Chapter 223 WOUNDS OF THE PAST
Nixx
My wolf was intensely protective when it came to her. But the thought of Percival dying filled me with guilt. In the short time we have, it seemed important to reconcile with those we might consider adversaries. None of us can predict when our time will run out.
Thinking about Darius made me feel queasy. His obsession with my sister and the messed-up things he did—it was clear Percival made the right choice in dealing with him. If he hadn’t, I would have had to.
Lost in my thoughts, I paced around the waiting room, letting out a sigh that I had been holding in all day. I had spent the entire day waiting, and after a chat with Z, I felt ready for what I came here to do.
Alright, it’s time to talk to Tatiana.
I took a deep breath, feeling a surge of anticipation as my wolf nudged my thoughts towards our mate. He was eager to see her, excited about marking her and sealing the mate bond. He was curious about meeting her wolf and having some alone time together. But I reminded him that she might not be receptive at the moment.
I reached the door to my room at the clinic and gripped the knob tightly. After another deep breath to steady myself, I walked in without knocking.
Tatiana was resting peacefully in her bed, her honey-blonde hair spilling over the pillow. Dark shadows lay beneath her eyes, and her complexion looked pale, a clear sign of the hardships she had endured—both physical and emotional.
I peeked out into the hallway and casually grabbed a few flowers from a vase on a nearby table. With a nonchalant attitude, I walked back into her room and quietly shut the door behind me.
As I moved closer, I felt a shiver run through her body, as if she sensed my presence. I could sense her awareness too. A strong urge to get closer gripped me, my skin tingling with anticipation. My wolf was practically prancing with excitement.
It was a bit disheartening to see that there were no flowers in her room. A sinking feeling settled in my chest as I realized she had no one. Not a single person. All those she cared about—Anita, Conor, her biological father, her dog—had been taken from her. Who really cared?
I did.
I grabbed the empty vase from her bedside table, feeling a pang of sadness at how poorly our mate had been treated. My wolf was whimpering with sympathy for her, the outsider in her own world.
I took the vase to the bathroom, filled it with water from the sink, and placed the flowers inside. Even though I had taken them from the hall, I hoped they might bring a bit of brightness to her room. She deserved something nice.
Returning to her room, I set the flowers back on the bedside table and sat down beside her bed, gently holding her hand. It felt just right, like it was meant to stay there forever. Sparks seemed to dance across my skin, a tingling electricity in our touch.
I grinned as our hands intertwined, my gaze wandering over her smooth skin. When I looked up, I saw her beautiful face, her warm chocolate eyes meeting mine.
I was startled when I realized she had woken up. “Tatiana! How about giving someone a heads up when you wake up?”
She squinted at me, then forcefully pulled her hand away. “Get lost. I do not want to see your face, you heartless animal abuser,” she spat at me with anger.
Ouch, her words stung deeply.
She turned away from me, and I noticed that the back of her gown had slightly come undone, exposing her bare skin. Unable to resist, I reached out and traced a finger over the smooth skin, my wolf purring with pleasure. A deep rumble escaped from my chest as her body trembled, goosebumps forming where my touch lingered. It was clear she felt something, despite her anger.
She let out a sob, her body shaking with tears. I quickly withdrew my finger, feeling the weight of her sadness through our unique bond.
“Hey, Tatiana...” I murmured softly. “Can we talk? I am really sorry for everything. My wolf and I could really use your help. It would mean a lot if you could just talk to me.” I never thought I would have to ask a woman like this.
She turned towards me, anger and tears in her eyes. “You want me to talk to you? You took away the one thing I loved! The one thing that could have loved me! That was my son! I have no one left! Everyone I ever loved has been ripped away, and yet the moon keeps punishing me!” She cried, her eyes glaring at me with raw pain.
My heart ached for her. She was so lonely.
“Tatiana, I apologize for any pain I may have caused you. It was never my intention. However, you need to understand that, as I explained to Percival, you can have multiple offspring but only one mate. I know Percival’s passing was hard for you, but it wasn’t solely due to my mark. It was the deep connection between Percival and Edeline that initially caused you distress. And you are mistaken—we are indeed mates. Given time, we could become everything to each other.”
I was consumed by a deep, searing anger because of the mate bond. Her emotions were intense, and she stared at me with those piercing brown eyes, making her gaze even more formidable. “You keep talking about friends, but that didn’t stop you from being with Mirabelle, did it?” Her voice was sharp, filled with frustration. “I just want to be alone, Nixx. I know I’m not wanted here, and once I find somewhere else to go, I’ll leave. I’m tired of living for everyone else. I’m going to start making my own decisions from now on. I don’t care about power or Alpha blood. Losing someone has made me realize that life is too short. Percival almost killing himself made me realize that I shouldn’t dwell on pain for too long, and I won’t. I’m mourning because I’m hurt.” Her tears continued to flow, and each word seemed to cut deeper. “I just want to be happy. I won’t mark you, Nixx. Not now. Maybe never.”