Chapter 11 Caught Between Truth and Lies

Chapter 11 Caught Between Truth and Lies

Darius's POV

"I am using you."

I watched her face change, watched the trust drain out of her eyes and get replaced by something worse. Hurt.

"What?" Her voice was small.

I should've kept my mouth shut. Should've lied. But I'd never been good at lying, especially not to people I cared about. "Let me explain," I said, still holding her face.

She pulled away. "Explain what? That Lucas was right? Is this whole thing just you getting revenge? You're not even thinking about me."

I dragged a hand through my hair. "Yes, I want to get back at Lucas. He's been a piece of shit to you for years, and I saw an opportunity, but that's not all this is."

"Then what is it?"

I looked at her standing there, still damp from the pool, her hair dripping water down her shirt. She looked ready to bolt. Ready to walk out and never come back.

"I don't know yet," I said honestly. "But I want to find out."

She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "That's not good enough."

"I know."

"Do you?" She took another step back. "Because from where I'm standing, I'm just a pawn. Lucas rejected me, so you picked me up to hurt him. Nobody actually wants me. They just want to win."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?" Her eyes were wet now. "Lucas kissed me to prove a point. You're engaged to me to prove a point. I'm so tired of being someone's point."

I moved toward her but she held up a hand. "Don't."

"Calla—"

"I need you to be honest with me." She met my eyes. "Right now. No games. Why do you hate Lucas so much? Because this feels like more than just pack rivalry."

I stopped. She deserved the truth. All of it.

"Five years ago," I started, "I had a best friend. Marcus's older brother, Daniel. We grew up together. Trained together. He was supposed to be my beta when I became alpha."

Calla stayed quiet, watching me.

"Daniel was dating a girl from Eclipse pack. Lucas didn't like it. Said she belonged to someone in his pack, that Daniel was overstepping." I sat down on the couch, suddenly tired. "Daniel didn't back down. He loved her."

"What happened?" Calla asked softly.

"Lucas challenged him to a fight. Said it would settle things. But it wasn't a fair fight." My hands clenched into fists. "Lucas brought three of his wolves. They cornered Daniel in neutral territory and beat him until he couldn't shift back."

"Oh god."

"He died two days later in the hospital." I looked up at her. "Lucas claimed it was an accident. That Daniel attacked first. But I know the truth. Marcus knows the truth. Lucas murdered my best friend because his pride got hurt."

Calla's hand covered her mouth. "I didn't know."

"Nobody outside our pack knows. The elders covered it up to keep peace between Dragonclaw and Eclipse." I stood up. "So yes, when I saw you running from that club, humiliated and rejected, part of me saw an opportunity. A way to finally hurt Lucas the way he hurt me."

"But?" she prompted.

"But then you shifted. And you were this powerful, beautiful wolf that nobody saw coming." I walked closer to her. "And when I kissed you, it wasn't about Lucas. It was about you."

She blinked rapidly. "Darius—"

"I'm not good at this," I cut her off. "I don't do feelings. I don't do relationships. But when Lucas showed up here today and put his hands on you, I wanted to rip him apart. Not because you're part of some revenge plan, but because you're—"

I stopped. What was she? I didn't have words for it yet.

"I'm what?" she whispered.

"Mine," I said finally. "Not because of a bond or a prophecy or pack politics. But because I choose you. And I want you to choose me back, for real."

She stared at me. A tear slid down her cheek. "You should've told me. About Daniel. About why you really proposed this."

"I know."

"I would've understood."

"Would you have said yes?" I asked. "If I'd been honest from the start?"

She thought about it. "I don't know. Maybe not."

"That's why I didn't tell you." I stepped closer. "But I'm telling you now. Everything. No more secrets."

"No more secrets," she repeated.

"None."

She wiped her eyes. "He really killed your best friend?"

"Yes."

"And you've been living with that for five years?"

"Yes."

She shook her head. "How do you stand being around him at pack gatherings?"

"Barely." I reached for her hand. She let me take it. "But now I have something he wants. Something he threw away. And it's killing him."

"Is that all I am to you?" Her voice was small again. "A weapon against Lucas?"

"No." I pulled her closer. "You're the person who makes me laugh in swimming pools. Who pushes back when I'm being an ass. Who's stronger than anyone gives you credit for."

"Darius—"

"I'm not asking you to love me," I interrupted. "I'm not even asking you to trust me completely. But give me a chance to prove that this is real. That you're not just some pawn."

She looked up at me, searching my face for lies. "What if I can't? What if every time you touch me, I wonder if it's about him?"

"Then I'll keep touching you until you forget he exists."

Her breath caught. "That's not fair."

"Nothing about this is fair." I cupped her face again, thumb brushing away another tear. "But I'm done pretending I don't want you."

"Even though the engagement started as fake?"

"Especially because it started as fake." I leaned closer. "Because now I get to make it real."

"You're insane," she whispered.

"You keep saying that."

"Because it keeps being true."

I smiled. "Can I kiss you?"

She blinked. "What?"

"Can I kiss you?" I repeated. "Not because I'm proving a point. Not because Lucas is watching. Just because I want to."

Her lips parted. "You're asking permission?"

"Yes."

"Lucas didn't ask."

"I'm not Lucas." My thumb traced her bottom lip. "So what do you say? Can I kiss you, Calla?"

She hesitated. I could see her thinking, weighing everything I'd just told her. Then slowly, she nodded.

"Yes."

I didn't rush it. I lowered my head slowly, giving her time to change her mind. When my lips finally touched hers, it was soft. Careful. Nothing like the desperate kiss by the pool or the forced kiss from Lucas.

She made a small sound and her hands came up to grip my hoodie. I deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into her damp hair, the other settling on her waist.

This wasn't about the mate bond. There was no burning, no pain. Just her mouth on mine and her body pressed close. Just us.

She broke away first, breathing hard. "Wow."

"Yeah." I pressed my forehead to hers. "Wow."

"That was different."

"Good different?"

"Very good different." She smiled, and it reached her eyes this time. "But we still have problems."

"I know."

"Lucas isn't going to stop."

"I know that too."

"And Sierra—"

The elevator dinged. We both turned as the doors opened and Sierra stepped out.

"Oh for the love of—" She stopped. "Are you two kissing again?"

I expected anger. Expected her to start yelling like last time. But instead, she just sighed and set down her bags.

"You know what?" Sierra walked past us to the kitchen. "I'm not even surprised anymore."

Calla and I looked at each other.

"You're not mad?" Calla asked carefully.

Sierra opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. "Oh, I'm still mad. But I did some thinking." She turned to face us. "And I realized something."

"What?" I asked.

"That I'd rather have my best friend with my brother than with Lucas." She pointed at me. "But if you hurt her, I will end you. Brother or not."

"Fair enough," I said.

Sierra looked at Calla. "And you. If you want to be with him, really be with him, then I'll support you. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?" Calla asked.

"Don't let them make you choose between us." Sierra's voice softened. "I already lost you once this week. I don't want to lose you again."

Calla's eyes filled with tears. She crossed the room and hugged Sierra tight. "You're not losing me. Never."

Sierra hugged her back. "Good. Because someone needs to keep you from making terrible decisions."

They both laughed. I stood there watching them, feeling something warm settle in my chest.