Page 16 of Knot Your Pucking Mate
My parents gave me an ultimatum. They’d pay for the program. But only if I never spoke to Mandy again. She was too much of a distraction.
I’d cried and begged, but ultimately, I had no choice. They’d promised to tell Mandy what had happened and where I’d gone. Promised they’d arrange for me to say goodbye if she wanted to. One last conversation is all they’d permit. But she refused, and they enrolled me, using my middle name and cutting all ties to my former life.
It was drastic and unnecessary. But I didn’t fight it.
I’ll never forgive myself for that.
With nothing more than a towel wrapped around my waist, I feel naked. Every part of me is bare for her judgement. We stare at each other in silence for what feels like an eternity.
“What’s going on?” Axel asks, picking up on the mood and the awkward, stunned silence between us.
“Austin?” Mandy whispers. “Is that you?”
Chapter Nine
Mandy
When I ran from this locker room after realizing Axel was my scent match, I never expected I would be in the position where I wanted to do the same thing a second time.
Then again, a ghost reappearing in my life definitely hadn’t been on my bingo card. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a surprise if I’d researched the rest of the Scented Scorpions. Or hell, even just researched Chase given I knew he was Axel’s packmate. But I hadn’t felt the need to. I’d wanted this experience to be organic. Less research, more real life. Or maybe more romance novels.
As I stare into those familiar brown eyes—eyes that once held my heart captive—it feels like my brain is short-circuiting and my emotions are running rampant. The scent of the forest aftera light rain mixes with that of soap from his shower—weak, but more than enough for me to know.
Axel isn’t my only scent match.
“Austin,” I whisper, my throat feeling as dry as sandpaper. “Is that you?”
“Yeah. It’s me. Mandy, I—” He takes a step toward me and I step back instinctively, holding up my hand in a gesture for him to stop. I can’t let him get too close. My pulse is racing, and my breaths are coming in quick, shallow gasps as I try to fight the urge to go to him. To run into his arms and let him pull me into his chest. To press my ear to his heart and listen to the beat I once thought would be mine forever.
He doesn’t deserve that. And I deserve better, no matter how badly I might want to sink into him and forget the past. My forgiveness won’t be free. I’m known for making my characters fall to their knees and grovel when they fuck up, and this is no different.
At least I try to tell myself that. Staying strong is harder than I would have expected.
Austin or Chase or whoever the fuck he is now might be my scent match, but there’s no fucking way he gets a free pass.
Hehurtme. He broke my goddamn heart and ruined my high school prom the same night. And all without a single word. Then he disappeared off the face of the earth.
“Mandy,” he tries again, but I interrupt him.
“No,Chase. I don’t want to hear it. Not now. Maybe not ever.”
Keeping my back straight, I spin on my heel and storm out of the locker room and down the hall.
I’m so agitated by this discovery that my skin feels like it’s on fire and I can’t catch my breath. I’m trying to ignore the fact that, despite my mind feeling nothing but hurt and anger, my body reacted with lust and need.
There’s an uncomfortable wet patch in my panties, and an ache I’m finding more and more difficult to ignore as I find my way out of the stadium and out into the cool night air.
The arena and stands emptied quickly after the game, leaving us alone out here.
“Mandy, wait,” Axel barks as he bursts through the doors behind me. I stop dead in my tracks, unable to resist his dominance. In fact, it sends a little thrill through me. A pulsing I can feel at my very core.
Shit. I’m feeling needy. A whine escapes me as Axel reaches me, grabbing both my hands in his and bringing them up so my palms are on his chest.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bark at you. But you’re an obedient little omega, aren’t you?”
A pathetic whimper escapes me as I nod, biting my lip. I like to submit. My perfume explodes into the night air as I think about how I’d like to submit to Axel.
“Fuck, Mandy,” he growls as he scents me. It’s strong. My need is unmistakable. “What’s going on?”
