to your heard and look at him. How do you feel?"

I looked over to Ashton, talking to Alex. Since when are they friends. I looked at his deep brown almost black hair, that I just wanted to put my hands in. His ocean blue eyes that just have me feel like I'm almost drowning. His strong arms that could easily held me when I'm sad. And those abs that are visible through his shirt. Ashton must have felt my gaze on him because he looked up with a smirk on his face. My cheeks burned up and were probably as read as a tomato. This caused Ashton to laugh a little. That arrogant ass. It was like he knew I was thinking about him being an ass, because he turned around, and I just stared at his ass. I mean the guy has a good ass. Not that that should really surprise me because he is an ass. But damn I just want to slap that ass.

Kat coughed a little to get my attention. Well, I guess I have been caught, because she as well had a smirk on her face. "Well how do you feel?" She asked while smirking. That woman knew how I felt

"I honestly don't know. I mean there is the obvious chemistry. But that is normal because of the mate bond we have. But I still can't get over what he did to me. I know he feels bad about it but that still doesn't make it any better. What hurts the most is that I fell in love with him, in the short period we were together. I still care about him, but I just don't know if I can trust him, maybe ever again." I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes and had to held them back. Not wanting to cry in front of Kat. Or even worse Ashton, who was still standing a few feet away.

"I know what he did was wrong, but it is okay to open your heart. I know forcefully marking you wasn't any better. But you must understand, wolves are territorial animals. You were friends with Alex here, so you smelt like him. I know you don't smell it yourself, but a wolf can get crazy when they smell another wolf on their mate. Especially another Alpha. It will get better, but you have to allow yourself and Asthon to make it better." Kat explained.

"Well now you sound like Josh." I laughed

"Josh? Ashtons Beta?" I just nodded. "He sounds like a smart guy."

"Yeah, he is, he was a good friend of mine in Lupus Harbour. Before shit went down." Kat looked at me with wide eyes. "Sorry. But yeah, when I was in the hospital, because of my bruises he told me it would get better. It did for a while, before they told me about being wolves and then the whole mate thing."

"For what's it worth, I am really sorry about what happened to you. No one's mate should do that. But we can't change the past, we just have to focus on the future. Do you think you can talk to Ashton now? Without shouting?" I just nodded again. Apparently, I do that a lot nowadays.

Kat walked over to Ashton and Alex and said something to them. I heard a little about give her time and she will love you. I guess my hearing is getting better. I'm not sure if I am happy with it, because that means I'm already changing. I heard Ashton walking over, I knew it was him without even looking. I just smelt him, he smells like pine tree and fresh rain. I love that smell, it helped me relax for some reason. Probably the stupid mate bond.

"Hey" He said as he sat down next to me.

"Hey" Seriously hey, that's all you have to say. I guess I'm not shouting at least.

"Are you okay? Do you need anything" He asked, while looking concerned.

"I am fine Ashton."

"Well, I learned to never believe a girl when she says she is fine." I just looked at him irritated. "Okay okay sorry, I won't ask again"

"I am already changing Ashton; I can feel it" Ashton looked up shocked.

"Really? How do you feel, or more specifically what do you feel?" He was surprisingly soft.

"Just small thing, like I can hear better and smell better. A whole lot better, I guess. I smell thing I had never smelt before."

"What do you smell?"

"Pine tree and fresh rain. Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you exactly what I'm talking about."

"Okay." We stayed quiet for a few minutes. Just thinking, I guess. "Okay wait here I'm going to ask something, and I will be back in a minute"

"Okay?" I just looked at him confused. I think that is my resting face nowadays. Looking confused and just nodding. Well, I used to be a lot more intelligent...

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Just like he promised a few minutes later he came back. "Come with me" That's all he said and held out his hand. I looked at it, for a split second I considered taking it, but that was too soon. He realized I wouldn't take it and dropped it, looking a little hurt or sad or both.

As we walked out through the door, I was looking around me again. We walked outside and followed a path through the big garden. There was a fountain where some birds were drinking. As we walked further down the path we came to the border of the forest. How come I didn't notice this when we arrived. Of course, there is a forest here. I mean it is the werewolf council. We walked a fore about 5 more minutes down a trail. Suddenly Ashton stopped and looked at me.

