Her Refusal

Stefan

I stay sitting, facing her, trying to figure out the words I need to say.

“So, us...The whole mating bond...” Sighing, I try and fix my mind. “About our bond...us being mates...”

I watch as she nods and smiles, my body relaxing.

“I, Harlyn Rich—” her words infuriate me. I quickly cover her mouth with my hand to silence her rejection.

“What the hell, Harlyn! I thought you said we were fine?” She said we were fine, she smiled, and then she tried to reject me again. “I’m sorry, okay. I take everything back, I take back the rejection, I take back my words, I take it all back.” I shout, trying to make her see sense.

She thrashes and tries to break out of my hold. “Why are you still trying to reject me, Harlyn? I apologised. You remember how we used to be before.” I beg her, trying to make her see sense.

Why would she try to accept my rejection? I wanted to shake her for being so stupid; I thought she remembered and realised how much we cared for each other.

Was it all an act to make me forget and not realise what she had planned to do? “How can you pretend that everything I said and happened made no difference?” I ask, looking at her and waiting.

“Why are you trying to reject me?” I ask, knowing that she can’t answer. But I’m scared that she will continue with the words as soon as I drop my hand from her mouth, and I don’t want that.

“Please, Harlyn, I take back my rejection. I don’t want to reject you.” I plead, waiting for her to see sense. “I want to accept you as my mate. I want us to follow through with what the Moon Goddess wanted.”

I feel her mouth drop open behind my hand. Her eyes stay focused on mine. If she just gave me a chance, I could prove I was sorry to her. I could show her I messed up, that I have changed, and that I won’t do it again.

My hand drops, and I give her a chance to reply. I hold my breath, ready to silence her if she tries it again. I won’t let her.

“Erm.” She sits and stares at me, erm? I say all that, and the best she can conjure up is an erm.

“Please, Harlyn, give me a chance to prove to you I changed; let us accept this bond, like the Moon Goddess wanted,” I say, watching as her eyes widen. I mean it, though; I want her as my mate, no one else. “I want to help bring up...” God, I can’t yet, I can’t tell her the truth about that night.

I’m so close to getting her to listen to me.

She laughs loudly, and I stare at her in shock.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I think lack of sleep has sent you insane. You should really go get some sleep.” She goes to move, and I grab her.

“Damn you, Harlyn! I am trying. I mean it. I want us to be together. I want you back!” I want it how it used to be before I turned cold and heartless towards her. For a split second tonight, I felt it when she remembered the truth.

“Screw you, Stefan!” She pushes me and shouts and seems to freeze, realising who she had just pushed and shouted at.

“We were never together, I’m not sure why you think that, but we weren’t, so you can’t get me back. You never had me!”

How can she believe that? Back then, I did. I just messed it all up.

“Harlyn, I mean it. Please accept this,” I beg, waiting for her to listen.

“Stefan, this is crazy, you’re crazy.” She laughs, and it feels like she is mocking me.

“Why can’t you just accept me? I apologised, and I accepted the blame for how things went. I want you back, Harlyn; I’m not the person I was when I pushed you out.” I plead, watching as she looks at me with a face full of humour.

“You may not be that person, Stefan, but you’re still a fucking asshole! What you did with Wayne is proof of that, so what? Now you’re jealous because you saw me with another man? Well, I don’t care.”

Her words hit me hard. I feel like we just slipped back to where we were before all this. She looked at me like she remembered the past, how much we cared for each other. Now, it’s just hatred. Where is it coming from?

“You realise just because you apologise and smile, it doesn’t make you any less of an asshole than the one before, right? You’re fucked in the head if you think that.” She glares at me, and I sit in silence, shocked by her outburst.

It’s almost like how the Viscount reacts to her, only now it is her towards me.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t swear.” She bows her head slightly, her words mocking. “My apologies, Your Majesty. Please forgive my unladylike behaviour. What would my father think?”

Wow, I sit shocked. She is certainly mocking me, and she is getting enjoyment out of this. I want to kiss her, just to silence her, but I know right now it would cause more issues.

“Harlyn, please just-” As I speak, she goes to stand, and I stop her.

“If you will excuse me, Your Majesty, I should leave now. You have a fiance and shouldn’t be spending this much time with me.”

Screw Diandra! I’ve had enough of this, of Harlyn mocking me.

“No.” My word is meant to come out as an order, but I fail, and she laughs. God, I don’t understand this at all.

“I need to go see my fiance. I apologise, Your Highness, but it is he who should get my attention at night.” He? I growl and grab her to stop her from moving.

“Stop speaking of him!” I snap at her, and she pulls against my grip.

“No, why should I stop speaking of the man I love? The one who, yes, Stefan, I am going to let claim me tonight, and you can’t stop it.” She pulls and breaks free of my hold. I can.

“Fine, if you don’t listen to reason, then I make you.” I pull her body to mine and feel her stiffen in my hold. My mouth kisses her neck, and she fights to escape my hold. Opening my mouth, I bite down against her neck.

She can’t leave now; she won’t physically or mentally be able to distance herself from us, and Wayne can’t claim her.