Mated to my Nemesis

emed to seep into her bones. The tension from the fight still buzzed under her skin, but it was drowned out

serve

all she wanted, despite everything? She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. She was tired of this dance, of his push-an

e members who had witnessed the sparring session were scattered around the main room, talking in hus

e the way he l

d something strang

een Smith lik

a moment to gather her thoughts, to shove down the emotions clawing their way to t

av

rn. He had that look again - the one he always wore when he was worried about

ed, keeping his voice low. "That was

ugh her tangled hair. "It was nothing," sh

r to look at him. His eyes searched hers, softening when he saw the pain

her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I did, but... he's so confusing, Caleb. One minute he's push

ser, his hand resting on her shoulder in a comf

. "But he keeps rejecting me. He keeps acting like he's not good e

himself. He carries a lot of guilt, a lot of baggage.

she asked, her voice cracking with frustr

mply. "Scared of what this bond means. Scared of losing control. He's been th

's scared? What about me? I'm the one who's bee

, to take comfort in his solid, familiar presence. "You didn't do anything wrong," he murmured into her hair. "You're not

ded against his shoulder. "I just don't know

e her a gentle smile. "You're stronger than you think," he said

n return, squeezing his hand.

at before stepping back. "Get some rest, ok

red laugh. "I fe

nd spinning with everything he'd said. Maybe he was right. Maybe Smith was just scared, but it

. The quiet was a welcome relief, a chance to breathe without the weight of ev

r look up, and her heart skipped

s tense. He didn't say anything, just watched her, his eye

e?" she asked, her voic

door quietly behind him. "I nee

ve barrier between them. "Why?" she demanded. "So you can p

way," he said, his voice raw, like the admission cost him something. "But

or that he so rarely showed. "I'm not asking you to be perfect, Smith,"

'm scared," he admitted, his voice barely more than a whis

p his face in her hands. "I'm scared too," she said. "B

ight give her another excuse. But then something in him broke, and he crushed her against

against her hair.

against her cheek. It was messy and imperfect, but it was real. For the first time, he wa

ing away. For once, there were no words, no walls between them. Just the

be they still had a long way to go.

a beg