The Vampire’s Human / Book One ✔️
Chapter Ten: Jackasses Have Feelings Too

Mack’s eyes never left his face as he stared into the flames. He didn’t look angry or upset, there were no emotions in his dark eyes as she felt the slight tang of regret in her chest but she dismissed it for the mate bond. Mack needed to stick to her wits, he was the one in the wrong, and she just did what any rational person would do.

She wondered how he knew that she had left. She had travelled for three days straight with very little rest, the likelihood that he was able to catch up to her was near impossible but then she had to roll her eyes at her own stupidity. The mate bond would have told him that she had left and he was a vampire, speed was in their blood and he proved that time and time again.

She didn’t want to talk first, she didn’t want to be the first one to break the ice between them but the two felines had left them alone and disappeared to who knows where and she wished they would come back. In the short time, she had with them she knew that they were special. That they were the type of company you need in a hard time and she envied their owner for that. She was one lucky girl to be gifted with them.

“When I was a kid, the thought of having a mate terrified me.” He said, his eyes frowning as he refused to look away from the flames as if embarrassed that he was sharing this information. “Raph and Luke, they never cared. Luke can’t wait to replace his other half and settle down while Raph has high expectations that everyone knows his mate will never meet and me, I never wanted to replace you. I spent years travelling everywhere to replace you out of obligation. It is my duty as the future king to have my queen by my side so that day when I finally found you, I panicked. I went from never wanting a mate to suddenly never wanting to ever let you go. You are everything to me and watching you pray for my death has been the worst feeling I have ever felt in my life.” He then paused, she wanted to speak but she knew he needed to get this all out. “I understand, I have started this all wrong and I wish I could take it all back but I can’t. All I want is a chance, a chance to show you that I’m not this giant asshole that you think I am. To show you that you can come to me for anything instead of my brothers and I am sorry for how I reacted. Luke would never do anything and he was just being a friend, my jealousy that he was able to make you laugh and smile clouded my judgement.”

She was speechless, she didn’t know what to say as she sat in her place feeling like a fish out of water. Mack had a feeling that he would open up to get her to come back but she didn’t think he would open his entire soul and allow himself to be so vulnerable. Mixed emotions swirled inside of her like a storm as she silently fought with herself.

On one hand, she wanted to go over to him, grab his face and show him that everything was going to be okay but on the other hand, she hated him. She wanted nothing to do with him and just wanted to get up and leave but that side of her wasn’t fair and the kind side was giving too much. She needed an in-between but that was something she needed to be willing to give and at this point in time, she wasn’t.

“I want to forgive you.” She muttered, removing her eyes from him so that she didn’t have to see his reaction. “But I can’t.”

“And I don’t expect you to.” He matched her energy, exhaustion had taken over both of them but they both needed this overdue conversation. “I have no right to ask you for anything but all I ask is for you to come back and start again. You will have the freedom to roam anywhere you please and I won’t get in your way.”

She didn’t answer at first, her eyes feeling heavy as she sighed and rubbed them. “I need time to think about it.”

She saw him nod from the shadows the fire was casting as she curled up in her spot with the blanket her new companions gave her for the night and stared into the flames. Mack didn’t know herself anymore, she didn’t know her own thoughts and feelings when he was around and that scared her. She was always the one in control, she always knew how she felt and why she felt it but Zack has come into her life and had thrown that all away.

Now she was stuck in a cycle of mixed emotions and confusion. Her actions were justified but yet she felt like she had done the worst thing anyone could do to their other half and for that, she moved her eyes and made eye contact with him before she opened her mouth. “It’s Mackenzie but everyone calls me Mack.”

She didn’t wait around to see a response on his face as she turned around and closed her eyes hoping that sleep would take away her aching heart.