Chapter 79 DARE I EVEN SAY
CHAOS.
I stepped out of the room, closing the door behind me.
My head was still spinning, and my lips still tingled from the kiss. I needed air, space, anything to stop me from going back in there and losing control all over again.
The hallway was dimly lit, the shadows pooling around the corners. I didn’t get far before I heard the sound of footsteps, then a familiar voice.
“Still on your feet, Graves?”
Valtor strolled toward me, his lips twitching into that half-smirk he always wore. His eyes flicked up and down, taking in my disheveled appearance.
“Thought your lycan strength meant you’d heal faster,” he added, gesturing vaguely toward my side where the bruise still ached.
“Funny,” I muttered, leaning against the wall as he stopped in front of me.
We squabbled the way we always did, trading jabs back and forth. Valtor liked to poke at me, and I liked to pretend it didn’t get under my skin. The banter was easy, comfortable, the kind of thing that reminded me why he’d always been the closest thing to a brother I’d ever had.
But the moment didn’t last.
The air shifted, the lightness disappearing. Valtor’s smirk faded, replaced by a look I couldn’t quite read. He studied me for a moment before saying, “I know she’s here.”
I stiffened, but I tried not to let it show. I left my gaze casual, as if I didn’t know exactly what he meant.
Valtor let out a dry, humorless laugh, the sound cutting through the quiet. “Don’t play dumb with me, Graves. You think I wouldn’t notice?”
I didn’t respond, meeting his gaze evenly.
“Were you trying to hide it?” he asked, his voice mocking now.
“No,” I said flatly. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything.”
Another sharp laugh escaped him, but this one ended abruptly, like he’d cut himself off. He shook his head, the tension in his shoulders visible.
“Forget it,” he muttered, turning on his heel. “I’m leaving.”
I didn’t stop him. There wasn’t anything to say, not now.
Valtor walked back down the hallway, his steps heavy with purpose. At the elevator, he turned to look at me again.
Our eyes met, and for a moment, I thought he was going to say something. But he just shook his head one more time before stepping inside.
The doors slid shut with a quiet ding, and I let out a long, frustrated sigh. My fingers drifted to my side, brushing over the faint ache of the bruise there.
I took my time heading back to my room, trying to push Valtor’s words out of my head. By the time I opened the door, I’d managed to shove them far enough down that they didn’t sting as much.
Merrielynn was still standing where I’d left her, arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on me. Her expression was unreadable, but it didn’t matter. She always looked like she was trying to figure me out, like she was searching for something in my face that wasn’t there.
"You can go now, Merrielynn—” I started, but she cut me off.
“It’s Mere,” she said sharply, lifting her chin.
The defiance in her voice caught me off guard. My chest tightened, a mix of frustration and something else I didn’t want to name.
Tilting my head, I asked, “Are you idling for conversation? Fishing for more time in my presence, Merirelynn?”
Her teeth clenched, and I watched as her jaw tightened. Through gritted teeth, she said, “My name is Mere.”
I smirked, unable to help myself. “Isn’t that what I called you?”
She glared at me, the fire in her eyes sparking something deep in my chest. “Why do you always call me by my full name?” she demanded.
I paused, considering her question. Then I shrugged. “I think it suits you better.”
Merrielynn's eyes narrowed, and she slowly shook her head. For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence hung heavy between us, thick with things left unsaid.
Finally, I broke it. “Our deal’s on,” I told her. “But you can go now. I won’t do anything stupid, and neither should you.”
She straightened at my words, her posture stiffening. When she spoke, her voice was softer, hesitant. “When are we…”
Her words trailed off, and I saw a faint flush spread across her cheeks.
The sight sent warmth through my chest, a small crack in the wall I’d built around myself. Simply, I said, “Soon.”
Her eyes met mine, holding the contact for a beat too long. Then she nodded slowly, breaking the moment as she turned and left the room.
I didn’t move until I heard the elevator ding twice, signaling her departure. Only then did I let myself relax, the tension draining from my body like a heavy weight being lifted.
Slowly, I crossed the room, my steps unhurried. My gaze landed on the photo album sitting on the shelf in the closet.
I picked it up, flipping the cover open lazily. The familiar photos greeted me, each one a piece of my past I didn’t often revisit.
There was one of me as a kid, grinning awkwardly at the camera. Another of me and my mom on the beach.
Then one of me and Valtor. The next picture was Lorelai and me.
She didn't want to be photographed.
Finally, I flipped it to the next photo, and my chest tightened all over again.
It was me and her.
Me and Merrielynn staring at the camera in Lorelai's hands.
I can remember.
It was only two years ago.
I stared at the picture, my thumb brushing over the edges of the paper. Her face looked up at me, a reflection of the girl who’d just walked out of my room.
Back then, we were young.
Stupid.
And dare I even say... in love.