Chapter 296 RECONNECTING WITH TRUST
Edeline
He really needed his not-so-little sister. I would hit him up first, and then maybe I would finally have the guts to talk to Percival about everything.
After some tough training, of course.
It had been a few days since I had a solid training session. Muscle disappears faster than it builds up, and I really hoped that did not happen. If I wanted to keep being the warrior I had turned into, I had to stay on top of my stamina. But I was not sure my buddy would let me train, especially since my heat was just around the corner, and my scent was driving everyone wild.
I had to remember to grab my tea after I hopped out of the shower.
As I walked in the front door of my parents’ place, the cozy scent of clove hit me, pulling me back into sweet memories. I could not help but think about what might happen during this heat. The last one just did not do it for me. Did I even want him to help me out this time? Or would I just prefer to be out of it for that?
I figured the latter was the way to go. I was not really looking for any pups at the moment since I was unsure where we stood, and I would prefer to take things slow if he could be the wolf I needed him to be. But there were always other options—ways to make sure a female did not get pregnant after her heat.
Still, I worried about him breaking my heart again because I just could not handle it. But deep down, I had this feeling that he would not. We were buddies now, right?
“Alright, Edeline, time to step it up.” I sighed as I headed up the stairs to my room.
…
Edeline
The gold from the necklace I held in my hand sparkled under the light of my bedside lamp.
It was the necklace Percival had given me ages ago. It meant something, I thought. I considered wearing it, but it just felt too soon for that. I would figure it out once I knew where we stood with each other. I needed to feel more at ease with him again—if he had truly changed for the better and if I could bring myself to trust him again.
He was going to have to work to earn my trust back, no matter what. Just because we were feeling it the other day did not mean anything. If he really wanted me to be his, like for real, he was going to have to show me, for sure.
He had to do it the tough way.
Sighing, I tossed the necklace back into its hand-carved wooden box. I mindlessly ran my fingers over the smooth carvings, appreciating the thoughtful gift.
Darius had been on my mind ever since I got out of the shower. And now it was Percival. Those brothers just could not stop popping into my thoughts.
I wondered what Percival thought of Darius and his actions. I was curious if he had ended up forgiving him.
I got out of bed and walked over to put the wooden box inside the big shoebox full of memories. Most of them were from Darius. I had not been able to check those out yet. Not just yet. I put the box back up in my closet and shut the door.
It was time to hang out with my brother, so I was ready to hit up a chill training session.
I had to either step up or back down and deal with the pack. I wanted to check out the reactions I would get from them. I was pretty sure Percival would be there too. He was the top dog, after all.
So, I was already dressed in my yoga pants and sports bra, with a hoodie on, when I headed downstairs. I found my mom and dad chilling on the couch in their pajamas. My dad’s arm was around my mom while she snuggled into him.
They were just going about their usual routine, watching some TV together. I was surprised to see them like this. It was something I had never witnessed before.
“Hey, Mom? Dad?” I walked up to them, feeling a bit puzzled. They both looked over at me, their faces lighting up with big smiles.
“Hey there,” Mom grinned, giving the seat next to her a little pat. I grabbed it, and I noticed my dad smiling like crazy. I had never seen him pull that off before.
“Hey there, how is it going this morning, princess?” Dad asked, his voice warm and inviting.
“Hey, good, Dad. I checked out Darius’s grave this morning. I left out the part about William.” I hesitated, unsure if Dad was still feeling touchy about that topic.
His eyes softened a little. “Sorry they had to put him there... in your special spot.”
A small smile crept onto my lips. “It is all good, Dad. I think... I think it will be fine. It was our spot, after all. I am working on forgiving him... just trying.”
Mom gave my hand a gentle pat. “I really think that would help you out more than you realize, my little warrior.”
Dad returned her smile, and watching them hanging out made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “I think I am going to go check on Nixx now,” I said, trying to distract myself from my thoughts.
“Sounds good. I think having you here will be helpful.” Dad’s brows knitted together a bit as he glanced up at me. “Just a heads up... he is not really himself at the moment. So, you might want to be careful, alright?”
I furrowed my brow.
How much had my brother actually changed?
“Sure thing, Dad. I will take care.”
He had a proud grin on his face, a little smile creeping in too. “I totally believe in you, Edeline. I am really proud of you, you know? Just wanted to make sure you knew that.” His eyes sparkled with warmth, making my heart feel all fuzzy. “You have made us both super proud. I really think you will be an awesome Luna, my daughter.”
I could feel my cheeks getting a bit warm, but I smiled at the compliment.
So, it turns out my parents were hanging out on the Zova ship...
