Battle Of The Ages – s i x t e e n –

“Wake up, Sweetie.” A familiar voice spoke softly close to my head, shaking my shoulder.

I groaned in response, “Buzz off.” I feel like I just fell asleep 5 minutes ago and I didn’t want to get up. Is this what depressed people feel like?

“That’s not very nice, sweetie.” The voice chuckled lightly and I shrugged their hand off my shoulder.

“That’s the nicest way I could phrase it.” I mumbled into the pillow and prayed silently to the Goddess above that this bitch would leave me the hell alone in the next 2 seconds.

“And I appreciate the effort and I’ll reward you for it later. However, I let you sleep for the past 4 hours and you need to get up and eat, drink some water, and stretch.”

“No. Keep your dumbass reward and let me sleep. I’m not up to fuck. I’m also not hungry or thirsty so buzz the fuck off.” I grumbled, letting the swear words emerge instead of restraining them. What he going to do? Hurt his mate? I’ll report him faster than he can swing at me. I’m not afraid anymore.

“Mm, I’ll just pass off your attitude as cranky because you just woke up. Now up. You can sleep again in a few hours.” He proceeded to rip all the blankets off of me and scoop me into his arms, bridal style. I’m a daze, I didn’t comprehend what happened until a few moments later.

I looked around the dark room. Large floor length blackout curtains were pulled shut to cover the floor length windows that made up the whole wall in front of the bed. They weren’t shut when I went to sleep earlier. Light still flooded in through the smaller windows around the room and from the cracked open bathroom door.

“Put me back down.” I pushed against Lukas but instead his grip tightened.

“Now why would I want to do that? I got the most precious thing in the world in my arms right now. Why would I put it down?” Lukas cooed and my face felt the familiar burning sensation that Lukas always caused.

My words came out as stutters before I finally pulled together a sentence, “Y-You’re not funny! Put me down!”

“I’m not funny but your little sex jokes are? I don’t see how that makes sense, Sweetheart.” Lukas smiled as he started walking out the room and through the house. I tried to push my way out of his arms but Lukas wouldn’t allow it.

“Are you trying to fall down another set of stairs, Grayson?” Lukas scolded me as I squirmed around in his arms going down the stairs.

“It would be for the same reason too.” I mumbled, stopping my movement until we reached the bottom floor.

Lukas glanced down at me and sighed, “You shouldn’t have been there in the first place. It all could’ve been avoided.”

“You shouldn’t have been there in the first place.” I mimicked him in a high pitched voice. “I shouldn’t be in Maine right now so what’s the fucking difference?”

“Don’t use that tone with me. I don’t appreciate it and you won’t appreciate the consequences. You’re on thin ice right now so let’s not push it, understood?”

“Are you really threatening to hurt me right now?” I glared at my hands that were sitting in my lap and started picking at my nails. I knew he was the same as my deadbeat father.

His eyes widened and he set me down on the counter in the kitchen, trapping my body in between his arms.

“Look up, Gray.” Lukas’ tone turned quiet and soft; inviting.

I continued to look at my lap and picking at my nails. The hand to my right moved to separate my two hands. The skin around my thumb had started to bleed.

“I told you to quit that.” Lukas sighed. “Stay put.”

His hand left mine and he moved away from me. I heard the sink run and a cabinet open and shut. I started scratching at the skin around my ring finger in the meantime.

I started picking my nails a little bit into Freshmen year. That’s when school and sports go really stressful and I don’t know how but somehow it just calms and down and relieves some of my stress. It doesn’t really hurt so I don’t see why I should have to stop. I’m not going to fail or succeed depending on what my nails look like.

“”Quit that.” Lukas returned in front of me. He took my bleeding hand and gently wiped away the blood with a wet washcloth. He then dried my hand off and put a little bit of ointment on the cut. He wrapped a bandage around my finger and grabbed the rest of my hand, inspecting all my nails. He did the same with my other hand but didn’t bandage any of them because none of them were bleeding.

He took my bandaged finger up to his mouth and kissed it gently, closing his eyes. 

I watched him in a daze, sparks traveling down my fingers. It took me a few moments to realize what was happening before I pulled my hand away.

