Chapter 55 The Truth
Xander
Amusement fills me at Vanessa's outburst, and I let out a short laugh at the disbelieving look on her face. Her hands which are now glued by her side, clench.
"Are you playing with me right now?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.
"Unfortunately not, firecracker," I sigh.
I watch the way her face switched from surprised to sudden anger. "So you knew about it all this time?"
Taking a step forward, I reply, "No, of course not. If I had known, I would've told you, Vanessa."
She takes a step back, shaking her head, eyebrows furrowed deeply in confusion. "But how? When?...Why?..." she says to herself quietly.
"Vanessa..." I move closer to her, but she stops me with a hand.
"Don't." Something, sharp and dangerous twists inside of me at her distraught expression.
"I had no previous knowledge of this either. Lucinda only just revealed it to me that day," I tell her honestly.
She frowns. "What day?"
"The day we sparred," I reply. Then I go ahead to explain all that had transpired with Lucinda that night.
Three days earlier...
My body has never throbbed this much, but neither has it felt this good. The energy buzzing through me has me considering going for a run, but the effects of the hot water I'm seated in calms me a little.
I groan in pleasure as all my tense muscles start to relax. I'm still wondering how Vanessa had been able overpower me that well for a human. Given, I had held back, wanting her to instead, show me all she couldn't say before. I had betrayed the little trust she had in me.
The water starts to get cold on my body at that thought. This was never the plan from the onset, but there's no going back now.
A knock takes me out of my thoughts. Rinsing off. I grab a towel and secure it to my waist before opening my bedroom door.
Patricia bows as soon as she sees me, her forest green eyes widening at my state of undress. She lowers her eyes quickly, a dust of pink staining her cheeks.
"Y-your Highness, Lady Lucinda has requested for your presence in your private office," she informs.
I sigh. "Tell her I said we should meet in the morning. I'm very tired at the moment."
She bows lower. "I apologize your Highness, but she insisted on meeting today, and says it's important,".
I raise an eyebrow, wondering what is so important it can't wait till tomorrow. "Alright," I breathe. "I will be there shortly."
"Yes, your Highness." She turns on her heels, head still bowed until she disappears out of sight.
In the next few minutes, I'm heading to my private office, and find Lucinda already seated there sipping on a cup of coffee.
"You better have a good reason for interrupting my sleep routine, Lucinda," I announce. Oddly, the words sound very similar to someone's I've once heard.
"Trust me, it is important," she replies, sipping slowly on the cup.
I take a seat across from her and wait until she's ready.
"I've been mated for a few years now," she starts.
Genuine surprise fills me at this new information.
"What? Why haven't we heard anything about it?"
She waves my question. "I just didn't want any unnecessary attention on us. Considering his status."
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"He's human, Xander."
Silence.
Considering her family's position as one of the most powerful packs in Europe currently, it must've been rough for them both, but her face radiates the shine of a woman who has experienced true happiness.
It's a look I recognize and had seen on my mother, on more than one occasion.
"How did your family take the news?"
She shrugs, the light in her eyes dimming slightly. "Not well, obviously. But it was either Drake or no one else. They had no choice but to let us be."
I don't know what I and been expecting when Patricia had delivered her message earlier, but definitely wasn't anything close to this.
"Why are you just telling me now?"
She scoots closer, holding my big, callused hands in her smaller ones, just like the old days. "Because, I didn't know the right time to bring it up, besides, I had been too busy studying your bride," she smirks.
Why had she been watching Vanessa?
My hackles rise and I try not to clench my hands.
Lucinda may be my long time friend, but my protective instincts refuse to accept any type of suspected danger around Vanessa.
"Before you ask, I'll explain," she says quickly. "When I had first heard the news of your engagement, I had been curious to know who the girl who finally caught the cold-hearted Xander Black's heart, and when I finally met her, I knew why, and that she's perfect for you."
I won't deny the pull I feel between Vanessa and I. She drives me so crazy I want to crush her and kneel at her feet, all at the same time. My wolf responds to her, almost aggressively even, but the perfect one for me? I really doubt that.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Lucinda." I pry my fingers from her grasps , but she holds on tighter.
"Yes, I do, Xander. I've watched you push away every woman in your life just because you're afraid they'll end up like her, but I assure you, that woman right there, is here to stay," she whispers.
I shake my head, but she doesn't relent. "Yes, Xander. Just give her a chance. That's all I came here to ensure. That you finally get the love you deserve. All of it."
I'm so shaken by her words, I don't speak for another five minutes, but Lucinda doesn't complain, only gathering me into her arms for a long time.
Once I'm back to myself, I ask Lucinda to tell me all about her mate, Drake.
Her face lights up again, and a small smile graces my lips.
"Oh, Drake is..."
Presently...
"So I've just been making a fool of myself," Vanessa's voice brings me back to the present, her eyes cast down in shame.
I cup her cheeks, titling her head up to look at me. "No. You were just being honest," I reply.
"Next time, ask questions before declaring war," I smirk.
Her nostrils flare and she opens her mouth to say something, but my lips claim hers before she gets a chance to.
The kiss isn't gentle, it's relieved, grounding, and charged with everything we've been circling around. Vanessa's body melts into mine, her hands fisting my shirt, like she never wants to let go.
I don't think I can let her either.
We cling to each other, the world narrowing to heat and breath around us.
I consider Lucinda's words to explore this thing between Vanessa and I, to give us a chance.
What's the worst that can happen?