Claimed (Werewolf boyxboy)

Chapter 6

Ortiz

I slumped down in my seat, grinding my teeth together and glaring daggers out of the window as I seethed with anger and confusion. 

My arms were crossed tightly across my chest, the only thing keeping me from snapping completely being the sharp pain of my bitten fingernails as they dug into my bicep, leaving deep, crescent shaped marks in my skin. 

I could quite literally feel Corey's piercing gaze from the chair beside me, but I refused to lift my head and meet his eyes. Quite frankly, I was terrified of what I might see.

"Well, this is new." 

My eyes remained trained on my worn shoes as Benji, our pack medic, spoke. We'd congregated in Osias' office after the realization that this was not - to my fucking horror and dismay - some kind of sick joke, and that Corey and I really couldn't seem to move more than 5 feet away from each other.

It was as if we were connected by an invisible tether, and if either of us attempted to leave, it would cause a deep, sharp pain - like a red hot fire poker - right in the center of both of our chests. 

"I've never heard of or seen anything like this before, not even during my fae medical training. It has to be some kind of old lore, I don't know how else to describe it." Benji continued, shaking his head. His tone of voice suggested he was utterly confused, just like everyone else. 

Glancing past the fringe of dark hair that hung in front of my eyes, I cracked the slightest smirk at the sight of Benji's brother, Daffodil, who stood silently in the corner. He was physically here, but mentally somewhere else entirely as his huge, alien-like eyes were unfocused and staring into the distance. 

Ever since his encounter with Tyrus that I witnessed in the living room, he'd taken to braiding the wild forest flowers in his long, yellow hair every morning. It was obvious that the miniature Fae already had Tyrus wrapped around all of his fingers, as the man could be seen out of the window every morning at the break of dawn, picking the flowers from the edge of the forest to bashfully present to the tiny creature the moment he woke. 

I would be lying if said I wasn't slightly jealous of their budding relationship. It just seemed so easy, a complete contrast to my complete mess of a pairing.

"I do not want him to be forced to be around me when he loathes my presence." Corey's calm, deep baritone caused me to noticeably jump in my chair beside him, my skin tingling at the sound. 

I hated how my body reacted to him, how even a slight twitch of his pinkie finger threatened to send me to the floor, baring my neck and rolling over like some submissive bitch. Just the thought sent me on the defensive, words flying out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"I don't want to be in his presence. So do whatever the fuck you need to do to sever this thing." I scowled at the wall, my jaw ticking as I still refused to meet Corey's gaze. If I did, I knew my facade would shatter in an instant, and I'd be at his feet in no time due to this stupid fucking mating bond. 

I knew I was hurting him with my words, and in the back of my mind I knew he hadn't done anything to deserve it, but words fell from my mouth like vomit, and it seemed like I was possessed as I simply spewed whatever hurtful thing came to my mind first. 

I pressed a hand against the center of my chest, the burning sensation still all too present, but significantly dulled due to Corey's close proximity. If I was forced to look on the bright side of this situation, I could admit it was nice to have at least some kind of excuse to be near him now, for the mere fact that it would help dull this painful torture in my chest.