Chapter 7 7
DIMITRI VALEQUEZ
When I said this was going to be a long night, I expected it. But what I didn't expect was Adriana's complete silence. Agatha was right. We all needed her help, so it was best I was honest with her, even though a part of me was beyond terrified that she'd grow scared with everything she'd been through from the attack and decide she didn't want to endanger herself further.
And even though I'd understand, that wasn't an option, because without Adriana and Esther's daughter, who was the last living Halo witch, my people and I were as good as dead. The coming blood moon was the only chance we had to free ourselves from Asula’s curse.
I leaned back into cave walls, staring right into Adriana's beautiful blue eyes. And while I could read her gaze most of the time, tonight was different. I had no idea what was going through her mind. I'd just told her everything, only leaving the part that she was the one the Moon goddess had created just for me and other information on breaking the curse, like finding Esther's daughter. But through it all, Adriana hadn't said a word. The only reaction I got from her was the occasional widening of her eyes, or her lips parting slightly.
And for a second, I was beginning to think telling her the truth might have been a bad idea. Maybe all of this information was too much for her; she was human, for goddess' sake. This would all be overwhelming.
“Say something please,” I said, almost desperately.
“I can't believe you survived the massacre by Nikola,” She spoke quietly in disbelief and I wasn't sure what to make of that. “And this woman you mentioned, Esther,” She swallowed a lump in her throat. “What happened to her?”
“She died that night, during the attack, saving me and my kind. Because of this curse, if I had died that night, the whole werewolf kind would have perished with me. We owe her our lives,”
“And her family?”
I shook my head. “Nikola’s attack hit everyone, including the Blackrose coven. Esther's husband, who was also a wolf, and her eldest daughter didn't survive. Only her youngest daughter did. I promised Esther I would find her. And that's one of the reasons we've been searching for her,”
Adriana almost froze, scaring me. She looked shocked and pale.
“Adri, are you okay—” I started but she stopped me.
“You've been looking for Esther's daughter? Why?”
“I… it's complicated and—” She cut me off.
“No, tell me,”
I paused, inhaling deeply. There was no point hiding anything now. “We need her. Aside from the fact that I promised Esther to find her and keep her safe from Nikola, Esther's daughter might also be a wolf, like her father. People like her are special, and we call them a hybrid,”
“Is that why you've been searching for her because she's a hybrid?” Adriana was up on her feet, pacing around the cave barefoot.
“No. That was why I promised Esther I'd keep her safe because Nikola has also been searching for her,” I admitted. “And Esther's daughter is the only surviving Halo witch with the Blackrose blood in her veins that can break Asula's curse,”
She froze, staring at me like I had completely shocked her again. Fuck, I wished I could read her mind.
“But why me? I don't understand my part in this. Like you said, I am a human, there's no way I could possibly help in breaking a curse,” She stared at me questioningly.
“You were also sent by the Moon goddess to help us. I may sound crazy, but the second I saw you that night at my bar, I recognized you—” I sighed. “Please, Adri, trust me, it's crazy to explain but just know I’d never hurt you,”
“Just answer this last question, honestly,” She stared right through my soul. “What do you know about me?”
“What are you —”
“Just answer the question first, Dimitri. What do you know about me? About my family?” Her gaze narrowed on me desperately.
“You're Adriana Cross. Your family died during a car accident six years ago when you were only eighteen. Since then you've had to look after your sister all alone. She means the world to you because you're willing to do anything for her,”
Tears filled her eyes, and I couldn't tell if it was from what I said or something else, but regardless, it made my wolf, Ryker, also howl in pain.
I rushed to her, wrapping my arms around her.
“It's nothing. I'm fine. I'm just relieved you were completely honest with me, Dimitri,” She lifted her gaze to mine. “And I'll help in any way I can to break this curse, just as Esther did,” Her blue eyes pierced mine, and for a second, I was tempted to kiss those sensual lips of hers. She felt so perfect in my arms like she belonged there.
“We should head back now…” I said and she nodded. Once we stepped out into the darkness, I turned to her. “Were far from the mansion, so I'll shift into my wolf, and you'll have to ride me,”
“What? No!”
“This is going to be faster, you'll be fine, I promise,” Before she could protest, I shifted into my wolf, Ryker, who was more excited for Adriana to ride him.
To my surprise, my mate bravely stepped closer and brushed Ryker's furs, making the alpha wolf growl in satisfaction.
As soon as she climbed Ryker, and positioned her arms safely around him, I dashed through the forest.
“Faster,” She ordered, and my wolf growled, granting his mate's wish. We ran faster, and soon, we reached the mansion and found my best friend and Beta waiting outside.
I shifted as soon as Adriana got down, wearing one of the shorts Allen handed to me.
“This is Allen, my beta,” I introduced them briefly before leading my mate to her room upstairs.
“We'll be sharing the same room,” I informed as we entered our bedroom and she nodded. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt, quickly changing into it without bothering to go into the bathroom. “I'll be in my office. If you need anything, please let me know,”
With a nod from her, I left to my office tending to some paperwork relating to the pack. I worked for hours, I was almost done when my heightened hearing picked up Adriana's scream.
I rushed to our bedroom, terrified someone might have invaded the pack and broken into the room, but instead, I found Adriana on the bed, screaming from her sleep like she was having a bad dream.
“Adriana,” I shook her awake, and she jumped right into my arms. “It's just a bad dream,” I whispered as she kept struggling for air, refusing to let go of me.
She snuggled deeper into my arms while I pulled her on my lap, resting against the headboard.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I wiped the tears from her face, but she simply pressed her face back to my chest. “It's okay if you don't want to. Just remember it's nothing but a bad dream,”
“No it's not,” She said. “I have the same dream every night, and they are real because I watched my family die right before my eyes, and I could do nothing to save them,” More tears fell from her beautiful face, her confession shocking me.
“But Zoey survived—”
She shook her head, meeting my gaze. “I watched my real family die. Zoey's parents took me in when I was twelve. I owe them my life,”
My eyes widened in surprise because I hadn't known. I had a lot of questions, but I knew Adriana wasn't in the best state to answer them, so I pulled her closer to my body, our faces barely an inch away.
“I'm sorry you have to go through all that, Adri,” I muttered and she leaned closer.
“Me too, Dimitri. But for years, I've always wondered why my family sacrificed themselves to save me. Why did it have to be me that survived that night? What was my purpose? Now I know, I survived because I had to meet you. Because I…” A tear slipped down her eyes. I couldn't bear seeing the pain and hurt in her eyes, and before she could say another word, I swallowed her lips in the next breath, kissing her.
Surprisingly, Adriana's arms tightened around my neck, kissing me back with so much passion. And for the first time meeting her, I knew there was no way in hell I was ever letting her go. Adriana was mine. To love. To protect. To keep.