45 - Love and lies

THALIA ZAHARA.

“Love?” What is this man talking about from nowhere? “Love?”

“Isn’t that what mates do? They love each other, don’t they?” The uncertainty in his eyes was cuter than it was annoying.

“Alpha Ezra.” My anger softened. “Don’t you think you are being too jumpy about this mate thing? I mean, just because you say it doesn’t mean I should believe you.”

“You don’t feel it?” His question tickled my soul.

“Huh…”

“Miss Thalia,” he held my arms, “I am not saying these things to get a response from you. I just wish to give reason to whatever out-of-character thing I do from now on. So, as I said, I want to protect you and maybe then, I would be able to love you as a mate should.”

“Oh.” There was nothing else I could say.

“I am very sorry that the truth came out this way, Thalia.” Him saying my name informally was pleasant to my ears. “It really was the only way I could protect you.”

“That’s fine. I mean,” my brows jerked, “I am very angry, but I understand where you are coming from.” My heart had truthfully gotten rid of my anger, his talk about loving me startled me so much that I forgot that I was meant to be furious. “Uh…” I scratched my forehead. “About that Goblin, the child that has been bothering me is actually an evil and greedy creature?”

He nodded. “That is very right. I will keep searching for a way to get rid of the creature for good, but it’s best that you know about it in case he tries to pull a stunt that threatens your life even more.”

“Thank you for telling me. It all makes sense now.”

“Are you going to be fine, Thalia?” he gently asked.

“I should be.” My head danced left to right. “I will be fine.”

“Uhm, about the mate thing-”

“Are you sure about it?” I asked.

I mean, since the whole Octavius-toying-with-my-soul thing is true, it means I never had a mate as I so proudly thought I did. It could also mean that Alpha Ezra could be my mate. After all, I have felt drawn to him ever since we met. But what if the attraction is just a result of the kisses we have shared and the effect of his beauty and cold personality? What if my mate is actually someone else? Or, wait. I might not even have a mate at all.

“Alpha Ezra,” I continued, “I don’t really believe it.”

“I am always going to be here, Miss Thalia. Whenever your soul gives you an answer, I am going to be here.”

Someone cleared their throat before I could reply to the man’s warm words.

Emmag moved closer to us. His eyes were unreadable, so I could not tell what he was saying.

“I wonder if he’ll say he likes you,” Alpha Ezra said and I frowned at him for saying such a thing out loud.

“What is your deal?”

Ezra confusedly faced me. “What?”

“You just said-”

Wait? Does Ezra know Emmag likes me?

Oh my goodness.

Is there some kind of game going on right now? Did Alpha Ezra choose to lie about the mate thing to stop Emmag from taking a step towards me?

“What is this talk about a Goblin?” Emmag asked. “That little child is a Goblin? And I am just hearing about this?”

“I have not had the chance to tell anyone until now, Beta Emmag. Don’t beat me up for it.”

“Thalia could have been in danger while you were unconscious and I would have foolishly let it happen because, to me, that boy is just a child. How can you act so…?”

“So what?” Alpha Ezra dared the man to complete his statement.

Emmag briefly looked away. “You can’t keep such things to yourself, Alpha Ezra. We are meant to protect Thalia, not put her in danger.”

“When have I endangered her?”

“Just now, when you revealed the truth in front of the Lycan King.”

“Ahh, I see. I should have kept the truth hidden. How would that have protected Thalia? How many more lies do you think we should spew, Emmag?”

“We-”

That moment was getting heated.

Alpha Ezra let go of my arms and squarely faced the man. “Since you want to play the blame game, let’s play. Weren’t you the one that suggested keeping the truth from Miss Thalia?”

“But you agreed to it. If you weren’t comfortable with it, you should have said so. I am not like you, Alpha Ezra. I care about people’s emotions before I say certain things. But you have a way to make things weird and-”

“You are growing wings, Beta Emmag.” Alpha Ezra scoffed. “Have we become too much of friends that you think it is wise to speak to your king with so much insolence? Anyway, since I clearly don’t care about people’s emotions before talking, let me say one thing.”

“Huh…”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“What?”

The king stepped closer to Emmag. Their eyes met and deadliness oozed from their strained contact. “Do not overdo it. I look past a lot of your rudeness because you have been very kind to me. But the next time you try that shit with me, I will peel a graft of your skin every day for ten days and grill it for the wild wolves to eat.”

“I huh…”

Alpha Ezra stepped closer to the stammering man and whispered something into his ear. Whatever was communicated clearly shocked Emmag, his eyes were bulged and he looked like he might die.

“Emmag,” I stepped in, “as long as I am fine, you don’t have to worry. The child… the Goblin hasn’t caused too much damage.” Well, he did attempt to take my life and then put the blame on me when it failed. Or is that not what happened in the bathtub? If I am right, that creature owes me my deep love for baths. Because of him, I can’t delve into one of my favorite activities anymore.

“Miss Thalia.” The Alpha walked away from Emmag and faced me. “I have to leave.”

“To go where? You just woke up.”

“I have to join the meeting with the leaders. I am awake now, it would be insulting to not be there.”

“Oh.” My head ducked a little. It didn’t sound like a good idea for him to leave. But he seemed determined, how could I stop him?

“I will return in one piece, Thalia.” Ezra’s hand landed on my head and he gave me pats that made my chest rouse with a strange feeling. I looked up at him. “I will return and properly seek your forgiveness for lying to you. I can do that, right?”

God, does he have to look cute when asking simple questions?

Now, my head is joining hands with my heart and fully entertaining the thought of being mates with the man.

“Right?” he asked further and I rushed a response out of my mouth.

“Sure. Yeah.” I coughed. “As long as you come back. Octavius might not let you go easily, but make sure you return.”

“I will.” He stepped closer and planted a somewhat lengthy kiss on my forehead. I was still processing that when he cupped my cheek, gave my skin a beautiful caress, and smiled with his eyes. “Oh, my days… I can’t believe I might be in love.”

“Huh?” His lips didn’t move when I heard those somewhat delighted words of his.

A worried frown on his forehead, he asked, “What is it?”

“Uh…” Maybe my mind is playing tricks. The Goblin messed with it quite well after all. “N-nothing. I will see you later.”

“Later.” His unusual soft demeanor quickly disappeared and without sparing Emmag a glance, he became like a tough soldier who stormed out of the room to face the battle waiting for him outside the grand doors of the throne room.