“Why’d you do that?” I asked slightly panicked, my eyes finally meeting his.

Lukas grinned stupidly causing the skin around his eyes to crinkle, “Because kissing it makes it feel better.”

“I’ve never heard that before.” There’s no way that’s a real thing. That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I mean, pressing your lips against a wound isn’t going to magically heal it or relieve any pain.

“Hm? I guess it’s something parents do for little kids when they get hurt. They kiss the scratch or whatever little cut it is and tell them that their kiss will make it feel better. It’s like a placebo. My mom always did it for me when I would get cut up playing or training. I thought she was magical because it always did feel better.” He chuckled at the memory and my thoughts saddened.

I never got a parent that was loving enough to make me feel better when I was hurt. Hell, he was the one hurting me.

I wish I had my mom to kiss me and tell me everything would be okay.

“My mom’s dead so good for fucking you.” I grumbled, hating this conversation. The universe isn’t fair. Why didn’t I get to have the experience everyone other kid did? Why did I have to grow up so early? Why me? Why the abuse?

Sometimes I wish I wasn’t even born. That in end my mother was just infertile and never had children. The world would’ve been a lot better place if that would of happened. My mom would be alive, my dad would never have become and addict and abuser, and they would’ve been happily married. Together.

I wouldn’t have suffered years of abuse and rape and countless nights cleaning my own blood off myself and the floor. Years and years of mental trauma and physical scars that will never go away, no matter how much therapy I attend it doesn’t fade away. No matter how much I age and no matter how much time passes the scars still display wickedly across skin.

“I’m sorry, Grayson. That’s a tough thing to go through, especially when you’re still so young.” Lukas whispered and held my face in both his hands, his dark eyes gazing into mine.

Kiss me. Make me feel better.

I don’t know where the thought came from but in that moment the mate bond pulled harshly on my heart. For a brief moment I wanted nothing but for Lukas to smash his lips against mine, my skin against his.

I tried to shake the thoughts out of my head. What am I thinking? I don’t want Lukas to kiss me. That’s the last thing I want.

“It’s fine I mean I never really knew her.” I shrugged.

“What about your dad? What happened to him?”

“How do you know he’s gone?” I questioned. I never told him I didn’t have parents.

“To take you, I didn’t need parental permission I just needed your Alpha’s permission. I asked Alpha Straits why not because that’s typical protocol because you can’t just take children away from their parents—mates or not—and he told me it was just you. That’s all he told me I wanted you to tell me the actual details when you were ready.” Lukas explained and I nodded. Stupid Alpha selling me away just like that.

“I ran away from my dad. I don’t actually know if he’s dead. Hopefully he is. I don’t know though. Where’s my food? You woke me up to interrogate me about my life?” I was getting a little annoyed. All the windows were open down here and the light bounced brightly around the kitchen, annoying my head.

“Sorry, Sweetie.” He let go of my face that he was still caressing and turned to grab the plate of food sitting in the oven. He placed the plate at the carved wooden table and walked back to me.

“Can you walk or do I need to carry you?” Lukas smirked and I shoved him and hopped off the counter, walking to the table.

“Annoying ass.” I mumbled under my breath and sat down.

The plate in front of me held honey-glazed salmon, brown rice, and a variety of green vegetables. The food looked amazing even though I was a bit skeptical of the salmon. Seafood wasn’t really my thing.

I found out I was allergic to shrimp a few years ago by accident and that was not a fun experience. My face swelled like a balloon and my words sounded like a fish trying to talk.

I ate the vegetables first. Keagan can confirm but sometimes I would eat just a head of broccoli by itself when I was hungry. I just like vegetables for some reason and soccer controls a lot of my diet because I don’t do good when I’m weighed down by tons of sugar.

Lukas worked around the kitchen, loading dishes into the dishwasher and wiping down the counter while I ate.

“Do you not like salmon? I looked it up and it said it was good for people with concussions so I figured it would be a good meal to make but I didn’t think to ask if you even like it.” Lukas asked me from across the kitchen and I shrugged.

He cares what food I do and do not like?

