Chapter 56

Anger curled hot and unstoppable in Ethan’s gut, like a blazing inferno that wanted to burn him from the inside out. He clenched his fist angrily as his eyes narrowed. The only thing stopping him from attacking Hunter was his warriors. It was five of them against him and he would make it for difficult for him to see her.

“I want to see her.”

“She doesn’t want to see you.”

Ethan sent a dagger Hunter’s way. He was running out of patience and all he wanted to do was avenge. Hunter has somehow found a way and poisoned her mind, now he was afraid he is too late. He might’ve lost her. Or Hunter was lying to him—he had her captured in his possession and forcing her to do as he pleases.

“You’re going to see her holding hands… with me, who took your chance. She won’t even notice you because she’ll be too busy laughing at the stupid jokes I’m making. And it will burn your heart seeing that beautiful smile on her face and realize you’re not the reason behind it anymore. And then it will finally hit you; it was her—It has always been her. Before then, it will be too late.” Hunter walked backwards, his eyes still on Ethan as he smiled casually. “It’s already too late.” He turned around and walk away.

Ethan roars at the top of his voice and launched toward him. Hunter knew better than to just keep walking as he knew his guards would take care of him.

Ethan coming here was a big threat to him, because the moment Elise knows he was here looking for her; she’d definitely have second thoughts. He wouldn’t want to lose her, not when things are going the way he wants them to. Not when he was regaining his poise and having the thought of another chance of having a good life.

He breathes out air as he made his way back home. He entered the house and headed up to her room. The living room was empty, so he walked ahead to her room. He wanted to knock but it would be awkward if he did because he had never done it before.

He opened the door, revealing the dark room. The curtains were down and the lights were off. The only light on were the dim blue lights. He moved to bed, where he spotted her. She was under the quilt, sleeping. Her lips pursed and her brows furrowed as she slept quietly.

He chuckled softly—he finds it cute the way she was sleeping as though she was fighting with someone in her sleep. He recalls how her facial expression looks like when she disagrees with him on something or when he tells her no.

He planted a soft kiss on her puckered lips and forehead before tucking her in and leaving the room. He knew she didn’t sleep last night. His ears were so powerful, he could hear her across the hallway sighing and hissing as she tossed and turned.

He went back downstairs to meet Zack in the living room, waiting for him. Hunter wanted to walk past him because he knew the topic Zack had buckled up has to do with Ethan and that was the last thing he wanted to talk about, especially anywhere near Elise.

“Hunter,” he called out. Hunter chuckled, clearly annoyed that now Zack was calm and he was calling him by his name.

He turns around and settle his eyes on Zack. He could see the annoyance all over Hunter’s face. He was still going to talk about it either way. “You haven’t told the guards what they should do with that boy. He’s still outside the gate, demanding to see her. Have you told her he’s here?”

Hunter perched down on the three-seater with a sigh. He doesn’t even know where to start with. “She’s sleeping,” he said plainly, his eyes dotted on his phone he was now scrolling through. Zack sighed, he was slightly annoyed that his master wasn’t taking their conversation seriously. Hunter was clearly trying to cut short the convo.

“Are you going to tell her about it?” He asked, sitting on the coffee table to face Hunter.

Hunter snapped his head up and glared at Zack. “I am not telling her that her ex-boyfriend came making a fuss about seeing her. And I also expect you to not talk about it either. After this, we are never going to bring this up because she does not need to know and she does not need to be reminded of her toxic boyfriend.”

“So, what he said is true?” Zack asked like he was accusing Hunter of holding Elise against her will. He groaned angrily. “Are you on his side or mine? Does it look like I’m fucking holding that girl hostage? Does it look like I’m fucking forcing her to do anything she’s not pleased with? You fucking know what I went through before finally getting her to accept me and even move in with me as my Luna…”

“She’s actually not… your Luna… yet,” Zack reminded him. It appears that Zack wanted his throat slit open that morning or he wanted to be kicked out and join Ethan.

“Do you have a beef with me, Zack? I mean do you have something else you wanna say to me other than trying to wreck my relationship with Elise.” He can’t figure out to why Zack was pushing him and he wasn’t supporting him.

“I am not against you or your relationship with Elise. But you do not want her to find out he came here without telling her first. You want her to trust you even more—stay honest with her. And I think you should tell her before she finds out another way. Before she finds out from him.”

Hunter head snaps up and he looked at Zack. Find out from him? How was she even going to meet him? He doubts they were ever going to meet up again. He’d never let that happen. He can’t stop her from doing whatever she wanted before he made a promise to never push her to her limits but he’d do whatever it takes to protect her from Ethan.

