Her Chosen Mate

Part 58

(POV - Aria)

The rain had finally stopped.

Aria stared out the window again, her body thrumming. The clouds still weighed down on the horizon, dark and heavy, a thick fog settling over the tops of the trees where the rain had been just minutes before.

She couldn't spot the mountains anymore, their peaks hidden behind the fog blanketing the very tops of the trees. It looked almost like a painting, or a very artistic photograph. Nothing moved in the picture before her, there were no birds flitting from branch to branch or diving through the leaves together. There was no sin to cause the furthest part of the horizon to shimmer in its sweltering rays. There was just that eerie stillness that lingered after the rain, as if nature was too hesitant to start moving again in case the rain came back.

With no small amount of guilt, Aria shifted in her seat, recalling the traitorous little swoop her stomach gave when Aiden had pressed another kiss to her lips and smiled earnestly at her. He'd left to fetch them both dinner, leaving Aria as confused as ever.

A part of her had enjoyed his touch and his affection. The only issue was that she couldn't help but wonder if that part was the part of her that recognized Aiden as her true mate and wanted him to be hers. It was the part of her that had craved his acceptance, refusing to let go of that tiny bit of hope even after Aiden had shattered her heart time and time again.

It was the part of her she wasn't sure she should trust.

Her thoughts strayed to Marcus, and she wondered what he might be doing just then, while she stared out across Aiden's territory.

She wondered if he'd decided she wasn't worth the trouble anymore and moved on. Or maybe he was on his way to confront her. It surprised her when her wolf perked up at the prospect of seeing Marcus again, of having him near and possibly indulging that need for him to just hold onto her so she didn't end up floating away. It surprised her and yet, she felt like it wasn't that surprising at all. Especially since her heart beat just a little faster at the thought of seeing him again, and butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

Had any other wolf experienced this? She had been marker and mated by her true mate and yet she yearned for someone else's touch. She felt almost empty without the sound of Marcus' voice humming in her ear, deep and steady, always so calm where she had been anxious. He settled her in a way she really didn't believe Aiden could.

And she didn't know how to move on if Aiden really was serious about starting over with her. What if her feelings for Marcus never went away? What if they only grew the longer he was away? Could she break things off with Aiden after things had progressed that far?

Maybe she should just stay with Aiden. That's what was expected, and after being on the receiving end of rejection, she wasn't sure she could put Aiden through the same kind of pain that she went through. But she couldn't shake the bone deep need to have Marcus beside her again.

"You finally get what you want and yet you're still sulking," a voice mocked from the doorway. Aria turned, so consumed by her thoughts that she hadn't even heard the door click open. It was Meredith, her slim arms folded across her chest, and deep, disapproving frown marring her pretty face.

"Excuse me," Aria said, not having caught onto Meredith's words when she'd spoken to them. Meredith rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"You finally get what you want and yet you're moping like you're still not happy," she sneered.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Meredith?" Aria said in a deadpan. With everything going on in her own mind, she didn't have the mental capacity nor the patience to help Meredith through whatever crisis she was experiencing.