Klepto POV

As soon as I collapse on the soft bed, Ezra slams the door closed and turns to stare at me.

I realize with a quick sniff that I'm actually in his bedroom. I peer around cautiously, I'm in foreign territory.

The Alpha put all of the lycans in a remote cabin here in the woods. It's nice and peaceful, and I know that Ezra probably enjoys escaping the wolves in my pack.

I know I do.

His room is very plain, nothing special. He doesn't seem like the decorating type anyway.

He continues to look at me, his expression flashing to show a more vulnerable side of him. This side is unsure and nervous like a fumbling teenager.

It's actually kind of refreshing, so I smile. That smile shrivels up and falls off of my face as soon as he tears his shirt over his head, leaving his perfectly sculpted chest bare for me to see.

I'm pretty sure my eyes are bugging out as I stare. I can't believe he just did that, what is wrong with him? Is he trying to seduce me, because it's not working. Okay, maybe it's working a little.

I avert my gaze casually as if the walls are suddenly very intriguing, but positive my face is bright red with embarrassment.

"What exactly are you doing?" I ask, and I peak at him to see him grinning from ear to ear, his dark auburn hair lighter in the sunlight flooding through the windows.

"Well, I prefer to wear a shirt without rips in it, if that's alright with you of course." He lifts up his previous shirt, it's dark blue material torn in several spots.

That's when I remember his half shift moment from earlier. It must have ripped his shirt right open, and I was a little too preoccupied to notice apparently.

"No... uh... go ahead." I sound like a complete imbecile, and have to cover my face in shame.

His laughter fills the room, and I once again find myself loving the sound. I wish I could listen to his musical laughter everyday. Wait! I'm supposed to be hating that big jerk.

A drawer opens and shuts, and after a few rustling sounds he addresses me again.

"You can look now." He says, and I can hear the slyness in his voice, I glance up to see if it's safe.

He was wearing another dark T-shirt that contrasts with the light colored sweatpants he has on.

I study his face while he draws nearer, the bond that only mates have begins bubbling to life as the air grows thick around us. Despite his somewhat laid back smile, I can feel the tension he still has trapped just underneath the surface, barely keeping it restrained.

Keeping his emotions hidden seems to be what he does best.

"Why didn't you tell me it was him?" He whispers, and I jump at the nearness of his voice. He is standing right above me.

I furrow my eyebrows at him, resisting the urge to stomp on his foot.

"Well, you could guess that I wasn't very happy with you at the time. Remember what you said to me that day, hmmm?" I ask, tapping my chin.

He doesn't respond for a while.

"You're never happy with me," He sighs, smiling grimly, "and I don't blame you."

I squint at him, looking for any false motives. Did he really just admit he's a jerk? Hallelujah, it's a miracle!

"You wanted me to stay away from you, right? Then why can't you seem to leave me alone?"

"Because I need to make sure you're safe. You're all I seem to think about." He admits, and it takes a lot of effort to get it out, but once it's out there he can't take it back.

I can't pretend to be shocked, I think about him just as much. The mate bond is some pretty wacky magic, and it's relentless.

"I know I've been awful, and I'm sorry." He's sincere in what he says, but I don't want to look at him.

I don't really know what to say to him.

"You haven't been that bad. You saved me from hell, and I haven't said thank you. I do appreciate it." I gulp down my hesitancy, "If it weren't for you, I would still be down there."

When I finally glance up at him, that yellow gaze is gone, replaced with eyes as dark and as unforgiving as a black hole, you get too close and you're a goner.

That's me, the goner.

"You don't need to thank me, you shouldn't have been down there in the first place. This pack is sick and twisted, and treatment like that should be outlawed." He spits, and his rage knows no bounds.

The lycan power filling the small room constricts my senses once more. I shift in discomfort, my wolf instincts wanting me to submit to him, but I try to keep it hidden.

"But it's not." I say, tilting my head at my tall, muscular mate.

He sighs, nodding his head.

