CHAPTER NINE

"I'll ask you just once and you better have a good answer prepared already. Where the hell have you been, Maria?" I said in a threatening voice.

She looked up, her lips pursed together before she turned and locked the door behind her. "I would have called you but my phone was dead and I left my charger at home." She said.

I could detect a little bit of sadness laced in her voice and I wondered what had happened.

"You haven't answered my question, Maria. Where were you?"

"I went out, Logan." I tried to ignore the little pinch of hurt that came with the realization that she didn't call me all anymore.

"Why are you still here?" She asked, surprise evident in her voice. It was the first time I could detect anything else other than the bland, bored tone her voice was accustomed to these days.

My hands clenched into fists. "I couldn't leave without seeing you. It would have been highly inappropriate." I growled, trying to rein in my anger. Maria could see he was absolutely mad at her. Her eyes widened at her realization, she didn't know why he was bothered about her well-being after being distant for nearly two months now. It wasn't making any sense.

"I'm sorry for keeping you here but you didn't have to wait, I can handle myself." She said warily, careful not to tip him over the edge, his eyes were glowing already. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his, it was almost as if they held her spellbound.

"Something bad could have happened to you." She jumped as his voice came out harder than she had expected but for some reason, she wasn't afraid of him. Her wolf was delighted at his excessive show of protection.

"I couldn't just leave without knowing if you would eventually come here. I obviously can't go to your house asking after you and you have no friends."

I looked at her face as she stared back at me with shock written all over her face, it was almost as if I didn't have what it took to show concern about someone or something. Her surprise only fueled his frustration, he couldn't understand why he suddenly felt so overprotective of her.

"I'm sorry, Logan. I didn't mean for you to get worked up." She said after a moment. "But, as you can see, I'm unhurt."

"Where did you go to that was more important than our lectures?" I asked again, after several attempts to calm myself.

"I was with a friend, we went shopping and didn't realize it was this late till we finished."

"You don't have friends, Maria. Tell me where you went."

She glared at him. "I am not the sad loner you're portraying me to be. Ever since you stopped talking to me, I had to find a new friend before I lost my sanity. Just because you barely pay any attention to me to know who my friend is doesn't mean I don't have any."

"I don't ignore you, Maria," I growled.

"Are you being serious, Logan?" She asked incredulously. "When was the last time you talked to me in school?" She asked me.

I stared at her unsure of what to say.

"You decided I wasn't up to the standard of girls you go around frolicking with, young alpha." She sneered. "You came into my life abruptly and you left the same way."

She shrugged her shoulders in defeat and pushed past him heading towards the coffee table.

I turned to stare at her as she gathered the book scattered on the table. I couldn't let her go so easily, my reputation was on the line and I couldn't do without having her in my life, at least not yet. And then I said something I thought I whispered to myself.

"I miss you."

Maria whirled around so fast she thought her neck would snap. While she stared at him with her mouth hung open, I wondered how I let such words come out of my mouth. I wanted to argue that it was a mistake but I let it slide, I needed her back on my side and if toying with her emotions was the only way then so be it. I had tried to obtain what I needed without having to get too close to her but it proved futile and this was the only way. The problem was that despite his attempts at ignoring his feelings, part of him acknowledged the fact that he missed having her in his life. That was the dilemma he was faced with, he couldn't separate business from pleasure when it came to her.

Still feeling very uncertain about what to say after the awkward pause, I opened my mouth to suggest that we reschedule the class for another day and call it a night, seeing that it was already late and everything, but she didn't allow the words to come out before she pushed past me and rushed out of the cabin and towards her car. A few seconds later, I heard her car come to life before she sped out.

I ran my hand through my tousled hair as I stood in the same spot replaying the scene that just unfolded before me over and over again. Why would she believe what he just said? She wasn't stupid and I haven't given her any reason to think I meant what I said. I hadn't spoken to her properly in nearly two months and I just told her I missed her. I guessed she got frightened and left. I was already acting like a possessive mate.

Turning, I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes were still hard even though they weren't glowing anymore, a scowl was still chiseled into my mouth. I examined my expression, I looked tired, frustrated, and angry. But most especially, I gave off some sort of cold and cruel demeanor. I tried to shake it off but it wouldn't budge.

There was only one thing I could do to rid of the thoughts that constantly plagued my head. I shut my eyes and let my wolf take over my body, I welcomed the pleasurable sound of the snapping of my bones as my body enlarged and fur covered me. I was in my element as I stormed out of the cabin and into the night on a long run, I found myself running towards her house. I forced myself to stop about a hundred yards from the impressive Goretti mansion and let out a long howl.

It was the first time I hunted all night, I needed to burn out the anger.

The days that would follow were going to define our already weird relationship. She would never look at me that same way again and I didn't know if I was still playing according to script or if this was all my doing. I was slowly losing control and I couldn't afford to let it happen, I was already too deep to back away now.

I Couldn't bring myself to sleep as I struggled to convince myself that I would be fine, that Maria would be too but that was a lie. It was clear that I wasn't, neither of us was.