Page 58 of His Arranged Plus-Size Mate

He moved closer, and his hands reached out to cup my face. “Hazel, I don’t want you to feel like you have to fight for this. That’s why I’m trying to do it. So, just tell me what you want. How can I help?”

I wanted things to be easier. I didn’t want to feel like I was constantly having to prove that I was a person, too. That I had feelings and emotions. I wanted to belong.

But I couldn’t say that. “I want to sleep.” It wasn’t a lie. I was exhausted. We’d been up since the early hours, and I was trying so hard just to stay standing.

I could see the hurt cross his face. He knew there was more, but I wasn’t telling. He moved closer, his body pressing against mine. “Is that all? You just want to sleep?”

I stared into his eyes, finding it so different from what it was before. When I looked at Asher, I used to wonder how I would spend time with him. He always seemed so cold and emotionless, but I could see what was underneath his mask. There was so much more to him.

I nodded. “It’s been a long day.”

His forehead pressed against mine. “I’m sorry. About all of this. I should have listened to you when you said it wasn’t a good idea. This is not on you.”

I could hear his words, he said to his father. He thought it was on him. “You all agreed to go. So, it’s not just on you either.”

He kissed my forehead and leaned back. “Are you going upstairs?” I could see the hope in his eyes. His fingers were tight on my hips.

“I don’t want to get in the way of your sleep. You need your rest, and I seemed to be wrong that sleeping with you helped me sleep better.”

“Screw my sleep,” he inhaled, his lips pressing against my forehead.

I let him pull me down the hallway to his bedroom. I watched him throw the sheets up, and we both crawled under them. The house went silent as he wrapped his arms around me, tugging me back against him.

I felt him kiss the back of my neck, his breath tickling my hair. I could feel him relax, and tears burned in my eyes. I loved how safe and right this felt. And it hurt to even think about leaving.

I don’t know how long I lay there being helped by him. I stared at the wall, taking in the few pictures he had hung. I would miss looking at his photography. I was going to miss listening to his stories and watching his eyes light up when he spoke.

We wouldn’t be taking the trip together. And we wouldn’t be sharing a future.

I wiped away a few tears and looked over my shoulder. Asher was deep in his sleep. His face was relaxed, and his body was limp against me. I moved slowly, sliding forward. I felt his fingers slip from my hip as I got to my feet.

I turned, looking at him, wanting to remember his face. I knew that he was going to be hurt at first. He wasn’t going to understand why I was doing this. But over time, he would moveon. The thought of me would slowly disappear, and he would find someone else.

It would be a relief for him in the end. He didn’t need to worry about protecting me. He wouldn’t have to fight for his family to approve of me, or lose them. He would move on.

I slipped out of the room and headed down the hallway. I made my way up the stairs and slid into my room. I opened my closet and grabbed a few things. I grabbed a small bag and stuffed them inside. I turned around, snagging the pictures on my nightstand. I didn’t bother with the money or the keys. I wouldn’t need them.

I made my way back down the stairs and slipped on my boots. I pulled on my jacket and took a look around the house. This place that I had thought for a moment would be mine. This marriage was fake, but it hadn’t felt fake in a while.

I slipped outside and headed down the sidewalk. I walked slowly, wiping away tears as I walked.

I knew leaving was the best answer for everyone. My connection with the others wasn’t safe. It was clear that they must have seen me in the dream. How else did they know that we would be going there?

It was better this way. I was protecting the pack by leaving. They could stay in the barrier, and the hybrids wouldn’t be able to touch them.

I could see the woods in the distance, and my stomach flipped at the idea of going into the woods alone. After everything I saw, I knew just how south this could go. But I couldn’t think about myself. I needed to think about everyone.

I pulled the bag tighter and stopped as I got to the edge of the woods. I could hear the wind howl, and the trees swayed. I felt every hair on my body raise, and I swallowed.

“You have to go,” I whispered to myself. “This is better for everyone.”

I couldn’t stomach more dying because of a bad call.

I headed forward, holding my head high as I walked. I moved quietly, watching where I stepped. I didn’t want Asher to be able to track me. I knew he would. His first thought would be to come out here and look for me.

I didn’t want him to follow. I wanted him to hit a dead end and be forced to turn back. I wanted him to stay safe in the barrier.

I walked where there was no snow and zigzagged. I went up a hill and down. I was tired, but I forced my feet to keep moving.