Chapter 158 DECEPTIVE SETUP
Edeline
As my eyes adjusted, I glanced down at him while he remained squatting by the lantern. I could see the concern in his eyes. I tried to calm my nerves and slowly stepped back.
“I didn’t send you a message, Percival… Anita did. She totally set us up.” I glanced up, feeling a bit apologetic as I tried to hold back my tears.
Percival set down the basket and lantern and quickly walked over to me, giving me a thorough once-over. “So, everything okay? You’re not injured?”
I shrugged and avoided his gaze, shaking my head. “Nah.”
He let out a sigh of relief, running his hand through his damp hair. His eyes, usually captivating, looked even more so with a touch of concern and relief. I felt a strange sense of comfort and contentment, despite the chaos around us.
Now that I could see better, I could barely keep my eyes open as I looked at him. His lips were so full, and his neck looked incredibly tanned and strong. I couldn’t help but notice his well-defined muscles, every dip and curve clearly visible. For a moment, he seemed to shiver, but he quickly brushed it off.
His eyebrows furrowed in concern. “So, what’s happening, Edeline? How did you stumble upon this place?” Percival glanced up, surveying the entrance of the cave. It gave me a clear view of his jawline and neck. “How did you find this place? I’ve never seen it before. And what’s the deal with Anita setting us up?”
I glanced at myself, feeling completely bewildered and disoriented. The warmth in the cave was increasing rapidly, making it even harder to think straight.
“Percival…” I said, my voice trembling as I looked up at him with concern. “There’s this cave that leads down to a cellar under the packhouse. I ended up there once… Anita, you know, she somehow escaped from her cell and confronted me. She made me swallow this homemade oil she’d concocted…”
“What!?” He interrupted, his voice sharp with anger.
“It makes a female’s heat come on stronger, harder, and quicker than usual,” I said, my eyes pleading. “Can you help me?”
Percival looked surprised, his eyebrows raised. I continued, desperate to explain.
“So, the guards showed up, and Anita gave me the lowdown on how to make a clean getaway. I was freaking out in that pitch-black cave, but somehow, I managed to find my way here. And now, I’m stuck.”
My voice dropped to a serious tone. “Percival, I don’t have much time left. My heart is racing uncontrollably right now, but when my heat hits, it will be extreme. We won’t be able to stop it. She set this up, and you need to leave. My heat is coming soon, very soon.” I stressed my need for him to go.
It felt like Anita had truly outwitted us this time.
Percival’s lips parted slightly as he stood motionless, blinking once, then twice.
“Percival, go!” I called out, waving my hands urgently.
He closed his eyes briefly, then exhaled deeply. He looked back at me with a concerned expression before locking eyes with me again. “Edeline… guess what? My boat sank when I arrived here. There was a crack in the bottom. But don’t worry, I managed to haul myself up the ledge with all the supplies mentioned in the letter. Oh, and my phone? It’s at the bottom of the ocean now…” He said, his face as pale as a sheet. I saw his Adam’s apple bob nervously as he spoke.
I scowled and shot a disapproving glance at Percival's shoes. "Ugh, it looks like someone intentionally messed with your boat to leave you stranded," I complained as I made my way to the stone wall. I rested my head against it, arms crossed over my chest, and tried to think of any possible solutions.
I could sense Percival’s gaze traveling over my legs and hips, moving slowly across the rest of me until it finally settled on my lips.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into my head. I shot him a grin. "Maybe you could try swimming back!" I suggested, eagerly facing his expressionless stare.
He shook his head slightly. "Edeline, I’m doing alright, but I’m not exactly in great shape. The land is pretty far from here, and all we’ve got are these rock walls surrounding us."
He seemed a bit restless as he made his way to the cave wall opposite me, right by the entrance where the light was coming in. Tilting his head back and closing his eyes, he whispered, “It’s going to get rough.” I overheard him despite the soft volume.
Feeling a surge of panic rising in my throat, as it always did in stressful situations, I did what I often do—I got up from the wall and started pacing back and forth, trying to think of anything that could help him escape. I was feeling sweaty, my face flushed with anxiety. I could sense the heat approaching... any minute now. We still hadn’t resolved anything.
After running out of ideas, I finally plopped down on the wall right in front of him. In that moment, with just the two of us, Percival seemed incredibly vulnerable and afraid. One side of his damp body glowed under the soft silver light of the moon, while the other basked in the warm yellow glow of the lantern. He looked quite interesting in his damp attire—just basketball shorts as his go-to bottoms.
"Oops, my bad. I had no idea she had this planned." I couldn’t help but feel down, my head drooping as I glanced at my knees and hugged them tightly.
When I looked up, I was startled by his laughter, which seemed almost maniacal.
"What’s so funny!?" I asked, my voice tinged with annoyance.
He shook his head and let out a sigh. "This whole situation is just so ridiculous… I mean, finding out that my dad has another son who happens to be my mate’s brother? And to make it even more complicated, the girl I got pregnant is friends with that son. Her family wanted me to be with her, but now that I’m no longer Alpha, they’re all after Nixx. And to top it off, they want me to be with the one I was originally supposed to be with. It’s just…"