The Alpha King's Human Mate by HC Dolores

The Alpha King’s Human Mate AKHM – Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (9) Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (9)

“Changing is what people do when they have no options left.” Holly Black

Victim or survivor?

Those three words rattled through Aria’s brain for the next few days as she avoided anyone with a pulse, including her mate. She knew that it hurt him ~ he’d knocked on her door a few times per day, but after several minutes of no reply

from her, she’d always hear his footsteps echo away.

Victim or survivor?

Aria wondered if it was really that simple. Alessia had made it sound so easy like flipping a switch.

And maybe it was, but Aria had no idea where that switch was.

On day three of her self-imposed isolation, Sebastian came knocking

again — and this time, he didn’t take no for an answer.

“aria,” he said, and she swore she could hear the frustration in his voice, “I know you’re in there, I know you don’t want to

talk to me…or

anyone else, but we need to.” AKHM – Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (9) She laid in the guest bed, curled into the

fetal position and ready to wait till he left, but his next words made her freeze.

“aria, I’m leaving.”

Her breath caught ~ leaving?

She didn’t say it out loud, but he answered her unasked question anyway. “I don’t want to, but I’ve been here much

longer than I was supposed to,” he explained, his muffled voice floating through the closed door. “My father and my

pack need me, and I can’t delay any

longer. I have to leave in the morning.”

Something cold and paralyzing shot through her as her wolf howled inside her head ~ he’d be gone in less than twentyfour hours.

He was leaving. Leaving her.

Sebastian’s voice cut through her internal spiral once more. “I came to ask if you’d come with me,” he said, and there was a new tinge of nervousness to his tone. “I know that we’ve had a…rocky start, but

we’re mates. We’re meant to be together. I want to show you my home. I

want it to feel like yours.” So, he wasn’t leaving her. He wanted her to come.

There was a moment of relief as she realized he didn’t intend to leave AKHM – Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (9)

her there ~ only to have it followed by crushing fear.

Flashes of her father and mother ran through her head, of the way her mother was never allowed to leave the grounds

without their father’s permission.

And then flashes of her, just as trapped at Liam’s pack. Is that what it would be like with Sebastian? She wondered.

For the first time in days, Aria spoke just loud enough for him to hear it through the door. “A-are you ordering me to

come?” She asked, and she barely recognized her own voice.

yes — of course she would – but the thought

wasn’t sure she could handle it. There was silence on

to wonder if he’d heard her, he

“Order? No,” he said.

“After all this time, you still think I’d order you to

yours, it was always yours. I thought…” He

to try with

– Bonus Chapter – Aria &

by guilt as she realized that Sebastian hadn’t been trying

the same way she’d been with Liam. He hadn’t been trying to

whole life.

to give her a choice, let her choose to come solely because

mouth to say something ~ she wasn’t sure what ~

he murmured,

through the halls, and a massive lump swelled in her

He’d proposed it like a question, not an order. She’d

her father ~ he hadn’t acted like either

and she wasn’t sure why her brain

say, Aria

on her mind: Sebastian’s AKHM – Bonus Chapter –

offer.

had good intentions. He was offering her to

entirely sure how to “work things

felt like a mismatched puzzle, half of the pieces missing, and she wasn’t sure how

been willing to try, but he’d give up

Victim or survivor?

sliced through her train of

you’re not reading

over there to dive into the next chapter—it’s all

really

just decide she wanted to be a

even if she did, what would a survivor do in this situation? Probably swallow down all their fears and

leave with Sebastian.

surely she couldn’t do

she’d been choosing that since the moment she arrived

castle.

be if I continued to stay here? A victim forever? AKHM –

down her spine. As safe as her isolated little guest room might’ve

wasn’t

to see if she could put the pieces of her life back together

be

had

the rays of dawn filtered

a survivor today if it meant not staying a victim forever. But

I’m too late?

him heading home, still convinced she thought him to be some monster, was

was only

through the hallways.

no sign of Sebastian. Had he

a corner and nearly ran into

he left yet?” AKHM – Bonus Chapter –

well as her urgency, but after a moment,

last time I

seemed to catch onto her next question because he added, “I can

frantically, and let him