Chapter 79 WORDS ON THE PAGE
Percival
Once at the top, I swiftly opened the hatch and entered, making my way to the cubby hole without hesitation. I carefully extracted the piece of wood, and a thrill of anticipation surged through me as I spotted a neatly folded piece of paper nestled within, seemingly pleading for my attention. She must have left it before the barbecue to avoid any confrontation.
My heart raced as I carefully retrieved the note, unfolding it with eager hands. My eyes scanned the words on the page, anxious to uncover what she had to say.
Dear Percival,
This will likely be the final message I wish to write to you. I can't say for certain if it will truly be the last, but I feel compelled to let you know…
I'm sorry, but I can no longer continue our relationship. I understand that we're no longer allowed to be together anyway, but somehow, we always found a way around that. I don’t want to be the subject of ridicule among my peers. You have a pregnant female to care for. I can’t be involved in that. I’ll cherish the locket—it’s the only gift I’ve ever received from a man. But you need to understand that I can't be part of your life anymore. Commit to being with Tatiana. Take care of her and your pup. Please, just let me go.
Tatiana occupies my thoughts constantly. If she disappears… If we ever had a chance at being friends, I doubt she’d be open to it. Please, stop following me. Please, stop trying to meet me. I’m determined to find my own happiness, just like you’ve found yours.
Yours faithfully,
Edeline
I collapsed onto the mattress as I read the final sentence. Could she really mean that?
A storm of emotions surged within me, my heart expanding and then constricting painfully as I absorbed the weight of her words. I clutched the letter tightly, my emotions threatening to overwhelm me as tears welled up in my eyes.
What have I done?
Her pain over my actions with Tatiana was clear, and I couldn’t blame her. I understood her perspective completely. We had talked about it before. I’d laid bare my feelings to her, and I meant every word.
I lay back against the mattress, feeling the crushing weight of my emotions as tears slipped down my cheeks. My heart felt shattered, and I couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked my body. The partner I had always desired... And then I caught her scent on the pillow—the scent that overwhelmed me. It lingered in the air, teasing me as I breathed it in, desperately clinging to it.
Unfolding the letter from my chest, I stared at the painful words once more, my vision blurring as I tried to make sense of what she had written.
She had been in such a hurry to write it that it barely resembled her usual handwriting…
She was prepared and determined to remove herself from my life.
But she smiled at me tonight... She wore her locket around her neck… I just can’t understand what she’s saying.
I felt incredibly foolish... I’d given my heart to the woman I loved and believed was my soulmate, and now it was shattered by a few cruel words on a page.
Pulling myself together, I went to the bookshelf and grabbed a notebook and a pen. I wrote quickly, desperate for her to hear me out. I poured every ounce of my emotion into that letter. Tears fell onto the paper as I wrote, causing the ink to smudge. I had no idea if she would ever come back to find it.
I signed the letter, folded it carefully, and slid it into the hidden cubby in the wall, covering it with the rough piece of timber. With a determined brush of my hand, I wiped away the tears that stained my face, focusing on regaining control over my emotions. I knew that if I didn’t, I might lose myself to the primal instincts that threatened to erupt.
She had asked for space.
And for now, I would respect that request.
I would give her the space she needed. At least, for the time being.
…
Edeline
Dark.
Completely dark. The only sound was the crickets chirping outside, their rhythmic chorus punctuating the silence of my room. That's how Mirabelle found me—sitting on my bed, numb from the aftermath of events that had unraveled so terribly. The torment had eased, leaving behind a hollow void.
The fresh marks on my neck were starting to heal, but they still burned with an angry red hue. They were only a few hours old, and their presence was a constant reminder of the chaos that had ensued.
I couldn't grasp why he had acted the way he did. His fixation on the future, especially concerning Tatiana and the life growing inside her, was troubling. I understood his wolf’s paternal instincts, the deep desire to feel his pup’s movements. I got that part. But his comforting words had hit me hard, leaving me in a deep state of sadness.
Then he had shifted his focus to me, and that had only intensified my distress. Confronting him with my wolf, feeling assaulted—everything had spiraled out of control when he sank his teeth into my neck. It was then that I truly grasped the strength of his wolf’s intentions. He wanted to protect his pup while providing me solace, to help me find some semblance of peace. It was a profound and confusing moment, leaving a lasting impact.
And that was when everything went completely haywire.
I sighed deeply, my body gently rocking back and forth as I contemplated the uncertain future that lay ahead. I felt overwhelmed with frustration at my inability to communicate with him. The presence of Tatiana was a heavy burden on me. I felt like I was the one who would bear the brunt of this upheaval.
I rose from the bed, feeling the emptiness within me as I walked to the window. With deliberate motions, I pulled back the curtains and raised the window, letting the crisp night air fill the room. A shiver ran down my arms as the cool breeze brushed against my skin.