Chapter 136: You can’t love a runt.
**Zion
pov**
She was trying to hide from me. Whatever was the real reason behind her reluctance had to be massive, just as huge as the reason for her hatred for my species. As much as I wanted her to open up and tell me what was going on, deep down, I knew pushing her would be the wrong thing to do.
If Kala were to tell me anything about her past, it had to happen on her own insistence, not my demands. The same thing had to be applied to her explanations of sneaking in and getting to Aife.
After what felt like ages, her expectant eyes focused on me. I was sure she wouldn't look my way out of disgust, but against all odds, she did, and man, did it make me feel like I was at the top of the world. "You're so pretty," I blurted out in one breath, surprising myself.
I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable in my presence, but I couldn't help myself. She was, in fact, so darn pretty, it was hard to keep my eyes off her.
On top of beauty, Kala had this energy that surrounded her, like a light aura that pulled me in and held me captive. I couldn't leave her alone even if I wanted to.
And then, it happened. The woman had to add the final blow to my heart when her cheeks turned light rosy pink and her eyes widened, just a little, but they did as if my statement surprised her.
"You're not supposed to compliment the runts," she spat and instantly slapped a hand over her mouth as if she just told me more than I was supposed to know.
I frowned and watched her, waiting for a little more information to follow up on her statement, but she provided none. Instead, Kala looked away and nearly broke my heart by doing that. I knew that the look of hurt on her features wouldn't leave my mind - it would haunt me in my dreams.
Carefully, I got a little closer to her, leaned in and whispered, "in my eyes, you can be anything you want but that. Don't call yourself a runt, okay? I don't like that word and hate the idea of you ever being addressed by it."
Her head snapped in my direction faster than I could blink. "Why are you so stupidly nice to me? Why are you so hell-bent on making this ordeal more difficult than it should be?" She cried out, tears already streaming down her cheeks. My chest tightened. While she still looked breathtakingly beautiful even crying, I couldn't take it. My mate wasn't supposed to be sad - ever. It was an instinct that I followed, but I didn't regret it as I wrapped my arms around her frail body and pulled Kala into my lap, holding her tight.
To my surprise, she didn't fight me. Instead, she laid her head on my chest and cried her heart out while whispering something I couldn't understand. It didn't matter, she could say anything for as long as I got to hold her like this. "I'm not trying to make anything harder for you, Kala," I whispered and gave her a chance to reply, which she ignored, so I kept going.
"I didn't come here to give you a hard time or force you into a position you couldn't escape. I came here to tell you how I feel. What I feel. Clearly, since you hate wolves so much, you know a thing or two about us. I was ready to let you do whatever you want to, but after talking to Aife, I had to take a chance and at least come clean with you. I love you, Kala. Even if you think it's impossible, too soon, or too stupid to make sense. I love you. And I will, even if you choose to rid yourself of the fleabag that has been crazy about you ever since his stupid brain kicked in and realized you are it for him."
As soon as the last words left me, I felt like a massive weight just fell off my shoulders. Kala stopped crying, but still didn't attempt to break out of my arms, so I took it as a good sign.
At the end of the day, I knew how this could go - sooner or later, I would have to accept the fact that this was the first and last time I got to hold her. If this was all I could get, I wanted to make the most of it.
"You can't love a runt," she muttered after what felt like ages.
An unexpected growl broke out of me as I tightened my hold around her. "Don't call yourself that! You're my mate, my perfection, the center of my damn universe, not a runt. I won't allow you to call yourself that even if I get the pleasure to call you my mate for a few minutes only." I forced the words through gritted teeth.
Kala had no idea how much it upset me to hear those words coming from her. How could someone so perfect think so little of herself was beyond me.
Had she ever seen herself in a mirror? Had she ever thought of herself as more than just something she had most likely been called once or twice? I couldn't imagine a person so ruthless to call this precious little creature a runt even in my worst nightmares.
"Zion?” Her voice broke me out of my thoughts. Looking down, I noticed that she was gazing at me and her hand was cupping my cheek. "You're shaking. Are you cold? You should get out of here and find somewhere to get a little warmer." Kala whispered.
Did she have any idea what she was doing to me? She claimed she didn't want or need me, yet she worried about my well-being while she was the one, who was locked in the cells.
I didn't think, just acted. Grabbing her hand in mine, I brought it to my lips and sighed. "I'm not cold, love. I was a little angry, that's all." I whispered against her skin.
She tried to pull her hand away from me, something I didn't allow her to do. "Are you angry at me?" Kala asked once she realized that getting rid of me wouldn't be as easy as she thought it would. "Not at you," I chuckled. "I'm angry at whoever made you believe that you are nothing but a runt. I'm angry at whoever made you believe that you are not enough or less than others. Never at you." The smile that spread across her lips was so bright, I wanted to see more of it. I wanted to wake up and see that smile first thing in the morning, but sadly, it disappeared far too soon. "Cats and dogs don't mix," she suddenly announced.
Maybe it was foolish of me, but I wasn't ready to let go of the hope that burned inside my heart. The flame was too bright, too hot and far too powerful to be ignored.
So, I leaned down until my forehead rested against hers and whispered, "that's what everyone says. How about we flip them off, tell them to fuck themselves and prove them all wrong, huh?"