Page 36 of Protected Promise

“Kaitlyn, what’s wrong?”

I had never had to use my Alpha powers on anyone before, but I could feel them starting to brew just under the surface. I wouldn’t do that to her, I couldn’t.

“Did we, um, do anything last night?”

I noticed she was no longer naked but covered up in one of my tee shirts that was clearly much too big for her.

“You don’t remember?”

She blushed furiously.

I ran a hand through my hair and she gasped. Her eyes went wide as she reached out and pulled the neck of my shirt down.

“No, no, no, this cannot be happening. Did I do that?”

She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I heard her squeak and knew the moment she’d seen my mark.

My heart felt like someone had just taken a sledgehammer to it. She didn’t want me for a mate, and I’d clearly made the biggest mistake of my life. I was mortified. How could I have been so stupid?

“We sealed our bond last night?” she practically screamed.

“You don’t remember?” I felt like I was going to throw up.

She shrugged. “It’s all a little blurry.” Her cheeks burned brighter. “I guess I remember pieces of it.”

“I’m so sorry, Kaitlyn. I shouldn’t have allowed this to happen.”

She sighed and sat back down on the bed pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

“You were just as drunk as I was. It’s not fair to put all the blame on you.”

“My people always look to me for the answers. I’m the guy who fixes things, but I don’t know how to fix this,” I admitted sadly.

Day one and I’d already failed at this mating stuff.

Kaitlyn

Chapter 11

It wasn’t fair for me to blame Landon for everything we’d done. I knew in my heart that I had been a more than willing partner. A part of me feared I had even initiated it all.

Waking up naked and sore in a strange room had brought back so many memories and fears. I had been on the verge of a panic attack when Landon had returned.

With his presence, suddenly a peace fell upon me, erasing those worries, and it had freaked me out a million times more than the terrible memories. I couldn’t stop shaking.

He was hesitant, but eventually he sat down on the bed next to me. He opened his arms and I practically dove into them while crying. He patiently held me as he rubbed my back until all my tears had run dry.

“I’m so sorry, Kaitlyn,” he whispered.

I shook my head. “Please don’t be. I’m not upset about what happened.”

He gave me a comical look that made me laugh. I could only imagine what a hot mess I looked like with puffy red eyes, swollen lips, and likely streaks of day old mascara.

I gasped at the thought and tried to cover my face with my hands as I ran to the bathroom.

He stopped me though. “Kaitlyn, you look just as beautiful as always.”

I snorted a very unladylike sound and shook my head.