Always Yours by Amicia Bianchi (best books to read fiction TXT) 📕

it was my birthday and my parents were having a party for me outside. People had already arrived but I hadn't left my room yet, I was stalling because I didn't entirely feel like going outside to see everyone. Angie would be there, and I hadn't seen her since Bryce's birthday, I wasn't sure how to face her. As a matter of fact I wasn't sure how I should face anybody down there.

 

If I was honest with myself I didn't want to go out there because I didn't want to see that Bryce wasn't there. I hadn't received any texts or phone calls from him today. He could be irritated that I didn't go to New York and decided not to fly back. Also I hadn't returned his calls and with our relationship in a gray area that might cause him to opt to stay in New York. So if he didn't come I didn't want to know. And I wouldn't know what to say if anyone asked me about it either. He'd always been there for every important moment in my life and suddenly he wouldn't be there anymore.

 

I sighed heavily, I had to go down there eventually. With a mental note to finally call Bryce back later, and a nod to myself in the mirror, I went outside. I'd call today. Some time after the party until then I would try not to worry myself over it.

 

The first people to approach me were Jason's parents, Alpha Daniel and Alpha Lindsey.

 

"Happy birthday, Alyssa honey," Jason's mother grabbed me for a hug. After pulling away I was greeted similarly by his dad as well. Jason and Angie were behind them with his sister in tow. They offered warm birthday wishes then his sister went off with some of her friends. We talked for a short time before other people demanded my attention.

 

I saw Skylar but I'd been so caught up that she simply smiled and waved. Once I got the opportunity I was headed toward her when something else got my attention. As a tidal wave of emotions washed over me I stared, rooted to the spot, with no way of escape.

 

It hit me like a freight train and I didn't see it coming. Nothing could have prepared me for the strength and intensity of what I felt. A slow smile spread across my face. I'd known months before now but I was still surprised when I turned and saw my mate standing there.

 

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

 

I continued to stare for a few moments more before nodding my head. He took my hand to lead me somewhere private and I went meekly, electric sparks shooting up my arm. We went into the backyard and, for further privacy, behind a line of bushes.

 

"I know you're probably still mad at me so I'll be quick and I'll try not to waste your time. And I'll leave after this if you want me to because I'd rather not upset you on your birthday. Anyway... Happy birthday," he rambled nervously. I was flummoxed and continued to stare up at him, not paying attention to anything he'd said.

 

"You came," I said surprised.

 

"Of course I came. As much as you might not believe it, I do care about things like this," he said. "There's no way I would have missed it, plus you didn't tell me that I couldn't so I decided to come see you."

 

"I can't believe you're here. I don't know if I should be crying or laughing," I confessed. Our mating bond amplified my feelings and with the swarm of emotion building inside me I was left stunned speechless.

 

"Please don't cry, you've cried enough because of me lately. Another reason I came was because I had to know if you were okay. I was stupid and the way I handled your feelings before was horrible. What I put you through was terrible and I shouldn't have made you feel the way you were feeling. I never meant to put you in distress like that, I'm sorry. And I'm not mad about you not coming to New York with me. I can't be mad because I did give you a choice," he confessed squeezing my hands.

 

I couldn't do anything but look at him as all my emotions clashed. I couldn't tell where he was going with this and I didn't know what to say. As I listened to his words I thought back to all those messages that he'd left on my phone every day. As I stood in front of him now, and I looked in his eyes, only the sweet things that he'd done throughout our relationship came to mind. I could see the guy who had left those sweet and silly messages on my phone.

 

In that moment I realized my mistake in all this, I hadn't fallen in love with Bryce because he was perfect. I knew before we started dating that he was capable of doing things that I thought were stupid or annoying and I knew other girls threw themselves at him. I fell in love with Bryce because of the simple things that he did and said. Little things. The things he did that originally made me fall for him, he hadn't stopped doing them. I'd simply started taking those things for granted.

 

My frustrations were always over things that I wanted him to do or thought he shouldn't do. And it donned on me that I never once told him any of those things. So he hadn't known that I was upset but every time he did something that I didn't like I internalized it as if he'd done those things just to hurt me. In light of this new found revelation a seed of hope for the future was beginning to bloom.

