Chapter 282 RESET BUTTON
Edeline
His words hit hard, breaking my already shattered resolve. He knew I relied on him; he had kind of made me rely on him, thinking I’d fall for him in return. He relied on me too.
Tears rushed back to my eyes. “Why’d you let me deal with that?”
He shook his head, letting go of my hand. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have messed with your feelings. I shouldn’t have let you depend on me so much. At first, it just hurt to see you down, so I thought if I toughened you up on the outside, it would help. But I got too involved in your life, and that was wrong of me, Edeline. Can you forgive me… please?” The sadness in his eyes was palpable.
I couldn’t fault him for that. It was my mistake for using him as a way to escape from Percival.
“I forgive you,” I whispered, looking up at him. “But you know, I’ve come to see that I was never really independent, and it stings a bit. Once I started relying on you for support, I found myself fighting. I was just going along with what you said to avoid dealing with the pain over Percival… which I’m pretty sure you noticed.” I glanced at him as he nodded, a hint of shame on his face. “I’ve been a bit of a jealous wreck since our friendship went downhill, but honestly, I can’t blame you. Deep down, I always knew you wanted more. I picked up on hints here and there, and I kind of used that to help me break away from my old group. We had this strong friendship because you wanted me, and I needed you as my support.”
Conor looked a bit hurt as he stared at his lap before finally meeting my gaze. “We were definitely in a pretty unhealthy spot together, even if it was just a friendship. I feel like we both had our own issues and used each other a bit. So, let’s just move past that and hit the reset button, Edeline. I’m really sorry for leaving you hanging. I didn’t mean to make you rely on me so much, and I regret not helping you deal with your emotions and how you were feeling...” His gaze suddenly turned intense. “Honestly, if anyone should get that tattoo, it’s you. I still stand by what I told you that day—you really are a warrior.”
Shaking my head, I kept crying. I just wasn’t feeling it at the moment. “Hey, can you let it go?”
He flashed a little grin. “If you can let it slide.”
I finally exhaled after holding my breath, as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. This was exactly what I needed. “That’s already done,” I said, a soft smile breaking through my tears.
Even though I had figured things out, I couldn’t shake the guilt of knowing he had realized I was counting on him, fully aware he was playing into that dependency. I had always known he liked me, but he never voiced it until that night he kissed me.
His smile turned teary as he took both my hands, tears welling in my eyes. “What should I do about Tatiana, Edeline? I’m seriously losing it here.”
I pulled him in for a hug, wrapping my arms around him as best I could and breathing in his familiar scent. But it didn’t offer the same comfort it once had. I felt like I was past that. “You’ve got to make her stronger, just like you did with me. But this time, it’ll be way less toxic since she’s your daughter. But, Conor?” My voice cracked as he pulled back to look at me.
“If you help her focus on physical pain instead of emotional pain, don’t leave her there for too long. Bring her back and help her deal with that emotional stuff—that’s where I got lost. That’s how I became too dependent. Don’t let her rely on you too much anymore. Help her become a strong woman...”
He chuckled, his eyes getting misty. “Sometimes I forget you’re just seventeen. I’ll take care of Edeline. I’ll make sure she doesn’t go down the wrong path. Thanks… I really hope you can help me with her. That we can save our friendship…”
That’s when it hit me.
I can’t stick around here. No way. I couldn’t do that.
I needed to figure myself out. I was all about becoming a better version of myself and not relying on anyone else. I wanted to explore new things, push myself into some awkward spots. I had to live my life.
I had been brushing off my feelings for Percival this whole time, finally figuring out how I felt and wanting to talk to him. But I had to rely on myself for that since I couldn’t just go to him; I’d end up depending on him again. I really needed to focus on myself for a bit.
“Conor, I can’t.” My voice cracked as he looked down at me, a frown etching his features, just sitting there in the hospital bed, feeling all kinds of broken and bruised. A haze from the pain meds dripped into me, easing the hurt a bit.
“What do you mean?” He leaned back in his chair, muscles tensing.
Sighing, I mustered the courage to say, “I really need to figure things out for myself. It’s time to learn how to rely on me.” I looked at him seriously. “I think I should head to Dark Moon. I can’t keep depending on other wolves to help me out. I need to do this for my own strength. It feels like my time here is coming to an end. You’ve taught me a lot, and I’ll always appreciate it, Conor. But I’ve realized something else. I love my mate. But before I can forgive Percival, before I can face him, I need to find myself and forgive myself. My wolf wants this, and so do I.” I bit my lip, unsure of how he would react.
He let out a breath, his eyes going wide as he processed what I had just said. He sat there quietly, contemplating. “If that's what you want... I’ll make it happen.” A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “You might find that experience a bit overwhelming. But you’re spot on with what you said—you’ve got to be tougher, and Dark Moon will definitely help with that. Just... if you want Percival back, don’t take too long. Remember what I mentioned about him being a guy.”
