Chapter 17 CHAPTER 17

Chapter 17 CHAPTER 17
Bronte's POV

"You can't be here," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sebastian looks at me and something in his expression makes my chest tight. "I know."

"If Alexander finds out—"

"He won't." He glances past me to where Irina is standing by the bed, her arms crossed. "Can we talk alone?"

Irina looks at me, her eyebrows raised in question, and I nod even though I'm not sure it's a good idea.

"I'll be next door," she says, squeezing my arm as she passes Sebastian in the doorway. "If you need me, just shout."

She leaves and I close the door behind her, my hand lingering on the handle for a moment before I turn back to face him.

He stands in the middle of my room looking out of place among the soft colors and delicate furniture, his torn shirt and bruised face too raw for this space.

"You're bleeding," I say.

"I know." He touches the cut above his eyebrow and his fingers come away red.

I cross to the bathroom and grab a towel, running it under warm water. When I come back he's still standing in the same spot, watching me.

"Sit down," I tell him, gesturing to the chair by the window.

"I'm fine standing."

"You're dripping blood on my floor. Sit."

He sits.

I kneel in front of him and press the towel gently to his eyebrow. He winces but doesn't pull away.

"What did he do to you?" I ask quietly.

"Nothing I didn't deserve."

"You didn't deserve this."

"I embarrassed him in front of his pack. There are consequences for that."

I clean the blood from his face carefully, my hand steadier than I feel. The cut isn't deep but it's still bleeding, and the bruise on his jaw from training has darkened to a deep purple.

"Why did you refuse?" I ask.

He doesn't answer right away and I keep cleaning his face, giving him time.

"Because I couldn't do it," he says finally.

"Couldn't or wouldn't?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does." I pull the towel away and look at him. "You refused Alexander in front of the entire pack. You said she's not yours to kiss. What did you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said."

"Which is?"

"That you're his future mate, not mine, and kissing you would be crossing a line I have no right to cross."

"That's not what it sounded like."

"Then what did it sound like?"

"Like there's more to it than respect for tradition."

He looks away, his jaw tight. "There isn't."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are, I can see it on your face." I stand up and toss the towel onto the dresser. "Why are you really here, Sebastian?"

"To apologize."

"For what?"

"For embarrassing you at the rehearsal. For making things difficult. For—" He stops and runs his hand through his hair. "For complicating things."

"How are you complicating things?"

"You know how."

"No, I don't, so tell me."

He stands up and I realize how close we are in the small space between the chair and the bed. Close enough that I can see the way his chest rises and falls with each breath, close enough to see the conflict in his eyes.

"I can't," he says quietly.

"Why not?"

"Because saying it out loud makes it real."

"Makes what real?"

He looks at me for a long moment and I see him wrestling with something, see the moment he almost says whatever he's holding back, and then he shakes his head.

"I should go."

"You keep saying that."

"This time I mean it." He moves toward the door but I step in front of him.

"No, you don't get to do that. You don't get to come here in the middle of the night, tell me you're complicating things, refuse to explain what that means, and then just leave."

"Bronte—"

"Tell me why you refused to kiss me."

"I already told you."

"Tell me the real reason."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because you're mating with my brother in a few days!" His voice rises slightly and he catches himself, lowering it again. "You're binding yourself to Alexander and standing here with you in your room in the middle of the night asking me these questions is already more than I should be doing."

"Then why are you here?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do."

He closes his eyes and takes a breath. "I came to apologize. That's all. I didn't mean to cause a scene at the rehearsal and I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of it."

"I don't believe you."

"That's your choice."

"Sebastian—"

"I need to go." He reaches past me for the door handle and I grab his wrist.

"Wait."

He stops but doesn't turn around and I can feel the tension in his arm under my hand.

"Just tell me one thing," I say. "The truth this time."

"What?"

"Did you refuse because you don't want to kiss me or because you do?"

The question hangs between us and for a moment I think he's going to pull away without answering.

Then he turns his head slightly, not quite looking at me but not looking away either.

"Goodnight, Bronte," he says quietly, and pulls his wrist from my grip.

He opens the door and steps into the corridor without looking back, and then he's gone and I'm left standing there with my heart pounding and no answers.

I lean against the closed door and try to make sense of what just happened.

Irina slips back in a moment later.

"Well?" she asks.

"He didn't tell me anything."

"Nothing?"

"He apologized for the rehearsal and then left."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

She studies my face. "You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are, something happened, I can see it written all over you."

I don't answer because I don't know how to explain the way he looked at me, the things he almost said, the question he refused to answer.

"Get some sleep," Irina says finally. "You have a long week ahead."

She leaves and I change into sleep clothes but I don't get into bed.

I sit by the window and watch the sky slowly lighten, thinking about Sebastian's hands under mine, the way he pulled back every time I pushed, the way he left without answering the only question that mattered.

By the time the sun rises fully I haven't slept at all.

A knock on my door startles me out of my thoughts.

I open it expecting Irina.

Alexander stands there, already dressed for the day, looking perfect as always.

"Good morning," he says, his smile warm. "Did you sleep?"

"Not really."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He steps into my room without asking. "I wanted to catch you before the day gets busy. I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?"

"I want to take you somewhere. Just the two of us." He takes my hands. "Get dressed. I'll wait downstairs."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He kisses my forehead. "Wear something comfortable."

He leaves and I stand there for a moment, exhausted and confused, before I force myself to get ready.

I change into a simple dress and fix my hair, splashing cold water on my face to wake myself up.

When I go downstairs, Alexander is waiting in the entrance hall, keys in his hand.

"Ready for an adventure?" he asks, pulling me into his arms.

I nod because I don't trust my voice, and he leads me out to his car.