His Gentle Beast

If Clint's heart wasn't with me, then I was done. There were plenty of human men interested in me; I didn't need him.

That night, I drank too much and accidentally ate a type of nut I'm allergic to. I immediately broke out in an angry, red rash.

I crashed at Chloe's place, and when I finally woke up, I found my phone was dead. I didn't think much of it until I got home and saw Clint with bloodshot eyes. His hair was a mess, and his clothes were wrinkled; he clearly hadn't slept all night.

His voice was as hoarse as sandpaper. "Where were you last night?"

His frantic expression only fueled my anger. "Clint, I want to sever the bond."

He didn't respond, his golden pupils fixed on the red rash on my neck from the allergy. The fire in his eyes died, replaced by pain and self-blame.

When he remained silent, I ignored him and stormed upstairs.

What was the point of keeping an Alpha who didn't love me, whose heart belonged to his ex? The sooner we separated, the sooner we could both be free, and the sooner I could find my own happiness.

Since his heart belonged to another, severing the mate bond was the only choice for both of us.

I hadn't dealt with an allergic reaction in a long time and hadn't taken any medication. By nightfall, my symptoms had worsened.

Gradually, my throat began to close, and I realized I couldn't breathe. I tried to call for help but couldn't make a sound.

Just as despair set in, Clint burst through the door. He called my name frantically and summoned the healer.

After the healer treated me, Clint sat by my bed, his eyes red-rimmed. "You idiot. How can you be so careless?"

I mumbled incoherently, "I don't need you to take care of me. Go take care of her."

Clint froze, staring at me with those reddened eyes. His fists clenched and unclenched. When his gaze fell on my chapped lips, however, he couldn't help but sigh.

He wrapped me in a blanket and pulled me into his arms. "Who are you talking about?"

I wanted to say he knew exactly who, but I had no energy left to argue. A thought suddenly flashed through my mind. Does Clint actually care about me?

Clint reached out to check my temperature. I looked at him with teary eyes, my cheeks flushed red.

Seeing me like this, his breathing immediately grew heavy. He quickly withdrew his hand, as if he wanted to flee into the bathroom again.

The fragile hope that had just sparked in my chest was instantly extinguished.

Before long, he returned and held me quietly. In a gentle voice, he said, "Go to sleep, baby. You haven't fully recovered. I'll stay here and watch over you."

I could feel his hard body pressed against my back, but my allergic reaction was too uncomfortable. I eventually fell into a deep sleep.

Clint took care of me all night, feeding me water from time to time and keeping a close watch on my condition. When I woke up the next day, I was still in his arms.

He held me all night?

I noticed the unusual tension in his body, and my mind wandered. This Alpha had been hard all night.

Such a fine body, completely going to waste.

My resentment deepened. Even if I was going to leave, I should get something out of this relationship first.

I tentatively kissed him and asked, "Clint, I'm giving you one last chance. Do you want me?"

Behind me, Clint's breathing quickened, but after what felt like an eternity, I heard his trembling voice. "Alaina, not yet. Can you please wait for me a little longer? The problem is with me, not you."

I looked at Clint, who remained unmoved. I changed my clothes and turned to leave.

This bond had to be severed.

As I steeled myself to leave, my hand accidentally brushed against Clint's. The next second, he grabbed my hand, his grip so tight I thought he would crush my bones.