I nodded, feeling a chill run up my spine. He was still a guy.
“And promise me,” he said, taking my hand again. I held his gaze, feeling the weight of the moment. “Promise me we’ll always be buddies.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “I promise. You’ve been one of the best friends I could ever ask for.”
“You’ve really taught me a lot, Conor, and I can’t thank you enough for everything.” My smile widened as tears welled in my eyes.
He reached over and wrapped his arms around me for a light hug, careful not to jostle my broken ribs. “I’ll make arrangements for next week. Maxim is out of town until then,” he whispered in my hair, planting a soft kiss on my temple before pulling back.
A huge burden lifted from my shoulders as I let all that pent-up energy out. I promised myself I’d get stronger, and there was no way I was backing down—not now, not ever. Heading to Dark Moon meant I was on the path to becoming a solid fighter and a true warrior.
I should chat with Tatiana before I head out.
Grinning to myself, I brushed off the pain that flickered in and out. This was a solid choice. We’d sorted things out, and everything felt good. I realized I genuinely wanted my friendship with Conor, but I had to love myself first. I needed to finish up my goals. I hoped that when I was ready, Percival would be there waiting for me. We had some important things to discuss.
We should dig into those old wounds. I wanted to let it go with him. I just wanted to hear what he had to say—to chat like grown-ups.
And I could do that, but only once I figured myself out.
…
Percival
Sweat trickled down my temples as I woke up suddenly from a deep sleep, my body feeling sore. It had been a minute since I’d felt this way.
Since Edeline first left, I’d started experiencing aches like my body was just a punching bag. My ribs were hurting again. The pain had subsided for a while, but now it felt worse than it ever had. My face felt like I’d taken a few hits, and my skin ached as if it were bruised.
I peeked under the covers, checking for any signs of injury. Just my toned muscles, unmarked and intact. I let the sheets fall back down.
Sighing, I flopped back onto the pillow, rubbing my hands over my face as I let the pain wash over me, enjoying it in a twisted way. The sun climbed higher in the sky, and I could tell it was nearly nine, its rays sneaking in through the curtains.
My thoughts drifted to Edeline. I was really struggling without knowing what she was up to. How was she doing? The vibe in my wolf told me she was on my mind, and the craving for her was becoming overwhelming. I just wanted her back home to claim her Luna spot and be my partner, my awesome buddy.
Rolling out of bed, I quietly headed to the shower, my boxer briefs tenting as I looked down. It had been ages since I’d felt her touch. I’d only been with two girls, and it had been just once with each. The first one meant nothing to me; I could barely recall our time together.
But Edeline... Wow. The way her skin felt against mine was unforgettable. I could remember every detail from that night—the way her hair spread out on the sleeping bag, how warm her skin felt when I touched it.
With a deep breath, I stripped off my clothes and hopped into the shower, cranking the heat up until it felt as steamy as Edeline’s skin had that night. I was going crazy wanting to be with her again—to win her back all over.
…
As I stepped out of the pack house, the sun blazed overhead, but the air had a pleasant coolness to it today. Halloween was just around the corner, followed by Christmas and then the New Year. I’d be spending all that time by myself since I didn’t have any family left—just my dad, but we hadn’t really talked yet.
I strolled over to the training field, still feeling sore from waking up with these phantom pains that I couldn’t quite place. Today, I was taking it easy.
When I reached the field, a sense of pride washed over me as I watched the new warriors train with my three generals. The girls were in their own crew, putting in the work.
Maxim had said that to make them awesome, the female warriors had to train alongside the guys. But guys were always stronger, and we were there to keep things safe. When the girls got along well with each other, they’d team up with the guys to compete.
With a serious expression, I scanned the field, but inside, I felt good. I noticed the wolves pause in their training, eyes on me. My wolf wasn’t into the attention, but once they caught sight of me, they quickly looked away.
Sounds good!
My dad was at it again, whacking that punching bag like crazy. It was now or never.
I walked over to him, feeling the Alpha energy radiating from me. As I approached, his body shook slightly. He could feel the vibe I gave off. Spinning around slowly, he looked surprised when he saw me standing in front of him, my face a blank mask.
“Hey, son...” he said, clearing his throat afterward.
“Dad.” I nodded, feeling the awkwardness seep in. “You doing alright? Without the bond...” My voice had deepened over time, along with the muscles I’d built and the testosterone flooding my system.
He let out a sigh and shook his head. “Honestly, I’ve never been better. Your mom… she’ll always be your mom, but I feel free now without her.” He glanced up at the sky, a wistful look crossing his face. “I only ever had one true mate.”