Noah was a big man, and seeing him on my front porch was an almost comical sight, his wide shoulders and massive height looking out of place on my small stoop. His short, dark hair was combed back from his face, his gray eyes hidden by the nighttime shadows. He'd always been good-looking, with a slightly too-large nose, square jaw, and easy smile, but he'd truly grown into himself over the past five years. There was none of the teenage gangliness left. Now he was just 6 '3 of solid muscle.
I'd have to be dead to not be attracted to him. But attraction wasn't the problem.
I knew I had to speak to him if I had any chance of him leaving. Alphas weren't easy to shake, and Noah was stubborn as hell. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.
"Sage."
I put my hands on my hips. "What in the hell are you doing here?"
Noah leaned on the doorframe, "You know I couldn't leave without telling you goodbye. Plus, I was hoping I could have an actual conversation with you instead of me talking and you just spouting off healer jargon until I leave you alone."
"There's nothing for us to talk about," I answered, and his smile faded.
"There's a lot that we have to talk about, Sage. Living in denial isn't going to change that."
My temper flared. "Dammit, Noah, I did everything right! I took care of you, I made sure you were completely healed, I sat by your bedside, and you can't even give me the single thing I've asked for!"
"What did you ask for?" "To be left alone!"
Noah ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not trying to annoy you, Sage. But how am I supposed to let you go when the bond between us is still burning just as bright as ever?"
"The same way you did before. It will be even easier this time, since we live in different territories."
"You really want me to leave." It was a statement and not a question, but his tone was disbelieving.
"Yes," I said, sighing.
Noah shook his head in denial. "No, Sage. You can't hide it from me. I know you feel the pull of the bond, too. We were best friends once. Why can't we try again?"
I snorted. "Because you rejected me, treated me like shit, and made me leave my entire life behind, but yeah. You really cared about me."
"I did care about you! You have no idea what it was like—"
"I'm sure it was really hard for you." My voice was dripping with sarcasm. "You became pack leader, and I was forced to leave because the only person I cared about in that entire stupid pack rejected me in the harshest way possible."
Noah growled. "Stop pretending like I didn't do it to protect you! That was the only way I could think of to keep you safe. To not put a target on your back."
"So why are you here now?"
"Because things are different. It's my pack now. You can be my Luna, and no one can say a damned thing about it." He took a step forward, towering over me. "You can come home, Sage."
"I am home."
He reached out, grabbing my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Is that what you tell yourself? Because your heart knows the truth. It always has."
I ripped myself away from him, stepping back into the doorway. "Noah, go away. This is the last time I'm going to ask nicely."
He was silent for a moment. Then, when he spoke again, his voice was totally under control. "I just want you to answer one question for me. Will you come back to the Silvervine pack as my mate?"
I scoffed. "No."
He exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment as he gathered himself. "Then I hope one day soon you'll forgive me for this."
Before I could ask what he meant, Noah was grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder in one smooth, effortless movement. My entire body locked up, my mind unable to process what the hell was happening.
"What are you doing!?"
"Taking you home. To your real home."
