Chapter 199

Chapter 199
Elvira

I woke up to the soft morning light spilling into the room, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure where I was. The warmth of the sheets, the lingering scent of Jaxon’s cologne, and the quiet rhythm of his breathing beside me, it was all too comforting, too real. I shifted slightly and felt the weight of a hand tracing lazy circles on my skin. My eyes fluttered open, and there he was, staring down at me with that familiar, intense gaze.

For a brief second, I nearly flinched. I’ve spent weeks apart from him, so much of our history tangled in anger, hurt, and misunderstanding. But the truth was, I had been craving this closeness, these small moments of intimacy that I had been too stubborn or too scared to embrace.

“Is this real?” Jaxon whispered, his voice low, husky with lingering sleep. “I’ve been staring at you since four a.m., wondering if you’ll disappear if I blink too fast.”

I laughed softly, the sound filling the quiet room and making the air around us warm. “I’m here,” I said, voice still heavy with sleep, but certain.

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead gently, brushing his lips across my skin in a way that made my chest tighten. “You’re here,” he murmured, and I could feel the tension he’d been holding for weeks slip just slightly.

But the moment was fleeting. Jaxon shifted, sitting up, the muscles in his chest flexing as he stretched. “I have to get up quick,” he said, voice suddenly businesslike. “Deric said he’s coming to Pack Tower today, and I want to talk to him before… before anything gets messy.”

I blinked, trying to process his words. “Deric? He’s coming here?”

“Yes,” Jaxon said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “I’ve been avoiding him since I learned about… well, you know, dealing with humans and the fact that his girlfriend is human too. I didn’t want any complications. But today, I need to face it.”

I swallowed, my heart quickening at the thought of Deric, my newly discovered brother, standing so close to me, in the same world I shared with Jaxon. But there was no time to dwell on the worry. Jaxon stood, the morning light catching the damp hair at his nape, and I realized how much I was still drawn to him, even in this complicated mess of our lives.

“Oh, I’ll leave now,” I murmured, attempting to retreat, to give him space as he prepared for his day.

But before I could move, his hand shot out, catching me by the waist and pulling me close. The heat of his body pressed against mine, and I could feel the playfulness in his eyes even as he whispered, “Where to? Is there anything on my body you haven’t seen?”

I laughed, beating my hand against his chest, the sensation of his heartbeat under my palm grounding me. “You’re so naughty,” I said, shaking my head, a blush rising on my cheeks despite the intimacy we had shared countless times.

He smirked, eyes glinting, and before I could protest, he said, “Let’s shower together.” And with that, the room seemed to shrink around us, the warmth and water enveloping our bodies as we shared that private, unspoken connection, letting the world outside wait.

After the shower, wrapped in a towel, I retreated to my room to change, my mind running through the events to come. My heart still raced from the closeness with Jaxon, the way he held me, teased me, and yet was so protective. I dressed quickly, slipping into something comfortable but tight enough to feel like myself.

As I looked out the window, something caught my eye. Below the tower, in the courtyard, I could see Jaxon and Deric talking. Their voices carried faintly, and I could sense the tension between them, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the morning air.

I pressed my forehead to the glass, trying to make sense of it all. If Deric is really my brother… he will have the same birthmark my mother described, hidden at the nape of his neck. That will be proof.

Determined, I left my room and made my way down the tower steps, my boots quiet against the stone. I reached the courtyard, careful not to announce my presence until I was ready. My chest tightened, nerves and anticipation tangling in a knot as I stepped closer to them.

“Deric,” I called, my voice steady despite the thrum of fear in my veins. Both men turned, startled. Jaxon’s eyes immediately softened at the sight of me, concern flashing briefly before he returned his attention to Deric.

Deric’s gaze met mine, wary, almost defensive. “Yes?” he asked, voice careful, and controlled.

I stepped closer, lifting my chin and holding the photograph out in my hand to study both features but what I saw confirmed the reality, my fingers trembling slightly. “You’re him. The boy. My brother,” I said, voice filled with conviction.

He stiffened, eyes narrowing as if the words themselves were a blade. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, shaking his head, denial evident in every line of his body.

I exhaled slowly, moving even closer, heart hammering in my chest. “Yeah. Even I can’t make sense of how ridiculous this sounds,” I said, my voice firmer now, demanding attention. “You are him. I’ve seen the proof. This photograph—it’s you as a child.”

Deric’s eyes flicked to the photo, disbelief and fear warring in his expression. He laughed nervously, a hollow sound that made my stomach churn. “That… that’s not me,” he said quickly. “You’ve got the wrong person. I… I don’t have a sister…I was adopted.”

I shook my head, frustration and hope mingling in my chest. “Look at me,” I said, taking his hand and guiding it to the nape of his neck. “This mark… do you see it?’ I let my hands trace the swirl, just as mine and Mom’s. That’s proof. “That’s the truth, Deric. You are my brother. You cannot deny it.”

For a long moment, he froze, staring down at his own skin, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. I could see the internal struggle warring within him—the denial, the fear, and the dawning recognition of what I was saying.

“No… it can’t be,” he whispered finally, voice breaking. “I… I… I’m not… I can’t…”

“Yes, you are,” I said, pressing closer, letting him feel the truth in my voice. Jaxon watched from a step away, silent but tense, his eyes never leaving the interaction. Deric’s hands shook slightly as he reached up, tracing the mark as if touching it might make the revelation vanish.

Tears welled in my eyes as I saw the walls around him begin to crumble. His posture softened, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. “I… I don’t know how to… how to process this,” he said, voice almost a whisper.

“I need time to process all this” he continued, and with that he turned on his boots and disappeared.