 

"I'm truly sorry I didn't mean to run over your feelings or make you feel that I didn't care. I mean I never intended to push you into anything and have you forced into silent obedience. I'll probably never know how much I hurt you but I just want you to know that I'm really really sorry for putting you in a place where you thought you couldn't talk to me or trust me. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get your trust back but I don't know where to begin and I'm not sure if we'll ever be able to get back from being so offset from equilibrium to find harmony," he confessed cradling my face in his hands.

 

"Bryce, what are you saying right now?" I searched his eyes, he was almost scaring me with how gravely serious he was.

 

Was he giving up?

 

He didn't immediately answer my question as I began to panic he pulled me into his arms and just held me, still without response.

Chapter 9: The Choice

"I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you, or anything, about right now but I just want to know if you think it'll ever be possible for us to end up happy together? And not just stuck together because we're mates," In that moment everything in me was still and I knew exactly what my answer was, what it always would be.

 

"Yes," I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and held onto him like he was a lifeline, "Yes, to right now. Yes, to forever. Yes, to getting back together. And whatever else you're thinking of asking, yes."

 

"Really? You're sure?" he asked stunned.

 

"Yes!"

 

"So can I kiss you?" he asked. I slapped his arm.

 

"Now you're just being annoying. Yes, Bryce!" I grabbed his head, "why would you ask?"

 

He smiled down at me and suddenly nothing mattered except us and this moment. When his lips met mine it felt right and I was where I wanted to be, in my mate's arms. My wolf was howling with joy. We could figure everything else out later. I didn't care about whatever mistakes he'd made before he knew we were mates or not, it didn't matter, because we belonged together. I was where I belonged, with him. He was mine. Mine to tame, to yell at, to be angry with, to fight with, and to make up with. He would always be mine as I would always be his.

 

At some point he'd backed me into a tree but I was too preoccupied to notice. The kiss had gone from a gentle affirmation of feelings and deepen into something more soul searing. Bold and possessive. He pushed and I pushed back. It then became a fight for dominance before a sweet surrender. I lost track of time as we continued our impromptu make out session only pulling apart for air when we needed to.

 

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat, loudly, behind Bryce catching our attention. We look separated enough to see Skylar standing there with a scowl, so I assumed that she'd been there for a while. "They're been looking for you so they can cut the cake," she announced.

 

She narrowed her eyes with contempt at Bryce and pulled on my arm. Since I was still holding Bryce he was dragged along with me. I made a mental note to explain to Skylar later that we'd gotten back together. Other than that I was smiling from ear to ear, I couldn't find it a bone in my body that felt guilty about being caught. Bryce and I shared a conspiratorial look as our fingers intertwined and from what I could tell he apparently didn't care either. Eventually noticing that she was dragging us both she let me go and settled for being silent as we head back to rejoin the party. Once we got there I saw some knowing looks but we'd definitely been caught when my mom reached over to pluck something out of my hair.

 

"What is that, honey? Is that tree bark?" she removed it and held a small piece of bark up for all to see before tossing it into the grass and patted my hair down with a knowing smile.

 

"Skylar said you were looking for me?" I asked trying to change the subject.

 

"I was, we were trying to cut the cake but if I'd known you were busy I wouldn't have bothered," she teased.

 

"Mom," I exclaimed. Bryce chuckled unashamed beside me.

 

"Well I appreciate the thought Mrs. Bairnes," Bryce pipped in.

 

"Why are you always joining in with her antics?" I complained at him, "we're here now anyway so let's just cut it."

 

After I blew out the candles and we cut the cake I took Bryce to go talk to Jason and Angelica.

 

"So I guess I can't be mad at you anymore," she huffed, "I think this calls for a shopping trip!"

 

"Maybe," I smiled. "But first what I really want to know is who was in on the plan? Because I know that someone knew about this," I confronted them pointing at Bryce.

 

"I'm a 'this' now? When did I become a thing?" he joked.

 

"You're my thing and that's all you need to worry about," I told him

 

"I didn't know anything," Angelica admitted. "So about the shopping spree yes, no?"

 

"Okay definitely yes on the shopping front," I laughed and high-fived her. "Jason, you knew and didn't give me a hint?" He shrugged.

 

"Yeah he told me but would it really have made