Chapter 32 HURTING TOO MUCH
Edeline
“Hey, Edeline... I know it's not ideal for me to be here, but I had to see you. I don’t want you to suffer any consequences because of me, so maybe I should leave now,” Darius said, his voice filled with concern.
I quickly reached out, gripping his arm firmly. “Wait. During my talk with your father, he said as long as I’m careful and avoid getting caught, we’ll be fine. But if I do get caught, there’ll be repercussions. For now, we’re safe.”
His words stung, and my frustration flared up. My wolf growled in response to my anger. It’s hard to believe that, despite everything, we’re still letting him affect us. The ban on spending time with my best friend only deepened my resentment. I dreaded the thought of seeing Percival again. Still, the morning's events weighed heavily on my mind.
Darius flashed me a reassuring smile. “Let’s talk. Come on.” He led me toward the water’s edge, settling on our favorite rock—spacious enough for us to sit comfortably. We sat by the gentle stream, feeling the coolness of the stone and the chilled earth beneath us, basking in the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the trees.
"Have you eaten today? You look like you’re losing weight," Darius said, his eyes shifting with concern as he glanced at my legs. I could feel the weight of his worry pressing down on me.
I sighed and gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah, just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Have you heard about what happened last night at the party?" I tilted my head to catch his reaction, noting the tight line of his lips.
"Yeah, I heard. Tatiana is your brother’s mate," he said, his voice trailing off as he ran a hand through his hair. "I feel for him, Edeline. That woman... she’s trouble. There’s something off about her. It doesn’t make sense that she’s mated to your brother when she’s supposed to be the alpha’s daughter. It’s not how things are supposed to work. Unless the moon has some special plan for her..."
He stared off into the distance, lost in thought. I let my fingers dig into the soft clover beneath me, leaning back on my elbows. The sun warmed my face as it filtered through the trees, and I let out a contented sigh.
"I feel the same way, Darius. It’s clear something’s not right, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Nixx is obviously devastated. I suggested he talk to your dad about it."
Darius met my gaze, his eyes searching mine with a mix of concern and curiosity. "I’ve already spoken to him. He’s on it. But he can’t really blame anyone because of the mate bond—the moon might be involved in her choices. We’re uncertain."
His gaze lingered on me, and I felt the intensity of his scrutiny as he inhaled deeply, taking in my scent. "Where were you last night, Edeline?" His question was sharp, his eyes probing mine for any hint of deceit. I knew better than to try and lie to him.
I closed my eyes and let out a slow breath. "I woke up this morning after everything went down, took a shower, and came to see Nixx. I don’t know what happened after that, except for what Nixx told me. He tried talking to Tatiana, but she ran off in tears." I hoped he wouldn’t dig any deeper. I opened my eyes just enough to see my legs dipping into the clear stream, the water playfully splashing around my feet. He stayed silent, just watching.
"I showed up at the party just as my dad was sending everyone home. They went back to their festivities, and then Tatiana suddenly bolted with Nixx right behind her. They had a brief exchange, and she hurried away. I’m uneasy about the whole thing," he said, his voice a mix of frustration and concern.
We let the conversation fade as he lay down beside me in the grass, his hand finding mine with a gentle squeeze. We lay there in silence, letting the soothing sounds of the stream and the invigorating rush of the waterfall calm our frayed nerves. I could feel his pain, his deep-seated distress over everything that had happened. My own feelings mirrored his, but his anguish seemed more profound.
"Edeline," he finally said after an hour of quiet contemplation.
"Yeah?" I kept my eyes closed, trying to shield my emotions from him.
"Would you like Percival?"
I needed a moment to process. Did I really want Percival?
"Usually, I’m good at holding conversations," I began, my voice wavering slightly, "but right now, I’m unsure. My wolf is drawn to him, but I’m afraid of the pain it might cause. Getting closer to him could only intensify the agony. Seeing him as just the annoying older brother I’ve always known is more manageable. I’ve never had the chance to truly know him as my mate. Darius, this situation is overwhelming. The emotions are intense, and the attraction is powerful. I’m scared that spending more time with him will let my wolf take over, and I won’t be able to control her."
Darius tightened his grip on my hand, his touch both reassuring and grounding. He sat up, and I followed suit, folding my legs beneath me and meeting his troubled gaze.
"I’m sorry, Edeline. I know this is hard. Remember, I’m here for you, no matter what. You can talk to me about anything, okay?" His eyes bore into mine with an earnestness that made my throat tighten. I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form, unsure if he sensed the depth of my turmoil.
I nodded, trying to steady my breath. "I understand. Thanks."
Darius seemed to search for a way to help. "If you need a break from all this, maybe we could visit my uncle’s pack. It might be a nice change of scenery, a chance to escape for a while," he suggested, his tone laced with hope.
I managed a faint smile, though it didn’t reach my eyes. "I can’t do that right now. I need to stay here with Nixx. He’s hurting too much."
Darius’s face softened. "He can come along if he wants."