Page 21 of Bullied Wolf Mate

The blows kept coming, apparently. I mulled over her words, letting them tumble in my head. I didn’t think it was possible that some pranks and bullying could really impact anyone to this extent, especially when it was so long ago. I still had a hard time believing it. Except, looking into Lorelei’s face, I could see the truth there, the real hurt and distrust. It made my stomach churn, even though I didn’t understand it.

“I’m a different person than when I was a kid,” I argued. “I feel like that’s pretty obvious.”

She shook her head. “I appreciate it, Mark, but I don’t think you’ll understand how formative those memories were. Do you remember all the things you called me?”

I frowned. “Honestly? No.”

She snorted, shaking her head. “I guess it would stick more with me. Let’s see. You called me ‘stringy-haired,’ ‘gawky,’ a ‘weirdo,’ a ‘freak,’ a ‘creepazoid witch’—that one was from when we were really young. Those are just off the top of my head. You chased me home on more than one occasion. I was terrified to go into the woods for years because I thought you’d be there.”

I listened to all of this with a straight face. I tried to see it from her perspective, I really did. But we were kids. That stuff should have been all behind us by now. I didn’t see any point in dwelling on it. Still, I knew if I said any of that, it wouldn’t do me any good.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said.

She studied my face, then shook her head. “You’re not,” she said. “Because you still don’t get it. And that’s fine. I wouldn’t expect you to. But it’s also why I don’t think this should happen again.”

Again, something about her somewhat blunt criticisms stung in a way I wouldn’t have expected. Not only because I wanted to have sex with her again but because knowing this was how she saw me made something close to guilt or hurt squirm in my stomach.

“I’ll respect whatever you want to do, Lorelei. But are you sure you won’t reconsider?” I asked, already thinking of the way her body had felt pressed against mine and the way she had writhed at my touch. “I’m a different person now. It’s been years. You can’t accept that I’ve changed?”

She raised an eyebrow. “In the time since you wandered back into my life, you kidnapped me, locked me in your house, and dragged me back when I tried to get away. It’s not like I’ve been around you enough to know that you’ve changed.”

She had a point. All I had done since seeing her again was bring her here to keep her safe, but she didn’t see it that way; she saw it as controlling. If I wanted to show her I had changed at all, I would have to take action.

“I want to do something nice for you,” I said.

Her head shot up, hope sparking in her eyes. “You’re going to let me go?” she asked, but I shook my head.

“It’s still not safe,” I said, not bothering to mention the part where Declan was still pushing for her help. “I’m going to feel more comfortable if you stay here.”

“Your comfort isn’t the one in question right now,” she retorted archly.

“I’m protecting you,” I said.

She looked like she wanted to argue, but she just exhaled loudly, shaking her head in annoyance.

“But I get that you’re feeling cooped up,” I continued. “And you might need someone to talk to who isn’t me.”

She turned to look at me, something like uneasy caution in her eyes. “Meaning?”

“I was going to invite some of the Silver Wolves’ mates over,” I explained.

It was something I had been thinking about since the argument with Declan. It wasn’t as though Lorelei’s staying here was a secret any longer, and if it helped her feel more comfortable having someone else to talk to, I might as well give it a try. On another, more selfish note, I was hoping that she might not get so antsy and even forget about Inara if she had something to distract herself with.

She straightened at the suggestion, studying my face as though trying to figure out whether I was lying. “Really?”

I nodded. “They’re nice. I think you’ll get along with them.”

She hesitated, chewing her bottom lip in a way that made my wolf run wild and think about the position I had her in not long ago. If it hadn’t been for her request to keep things to a one-night stand, I might have taken her again right then and there. As it was, I forced myself to keep my hands away from her, even as my wolf protested in annoyance.

“It might be nice,” she admitted. “Though, I don’t know.”

“You miss your old friends?”

She stared at me like I’d sprouted a second head, then burst into laughter.

“I don’t get it,” I said with a frown, earning me another spout of giggles.

“You wouldn’t,” she said, shaking her head. “But for context, I don’t have any friends.”

---