Chapter 28 EZEKIEL
EZEKIEL
I hurt her with my words, but I can't take it back. At that moment I regretted what I said. I hate the look in her eyes. I feel like my heart is being crushed for hurting her.
What the fuck! When do I start considering her feelings?
I take my eyes away from her, and look back at Lena who is still staring at her. It looks like Lena doesn't believe me. She's just like Nikolai, very observant.
“Are you sure she's just a guest?” She asks with a skeptical look.
“You know that you can't fool Lena, Ezekiel,” Nikolai says with a smirk. He just doesn't keep his mouth shut. I know that before Lena will even figure out who Dalia is, he will run his mouth.
He walks up to Dalia who's still standing on the staircase and gently drags her to the living room. I know what he's about to do. Well, Lena is not a stranger. She's like a little sister I never had. She deserves to know the truth. It's not like it will make any difference. It won't change the fact that I don't want Dalia.
Nikolai clears his throat as he stands between Lena and Dalia. “Dalia, this is Lena. She's like a kid sister to Ezekiel and has been in his life for years now.”
He turns to Lena. “Lena, this is Dalia, Ezekiel's fated mate.”
Lena reacts the way I believe she will….. surprised and shocked. She looks up at me. “What the fuck. You are not meant to have a mate.”
I don't like the disappointed look in her eyes. She feels like she doesn't matter that much to me that I had to hide the fact that I found my mate from her. She was not there when the war took place, but she heard the rumors.
I didn't bother to tell her or Nikolai that the curse was lifted that same year because I didn't find it relevant since I already promised myself not to accept Selene’s daughter. And when Dalia came here, I didn't tell her because I believe it's not important. I won't accept Dalia as my mate anyway. She's still here because of the war and nothing else.
“He said the curse was lifted.” Nikolai replies in my stead.
Lena is still staring at me— visibly hurt. “And you didn't bother to tell me. When you found her, you still did not tell me. It's like I don't matter that much to you to know things about you.”
She's already sulking. I hate making her feel this way.
I pull her into my arms and kiss her forehead. “I didn't tell you because it wasn't relevant. I didn't accept her. She will leave once we find a way to stop the war. She's not here as my mate, but as my guest just like I told you. I can put it this wsy…. She's here for business.”
I glance at Dalia. I feel a tight tug in my heart at the look in her eyes. Why does it hurt to see that look in her eyes?
And why does it feel that the words I just told Lena felt like a lie to me. Like I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need Dalia when she's all that I yearn for.
Fuck this mate bond. It's driving me crazy.
“When will you stop being an asshole, Ezekiel,” Nikolai says and goes after Dalia who just walks away.
Why is she mad though? It is not like she doesn't know that I don't want her. She insists on staying. If she feels hurt, she can leave.
Another pain sear through my heart at the thought of her leaving. Many thoughts run through my mind.
What if something bad happens to her if she leaves?
What if another man takes her away from me?
What if I don't see her again?
What the fuck!
Why will I care about all that? She means nothing to me, and I shouldn't care about whatever happens to her or what she decides to do with her life.
“Kiel, are you okay?” I feel a soft touch on my cheek. I look down at Lena who's staring at me with a worried look. “You spaced out and you look disturbed.”
“I'm fine.” I mutter.
“Do you really not want that girl as your mate? And why though?”
“Let's not talk about her. Let's talk about you. How was your trip?”
“I learned a lot,” she replies as her face brightens. “Medicine in the human world is quite different from ours. It was so fascinating. I think there are some aspects we need to improve in our medical technology. Even though I didn't finish my program, I was able to gather a lot. When I heard about what was happening. I had to come back.”
“I thought as much,” I say and sit on the couch. Lena sits beside me. “I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Now that you are back, you are going to take over the pack hospital. I'm sure you will take it to the next level with your new found knowledge. Jerald will retire.”
“Why will Jerald retire?”
“He's old and I think it's time he rest. For the past three months you've been away, he's not doing a good job.”
“That will be a huge responsibility. Well, I believe I can handle it, but I want to be in the team. I want to help stop this war.”
“Just handle the hospital. Stopping the war and protecting you is my responsibility. But I won't stop you from helping if there's any way you can.”
“Why won't you accept your mate?” she asks. I know she won't just drop that topic….. that's not typical Lena. “I don't see anything wrong with her, I mean she's beautiful and it seems Nikolai likes her. That means she's a good person.”
I clear my throat and explain everything to her. Who Dalia is and why I won't accept her as my mate. And the reason she has to stay here.
“So you are saying she will leave once everything is settled?” she asks, staring directly in my eyes. It's as if she wants me to give her a specific answer.
“Yes.” I simply replied.
She's silent for a while before speaking up. “Are you not going to tell me why you hate Selene so much to the extent that you won't accept your mate because she's her daughter.”
“Let's not talk about this, Lena.” I cut in. “You must be tired. Why don't you freshen up and eat. You can tell me more about your trip.”
“Avoiding the question again.” she sighs. “Well, I would like to know more about the war. I thought you sent the devils back to hell one hundred years ago.
“I will explain everything to you and also the situation on ground but that will be after you have freshen up and eat,”
“You know I miss you always forcing me to eat,” she says with a smile.
“That's why it was hard to let you go on that trip because I know that if I don't take care of you, you won't take care of yourself.”
“That's why you are the best brother in the world!” She kisses my cheeks and runs upstairs giggling.
I smile as I shake my head. She knows I hate when she does that but she will never stop. She's just like Nikolai
Lena is a very important person in my life. Her father, who is one of the best lycan warriors, died while protecting me. I feel indebted to him. His wife was pregnant with Lena when he died. He didn't even meet his daughter because of me. Lena's mother died during child birth. The doctor said it was due to the pain of losing her mate.
I took Lena in and raised her like my kid sister. I promised to protect her and to make sure she's always happy. When she said that she wanted to go to the human world and explore medicine, it was hard to let her go. I'm so protective of her. I don't think I will forgive myself if anything bad happens to her.
Even though she refused to go with some of the guards I assigned to her, I still made the guards follow her secretly. She must have found out and decided not to say anything. After all, she's always very observant.
‘Ezekiel, I think Dalia is in danger.’ I heard Nikolai's panicking voice in my head. In a swift, I rushed out of the pack house.