Tasting 117

117–He Is Embarrassed Of Me.

Nora:

“Nora!” I heard a call from behind me as I walked through the hallway with my bag. Almost everyone

had left, so it was pretty much just me. and the caller.

“Brody!” I gave him a fake smile, trying to look upbeat and unbothered.

“You were amazing at the training ground today,” he said, his hands. on his waist. I instantly rolled

my eyes at his lie.

“Oh come on, I was dying!” I joked, and he began to laugh.

There was an awkwardness surrounding us for some reason, but I knew it was because of

something he had to say.

He was constantly itching the back of his neck and his scalp, rocking back and forth as if trying to

gather some courage to say it.

“What is up?” I finally asked him, and he sighed.

“You never told me what your plans were about that date–” he paused when he saw me struggle to

make eye contact with him.

“It’s been a really tough week. I was hoping I could answer you some other day,” I hated that I was

dragging it out so much. But I was a bit nervous about my dynamics with the brothers at home.

“That’s alright. I am sorry if I am being too pushy,” he instantly stepped back and raised his arms to

show defeat. I wanted to tell him I had already found mates and that the little spark we felt before

could no

117–He is Embarrassed Of Me.

longer go anywhere.

But then I was so worried he would turn on me that I held it in. First Natalya, and now him. That

would be too much.

“I will go now,” I uttered, pointing at my destination.

“Okay! Have a good day. I will see you tomorrow,” he whispered, and I walked away with my head

down and so many thoughts crowding my mind.

Once I was out of school, I hopped on behind Ryker and put on the helmet. It didn’t dawn on me

until he stopped in the middle of the road near the woods that he had been awfully silent. Of course,

something was going on in his head, so he parked his bike that way.

“Why are we stopping here?” I asked, instantly recalling the long drive he spoke about. “Are we

going somewhere?” I asked excitedly.

He took off his helmet and placed it on the bike, pacing away to run his hands through his hair and

gasp for breath.

“Ryker! Did something happen?” I inquired, and he finally stopped wandering around to face me.

“What was Brody talking with you about?” he inquired, his hands on his waist and his head tilted.

Right off the bat, I didn’t like his judgmental stares.

“Oh, that–” I sighed, wondering if I should tell him or if it would bother him too much.

“Yeah, that—what was that all about?” he questioned more sternly, making me rethink if I should

even tell him a lie. He seemed so worked up already.

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He is Embarrassed Or Me

“Nora!” he asked again, and this time, I turned my back on him.

“He had asked me out on a date,” I replied and covered my face in my hands, hoping when I

opened my eyes, all my worries would have vanished.

“Huh? Tell me you denied it,” he insisted, and I had to uncover my face to look at him with defeat in

my eyes.

“Are you kidding me?” he understood I didn’t deny it directly.

“I asked him for some time—it’s just that last time when he asked, I was already upset with you, and

then this time–,” I instantly shut up, watching Ryker narrow his eyes at me.

“He asked you twice, and you haven’t answered him?” Ryker hissed, his eyes showing the type of

anger I bet he showed towards the

monsters.

“Ryker! I don’t even know what I am going to reject him for. Who am I denying him for?” I finally

grabbed my courage and demanded an answer from him.

“For me,” he replied much more authoritatively.

“And I can tell him that I am not going out on a date with him because I already found my mate, who

is going to accept me?” It was not how I wanted to discuss this topic. I hated being the one to bring

it up, but he had been avoiding it as if it wasn’t even an issue.

The anger and authority on his face that scared me a minute ago vanished, and he took a deep

breath before shaking his head.

“No!” he answered under his breath, barely audible while he hid his face and pinched the bridge of

his nose to hide his sight.

117 He is Embarrassed of Me

“Huh? You are not going to ever tell anyone we are mates?” My tone changed this time.

“Ahh! Not right now,” he took a deep breath, sighing repeatedly, but it only made things worse for

me.

“Why not?” I asked, not even blinking, and he noticed that I was super serious about this topic now.

“Because it is—too soon,” he uttered, still hiding his eyes from me.

“Too soon even after you took my virginity?” I let out a laugh, watching him shake his head and then

stretch his neck back to stare at the sky.

“Nora! I cannot tell anyone you are my fated mate,” he let go of a deep breath and said the most

horrific thing a mate could hear.

“Why?” I gulped angrily.

“You are also mates with my brother–,” the minute he said that, I stepped back from him and he

finally raised his head to look me in the

eye.

“It is just that—you will have to reject him first for me to say we are mates. And that too, you will

have to tell everyone that you are my second chance mate,” he demanded, leaving my jaw floored.

“I don’t get it. Why are you putting out so many terms and conditions?” I was clenching my jaw and

slowly but surely, I was losing my patience

with him.

“Are you embarrassed of me having two mates?” I inquired as I began to wonder if it would be

frowned upon for a she–wolf to have two

mates.

117–He is Embarrassed Of Me

He paused for a while but then turned his back on me. And that’s when

he answered my question with his silence.