CHAPTER FIFTY - ADRIEL
CHAPTER FIFTY - ADRIEL
It’s been a long week. One made worse by the Council’s insistence we sort out a new treaty with the humans following all the border attacks. They haven’t mentioned anything since Cassandra’s visit and I wonder how much she’s divulged, how much she’s keeping to herself, perhaps to use later, when the moment counts.
In truth, it’s been a week of avoidance. I’ve made sure I’ve been too busy to see Lia, to spend any real time with her. And I’ve been staying as far from Maricela as I can - though I can smell every corridor she’s been down, smell every room she’s entered. It’s like my sense are honed in on it.
And when I catch glimpses of her, it’s like my Lycan goes mad and it’s all I can do to simply stand there are watch her disappear, while she’s completely oblivious.
The only good thing is Khloe seems to be doing exactly what I hoped. She’s made friends with her, she’s helping her, supporting her the way I should be as her Mate.
I feel a stab, a flash of something twist at that thought, and the hollowness almost takes me again. I groan, shutting my eyes, pressing into my chest to try and ease whatever the hell it is.
“Adriel?” Lia says walking up to me.
I tense but her hands are already on me, on my chest, and whatever feelings I just had, they’re going as a murmur repeats in my head that Lia is my mate, that she cares for me, that she loves me.
“Are you okay?” She asks.
“It’s just been a heavy week.” I reply.
“Well, we can skip tonight if you want. We could have dinner as just the two of us, spend some time together.”
I shake my head quickly. I haven’t seen my family in what feels like forever. We used to meet every evening but since Lia’s come along that’s changed to only one night. The last thing I want to do is cancel on them. And besides, a night spent with just us will inevitably lead to sex and the thought of having to face Lia, of having to try and justify why she does nothing for me now in that department - it’s more than I can take.
“No,” I say. “It will be good to see them. Good spend time as a family.”
She gives me a look like she’s not convinced but I don’t care. I’ve always been close to them, close to my parents, close to my siblings, I don’t want that to change now and I certainly won’t let Lia’s behaviour cause further issues.
My mum is still pissed about Khloe being sent away. I know her returning has helped but still, it feels like everyone is on eggshells, like we’re all becoming strangers. We don’t know how to act around one another and I hate that I’m the cause. That this damned curse is tearing my family apart as well as destroying what joy I’m meant to have with my mate.
“Come on.” I say, taking her hand.
She lets out a little huff, but she lets me lead her out of our room and down to where our private family dining room is.
Everyone is there waiting. Everyone but Ryker by the looks of it. My mother is wrapped around Aeron, her attention on him and for a moment I study them, how carefree they are, how happy they are. It feels a world away from the situation I’m in right now, even before Maricela arrived and messed it all up, were Lia and I that carefree? I know the answer to that. I know the cause. That curse has a lot to answer for, and when I find those Witches, I’ll make sure they spend the rest of their lives paying for what they’ve done to me. To us.
We all start to take our seats. Me at the head. Aeron to my right and everyone else just sits wherever but Lia is quick to ensure she’s at my left. That she occupies the only other seat next to me.
I watch her from the corner of my eye as I sip my drink. She’s still as beautiful as ever but there’s something, something I just can’t put my finger on right now. Maybe it’s the curse, maybe because I should be feeling more than I do when I look at her, but it feels like there’s a chasm, a huge gaping hole between what we are and what we could be. In truth, I feel lonely, almost bitter. But finding my mate, should mean I feel the exact opposite.
“Where’s Ryker?” My mother, asks looking around.
As if on cue the door opens and he strolls in. Only, he’s not alone.
She is with him.
My insides twist, my Lycan roars. I clench my fist to try to contain it, but I can’t stop staring at her, I can’t tear my eyes from her.
If Lia is beautiful then in this moment, Maricela is otherworldly.
She’s not looking at me though. In fact, I’d go so far as to say she’s pretending I don’t even exist. That I’m not sat here, right in front of her. She smiles at Khloe, says hello to my siblings and clearly, they’re all on familiar terms now because they’re all giving her a warm, friendly welcome.
I take a deep breath and all I can smell is her. That familiar, incredible scent, that’s both titillating and torturous.
And then she sits, beside Ryker, and he once again puts his arm around her. Touching what he has no right to. What no one has any right to. Touching what is mine.
I let out a growl. A snarl.
Everyone looks at me.
Lia leans in, trying to turn my attention back to her, but it’s no good. Nothing will distract me right now, not when she’s sat there, just beyond my reach. And as always too far to touch.