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.

she would – but the thought of being trapped like she’d been with

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

to wonder if he’d heard her, he

“Order? No,” he said.

you still think I’d order you to do something you didn’t want

it was always yours. I thought…” He paused. “I thought you might want to come with

willing to try with

– Bonus Chapter –

replaced by guilt as she realized that

with Liam. He hadn’t been trying to leash her the way her mother had been leashed

whole life.

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

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

be alone,” he murmured, “So…ll

the halls, and a

it like a question, not an order. She’d been the only one to call it

Liam or her father ~ he hadn’t acted like either of them for a

wasn’t a monster, and she wasn’t sure why

say, Aria

with only one thing on her mind: Sebastian’s AKHM

offer.

her to come with him because

wasn’t entirely sure how to

half of the pieces missing, and she wasn’t sure how to put it back together

been willing to try, but he’d give up

Victim or survivor?

sliced through her train

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over there to dive into the

really that

decide she wanted to be a survivor, and that’d solve

a survivor do in this situation? Probably swallow down

leave with Sebastian.

surely she couldn’t do

wondered if she’d been choosing that since the moment

castle.

to stay here? A victim forever? AKHM – Bonus

her isolated little guest room might’ve

it wasn’t feasible

to want to venture outside, to see

be too late

had to choose

filtered through her window, the

it meant not staying a victim forever. But Sebastian said he was leaving

I’m too late?

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

time in days. She was only

through the hallways.

no sign of Sebastian. Had he left

turned a corner and nearly ran into what looked like

“Where is he? Has he left yet?” AKHM – Bonus Chapter –

guard looked startled by the abrupt question as well as her urgency, but after a moment, he

last time

her next question because he

frantically, and let