Chapter 255: Suffocating

Chapter 255: Suffocating
Adeline's POV

I didn't come out of my room until it was evening. Since I didn't have my phone, and my other gadgets were not with me, I just slept. At a time, my brothers tried to send me a mindlink, but I blocked them away. Until I felt like I was calm enough and ready to face them.

I changed into a silk nightgown and a robe. Something that belong to me, so my brothers wouldn't go feral.

Then I sent a mindlink to Valerie, asking her to tell her mate that I was ready to see him.

Soon enough, my brothers were gathered in the living room, except Fredrick. He was busy attending to his pregnant mate. I have not even had the time to meet her since I was too busy locking myself up. Marcel was absent too, thank the Goddess. I would not be able to deal with one more testosterone tonight.

I stared straight at my oldest brother. I couldn't read the emotions on his face, but he was definitely not angry anymore. Good.

For a good minute, none of us said anything. Until Valerie decided to intervene.

"We didn't just come here to stare at each other, right?" She nudged her mate, frowning at him.

"Adeline, I..." Klaus began, but I didn't let him finish. Of course he was my Alpha, but he was also my brother.

"I have listened to you, all of you..." I pointed to him, then to the twins, "...all my life. But today, I'm going to talk, and you all are going to listen."

There was a collective surprise reaction. This was a first. Even though I was hardheaded sometimes, I had always been respectful when talking to them. Poised. Proper. Perfectly brought up.

But not tonight. Tonight, I was going to let them know how I feel.

"First of all, I want you all to know one thing," I said, but my gaze was on Klaus now. "Killian is my mate. My fated mate, and there is nothing you all can do to change it."

There was a shift in his expression. Hardened gaze, tightened jaw, visible irritation. But none of those changed that the fact that Killian was my fated mate.

"I'm not trying to change it," he then said. "I just want to make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into."

Those words seemed to pinch a part of my brain that made me want to yell out fire.

"Of course, you will assume that I don't understand what I'm doing because you treat me like a child!" I yelled, frustration tying knots in my stomach.

Klaus swept a palm through his face. "I'm not trying to punish you. I just don't want you to be used. I know Killian more than you do."

I shook my head. "I doubt that."

"Adeline, we've been friends for—"

"I don't care how long you have been friends with him. I don't care about the number of women he might have had in the past and if he just wanted them for some wild fuck..." Everyone's eyes bulged, because that was the most vulgar I'd ever sounded in front of them. "What matters is who he is to me now."

I might be driving my point through his skull, because his expression changed again.

But the next thing he said still made me roll my eyes. "What about the age difference?"

"Don't you think that sounds hypocritical coming from you?" He and Valerie glanced at each other. "You have a seven year age gap."

"It's different. Valerie was twenty one. You're eighteen. And you have a nine year age difference."

"Thankfully, eighteen is mature enough for me to get my wolf and find my mate." I insisted.

"Why didn't you tell us that you found your mate Addie?" It was David this time.

I gestured at all of them. "This is why. You all are so overbearing. I was literally kidnapped from my mate."

"But you know we're just looking out for you," Dante added. "We know you have been hanging out with Killian, but we didn't know that he was your mate. He could be taking advantage of you, so we had to find out."

I bit back a bitter laugh. "Like this? In case you have not realized it, you are actually suffocating me in the name of protection. I even have guards around when I'm not looking." They were shitty anyway.

"The guards are for your pro—" Dante began. He was going to say 'Protection', but he stopped himself thankfully.

"I know that you all are worried because of what Ronald did to me," my voice dropped, tinged with a slight tremor that comes from that memory. "I understand that you're scarred. But so am I." I clicked my tongue. "You weren't the ones that was stripped naked and humiliated. You weren't the ones that had to wake up ever night reliving that moment. I was. And I survived it. But I can’t survive this—being caged in my own home."

That seemed to get them all quiet.

"I chose Killian the same way you chose Valerie. Same way Marcel chose Solana. Same way Fred chose Muna. Why is my own choice questioned? When will you all learn to trust me? When will you accept the fact that I'm not longer a little girl, but a grown woman now? In what world do you think it's acceptable kidnapping me from my mate? You didn't even let me get my phone. That's not protection. That's control. And I'm done watching you all dictate how I'm going to live my life."

"She's right though," there was silence for a while, before Dante muttered under his breath. "He's her fated mate. We know how the mate bond work. We should have given him a chance before doubting him completely. And Adeline does have the right to decide if Killian is good for her."

The silence that followed was suffocating. Hopefully, they were thinking about how much they were being unfair to me.

Valerie brushed a hand through Klaus' arm. "See my point?"

He let out a heavy sigh. He still didn't look pleased with the whole thing, but he seemed to be having a little change of heart.

"Can't believe I'm talking about Adeline having a mate." Klaus murmured, leaning back against the seat.

I was still very much angry at him, and his refusal to see things from my perspective was very frustrating. But there was something in his eyes right now that seemed to melt my heart.

Then: "I'm sorry."

I blinked, thinking I heard wrong. "What?"

"You don't hear those words everyday from an Alpha, do you?" He shook his head, looking so torn. "Goddess, you were just a baby. And now, I'm debating sending you over to a man as his mate?" He huffed a laugh.

"That's what happens to people with the passage of time." I answered, my voice soft now. "They grow."

"I'm sorry." He said again, and Valerie leaned against his shoulder, as if silently telling him that she was proud of him.

"That's it? You're okay with me being with Killian now?"

The frown returned to his face. "No! I don't think I will ever be okay with that. But... I'm okay with you being happy and having control over your own life."

My eyes widened for a moment, then tears pricked. "Does this mean I have your blessing?" I looked at him, then Valerie, then David and Dante.

"Maybe."

"Maybe? Tell me!"

"I want Killian to ask for it."

I rolled my eyes. "After blowing him in the face, you want him to come here?"

He nodded without hesitation. "For your sake? Yes."

"Wait, who was blowing who's face?" Valerie asked, turning to her mate. Another trouble.

"Adeline is exaggerating."

I shook my head. "I'm putting it lightly."

"You know what? Finish up with Adeline first, then you will come to the room and explain to me why you think it's okay to hit another Alpha in the face. In his pack."

Valerie was serious. Angry even. But for some reason, Klaus could not stop looking at her with stars in his eyes. As if he finds her anger attractive. Goddess, have mercy.

And just like that, our Luna got up and left the room. That was when the love-struck look left his eyes.

"What if Killian does not come?" I asked.

"Then he is not worth you."

David and Dante stared at each other, a silent communication that didn't even require the mindlink passing between their eyes.

"Didn't he... come here earlier?" David asked.

My eyes widened. Then I turned to my Alpha brother, waiting for an answer.

He rolled his eyes. "If he's serious, he will not give up with just one set back."

I opened my mouth to say something. But then the words refused to form.

"You don't think I will let him have you that easily, do you?"

Goddess above! "Never have a daughter!"

"Valerie wants one. Can't refuse."

Unbelievable!