Anastasia's P.O.V.-
Christian held me so secure and close…. I couldn't breathe in those first few seconds. I couldn't breathe or move…. "C-Christian! W-What are you doing?" My lips gasped in mild shock and horror. I knew this position from somewhere…. Being held like this; I knew it, I swear I did. And it was not a good memory.
My wolf's heart was racing; I could practically feel his body heat up like a radiator. His arms were immovable, but his hands were shaky. "Anastasia….. Ever since that night, everything about me has changed." What night? What is he talking about? It wasn't…. him that night I was attacked by the fountain? No, it couldn't be. The first time I met Christian was at the garden during the day. That was the first time we saw each other…. right?
"There's…. something I've been keeping from you," Christian admitted. A drop of sweat rolled down my forehead. A secret? He's kept a secret from me? But… why? I thought he trusted me…. the way I trust him. I didn't dare say a word, anxious for him to continue. He took his time, but his heart was still beating a mile a minute. "The first time we met… wasn't in the campus garden." Wait, what? What is he talking about? Another drop of sweat formed on my face. Then when did we…..? Oh…. oh no. All of a sudden, it felt like absolutely everything was crashing down around me.
Christian sucked in a long, heavy breath, as if preparing himself for what came next. His mouth opened but it took a moment for any words to come out. But eventually….. "That monster who attacked you behind the football field….." A tense pause. "It was me."
My eyes grew gigantic as tears formed in the corners. No…. no, I don't want to hear this. It's not true. Christian would never attack me. "Shut up! Christian would never hurt me or any herbivore!" He wouldn't…. I knew Christian and he would never lay a hand on me. He wasn't that kind of carnivore. I wanted to put my hands over my ears as he finished his confession. "I… really tried to eat you. I…." No; no, stop it. "Christian!" Both my hands flew up to his arm. Stop talking; why are you telling me this?! "Let go!" I began to thrash, trying to remove myself from his arm. "Let go of me!" My mouth shrieked. I didn't want him to hold me in this position; I didn't want to remember that night…. The fear and dread I felt for so long afterwards.
Christian blinked now horrified, but he was reluctant to release me. If anything, his grip only intensified. "Anastasia, wait! Listen to me! I'm so sorry! You have no idea how sorry I am! I regret it each and every day. Had I known that you….." "I don't care! Let go of me! You almost killed me!" My body kept twisting and turning itself. "Anastasia!" "Do you have any idea how terrified I was?! I didn't know it was you… You! The only carnivore I've ever truly trusted… are also the same carnivore who tried to eat me!" "I can't tell you how sorry I am! But things are different now, I swear to you!" "How?! How are they different?! Because we're friends? Because I care about you? That gives me some insurance somehow?!" I shot back. Christian's grip tightened, if that were possible. His eyes winced shut in pure, unadulterated panic. "I imprinted on you!" The room boomed with his declaration.
I immediately froze so to gawk up at him utterly gobsmacked. Christian gently reopened his eyes to glance down to me in a soft manner. He took a few short breaths before going on. "I imprinted on you…. I don't know when and I don't know how, but now I'm sure of it. You're my mate, Anastasia; it's always been you. There's no other for you…. Everything I am, everything I'll ever be is all you now."
My lips parted in awe and shock. He's imprinted onto me…. Christian Grey's imprinted on me, which means that… I'm his…. mate? I'm his mate…. His one and only mate. That's when it hit me like a cold, hard brick. Now I get it! That explains why he attacked me that night; my scent must have sent him over the edge…. Aren't wolves attracted to their mates' natural scents? I think that's how it works. But I'm not a wolf; I'm a lamb…. And as Lincoln has taught me, lambs are one of wolves' favourite foods. Whether I like it or not, Christian is a wolf- an apex predator. And it was naïve of me to think that a part of him wouldn't always hunger for me. I didn't want to believe that was the case…. because I wanted to continue feeling safe and protected by his side.
"I'm sorry, Anastasia…." My eyes widened at the sensation of a warm teardrop landing on the back of my neck. I peeked back once again to find Christian crying; he was staring at me and weeping quietly. He looked a total wreck, a wolf visibly torn apart by his inner carnivorous self. His bottom lip wouldn't stop quivering. "I'm so sorry….. I can't even ask you to forgive me. You're the last creature I'd ever want to harm on earth; I don't want to harm anyone. I let my predatory urges get the better of me for a split second, and you almost paid the price. I'm sorry… You don't deserve a mate like me," he just couldn't stop crying. Then it hit me once more like another speeding train. This… this must have been hard on Christian too. All this time… he's had to carry this on his shoulders by himself. I had no clue it was him that night…. I had no clue he imprinted on me. Christian knew I was his mate before I did… and I can't imagine the guilt and remorse he must have felt this whole time- always, always alone with it.
