Judith
Raindrops pelted over my skin and I knew i would catch a cold if I stayed too long in it but I wasn't bothered. I could barely breathe or think.
Declan.
He was right there in the middle of the street, rain dripping down his hair and shoulders, looking exactly like the nightmare I had spent six years trying to forget. The mark on my neck that had almost faded suddenly burned and Goddess,It hurt.
My wolf whimpered inside me, clawing against my chest. Mate.
No. Not anymore. I thought bitterly. I hugged Nathan tighter to me. My son looked up at me, confused, blinking his dark eyes that were identical to the man currently looking at me like he couldn't believe I was real. His chest rose and fell, muscles flexing under his drenched shirt.
Six years had made him harder, broader, more dangerous. Even now, even after everything, part of me still felt that magnetic pull towards him and I wanted to squash it down.
I tore my gaze away, picking Nathan up in my arms. "Come on, baby, Let's go home."
"Judith, " he called and my lungs seized. I turned on my heel and started walking fast, almost running to my apartment. For the first time in six years, I wished my apartment was far from the bar just so Declan wouldn't know where I lived.
"Judith, wait!"
No. No. I couldn't do this.
My heart hammered as I raced along the muddy road. My vision blurred with tears that burned like acid. I just had to get to my house and forget this ever happened.
Behind me, his footsteps pounded against the wet ground. "Judith!"
Nathan twisted in my arms to look over my shoulder. "Mommy, who's that man?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't. My throat was raw from holding back sobs.
His hand caught my arm and sparks shot up my skin, the bond between us sparking back to life. His touch burned and it felt so familiar, terrifying and addictive.
I spun around, shaking. "Don't you dare touch me!"
Declan's eyes had a wild look in them as they searched mine. "The boy is mine, isn't he?"
My heart slammed so hard it hurt. "What?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Judith ." He said roughly. "He's mine."
A bitter laugh tore out of me. "You're insane. No, he isn't. That's the first thing you say to me after six years?!"
"Don't lie to me!" he growled, stepping closer, towering over me. "I can feel it. His scent, your scent, it's the same. Goddess, Judith , don't tell me I'm wrong."
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to meet his gaze. I hated him, I hated him so much. I repeated that thought in my head over and over as I spat. "You are wrong, Declan . He's not yours."
"I'm right," he shot back. "And you know it."
"My name's Nathan" Nathan 's small voice cut between us and we both looked at him. "Not 'the boy.'"
Declan 's entire face softened. "Hello Nathan,"
No, no, no! Anger and terror slammed into me. I tore Nathan away from his gaze and rushed to my apartment a few meters away. My hands shook as I tried to unlock the door. Declan had followed, my entire body was hyper aware of him but I tried to ignore him helping Nathan out of his wet clothes.
He's back for us, Caramel said and I scoffed.
No, he wasn't. If anything he would try to take Nathan away. Men usually felt strong emotions about their pups. I had to convince him that Nathan wasn't his.
How's that possible when he looks exactly like him?
Declan stood at the doorway, watching as I dried Nathan up and fixed his dinner. I hated that I could still feel his eyes on me, sending heat crawling across my skin. How dare he show up? How could he show up? He caused me so much pain, he didn't get to just waltz in here and make demands!
When Nathan was dry and settled, I turned to him with a tight smile. "Go eat dinner, sweetheart. I'll be right outside, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy."
I waited until he disappeared into the kitchen before I faced the doorway again. Declan was there, staring. His wet shirt clung to every sculpted line of his body, rain dripping down his jaw. I gritted my teeth, clamping down whatever desires were awakening. Desire had put me in this mess in the first place.
"Outside," I hissed. I would not yell or argue in front of Nathan.
He stepped back obediently. The moment the door closed behind me, all the rage I had been holding in erupted.
"How dare you," I snapped, pushing his chest. "You show up after six years and the first thing you do is accuse me of hiding your son?"
"Because he is my son!"
"Stop it!" I shoved him again, but his stupid massive body did not budge. "You have no right to come here, Declan. No right to talk to me. No right to talk to my child!"
His jaw tightened. "Our child."
"He's mine!" I shouted. "My child. He is not in any way yours. So why don't you just… just go to hell?!"
"I'm already there!" He stepped closer until I had to tilt my chin to look at him. "Every damn night for six years, I've been there, Judith."
The air between us crackled and it was hot, tense, suffocating. His scent hit me hard, stirring up memories I'd buried deep. The taste of him. The feel of him.
You won't leave me ever.
Yet he was the one who left me, stupid naive nineteen year old Judith had fallen for those words. Never again.
"Stay back," I whispered, backing away until my shoulders hit the wall. He didn't listen.
"Why, Judith ?" His voice dropped. "Why lie? Why hide him from me?"
"Stop talking as if you deserve anything from me," I spat.
His chest rose and a furious look settled on his face. "What did I ever do to you except love you?"
I laughed bitterly. "Love me? You don't need to lie to me. Everyone turned their backs on me and you did too. One night you're telling me I'm yours, the next you're telling me how much you hated me!"
"Because your father killed mine!" he roared.
I stared at him, trembling. He still believed that lie. "You think that justified everything you did to me?"
His voice came out hoarse. "I didn't know how to look at you without remembering that, Judith. It's not exactly a fucking easy pill to swallow."
"Gee, thanks. I needed the reminder that you're a cold heartless bastard that only cares about himself. Nathan 's not your son. I h-had him with someone else."
"Liar." He spat and before I could retort, he moved fast, crowding me against the wall. His hands slammed beside my head, trapping me there. His breath was hot against my cheek. My heart almost leapt out of my chest.
"Declan," I gasped.
"Fuck, don't say my name like that." He groaned. "You have no idea what that does to me, Judith ,"
He leaned in, nose grazing my jaw. I was torn between pushing him off and embracing him. "You smell like other wolves," he murmured darkly.
I stiffened. "Excuse me?"
He pulled back just enough to look me in the eye, veins popping angrily on his forehead. "You do. Don't tell me some unmated bastards have been near you."
That did it. My palm slammed against his chest, hard. "You have some nerve," I hissed. "You're married. You have a wife, Declan ! You have no right to dictate who I am with-"
"Like hell I don't. You bear my mark, you're mine Judith !" he snarled.
"I am not!" I shoved him again, shaking. "You have no idea what I went through! You think you can come here, flash those eyes, say my name and I'll just melt? You have no idea what I went through just to survive. All my plans for college were gone, I had to beg, scrounge, grovel just to keep us alive. I even lost…"
I trailed off into a sob, biting back the words. No, I couldn't tell him. It didn't matter. I shouldn't be explaining myself, I should be getting him away from us.
I looked away. "Leave,"
"Judith …"
"Leave! I don't want to see you! There's nothing for you here. Nathan isn't yours, I've moved on, you have too and I would like that to remain exactly like that!" I screamed.
He grabbed my wrists pulling me flush against him. Heat flared through my veins, and despite my anger, my body betrayed me. My breath hitched, my wolf howled inside, pushing me toward him.
He wants us. He does.
We stood there breathing heavily, staring at each other. His eyes moved down to my lips and I licked them without thinking. His gaze followed the motion, hunger sparking in his eyes. He leaned closer, too close and I felt his breath on my skin. My knees went weak.
Then his phone rang. Still holding me, he whipped it out and I saw the name on the screen. Sabrina.
He let go of me immediately and I laughed bitterly ashamed of myself. "Of course. Go back to your wife, Declan . Go back to your perfect Luna and your perfect life. Leave me and my son the hell alone."