“I’ve never had it but seafood isn’t really my thing.” I shrugged and poked at it. I ate the rice instead and wished I had more of the vegetables.

“I want you to try it. Who knows, maybe you’ll like it?” He tried to persuade me and I glared down at the piece of fish.

I stabbed a small piece with my work and held it for a moment, mentally preparing to eat it.

“You’re not going to die from it, Grayson.” Lukas called out and I glared at him. I smirk was spread across his perfect face and it infuriated me.

Not that his face is perfect or anything. He’s ugly actually. Really really ugly. No one could ever love him kind of ugly.

But… his eyes did sparkle a certain way and his hair laid perfectly on top of his head. It always looked so soft and shiny and I just wanted to reach out my hand and touch it.

His smile was always a sight to see and left me wanting to make him smile again.

His voice was the perfect blend of deep and soft, making me want to keep him talking just so I can hear it more.

His hands made my skin explode in sparks and soothe the stress out of my body. They pulled my hair just the right way and made me feel comforted. I just wanted him to run his hands wherever he pleased and soothe my achey muscles. His skin and hands were so smooth and flawless and I was almost envious of it.

The thoughts ran through my head with no prevail and no matter what I tried to distract myself with my efforts were in vain.

I think the moon Goddess is fucking with my emotions right now.

I scowled at the thoughts and tried to keep the angry look going as I ate the fish but in reality, the food was actually delicious. I bit back a little smile and continued eating.

“I see you trying to hide your smile, Sweetheart. You could just admit you were wrong and you do actually like it.” Lukas gave me a stupid grin and I rolled my eyes at him.

“I’m not admitting anything.” I grumbled and Lukas’ beautiful laugh echoed throughout the room.

“You’re not denying anything either.”

I pouted silently as I ate and kept my eyes focused on the food in front of me. My plate had about a third left of food left but I was full and sleepy.

I leaned my head against my hand and stabbed at the rest of my food, tearing it apart and mixing it together. I looked up when a glass of water was set in front of me on the table.

“Drink this and you can be done.” Lukas negotiated with me and I nodded. I didn’t fight the idea because I was done eating and I was thirsty. I hate when I can’t start a fight.

I drank all the water in one long go and stood up. “I’m going back to sleep. Don’t disturb me.” I turned towards the stairs but before I could get far, Lukas’ hand looped around my wrist.

“I love the enthusiasm, Sweetie, but you have to stay up a little longer.” He explained as he dragged me out of the kitchen and into a massive living room.

One of the walls was completely windows and brought tons of natural light into the room. It was a little bright on my eyes since the sun was starting to come down on this side. The windows showed a beautiful mountain scenery covered in thick woods.

He led me to a huge, comfy looking couch that displayed as a semicircle in the center of the room that faced the windows. He didn’t have me sit down though and kept me standing.

“Do some stretches then you can be done.” Lukas instructed and sat down on the couch, grabbing a self-help book that rested on the glass coffee table in front of the couch.

Maybe the book can teach him how to be less of a dickhead. Does he even know how to read? He doesn’t strike me as a bright one… Is he hurting himself by straining his brain that much? I can’t relate since I was practically a child prodigy when it came to reading. Might as well call me Einstein.

“I don’t wanna stretch.” I complained, lying down on the cozy circle rug that the couch and coffee table were placed on. Not going to lie, I could sleep right here.

And I would’ve if the stupid Alpha would just leave me alone.

“10 minutes, that’s all. I’ll reward you after.” Lukas tried to compromise and I gave him a look from the floor.

“I thought I said I didn’t want to fuck you.”

The look on Lukas’ face was priceless as his eyes widened at the thought. He’s such a pedo for fantasizing over a child.

“T-that’s not the reward. It wasn’t dirty until you made it dirty.” He stuttered awkwardly and I smirked. He’s giving me virgin vibes. It’s probably because he can’t pull any bitches because he’s one himself.

“Don’t act like you don’t want to.” I shut my eyes again and I heard Lukas get off the couch. Sudden sparks swirled where Lukas’ hand randomly wrapped around my ankle.

