Chapter 7 Polyamorous Proposal

• “Hey! Finally, you guys are mated!” one of Miles’ friends interjects. “Albeit having two extra ones in the relationship.”
• His arm goes around Miles’ shoulders and winks at her. “I’m certain the two of you will be together.”
• “We are still in the process of resolving it,” Miles replies.
• “Hmmm, that so,” he continues. “So, when’s the mating day?”
• Izzy feels her cheeks flush at the mention of being Miles’ mate and the blatant question of when she will copulate with him. She isn’t used to this kind of attention and unfortunately; she didn’t dislike it.
• “Hi,” she says awkwardly, hoping that the conversation will veer on a different topic.
• Gratefully, the other pack members approach her with enthusiastic greetings. She tries her best to be friendly, but all she wants is to disappear into thin air.
• After a few minutes of small talk, Miles guides them towards the buffet table. He fills her plate with grilled steak and vegetables before getting something for himself as well — a common gesture that she’s been all too familiar with.
• They find a vacant table and sit down. The familiarity of their surroundings calms Izzy down and she starts eating in silence.
• “So,” Miles starts, breaking the silence between them. “How was your run?”
• “It was good,” Izzy answers, taking another bite of her food. The sooner she can finish her lunch, the sooner she can escape from Miles and all the corresponding emotions she is feeling for him. “I haven’t been able to run much lately, so it felt great.”
• “I’m glad,” he says, looking at her intently. “You should go running more often. It’s good for you.”
• Izzy nods in agreement but doesn’t say anything else.
• “Please don’t rush eating, Izzy,” he remarks. “I still want to talk more with you.”
• “I can’t. I am busy with work,” she replies with a shrug. “And I need to start soon.”
• “Surely, an hour is fine?”
• “Hmmm,” she mutters, not really answering his question.
• She can feel the tension building up between them again. She can feel his gaze on her and it makes her uncomfortable.
• “I know we haven’t really talked since... what happened during your birthday,” Miles continues after a minute of silence. “And I understand that you need some time to adjust and if you don’t want to talk about it at all.”
• Izzy feels guilty. Despite everything that has happened between them, she can’t deny the fact that she feels a deep connection to him.
• Suddenly, Miles reaches across the table to take her hand in his. Izzy feels a jolt of electricity run through her as their skin touches. She quickly pulls away.
• “Izzy, please,” Miles whispers, taking her hand again. “I don’t want things to be like this between us. We’re mates now and I want us to talk as freely as before.”
• She takes a deep breath and looks into his eyes. She can see the sincerity and desperation in them, and as always, it softens her heart.
• “Miles, you know how I feel about us.”
• “Surely, it changed now that we are mates?”
• “But if it’s just because of the mate bond, then it ain’t real.”
• Miles is about to say something when one of his friends calls him.
• “Miles!” he grins widely as he approaches them. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’re playing some ball. Maybe you guys wanna join?”
• Miles looks at Izzy expectantly, but she shakes her head. “I just had a run, and I need to work after a bath. But you guys have fun, though.”
• “Go on,” Miles says. “I will join later.”
• “Okay!” his friend says.
• When his friend leaves, he asks, “Izzy, I will wait until you feel the same way for me.”
• She doesn’t respond, and so Miles stands up reluctantly. But before leaving, he leans down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, but she evades him.
• “Izzy,” Miles murmurs, pain evident in his eyes. “Please?”
• She clenches her fists. “Fine. You can kiss me.”
• Miles smiles and leans down, but instead of kissing her on the cheek, he places a kiss on her mouth. The sudden contact startles her. Her eyes widen with surprise. But as he lingers, she finds herself closing her eyes, with her heart starting to race. The kiss is soft and gentle, a simple touching of their lips that leaves her breathless.
• Izzy knows that she should pull away, but she can’t seem to move. It tastes so sweet and so right, a stark contrast to the turmoil of emotions coursing through her.
• Miles breaks away, his eyes yearning for more. “I just... can’t help it. Having you close like this… But I promise that I will learn to control myself next time. I’m so—” he starts to say, but Izzy interrupts him.
• “Don’t apologize,” she whispers, and she realizes that there’s a slight tremble in her voice. “It’s... It’s okay. I’m one to blame as well.”
• “I’ll go play, but I won’t be far away,” he says.
• Miles gives her one last lingering look before finally leaving to join his friends outside. Izzy stays rooted in her spot, her mind racing as she tries to make sense of what just happened.
• She touches her lips, which still tingle from his kiss. Suddenly, a growling stomach isn’t the only thing needing attention.
• After a while, she gets up from the table and heads towards the bathroom for a shower. The warm water feels soothing against her skin as it washes away the dirt and sweat from her run earlier. As she stands under the spray of water, her mind wanders back to Miles. His dark brown eyes filled with longing; and the way he begs and implores for her love… it pains her as well. They are mates now, and everything that it implies is settling heavily on her.
• With a sigh, she turns off the water. She steps out of the bathroom and wraps herself in a fluffy white towel. The cool air immediately raises goosebumps on her skin. Then, she catches sight of herself in the mirror — cheeks flushed, eyes still filled with uncertainty and are sparkling with an emotion she hasn’t felt for a long time. Excitement? Anticipation? Yearning?
• She walks over to the window and peers outside. Miles is playing football with his friends, and she can distinguish his laughter from the other pack members. It’s comforting to see him so carefree.
• Standing there, watching him, Izzy thinks of how being mates changes everything between them. And just as she thought, the mate bond is a curse.