Chapter 100: _Belong To No One!

Chapter 100: _Belong To No One! As I turned my head around to see who had defied me despite me saying that I wanted to be left alone, my nose caught a scent that I couldn’t mistake even if I was drowning. My eyes furrowed as I watched Odessa walking into my room, wearing fresh new clothes which consisted of a black jacket and blue jean pants. She had her blonde hair tied up into a ponytail and her violet eyes glinted with hesitation in the darkness. I clenched my jaw, glaring at her as I turned my body to face her fully, my eyes going from her head and then to her toes. "What part of I don’t want to see you out of your room did you not understand?" I queried with a growl, taking a step forward while I left my arms behind my back. Her throat moved as she swallowed hard before a resolute expression was etched on her face, and she closed the door behind her as she took a few steps forward. "Maybe it’s the part where you dared to think that you can boss me around like some child who doesn’t know what’s best for her." She muttered, folding her arms in front of her chest. "We need to talk, Kaelos. Now more than ever." Well, well, well... I tilted my head, scrutinizing her as Damon remarked in my head. ’Damn, she’s so hot when she defies your arrogant ass.’ I grunted silently in response to him before I focused all my attention on Odessa whose features were filled with worry. "Look who’s grown a new pair of balls tonight after I saved her ass from a situation that she placed herself into," I said with a snigger, causing her to ball her hands into fists. "If you hadn’t run off, I would be in bed, sleeping instead of having this conversation with you at this unholy hour." It seemed those words ticked her off as she scoffed. "And I wonder why I decided to run off. And why did you even bother chasing after me?" She spat. Is this what she came here to ’discuss’? "Listen, hon. It’s been a long night for the both of us and I need to start launching investigations and meetings about those rogues first thing in the morning." I remarked, using my fingers to rub my forehead. "Can this conversation–" "No, Kaelos. This conversation can’t wait." Odessa interrupted with a firm tone, her gaze never leaving my face. "I’m not leaving until you explain why you didn’t just leave me. I mean, if I die you’ll be free from the burden of being mated to me, right?" What the fuck? My eyes twitched with anger at those words, so much so that I didn’t realize when I sped up to her within a second until I was mere inches away from her. I brought my face close to hers, my ears perking as I heard her increasing heartbeat despite the stoic facade she kept on her face. "If I wanted you dead so bad, why haven’t I just killed you myself?" I asked, dimming my eyes. "You saw the monster I can become firsthand in those woods. What makes you think I don’t desire snapping your neck like a twig and calling it a night?" Her jaw was still clenched and her eyes and body trembled, but she couldn’t say anything, instead sticking to maintaining eye contact. Well, since she suddenly couldn’t talk, I decided to continue speaking, bringing my right hand slowly to her jaw. "Do you know the only thing I could think about as I searched for you?" I asked, only giving her a few seconds pause before continuing. "I kept thinking that you’re mine, Odessa. So, what could’ve possibly given you the right to try escaping me?" I watched as anger flashed through her eyes before she swatted my hand off her face, taking a few steps back as she shook her head and spat. "I belong to no one, Kaelos! Especially not to a blood-drinking monster like yourself." Those words stung harder than anything I’ve ever heard in my three decades of existence. I gritted my teeth, watching as she eyed me one last time, attempting to walk away. "This was a mistake." She remarked, shaking her head. "I’ll–" Before she could open the door, I grabbed the doorknob with my left hand before I grabbed her with my right hand. I proceeded to pin her to the wall, causing her to gasp as I stared coldly at her. "Monster? You call me a monster, Odessa?!" I snarled, unable to contain myself. "Trust me, you don’t know what it means to be a monster. To be feared more than respected by your own people and mostly by the race who you’re trying so hard to make peace with." Odessa struggled to get out of my hold on her but no matter what, she just couldn’t and ended up doing nothing but helplessly staring up at me. ’Kaelos, you’re hurting her...’ Damon commented in my head just then, causing my grip on her to lessen as I fluttered my eyelids. My gaze softened as I grunted while Odessa’s eyes glinted with tears as she soon began sobbing, using her hands to clean her eyes. "I– I don’t deserve any of this." She lamented, shaking her head. "I don’t deserve this treatment from you after finding out that we’re mates and getting some hope. I don’t... I don’t deserve the treatment I get from your ex and the others... And the other..." She did not control herself anymore and broke down, forcing me to hesitantly wrap my arms around her in an attempt to calm her. Goddess, I’ve finally done it... ’Yeah, so much for being more vulnerable with her.’ Damon remarked sarcastically with a scoff as Odessa continued sobbing in my hands. I clenched my jaw, contemplating what to say or do until I finally sighed heavily. "I– I didn’t mean to..." I paused, watching as she slowly raised her head to stare into my eyes. That only made me soften up even more as I spoke the words with a strained voice. "I– I’m sorry. For lashing out like that." I said but then my gaze steeled up as I added. "But still, your escaping was a dumb move." She had a complicated expression on her face as she shook her head before using her hands to trail lines on my bare chest which was still covered in splatters of blood and sweat. "I’m sorry..." She said with a weak voice but then her face lit up as she looked into my eyes, her gaze briefly going to my lips. I could hear our hearts beating in tandem, and I couldn’t control myself anymore and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her into a deep kiss despite the blood on my body.