Chapter 4

Harper

I screamed again, the pain too much to bear as tears streamed down my face. I tried to pull away, but Colton held me tight as he continued to rub circles on my nub while rubbing his hard member against my back. Another wave of pleasure chased the pain around my body. Both sensations seemed to run on endless cycles as I cried out and gripped the sheets that covered us.

"That's it, baby girl," Colton grunted against my ear. "Ride it through," he grunted again, and I felt warm liquid shoot up my back as he came again. He slowed to a stop as he leaned against me, panting.

I cried as I felt his lips graze my neck once more, and he wrapped his arms around me, whispering shushing sounds in my ear.

"Why?" I cried, "Why would you do that?"

"Shhh, it's okay," he said. "The worst is over." He relaxed his arms and pulled out from under me, and I curled up into a ball in my bed as I heard him rustling about behind me. I saw him as he came round the other side of the bed. He sat down and stroked my face.

"Sorry Strawberries, but I'm not the settling down type." He chuckled. "But I just had to know what it would be like with my fated mate. I heard it was the best sex ever." He looked at me and grinned. "Gotta admit, they were right."

He stood again and grabbed his jacket. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you that no one knows about this, about us being fated. I mean, I really don't need that getting out."

"Leave me alone," I growled, the anger seeping out. My wolf was pacing inside me. How dare he do this to me, to us? Colton turned and looked at me, his eyes shining gold, which meant his own wolf was close to the surface.

Suddenly, he was back on the bed. He pulled the covers off and grabbed me and flipped me onto my back, and captured my hand above my head with one hand. His other hand roamed down my body as I tried to struggle away.

"Listen to me now, Strawberries," he growled at me. "You will respect my rank above yours and do what I say, and don't you dare to think otherwise." He leaned down and licked the nipple of my left breast, causing me to gasp. I couldn't help the shiver of pleasure that ran through me at his touch.

"This can work out real good for both of us." He sucked my nipple into his mouth, running his tongue around it before letting go. "Or it could be very painful for at least one of us." He repeated, only after he ran his tongue around this time, he bit down hard, causing me to cry out before letting go again. Fresh tears welled up in my eyes as he grinned at me.

"I'm glad we have an understanding."

Colton leaned down. "Don't worry, Strawberries, I'll make sure all my buddies know how good you are, and I'm sure we can set something up again." I whimpered as he licked my neck, and he chuckled. He let go of me and jumped up as headlights shone from outside, and I heard a car pull up. Colton glanced out of the window and growled.

"That's my cue to leave." He winked as he rushed to the door. "See you around, Strawberries." And with that, he was gone.

I heard the door downstairs bang shut as I pulled my covers back on me and curled back into a ball. I couldn't believe this had happened on my birthday, of all days. Meeting your fated mate was meant to be the happiest day of your life, the day you are complete. But here I was, alone, crying and exposed in bed after the one person who was meant to love and care for me had taken my innocence and ripped my heart out.

The front door opened and closed again.

"Harper," I heard a shout. Crap, Tommy was home. "Harper, where are you?"

I heard him run up the stairs, and he burst into my room.

"Harper, what the hell!" he shouted. "Why did I just see Colton fucking Stokes slipping out of the door?" I pulled the covers over my head as he turned on my light.

"Leave me alone, Tommy," I whispered. I really didn't want him seeing me crying.

"Fuck, Harps, please tell me you didn't sleep with that jerk." He sounded angry. "He's bad news. You do not want to get messed up with that."

"Tommy, leave me alone!" I said louder, but he just ignored me.

"I thought you had more sense than that, really? I mean, I thought you were waiting for your fated mate." I had enough. I didn't need his judgement on top of everything, even if it was right.

I pulled the covers off my head and screamed, "TOMMY, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM!"

He stopped ranting and looked at me in shock. "What the...?" Then a look crossed his face as he registered my tear-stained face. "Oh fuck, kid. Shit. Are you okay?" I burst into tears again.

Tommy moved nearer, probably to hug me or something, but I couldn't take it. I couldn't take his anger, and I certainly couldn't take his sympathy.

"Please," I pleaded, "Tommy, just go," I said, holding out my hand to stop him. He looked at me again and nodded sadly.

"I'll be downstairs," he said before leaving my room, quietly closing the door behind him. I listened as I heard him descend the stairs and take a breath.