"But it's not." Ezra echoes, running a hand through his hair, which I'm coming to learn is his own personal sign of stress, "You would think these modern times would change the laws, but you'd be wrong.

"The Guard has rules against cruel and unusual punishment, but there's no set definition of what it entails. Not to mention they don't enforce it well, I could report everything that your pack does to you and they would do absolutely nothing about it."

His muscular frame leans forward, and right when I think he's about to collapse on me, he plops down on the bed next to me.

I stare at our legs dangling over the side as I think.

This is the Government that runs our lives, they work with their counterpart, the CPO, to keep us safe. They're supposed to make sure that all supernaturals are living in peace and harmony and all that stuff.

It's also the Government that Ezra works for.

It's clear to me he wants the laws to be fair, but it doesn't seem like he can do anything about it.

We are little in the grand scheme of things, and we can't change anything, even if we work as hard as we can every day.

It was a sad, sucky thing to contemplate.

"I mean, I get it. There are huge problems out in the world that the Guard has to worry about. Some insignificant omega in a werewolf pack doesn't matter. It makes sense." I say lightheartedly.

Before I know it my arm is being yanked on. Man, I need to tell him to cut that out or I'll be covered in bruises, if I'm not already.

"You are not insignificant. Don't ever say that, let alone think it. You matter more than anyone in this pack and all of the scumbags on the Guard Council." He snarls, and my head starts spinning.

Not because he just called his superiors scumbags, but because he thinks I mean more than his whole livelihood. Is that even possible?

I saw from day one that Ezra's job is his life, it's his pride and joy and he immerses himself in it so deeply.

To think I'm worth more than all that in his eyes is stunning.

It still doesn't make sense though, why he does he push me away when he cares about me so much?

If he values me, then why doesn't he want me?

I open my mouth to ask the question when something stops me. I realize that his face is literally inches away from mine.

A shiver runs down my spine, his scent overwhelming me. I'm suddenly dizzy in the haze of his presence, and I let myself sink into the floating sensation.

Ezra's breath fans across my face, and I can hear his heartbeat thudding strongly in his chest. Mine, on the other hand, is pumping so fast you'd think I'm in the middle of running a marathon.

He inches closer until his nose brushes mine, and the anticipation is killing me.

In an instant his lips are on mine, warm and rough as they move in sync. His kiss is demanding, harsh, and yet the best thing to ever happen to me.

I lean into it, kissing him back with a vengeance.

All of the built up pressure is finally being released.

We kiss for what feels like forever, the he pulls away all too quickly. My mate's eyes are ablaze, but clouded over with milky desire.

While I'm panting, desperate for breath, Ezra appears to be normal and leaves no indication of what had just happened. He's completely unaffected.

Joy overcomes me next, I can't really believe it. He does want me! He has to accept me now, he cares about me and he kissed me. This means something.

I grin at him. That had to be the best first kiss a girl could ask for, not that I really had anything to compare it to, but I can't see anything being better than that.

It's the single greatest moment of my life thus far.

Ezra's face turns hard and a soupy dread pools in my guts as he stands and turns his back to me.

"This was a mistake."

Those four words are enough to obliterate me. My insides crumble and I flinch.

"But... what about what just happened?" I say in a small voice, I'm surprised he hears me.

"It didn't happen." He insists in a cold voice, all traces of his tender emotions gone with the kiss. His mask is up again.

I can't believe I actually trusted him. He made a fool of me... again. Why does this keep happening to me? Why does the Moon Goddess hate me so much?

Taking a shuddery breath, I stare at my hands through my blurry, tear filled eyes.

"All my life, everyone's treated me like I'm nothing, told me I'm a mistake." I pause shaking my head, "I was an idiot to think you would be any different from them."

With that, I stand and march to the door. Tears spilling freely down my face.

Before he can say anything, I'm out the door and I don't waste any time waiting around. I walk through the woods by myself, not resting until I'm as far away as possible from that monster.

I can't help but wonder, what if everyone is right about me?

What if I am just a mistake?

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If you're reading this, I love you :)