Chapter 177 UNRESOLVED PAIN
Edeline
He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Sure, sure, I’ll talk to her."
"Thanks," I said, nodding in relief. I turned away from the clinic, realizing that I had come here intending to berate him, but I couldn’t stay mad. The pain and sorrow I saw in him were too overwhelming, too genuine for me to hold onto my anger. And in that moment, I realized I didn’t have the courage to confront Percival either.
No matter what paternal instincts he might have had, he had still caused me pain.
As I started to leave, the door to the clinic suddenly swung open, and Percival came running toward me. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, picking up my pace in an attempt to avoid him. But it was no use; he caught up to me in no time, grabbing my wrist and spinning me around to face him. A wave of unwanted pleasure shot through me at his touch, conflicting with the anger still burning inside. His eyes, a vibrant blue with a hint of red, were filled with worry and concern. His messy dark hair made him look even more attractive, and for a split second, I almost swooned at the sight of him.
But then, the memories came flooding back. Memories of him abandoning me, drugging me with sedatives, leaving me all alone without even checking on me. The anger surged back, and I stared up at his seemingly perfect face, feeling a tumultuous mix of emotions.
"Edeline!" he called out, his voice a mix of desperation and regret.
His words made me feel uneasy, and when he reached out to touch my cheek, a rush of conflicting emotions surged through me. I quickly pushed his hand away, fixing him with a stern look that made it clear I was not pleased.
"Hey, you don’t get to talk to me," I snapped, my voice trembling with anger. "You put me to sleep and left me hanging for days! All because of her." I locked eyes with him, his normally bright blue eyes now clouded with sadness.
He slumped his shoulders, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Sorry," he mumbled, the word barely audible. "That morning in the cave when we were found... I was going through the medical kit I had quickly thrown into the basket after finding your phony letter asking me to meet you. I never even bothered to look inside... I just grabbed it from the clinic because I was worried about you. The letter mentioned bringing medical supplies, so I assumed it was urgent. I guess you didn’t want anyone to know where you were... but while you were unconscious from our... hangouts... I started going through the bag and guess what I found? A vial and a syringe! Just a bit of sedation... I had already started coming out of the haze caused by your warmth. Then it hit me that we hadn’t used any protection. When you woke up in the morning... I knew you were dealing with another heat wave... I didn’t want to take any chances... I don’t think knowing my situation right now would make much of a difference. Before I could be overwhelmed by the intense desire of the heat... I kicked you out." His voice trailed off as he glanced away, clearly embarrassed by his confession.
I understood it then. He didn’t want to have a baby with me. But walking away? The anger I felt began to dissolve, replaced by a deeper pain that had been festering inside me. All the emotions I had tried so hard to suppress came rushing to the surface.
"So, when Mirabelle finally caught up with us, I just laid it all out for her," he continued, his voice tinged with regret. "Your mum thought it would be a good idea to keep you calm since we had already gone too far... I just wanted to let you know that I tagged you in something... ‘stuff.’" His cheeks flushed, and I felt my own face heat up as memories of our intense encounter in that cave flooded back.
"Mirabelle filled me in on what had happened to Tatiana," he added, his tone growing more serious. "She started experiencing fainting spells and intense cramps in her belly during the night... all the tough times she went through. It was like, you know, during those times we were... hanging out! And two episodes were really bad." As he spoke, his hand reached up, his thumb gently brushing the mark on my neck—the mark we had given each other. The touch sent a shiver down my spine, making my legs feel like jelly. I gasped, my body betraying me as I nearly stumbled. Thankfully, Percival was quick to catch me, steadying me before I could fall.
"Hey, hands off!" I grumbled, not thrilled about the tingling sensation that spread across my skin whenever his hand touched mine.
He took a step back, visibly hurt by my reaction. The connection between us vibrated with a negative energy, an uncomfortable wave of distress rippling through me. It was clear that neither of us liked when mates fought, and the tension between us was suffocating.
"Edeline, please!" he pleaded, his voice thick with desperation.
"Hey, Percival, cut it out!" My voice shook with barely contained anger as I watched him tremble, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and frustration.
"You really left me," I continued, my voice quivering as I fought back tears. "No one came to visit, and you just... walked away after messing me up. Left me to deal with everything alone."
"But the pup—" he began, but I couldn’t bear to hear that excuse one more time.
"Forget the pup, Percival!" I exploded, my voice rising with raw emotion. "I honestly hope it doesn't make it out alive! You couldn’t resist the temptation of a heated moment, and now this! I’m sick of it!" My anger flared, unfiltered and unrelenting, as I lashed out, feeling more spoiled and entitled than ever. There was no empathy left in me—not for him, not for this wolf.