Chapter 410: Want you to love me
Katelyn couldn’t focus on her work the entire day. The thought of Sage being her mate stirred a strange sensation in her body, one she was desperate not to acknowledge.
’Why did it happen?’ Katelyn thought, her mind restless. ’I have planned out an entirely different future for myself. Now, him being my mate will make everything worse.’
Her wolf, Silver, spoke softly in the back of her mind, her voice tinged with amusement, ’I already like him.’
’Are you serious?’ Katelyn snapped inwardly, her thoughts sharp.
’Well, don’t you like him? I mean... He has been good to you. Unlike Karmen, who always hurt both of us, Sage at least didn’t do anything like that. Even we are so far, I can already feel the pull between me and Nyko.’
Silver’s joy was unmistakable, spreading like warmth through Katelyn’s chest, making her shiver involuntarily. She couldn’t deny that recently she had felt drawn to Sage in ways she hadn’t expected.
’But he didn’t call me once. If he truly wanted me, wouldn’t he have?’ Katelyn thought.
And if her thought had been heard, her phone rang, the screen lighting up with Sage’s name. Her breath caught, and she hesitated, her thumb hovering over the answer button. But before she could decide, the call ended abruptly.
Katelyn gathered her things and left the office in silence. She drove home, resolving to meet Sage after freshening up. Yet, as she reached the lobby of her apartment floor, her steps slowed, almost as if drawn by an unseen force.
Sage was pacing in the lobby.
Again, she and Silver felt that undeniable pull toward him. His pacing stopped instantly, and his eyes locked on hers.
"Are you upset?" Sage asked softly.
"You shouldn’t be outside," Katelyn replied cautiously. "You’re in your rut."
"I took the suppressants," Sage admitted, stepping closer. His voice dropped low. "You’re my mate. Then why did you run away from me? Is that even right?" His growl carried an undercurrent of frustration, his wolf’s anger evident.
"I—I was shocked," Katelyn stammered, avoiding his gaze.
"No. You hate me, don’t you?" Sage frowned deeply. "Nobody ever liked me. But I’ve silently prayed to the Moon Goddess to give me a mate who would be genuine with me... Who would not fake love towards me."
Katelyn’s lips parted slightly. Against her better judgment, the words slipped out. "What about your ex? She seems to be in love with you."
"The woman my stepmother supports will never love me," Sage said. His gaze hardened. "You know nothing about me. And you can blame my rut for this emotional breakdown, but Katelyn... I want you to see the real me. I want you to love me. I want you to smile at me. Don’t be like the others. Don’t ignore me."
His head lowered as he reached for both of her hands.
Katelyn spotted a couple walking past the building as she decided to take Sage inside her apartment.
"Let’s go in," she whispered, gently tugging him toward her door. She quickly entered the password, the lock clicking open, and stepped inside. Sage followed closely, and she shut the door softly behind them.
When she turned, she noticed how close he was. His hot breath almost fanned the tip of her nose and she had to take back a reluctant step.
"Let’s sit first and talk," she murmured, slipping off her heels and sliding into her slippers. She moved toward the living room. Sage trailed quietly behind her.
She lowered herself onto the couch.
"Look, I don’t hate you anymore," Katelyn said softly. "So don’t be upset. I—I planned entirely different things for myself. You don’t have to feel low."
"Don’t say those words just to keep my heart," Sage murmured.
"Fine," she replied.
"Didn’t you feel restless being away from me?" she asked.
"I did. I was going fucking insane! You left me like..." He trailed off, his jaw tightening. "I couldn’t follow you because of my rut. I didn’t want it to get worse."
"But you took suppressants," Katelyn murmured, raising an eyebrow.
"I mean... other factors could have triggered it back," Sage said, sliding closer. He sat beside her and gently took her hand in his. The moment their skin touched, the same undeniable pull surged between them again.
"You’re different, Kate," he whispered. "Initially, I wanted to follow my father’s instructions, but as I spent more time with you... I wanted to have you for myself. I truly wanted you to marry me. And now finding my mate in you, I can’t let you go anymore."
"So, you’re saying you have feelings for me. But you never acted like it," Katelyn complained softly, searching his eyes.
"You would have yelled at me. Or maybe laughed it off as a joke," Sage replied earnestly. "Just because I casually hung around women in the past doesn’t define my entire personality. Don’t you think? You’ve spent enough time with me. You must’ve noticed."
Katelyn fell silent, her mind swirling with thoughts she didn’t voice.
Then, his pheromones hit her senses like a wave.
"Hey... you are—" she began, lifting her head only to freeze. The colors of his pupils had shifted to a deep, glowing red.
Sage didn’t answer. Instead, he lowered his head and buried his face in the crook of her neck. The warmth of him pressed against her skin, his breath brushing lightly over her pulse point.
Katelyn bit her bottom lip and swallowed hard. Every nerve in her body screamed to pull away before she would lose the control. And this closeness was shattering the control she’d fought so hard to maintain.
"Your pheromones... smell like... crushed jasmine petals," Sage murmured against her skin. His lips were just an inch apart from sucking her neck.
She should be pushing him away like she always used to do, but she was unable to. His rough lips brushed her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Kate, can we just share a kiss?" Sage asked for her permission despite the slipping control he also tried to maintain with her.