Liora's POV

My pulse quickened, and our closeness was alarming. 'I always have you in my thoughts, too; you occupy most of my thoughts," I whispered back. His expression softened on hearing that; I watched as he took yet another dangerous step closer to me and closed the gap between us. This could be it, the very moment I have been waiting for. My heart continued pounding as I waited patiently. 'I am tired of running from this," he said, almost whispering. 'I am tired of running away from you." And that was it; we became ourselves again. The awkwardness that existed between us before disappeared into thin air. We weren't staring at each other like before. It shocked me how we arrived at that point. We became free with each other once more, picking the right words for the right discussions. I was still amazed that I didn't see him reach out to touch me. The jolt of electricity that ran through my veins when he touched me awakened me to my surroundings. My breath ceased, I wasn't expecting it, but I made no effort to pull out. I had no intentions of doing that because I loved it. Jaxon's hand held mine gently. It was as if he was afraid I would disappear if he let me out of his sight for a second. His touch on my body was electrifying, tender, and soft like that of a baby. It wasn't anything close to a warrior. 'I'm very scared," I admitted truthfully with a shaky voice. 'Same here, Liora," he confessed, as he continued holding me. His words were encouraging, letting me know that I wasn't alone in the struggle. 'But that wasn't necessary; we don't have to be scared of what the future holds." Jaxon's POV I was supposed to get the hint, but I didn't. How did I miss such an important clue? Liora stood there, she was nervous, her eyes darting everywhere but my lips. She was biting her lips, her eyes careful avoiding mine but focusing on my lips. The tension was much, it was from our intimate moment the previous day. The kiss was something I couldn't afford to forget in a hurry; it was real and, most importantly, very raw. But I called her here, to make it right. We kissed without being prepared. It came out spontaneously, and even though we both enjoyed it, I felt I took advantage of her. 'Liora..." I began after the awkward moment between us melted away. 'Can I... Can I... kiss you again, please?" I waited patiently, anticipating a positive response, my heart beat increasing as I waited. Her lips parted, maybe unintentionally, but I expected it to be my invitation. She bent down, staring at the ground while keeping mute. I didn't want to impose a kiss on her the way I did the first day. I wanted her to give me her permission. I waited, but there was no response. My hope was crushed; her silence was killing me. I was expecting a response, at least to tell me her mind, but she never did. Instead, she never raised her head. When she finally did, her eyes landed on my lips. I kept wondering if I had something on my lips, was she disgusted by it? The awkward moment returned once more, and the silence stretched on. Could her silence mean a no? Why couldn't she understand that I didn't want to force her into kissing me again against her wish? I desired to kiss her so badly but at her permission. I felt the Knots in my stomach untie. Maybe she doesn't want me as much as I want her, maybe I shouldn't have asked in the first place, just maybe. Maybe I crossed boundaries I shouldn't have reached in the first place. Maybe I ... maybe I ... 'Okay then," I muttered in a low tone. I was disappointed but I did my best to cover it up immediately. stepping back slightly, trying to hide the disappointment creeping into my voice. 'I understand your point, and I respect your decision." She still didn't look at me. She still didn't say a word to me, just a reply to calm me down, but she did none of that. I smiled at her, a forced smile. I was trying to act nice, to cover up for the tension growing between us. Everything was already strained, I had ruined the moment by asking her to kiss me. 'I think we should be heading back this minute, the last sunlight for the day just faded," I said. I was overdoing myself to return to the way we used to be, but my voice kept betraying me. It was strained, adding another layer of awkwardness to our conversations. Maybe I should have kissed her without asking. Maybe she loved it when I took her by surprise. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the reaction immediately after I made the request. We made our way back to the pack in silence, worse than we were. We were able to hold a few conversations right there in the woods, but not while going back. None of us made the effort to strike up a conversation; we only concentrated on our thoughts. There was a lot to be said, but none risked saying it. My mind was a whirlwind of many thoughts. I tried figuring out where I got it all wrong. I had concluded that the kiss would bond us even more, I had assumed that it meant something to her, just as it did to me, but I was wrong. It was just yet another kiss from a lover. As soon as we got to our destination, Liora wasted no time rushing inside. She complained of being behind schedule and needed to attend to something very urgently. I stood there, wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me. She was avoiding me like a plague. Where did I get it wrong this time? I dragged myself out of her abode in shame. Maybe I was expecting much from her. Maybe I raised my hope too high, higher than she could offer. Judging from how we have been ever since her return from the Night Howlers, I should have known better not to be too forward in my advances. But it was easier said than done. I mean, the kiss was everything I wanted and more. I thought she was finally ready to let me in, I thought we could share more kisses, but my dreams came crashing at my feet. The bond may be nothing to her. And I continued going home, yet she didn't call me back, yet she didn't say yes. >>>>>>>>>> That night was the longest I had ever experienced; it was unbearable. I lay in bed but in deep thoughts. Sleep was far from me, the ceiling was my companion as I waited for the first ray of morning sunlight. All I could think of was about Liora. How I wished she told me where I went wrong. How I wished I was able to find out before going home. Maybe I misunderstood her silence as a rejection; yes, I wasn't paying attention to details. She never meant to say no, that wasn't what her silence implied. She was waiting for me to capture her lips as I did days before, but I never did. But she would have spoken up. She would have said yes after my hesitation. I groaned, in frustration, rolling onto my side, tired of replaying the unpleasant encounter and disturbing my head. I needed to rest, and until I slept, my mind would still linger on the lost opportunity to feast on her delicious members. I got up and checked one of the books I had gotten from the library while I was searching for gifts for her. I opened one of the romantic books, and on one of the pages, the author explained the meaning of reactions from ladies. I got to know after consulting the book that her silence means acceptance. She was waiting for me to kiss her, even without her saying anything. She wasn't the one that rejected me, rather, I did. I still have a lot to learn in the world of romance and ladies, a whole lot. I was angry with myself; I had lost yet another chance to bond with her. I had blown my chances. To fix this, I have to wait till dawn, I need to change the impression I had created. But there was a problem, the night seemed to wear on longer than usual. It was a long night. The ticking of the clock slowed down; everything seemed to be against me, but I waited, waiting to meet her, and we laughed over my foolishness. Memories of our first kiss came rushing back to me. I kept myself busy with the feel of her lips on mine. I had wanted to have the feeling again; that was why I requested a kiss. All I wanted was to be close to her, for us to bond even more. I wanted someone with whom I would share all my troubles with, who I would be just myself and not the Alpha with. From what happened today, and from my little research, I wouldn't be asking again next time. Even if I did ask, I knew better not to mistake her silence for a no. The wait was already becoming torture; how would I manage to stay calm til morning? All I wanted was to clarify myself, to let her know I didn't just turn my back on her. I needed to let her know that I desired her as much as she desired the whole of me. I shifted, I stood up, and I lay back on the bed, trying out different positions. All I wanted was a comfortable place; I just wanted to close my eyes for a few minutes, and I would be out to reclaim her. To have her in my arms, to make her melt under my hold, to destroy her walls once more. I can't wait for tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow, I will fix everything.