I moved to cover myself again, but then felt something wet behind me and remembered that Colton had expelled his stuff up my back. Now my bed and I were covered in it. It was everywhere, in my hair, down my back, and all over my sheets. I felt sick at the thought of it and knew I had to get it off. I got out of bed, wincing at the pain between my legs, and glanced at the bed, which was covered with the stuff. I pulled the bedding off and dumped it in the hamper on the landing. I went into my private bathroom, turned on the shower, and set it to hot. I stepped in and spent the next half an hour scrubbing my body and my hair clean. I knew I had successfully cleaned myself within the first ten minutes, but I still felt dirty, so I continued to scrub until my skin turned pink.

I finally got out of the shower and dried myself. Finding some fresh pyjamas, I dressed quickly. I went into the hallway cupboard and pulled out some fresh bedding, and started to re-make my bed. The whole time, I was vaguely aware of the ache in my body and the empty feeling in my heart. I felt like emotions were out of reach as I moved through the tasks almost automatically.

It wasn't until I finished the bed that a scent caught my attention. Sniffing the air, I smiled despite everything and turned and followed the beautiful smell of chocolate downstairs into the living room just as Tommy walked in from the kitchen with two mugs of hot chocolate. I curled up in one of the armchairs, and he passed me one of the mugs with a weak smile.

"I, erm...." he hesitated, and I looked at him, knowing that my face was blank. "The bedding, in the hamper," he signalled upstairs. "I thought it best to wash before the parents came home," he shrugged. He was right. Living in a house of werewolves basically meant that they would have smelt Colton as soon as they walked in. I nodded to him in thanks. I didn't need my parents knowing how much of a failure I was.

"Harp," Tommy hesitated again. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask...." I shook my head as fresh tears threatened to appear again.

"Please, Tommy. Leave it," I said. "I was just stupid, that's all." I would rather he think I was a stupid slut than my own fated mate used me and then rejected me. He nodded again, and we lapsed into silence.

"Why did you come home?" I asked all of a sudden. I looked at the clock on the wall, and it was only 10 pm. Tommy was a big party guy. There was no way he should be home already.

He shook his head. "I noticed you were missing, and Katie said she hadn't seen you for a while. Then I heard how Colton had bagged a girl." He looked uncomfortable at that last bit. "I suddenly got a bad feeling, and well, I hoped I was wrong, but...." he trailed off again, and I closed my eyes in shame. How could I have been so stupid?

"I swear, though," he started again. "If he tells any-"

Just then, a searing pain shot through my heart and ripped through my body. I dropped my mug of chocolate to the floor and screamed as I clutched my chest. It felt so much like the rejection had felt.

"Fuck, Harper!" I felt Tommy's hands on me. I looked at him through the tears as the pain ripped through me once more.

"Tommy!" I cried. "What's happening to me?" I fell to the floor and started rolling around. I wanted to claw my heart out of my body. I vaguely felt Tommy pulling me onto his knees and heard him swear before. "Shit, Harp, you're burning up!" Then everything stopped, and only the echo of pain ran through my body.

"Harper?" Tommy's voice sounded clipped and careful. I glanced up at his face and winced at the furious look that was etched into it. "Harper?" he asked again. "Is Colton your fated mate?" Crap. How did he figure it out? "Harper, answer me." Tommy wasn't an Alpha or named rank by any means, but the authority in his command caused me to whimper before I nodded in confirmation.

He growled, and I tried to pull away. "Then why were you crying after he left?" I shook my head. No, no, no! I didn't want him to know how worthless I was. "Harper?" he growled. "Did he reject you?" I burst out crying again, and his face turned red.

"Please, Tommy, don't tell anyone," I cried, but he wasn't listening.

"That fucking bastard!" he snarled. "I am going to rip him apart!"

"Tommy, please." I knew if Tommy tried to go up against Colton, well, Colton was Beta blood, it would be bad for Tommy. Betas were faster, stronger, and more savage than regular werewolves. "It was my fault. I should have been smarter."

Tommy looked at me, shocked. "Harper," he said. "You are not to blame. The bastard used the sacred mate bond to manipulate you." He pulled me into a hug. "It's not your fault, kid."

Just then, another wave of pain hit me, and I screamed again. Tommy tried to hold me tighter, but I scratched at him to let me go as the pain seared through my body.

"I don't understand," I cried. "What's happening? Am I dying?" Why did the pain keep coming back, and it was so much worse this time?

"I know what's happened," Tommy said as he held onto me. "I'm sorry, kid, I can't do anything to stop it." He started rocking me in his arms as wave after wave of pain ripped through me before it became too much, and I finally dropped into blessed darkness.