“Think about it,” Zack said before he rose to his feet and left him there.

Hunter bits down on his lower lip to avoid making a fuss about what Zack had just told him. He was right, if he didn’t tell Elise Ethan was here looking for her, it would turn out to be a mess if she finds out on her own. But he can’t take the risk of reminding her of that piece of garbage that almost left her to die.

“Hey.”

His stomach jumped to his throat when he heard her voice. He looks up and there she was, standing few feet away from him. She squints her eyes and slurred. It was obvious she just woke up or she still needed more sleep. She rubbed her eyes and made her way to where he was seated.

“You… you’re awake,” he stuttered as she settled down beside him. She nods her head and rests her back on the soft sofa.

“Can we go out now? I need some fresh air,” she said, trying to keep her eyes open.

He leans over, there face inches away. “You should get more sleep and we’d go out later in the evening. I promise.”

She closed her eyes for several seconds and he thought she had fallen back asleep, but then she opened her eyes again. “Okay,” she mumbled and laid her head on the sofa pillow.

He heaved a sigh of relief—it seems like she didn’t hear anything he discussed with Zack.

“I’ll get you a blanket.”

“I also like your mom’s bakery, she has tasty cupcakes and muffins.” She dipped her toe in the water to get an idea of how the it feels like. She liked the temperature. She removed the scarf she had wrapped around her waist, revealing her almost naked butt. She dipped her legs in and perched on the edge of the pool.

He had his eyes the whole time she did that. He had to sit up to get a better view of what was in front of him. She looked back when he didn’t respond to what she just said.

He shakes his head and relaxed back. “You’re not going to join me?” She asked. He has been oddly quiet since they came to his private swimming pool. He tends to zone out or reply her plainly. It was as if something happened when he told her he was going out this morning. She has asked him several times but he assured her nothing was wrong. Everything is wrong.

She watches him dive into the deep pool and swam to where she was seated. He placed both hands on her waist as he stared up at her. She looked down at him and their eyes met with a flare of heat, causing her to blush and turn away in flustered mortification.

“What else do you like about your new home?” He grabbed her chin and made her to look at him. They locked eyes again—his eyes were obviously hungry for her. She was finding it hard to breathe. So many things were happening at once and she doesn’t know how to handle it. From grabbing her waist to staring into her eyes passionately to calling his pack her home to their face perilously close.

He noticed how she was fighting to remember how to breathe. He smiled and said, “Just breathe, Elise.”

As if she was waiting for those words, she exhales, fanning his face with her warm breath. He smiled again and pressed his lips softly against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepen the kiss. He hugged her close as he dips his head to scatter kisses on her collarbone, a thought occurs to her.

“What were you and Zack talking about earlier in the living room?” Whatever it is that was bothering him, it has to do with what Zack had told him. And she was little too late before she could hear what they were discussing.

He pulls back with a grimace but keeps his arms wrapped around her. “Were you eavesdropping?”

She shakes her head horrendously. She hated the upsetting look on his face. “No, no, I wasn’t eavesdropping, I swear. I don’t even know what he told you. I came down just as he was leaving and I figured whatever he told you, that’s the reason why you’ve been distant all day. I’m so sorry.”

He could see the panic and worry in her eyes and he knew exactly how she felt. She was broken—she assumes whatever she does, she’s doing it wrong and she was afraid to make the mistakes she did before. To him, she’s perfect and she had never made a mistake but the part where she trusted Ethan and loved him.

He traced his hands from her forearms, to her shoulders until he was cupping the sides of her face. Her eye lids fall shut to his hands tracing over her hands, causing a chill to run down her spine. She exhales to calm her ball of desires.

“I’m sorry for assuming you were eavesdropping. And stop apologizing, because you didn’t do anything but show your concern and how you care for others. This is one of the reasons why I wake up every day and fall in love with you all over again. Don’t ever apologize for caring so much, okay?”

She nods slowly as she took a deep breath and released it. She blinked her eyes as it turned glassy.

He brushes his thumbs over her face and watch as she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his, hoping he’d take her misery away with a kiss. “We should go home. I’ll cook us dinner and afterwards, I’ll give you a massage—would you like that?”

She opens her eyes to find out he was already looking at her. His eyes were full of a mixture of sincerity and admiration, and she liked it. She likes it when he stares at her that way because it’s been a long time since she’s felt beautiful in someone else’s eyes. And right now, he’s watching her so closely and with such a satisfied, heated look in his eyes. She would be fine if they spent the rest of the night just doing this and not speak at all.