"Close your eyes" he said

"What?"

"Just do it" I did as he told me. "Okay what do you hear"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, what do you hear" I concentrated on what I heard

"Water. Is there a waterfall here?"

"Good, yes there is, just a couple more miles west. Come." We walked a little further and yes there was a waterfall. Ashton began to take off his clothes.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm going for a swim"

"But it's cold."

"Trust me, please" I looked at him for a minute or so. When I saw he was sincere I just took my loss.

"Could you turn around?" Ashton just laughed but did so. I took off my converse, light blue jeans, and navy sweatshirt, and just stayed in my matching black lace undergarments. "Okay you can turn around now" Ashtons eyes went slowly from my head to my feet, taking my whole body in as if it would be the last time, he saw me. When his eyes came back up, he looked at me with lust in his eyes. "No nothing like that, we were going swimming, right?" He nodded, now looking like a lost puppy. Not wasting another second, I pushed him in the water.

"Evie, what the hell. Why would you do that" I laughed so hard and just couldn't stop. I was so busy with laughing that I didn't notice that Ashton got out of the water. "You thought that was funny" he whisperer in my ear as he stood behind me. A cold shiver went down my spine. "Right Evie."

"Y-yes it was kind of funny" My body was totally betraying me. I felt myself getting hot as he stood so close to me. I couldn't help but think what it would be like if you took me in this position. What what the hell am I even thinking. Before I knew what was happening, Ashton picked me up and jumped in the cold water. "ASHTON WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT"

"You looked like you needed to cool off. Beside if I didn't get in the water, I couldn't have hold myself back anymore. You smell delicious by the way." I yet again looked like a tomato. Well, a drenched tomato now. Well now I don't have wavy hair anymore. Priorities right, or just a distraction from the guy with the drool worthy six pack, otherwise known as Ashton.

"You know what, you were right, I did need to cool off. But so do you" I splashed him with water and laughed my ass of at his reaction. He just looked so shocked.

"You did not just do that"

"So, what if I did?" I smirked

"That just means war" He splashed some water at me. This went on for about half an hour. Just splashing water at each other, laughing, and trying to run or swim away from the other. Eventually we gave up, too tired to continue. Ashton was standing in front of me and wiped a strand of hair away from my face. "You are so beautiful; how did I not see that when we first met." he whispered. He looked at my lips and began to lean in.

I leaned away. "What are you doing? Just because we had fun doesn't mean we can just continue where we left off. You need to earn my trust before I would even think about doing something like that ever again"

"I'm sorry, you're right. It won't happen again, well till you give me some sort of green light." I just nodded. Not trusting my own voice enough to react. "We should head back" I nodded again. Seriously I need to stop with the nodding, otherwise I will need physiotherapy for a neck injury one of these days.

The rest of the way back, we didn't talk much. I think Ashton doesn't know anymore how to react around me. He is clearly having an internal battle with himself, not that that is my problem. 

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"So how was it talking to Ashton?" Alex asked me on in the car on the way back.

"Can we just not talk about it; I just need to think about a couple of things." I replied.

"Yeah sure, would you like to listen to some music"

"Sure"

The rest of the journey back was also spent in silence, well except for the Bon Jovi music on the background. When we arrived at my dorm Alex walked me to the door.

"Call me if you need anything okay, I know I don't know what you're going through, but I could always try to help. Just know you're not alone okay."

"Thank you, Alex, I'll call you tomorrow okay? I just need to think about a lot of things, and I can't even talk about it with my best friend, so you're a good second option."

"Ha Ha, very funny. But thanks, I'll talk to you tomorrow." He gave me a hug and walked away. I went inside, expecting to be bombarded with questions from Kristin, to where I was today. But when I went into our dorm it was just silent.

"Kris?" I jelled "Kris are you home?" No reply. Okay she's probably out. Just as I was thinking where she could be my stomach growled. I went into our small kitchen, I looked into the fridge and found some tomatoes, paprika and zucchini. Okay some Italian it is. I cut a union, and threw it in a pan, while waiting till it was a little brown I put on some macaroni. When the onions were a little brown, I added the zucchini and paprika. Waited till that was softer and added the tomatoes. Just as I was serving my pasta the door slammed open and Kristin ran in.

"Something happened." She looked shocked.