Chapter 35 CLOSURE
SIANNA'S POV
"Rogue Attack!"
"Rogues at the border!"
Alertness spiked through my body. Vance looked to his left to look at me. 'Take the women and children to the bunker. Don't come out until we gave the all-clear.' Vance mind-linked me and sprang off.
The women and children were heading behind the pack house towards the underground bunker for safety. Everyone shifted back to their human form. I went in position and guided them inside while being at the doorway. Mom, Hailey, and Rionna helped. All the male adults had to help the fight while the women and children were hidden in the bunker as the battle was going on. The aim is always to keep the war from the pack house so that no one gains unauthorized access.
We attended to the infants to calm them. Some had taken to the beds while others sat in chairs. Five Elite plus ten regular warriors were assigned to guard the bunker, fully armed. I went to get some blankets and shirts to give out when a hand touched mine.
"Curtis!" The shock of his presence laid visibly on my face.
He noticed my disturbance but his smile put me at ease. "Hi, Luna! I am assigned to guard you."
That didn't make much sense because Vance hated him and Curtis would be the last person that my mate wanted near me. Blayne would know this very well. Perhaps Vance had no choice in the battle outside or he possibly believe that Curtis would have my safety as a priority. He was obligated to protect me either way. The latter made some sense.
"Okay." That was all I said and walked passed him to hand out the shirts one by one so that everyone could cover up.
I handed Hailey the blankets. She cocked her brows at me, "What the hell?" she mouthed in reference to Curtis being at my side.
There were more pressing matters at hand for me to care too much about Curtis lingering around me. I wanted those pack members to feel safe in their reliance on me.
After making an ignorant gesture with my shoulder by shrugging, she gave me a sharp eye and a flat-squeezed lip shake of the head. I was aware that Curtis should quit following me, just as Hailey was warning me.
Curtis followed my every step. So I turn abruptly to dismiss his following me. "Curtis, you don't have to be so close to me! Go help to do something!"
Mom, dad, and Victor had left the bunker to set up a tent for wounded warriors, we haven't had to find for over a year. Rionna remained with me. I could not hear any explosions to attest to the battle that we anticipated. But I hoped that mom and dad were alright. I prayed for no casualties if that was possible.
Everyone had quieted down. Hailey was playing a game with a ring of toddlers. They were laughing and trying to win over the other. Hailey kept losing so they could be motivated in the fun of their winnings. Rionna was with the elders praying. A tap on my shoulder brought my attention.
"Luna, there's something that I have to tell you." I whipped around to face Curtis in exasperation.
"Curtis, not here," My voice was laced with intense irritation.
When I turned only halfway to walk in the other direction, he gently held onto my hand. "Please, Sianna."
"You can't touch me like that. I am Luna now and everyone is observing us. Stop this." He had reached out to touch me again. "Then spare me two minutes. Please," he implored as though it was imperative.
I led him out of the underground room, passing the two elites that guarded the entrance and pathway. When they held questioning glances I let them know Curtis was under my order and we were fine.
We went down the path, and into the one where we held food and supplies. I opened the battened and ledged door, which he closed after we entered the storeroom.
I turned to face him but I was running out of patience with his obsessive behavior. If he wanted closure, he was going to get that tonight.
"You broke my heart when I walked in with you and Alpha." He tried making his approach again. I recoiled. He sighed and bowed his head.
"I am sorry that you had to see that, I guess now you know how I felt when I saw you kissing, what's her name, on social media. At least mine was in private but you broadcasted it to the whole world. You humiliated me." I apologized because the pain in his eyes made me feel a slab of unwarranted guilt.
While his face was covered in tears, he remained silent. I was compelled to hug him but held back. From years of friendship, and subsequently transitioned to lovers, I hated seeing in hurt like this. I lowered my eyes to the ground to block my soft heart from yielding to comfort him.
After a few minutes of stretched silence between us, I finally found the words to say to him. "I know that you spent a few days with her at the Crimson Hyde Pack. You should concentrate on your bond and make it work for your sake." I tried to add some positivity to the conversation, "She's gorgeous and I saw her videos online where she tutors children to play musical instruments."
"B-but we love each other. Our love was before he even knew that you existed. You were never in his world before, so what makes him worthy of you now?" He stuttered with a rueful façade.
"The mate-law should not be disobeyed. We were wrong to think that we could bypass it. The moon goddess didn't want us together. Let's be with our fated mate." I urged him to be rational.
I regretted telling this to him. How many apologies will it take for him to get it? At his point, things were set in stone and our fates sealed.
"Can you honestly tell me that you don't love me?" He dared as he hit his fit into the metal shelf.
Not batting an eye, I firmly let the words pour like water from a river. "I don't love you as much as I used to. Vance has my heart, body, and soul. I love only Vance." I paused to use an example to elucidate, "If you and I got back together, I would crave him and want him fucking me. You would still end up losing and getting hurt."
"He's only with you because you are a healer. Otherwise, Esme would be his Luna. Didn't you know that they were engaged? She was pregnant but lost the baby. Ask yourself, why did he just suddenly toss her aside for you?"
"How did you......?" I hadn't known about an engagement or a baby, but I knew of them. I can't confirm to him about me being a healer, and if I asked more about Esme, he would use my securities as another reason to latch on to me. Vance will certainly explain later. "I don't know what you are talking about!"
"I was healed by you at the hospital." he leaned on the shelf's iron post.
"You are mistaken," I tried to dissuade him but he continued.
"It's okay that you don't know about your gift, but Vance does because he's able to dig deep within us." Each word he said exacerbated my insecurities. Confused, and unsure if I should believe him. "As his mate, you are an open book to him, he knows how to play you."
"I'm his wife, even if he chose me because of my abilities, I have a responsibility as Luna to do my job." I pointed out, rigidly choking back the tears.
"So, it's the power that you want?" The words that jetted out of his mouth hurt my feelings. He laughed bitterly.
That was rather condescending to even ask. "No, Curtis. I am honoring the mate bond."
"Do you think that Esme is one to step aside quietly and let you have him? You don't know how vicious she can be, Sianna. Let me protect you and remove you from his clutches. "Looking wounded and hurt, he gripped my left arm, but I pushed it away." He will go back to her after he has secured his heir from you because you have given him a healer bloodline."
This tiring debate was resuscitating a turmoil inside of me. My legs were exhausted and I needed to sit. Feeling the weight of his eyes on me, I riposte, "Don't blame Vance for what you did. You are the one that destroyed us. You are the one that touched another woman. Where was your backbone to stand up to your dad?"
"I know that I am at fault for cheating," He admitted with eyes ready to shed a mass of water. His features saddened and his crackling voice sounded as if heartbroken."But my promise to you is to be faithful from now on?"
"You made promises that you broke already. Curtis. My decision to be with Vance is final. He has made his claim on me. You were there at the ceremony tonight. We are just not meant to be " I spat out as I pushed past him, heading to the door, "Enough of this, I'm going back to the children."
This was going to be the last time that I entertained Curtis. If he insisted, I would have to ask his parents, the Blacks, to intervene. He doesn't get the right to cheat and then come back criticizing my mate and life.
My hand was just about to turn the door handle when his left hand came around my abdomen, his right hand placed a damped cloth over my mouth and nostrils. My body went numb and I blacked out.