CHAPTER HUNDRED EIGHT
Enya pov
I'm in shock? Horrified? Stuck in utter disbelief that I've lived a life that wasn't my own? Not only that my father isn't my father; he's a stranger who once loved my mother, but that she's still alive? And I have an actual dad out there who's a werewolf? How is any of this supposed to make sense? Everything I knew just shattered to pieces, and the only thing left in my life is Vince. My life has been nothing but a lie until this man found me, took me in, and accepted me for who I am. It'll take me years until I'll be able to pay him back for all he has done for me, and at the end of the day, I'm grateful to call him my own. Without Vince, I'd be stuck in the illusion I call life, or I'd be lost if this man decided to tell me the truth.
I don't know where he's taking me, and I don't care, as long as we get away from everyone. I need some space, peace, and time with Vince, just the two of us.
We live in a very busy packhouse filled with hundreds of people, but when Vince closes the door and turns the key, it's the only sound that echoes off the walls. He steps closer but holds a certain distance between us. A distance I hate more than anything, but I'm in no position to say anything. I'm scared to break down in front of him. I don't want Vince to see me weak or crying, and even though it's happened before, he doesn't need to see me at my breaking point. Vincent sighs and takes another step towards me, inch by inch, until he reaches me. As much as I didn't want to break, the tears run down my cheeks as soon as he wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. I still can't believe that I once thought this man was a monster when in reality, he's been the only one who truly stood by my side. I don't care about our ups and downs- everyone has them. But he's still there supporting me, and that's all that matters.
From then on, the day flew by. Vince left for a few minutes to bring me something to eat. He told me that Aros wanted to see me and apologise for the words that didn't come from him, but Vince decided that today wasn't the best day for that. He assured Aros that I wasn't angry, but I needed some time to myself.
After running around the packhouse, taking care of me and his duties as Alpha, Vince returned to the room exhausted. I cried every time he left and tried to hide the evidence as soon as he returned. Not that I ever could- the red, puffy eyes are enough for him to know what happened while he was gone.
I thought about my parents, what they would look like, and what our lives would be like if we remained a family neither of us had ever met. No matter how many times I remind myself that I couldn't continue to think about my life if I lived with my parents, my mind wouldn't give in. I can't change the past or the choices others have made for me, but I can try to make the future better and do good for those I love. Starting with Vince.
I look up at the man, who radiates concern and fear. He furrows his eyebrows, probably trying to come up with something to make me feel better. I don't like how stressed and tired he looks, so I'll do something nice for him after all he's done for me. I try to get up from the bed, but Vince grabs my hand and shakes his head. "No, Hell Flame, you're not going anywhere. Stay in bed. If you need anything, I'm here to serve you," Vince brings my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to it. The butterflies in my stomach start a nuclear war, and my cheeks turn bright red.
Despite the kind gesture, I get up from the bed. "No, I'll do what I want. And as of right now, I want to run you a bath and give you a massage. I'm not very good at it, but I can at least try to help you relax- you've been running around all day; it's only fair you get some well-deserved rest." I grin, turn, and head for the bathroom.
Just as I bend down to turn on the water, a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, and Vince pulls me to his chest. "I'll take you up on that offer if you join me. You can decline, but in that case, there's no bath for me, and you'll be sleeping next to a stinky Alpha. I've been doing a lot of physical labour and running today, don't forget that." As he whispers, Vince's hands slowly slide up to my breasts. My heart pounds against my ribcage, and I have to bite my bottom lip to keep a moan from escaping me. I swear he's driving me crazy. Now, both of us know why I was in heat- I have part of a shifter in me, so it's no surprise to anyone anymore. Also, being in heat indicated that I'm ready to be fully mated to Vincent, but I'm pretty sure I knew that before the heat happened. Even though I wanted to make him pay for the mistakes he made, I couldn't resist the attraction. It wasn't a matter of days, more like seconds or minutes, that I felt a stronger need to be with him- fully.
My heart has a mind of its own, and so does my body. I turn and look into Vincent's eyes as the long-awaited words cross my lips. "I'm ready."
His eyes widen in shock. For a moment, I think he's going to push me away and come up with ridiculous excuses, but instead, Vince leans to my ear and whispers, "Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure that you won't change your mind and that the feeling isn't caused by the pain you are feeling? I won't take advantage of a situation where you can't think clearly. I refuse to be the man who uses the moment of a woman's weakness. Besides, if you decide that you won't back down yet change your mind in the process, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself. If we go too far and you regret your decision, I will never forgive myself for forcing anything on you or hurting you. Think carefully, Enya. This isn't a game you can start and stop when you are bored." I know he's trying to warn me about the possibilities and consequences, but I made up my mind a while ago. Vincent is the only person in my life who is there for me and not for anything I can offer or give. He's loving, caring, and I won't go on about his looks. This man has proven to be the best thing that ever happened to me, and I want to keep him forever. Plus, the dreams I've been having and the feelings that rise inside me when he touches me may be further proof that I'm ready to give my all to him. I'm ready to spend the rest of my days by the side of the man I love.
"I know I'm ready," I repeat, but this time, I do my best to sound as serious as ever. Vince needs to understand that I'm not playing around anymore, especially not with his feelings.
He lets go of me and takes a step back. Vince eyes me- maybe to make sure I'm not hiding anything or looking startled. He raises an eyebrow; I do the same, and a bright smile instantly breaks out on his lips. For a good second, I think he's going to take me in his arms and throw me into bed like he joked he would, but nothing like that happens. Vince offers me his hand, I place mine in his, and he slowly leads me out of the bathroom. "Give me fifteen minutes. That's all the time I need, and I'll come to get you as soon as I'm done here. You can talk to Aros for a bit, but first, there are a few things I must do. All your firsts will be unforgettable. You are my mate, the love of my life, not some cheap tramp I picked up off the street, okay?" His choice of words makes me smirk, but I nod and silently agree with him. He walks me to the door, opens it, and lets me leave. Somehow, his hand lands on my ass as I leave the room, and I almost jump. I throw a look over my shoulder to face a grinning man. "A gentleman and a dick- open the door for her and give her a slap on the ass while you're at it," Vincent winks at me and closes the door. The nerve.
I walk to Aros' room and knock on his door. Only when he allows me to enter, do I open the door. His eyes are just as red and swollen as mine, and we both immediately open our arms to each other. We hold each other as if our lives depend on it while he sobs and tries to explain himself. Before Aros can go into detail, I interrupt his rant. "It's okay; I know you didn't mean to say any of those words. Vince explained everything to me, and I came here to check if you were okay. Please, don't cry; you have enough on your plate as it is; there's no need for more stress. After all, we're best friends." I try to reassure him that our friendship won't end in a fight. Besides, it wasn't his fault anyway.
Aros offers me to sit down, and we talk about everything until he's absolutely sure there's nothing left between us. After a while, though, he notices my nervousness and starts questioning me. Aros raises an eyebrow and moves a little closer to me. "What's wrong? You're anxious about something. I could hear the sound of your heartbeat miles away."
He's right; my heart is racing like crazy- Vince needs fifteen minutes, and time's slowly running out. I let out a deep breath and close my eyes. "I think I'm ready. I told Vince, and we could complete the mating process by the end of the night." Aros' jaw drops as he stares at me. I'm sure he has many questions, but I haven't had a chance to tell him the most important detail- the truth about my parents. However, as soon as I build up the courage to drop the bombshell, someone knocks on the door, and my heart nearly leaves my body. I know it's Vince, and he came here to get me.