He started manually leading me through stretches and I let him do all the work. If he wants it done so bad then he has to do it himself.

After going through literally every muscle group on my body with a little bit of help from me, Lukas released his electric hands off my body.

“Mm I don’t know if I should reward you considering I did all the work but I am feeling really nice today. Up.” He mused and pulled my up to my feet. I was really starting to enjoy the floor.

“Can I go to sleep now?” I asked rubbing my eyes, tiredly.

“You’re so cute when you’re sleepy.” Lukas teased and warmth shot up through my body and settled in my ears. Who let him have this affect on my body?

“I love how you react when I tease you. You get all flustered and red, it’s adorable.” He continued and I couldn’t help but bite my lip to stop myself from smiling from the compliment. For some reason my mind craved them but at the same time despised them. Everything is so fucking confusing.

“Fuck off.” I mumbled and tried to turn towards the stairs and of course, I was stopped. I didn’t even have time to process before Lukas was holding me close to him, trapping me in his—how do I say this without sounding gay?—muscular arms.

Our bodies were pressed together and sparks flew between our skin, bouncing back and forth. His head was tilted down and mine was tilted up and our lips were inches away.

Kiss me. The voice inside my head whispered and I beat it out of my mind. If the voice inside my head had a body that I could physically fight, I’d beat that bitch 6 feet under and light its grave on fire.

“You know, you are so quick to bite back at compliments and praise but I think secretly, you love it. Why hide yourself, Grayson? Why the tough guy act when I would love to meet the real you? Why not drop the facade?”

I didn’t even get the chance to start arguing before he started speaking again. “You look so nice in my arms, just so perfect. Everything about you is just perfect. The way your body reacts to me is just perfect.”

I didn’t know how to respond to the praise but once again I didn’t even have the time to speak.

Why doesn’t he understand why I am acting the way I am? I’ve explained it multiple times. The list is simple. He doesn’t have my trust, I don’t desire love or a mate, and he kidnapped me and keeps controlling my life. Easy enough.

But everything within me burned for him and I can’t explain it. I wanted and craved him but at the same time I don’t. It’s so conflicting. I need to get out of here because it is ruining my since of peace that I worked so hard to achieve.

“We’re going to go upstairs, you’re going to take your shirt and lay on your stomach, and I’m going to give you a massage. Sound good? Good. Come on.”

No where in that conversation did I agree to stripping and letting Lukas grope my body with his electric hands but he started tugging me towards the stairs and before I knew it we were back in his bedroom.

I weighed the pros and cons to this and honestly, a free massage doesn’t sound bad but the idea of Lukas doing it is.

“Less thinking more relaxing.” Lukas nudged and I gave him an uneasy glance. I don’t like how demanding he’s being with getting me to strip. It’s sitting with me the wrong way. I mean in my books, this guy is a pedophile.

“Uh…” I glanced at the bed where he wanted me to lay and didn’t move.

“Oh—” Lukas finally noticed my hesitation and looked down bashfully. “I’m sorry Grayson—I didn’t really consider if you were okay with it. I just thought you’d like it and it would help your muscles. I didn’t want it to come off as pushy… If you’d rather just go to sleep or want me to just rub your back again I understand… I just wanted you to take your shirt off because I was going to use oil, nothing else! But I’m sorry—”

“I want to leave my shirt on…” I mumbled uncomfortably, cutting his rant off. He nodded and I swear I could see faint traces of a blush on his tan cheeks as his eyes met mine once again.

The real reason I didn’t want to take my shirt off is because of the ugly scars that hid under the fabric of my shirt. I know he’s already seen them but I don’t exactly love to show them off whenever. I don’t want to explain.

A part of me feels better after he explained his reasoning and I appreciated the fact that he respected my decision but a part of me wondered if he was just trying to cover for himself. I never know with him. It’s just so confusing.

I lay down on my stomach, fully clothed, and close my eyes. The bed dipped beside me where Lukas kneeled and his hands started performing straight magic.

Not literally but you could’ve passed it off as such. His hands found every tense and sore spot on my whole back without traveling too far down for my comfort.

Let’s just say I slept real good.