The very thought made my head spin back around. This time, instead of trying to pry his arm off me, I tenderly rested my hand over top of it. Christian…. There's a secret I've been keeping from you too. Throughout the time we've known one another, I've come to care for you deeply. You make me so unbelievably happy and effortlessly too; you are so easy to be with. I don't care what other animals say about us- I care about you. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like I've won the jackpot….. knowing that you've imprinted on me. That I'm your mate, for good or bad… I'm your mate. I'm taken.
Christian flinched in surprise, obviously startled by my sudden calm show of affection. Instead of saying anything, I pushed his arm in closer to myself so to hug it as best I could. My eyes shut in a tender, passionate fashion. "It's ok, Christian…. I know this must have been hard for you. I'm sorry for getting mad at you; I didn't think….." How difficult these last couple of months must have been for you as well.
Christian could only blink, seemingly beyond confused at what was happening. Analysing his dumbfounded response, I continued to bury my cheek into his bronze arm. "I'm not angry at you, Christian. And I understand why you didn't tell me right away. It sounds like it was traumatic… for both of us." "That doesn't excuse what I did," he gulped. My grin deepened as my eyes shut. "But I understand why you did it. You're a wolf, and I'm a lamb; it's only natural that you should want to chase me." Christian, of course, hesitated to accept this. "Anastasia….." "That's part of your nature; you can't help that. But you've also imprinted on me…. That's just as much a part of you too. After all, you wouldn't have imprinted on me if you weren't a wolf….."
Christian's P.O.V.-
"After all, you wouldn't have imprinted on me if you weren't a wolf….."
It's true…. The only reason I imprinted on Anastasia is because it is instinctual for me, part of my DNA…. And while I will always regret attacking my beloved that first night, I wouldn't want to change the fact that I'm a wolf…. So long as I can use what strength I have to protect my mate, the one I imprinted on. These are things I wouldn't want to forgo….
"Anastasia, I…" Before I could finish my sentence she gently cut me off, still holding onto my arm. "If you want to make it up to me, then realize that…. I must do. We are from two different worlds, colliding somewhere out in space. But that doesn't mean we can't learn and grow together. I want to learn…. and grow with you, Christian." "Anastasia….." My darling, angelic, flawless Anastasia. My palm pressed down on my skin; I could almost smell her adoring smile from here. A smile that could stop my heart…. "Be happy, Christian. You can also make it up to me by being supremely happy." Only when I'm with you, sweetheart. That happiness comes without effort, whenever you're nearby…. Look at her, this angel in my arms. She transforms anything into greatness. I don't know what I ever did to deserve someone so glorious as her. And I didn't just believe that because she was my mate. I'm fairly convinced that I would have fell in love with her no matter what…..
My heart sprang up out of my chest up through my throat when she unexpectedly giggled. "Your heartbeat is so loud, it feels like it's going to push me off the bed." "I can't, Anastasia….." Everything in me went wild as her hand moved from my arm to reach up to the side of my cheek. I watched it speechless as it began to caress me softly. Wha-…. What is happening? I'm holding her here in my arms and yet, I want her closer. I want her as near to me as physically possible. She giggled beautifully again. "Is this harder than fighting Lincoln?" "O-Of course it is," now that she said it, I could hear my heart thumping in my ears. Anastasia….. Anastasia! No matter what I tried to think about, all thoughts went back to her. Every single thought.
"It's ok, Christian; I trust you. You've said what you needed to tell me- now I want to decide where we go from here. Tell me what you need….. Tell me how to make you happy." Happy…. What she doesn't realize… What she doesn't understand is….. "You already make me happy, Anastasia. And I'm happiest when you're happy….. I'd give anything to make you happy," I freely admitted. She waited a minute before shuffling around so to face me. She had also been crying- tears of joy I take it, since her smile was radiating off her gorgeous, red lips. We locked eyes for a moment, taking our time to utter a word.
"For a few seconds they looked silently into each other's eyes, and the distant and impossible suddenly became near, possible, and inevitable."
"Christian….." "Anastasia." I ogled her again in fasciation. I'll never understand how I got to be so fortunate…. My fingers lifted to brush some stray tears from her moist cheek. She blinked softly, returning her gaze straight to me. "Are you happy, Christian?" And I smiled at her….. oh, how I smiled. "Supremely." This made her grin blossom wide and my head slowly leaned down into hers. Both our eyes closed, awaiting the inevitable.
I had no reason to ask why she came into my life, for I knew as certainly as if she had told me that she was here to be where I was.