Chapter 5

-Emmanuel-

My eyes glance up Percy’s leg before I clear my throat awkwardly and look away. “You’re uh- you’re not wearing any trousers,” I point out the obvious. When I glance back over at Percy, he’s completely deadpanned, before he snorts.

“No shit.”

I click my tongue; not getting frustrated at Percy is easier said than done - every other thing he does or says pisses me off.

Clearing my throat, I try to dislodge my slowly rising frustration which started during my conversation with Percy in the woods. Taking yet another deep breath, I leave the bathroom before I can get any more frustrated at Percy.

Instead, I go find Keye. 

We just sit in her room and chat until my frustration dissipates. “I don’t get why he pisses me off so much. If someone else said the stuff he does, I wouldn’t even care. So why does he make me so frustrated?” I ask, as if Keye actually has any answers for something like this.

But of course, like always…she actually does.

“It’s because you care. If he was just someone completely random, he would mean nothing to you, but he doesn’t. He’s your mate and be totally honest with me here ok Emmi - you must like something about him. Because as much as you think you’re some kind of fuckboy, you’re really not that bad. And there’s no way you’d mate with him for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Even you aren’t that horny,” she pokes me, trying to get a response.

I just flick her hand away a few times before eventually sighing. “Fine. It’s not like he and I ever actually had a conversation; hence why we didn’t even know each other’s names. I only had the name dream after I met him. It’s just…I was so angry that day.”

Keye leans back on her bed, gesturing for me to continue. Fiddling with my hands, I chew on my lip. “I’d had another argument with mum. And you know how much I hated all the stupid alpha training - it made me so fucking pissed off all the time. So to spite my mum like the mature 23 year old I was, I ran.”

Keye sits up again, frowning slightly. “Hang on…we didn’t even know each other at this point, but- was this when you randomly went missing for a bit? The whole pack was talking about it.”

I groan, slapping a hand over my eyes in an effort to hide from the embarrassment. “Yes, it was. I ran until I passed out and didn’t even know where I was. And when I woke up, I was just…being drawn out further into the forest. So I kept walking, and I met Percy being drawn towards me like I was with him.”

There is silence for a moment before Keye clears her throat. “So…why did you mate with him? You aren’t the type for your soul to just- accept someone you don’t know like that. You know as well as I do that you don’t actually let people into your life.”

I flop back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. “It’s because…he calmed me down. I’d never met anyone who could do that before. People always just made me more angry, but the moment I saw him…all my anger just…went. I felt calm and more clear-headed than I had in months. And I thought…that he was just…he was the one. Whether he was my mate or not, he calmed me, and I- I needed that. I still need it. I need him,” I say quietly. 

I’ll never admit it out loud, but the reason I slept with Keye for so long wasn’t even because I was that attracted to her - she’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but…I have a mate. Anyone else is less attractive automatically, because Percy is just…or no, he was just…so right. So beautiful.

Now, he’s attractive in a different way which I’m just not sure I’m quite used to yet.

Anyway, the reason I slept with Keye is because she reminded me of Percy. She too could calm me down in a way that no one else can, and that is like a drug to me.

“So how come he’s making you so frustrated now then?” Keye asked, propping herself up on her elbows. I roll onto my side, thinking about my answer.

“I think it’s because he’s so different now. Like he’s clearly gone through a lot, and I don’t know about any of it. And also I feel like- a part of me feels like if I hadn’t- if I hadn’t left- maybe things wouldn’t have-“

Keye kicks me forcefully, shoving me off the bed. “Bitch!” I yell, rubbing my head and other assortment of painful appendages. “What was that for?!” I stand against her wall, not daring to get near her again.

Keye just glares at me, crossing her arms. “I couldn’t let you finish that sentence. You’ll never know what might have happened if you’d stayed there - things could have stayed exactly the same. Or maybe they would’ve changed completely. Who knows? No one. So don’t dwell on it.”

I growl at her; that’s way easier said than done. 

—————

-Percy-

As soon as the door closes behind Emmanuel I let out a frustrated groan. I need to stop deliberately pissing him off- or no, it’s not exactly deliberate, it’s just that…I didn’t really think about what I was saying.

Which is weird, I normally monitor every word before it leaves my lips. But I guess I should accept that things are different around my mate.

I get dressed again and wait in his bedroom; I have no idea what I’m supposed to do now, so I undo my hair and comb my fingers through it. It’s gone kind of wavy from being in plaits for several days, but it’ll straighten out again quickly, or at least it usually does.

When Emmanuel comes back to the room, I try and fail to keep a frown off my face. His scent has changed since earlier…he smells like someone else. I pointedly plait my hair despite having decided to keep it down. I just need something to do with my hands.

“Where were you? I have no idea what I’m supposed to do here,” I say eventually, glancing up from my hair to look at my mate. He runs a hand through his own hair, sitting down on the opposite edge of the bed from me.

“I went to see Keye for some advice. And to calm down.”

I appreciate his honesty, at least. “Right. Sorry for pissing you off earlier, I keep- I just say things without thinking about how they come across.”

Emmanuel finally meets my eyes, fiddling with his hands awkwardly. “It’s fine…most people tease each other and things anyway, I just…I’m working on it.”

I stand up, walking around to his side of the bed, where I sit down on the floor. “Will you brush my hair for me?” I ask, gripping the fabric of my trousers. I daren’t look to see Emmanuel’s reaction, so I just wait until he says “sure” before I let myself relax slightly.