“Thanks, Dad. Love you both. I will catch you after training.” I bent down to hug them and pulled away, still feeling a bit confused.
“Hey, when did you two start chilling at home on a Saturday and binge-watching TV together?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Mom and Dad exchanged a glance, and I caught them sharing a knowing smile. Someone had mentioned that chilling in front of the TV was not the only thing they did on Saturdays. Ugh.
“Ever since Percival took over as Alpha,” Dad said with a smile. “I usually tease him a bit, but honestly, he is a pretty great Alpha, Edeline. He actually gives his betas weekends off, which is something William never did. Your mom and I have had a lot of time to ourselves lately, and it has been really nice to reconnect like we used to.” He glanced down at Mom, love shining in his eyes, and kissed her nose. She laughed at that, checking him out like he was the only guy that mattered.
That was so nice...
I felt a rush of happiness swell in my chest. I was really glad that Percival had helped my parents get back together as a couple. Dad had always been super busy when William was in charge. His words caught me off guard. They really liked him now.
“Okay.” I sighed, heading over to the front door. “Alright, you pups, play nice. I will be back in about five hours.” I winked, giving them a heads-up on how much time they had to hang out together until I returned home.
Mom tried to hide her grin while she waved me away, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
As I closed the door, I could not help but shake my head and laugh a little. Those two were a trip.
The stroll to Doc's was really chill. I had always been a fan of those cloudy days. The clouds hung heavily overhead, gloomy and foreboding. It looked like it was going to rain tonight, and I could feel the pressure in the air. My wolf sensed it too.
As I rounded the curve, I took off running, eager to check in on my brother and see how he was doing. Was it really as bad as Dad said it was?
Walking into the usual clean waiting room, I spotted Doc at the desk and gave him a smile. Just wandering around, I ended up at Nixx's room, and what I saw blew my mind.
Nixx was chilling on the bed, his wrists secured in silver cuffs, keeping him by the rails. Since Percival was the one holding the title now, being the firstborn with Alpha blood, he had to be restrained. If he was just lying there without any limits, it would be a total mess. People would pass away.
“Nixx?” I quietly stepped into the dimly lit room, the only light coming from his bedside lamp, with the grey skies sneaking in through the blinds.
His eyelids fluttered open as I moved slowly, trying not to startle him.
He glanced up at me, confusion clouding his eyes. “Edeline? Is that really you, or am I just imagining things again?” he said, his voice low and rough.
Smiling, I shook my head, plopping down in the seat next to his bed and taking his hand. “Hey, it is me, big bubba. I have missed you,” I whispered.
Nixx flashed me a grin, his wolf vibes shining through his eyes, greeting me. I let mine show in return, leaning down to give my brother a cheek-to-cheek greeting. “I love you, Nixx. We totally love you and your wolf,” I whispered in his ear, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before heading back to my chair.
He twisted as much as he could, lying on his side, his eyes focused on me. “You are not like the others. You even have a stronger scent. I can feel the power in you, sis.”
I could tell he needed a drink, so I grabbed the glass from the bedside and handed him the straw with a warm smile. He eagerly took it, drinking it in quickly before pulling back. “Thanks a bunch!”
“No problem.” I kept my smile casual, just in case he was not really acting like himself. His wolf would never go after me, but with these feelings, you just never know. Better to play it safe. He was still bummed about losing his pup... and his buddy. She had taken off. Or maybe she had been kidnapped.
“Hey, how is it going? I have been really worried.”
There was a look in his green, mossy eyes as he stared at me. “I feel like I am dying inside. Without her.”
“Are you talking about Tatiana?” I asked gently.
He nodded. “Yeah. For sure. How has she been?”
I shot him a sorry smile. “I have been at Dark Moon for the last four months, Nixx. But when I was at Celestial Moon, I could see she was improving. It was tough for her at first, but she is a great wolf, Nixx. She made me this friendship bracelet. I never take it off because it really means a lot to me.” I smiled, taking it off just for him and placing it in his cuffed hand for him to check out.
With a look of surprise in his eyes, he examined the leather braided bracelet featuring a silver engraved disc. “So, you got pretty close with her?”
I hesitated, not wanting to mention that she had once tried to take her own life, which was what had first brought us together. This bracelet served as a constant reminder that things could be much worse for me. I had saved a life that night. I had truly saved her.
“We are friends now,” I said, offering him a smile, and he smiled back, his expression lighting up with genuine happiness.
“I am really glad, Edeline. I was super worried you might hate me for marking her as my mate... but, you know, the mate bond...” His voice trailed off, uncertainty lingering in the air.