Chapter 75 STRONG FEELINGS
Edeline
I looked at his face, appreciating his striking features. Not quite as mesmerizing as Percival’s, but still undeniably handsome.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small item, extending it towards me.
"My locket?" I frowned, puzzled. Why would he retrieve it if he didn’t like it?
"I understand how important this is to you. It wouldn’t be right to leave it behind," he said. He closed his hand over it, placing it gently in the pocket of my dress before drawing me close. His warm embrace enveloped me, and he placed a soft kiss on my neck.
"Things will get better, Edeline. I promise."
I closed my eyes, leaning into him as his arms held me securely. My heart, already shattered before this day, felt like it might never mend. The depth of my sorrow was overwhelming.
Tears streamed down my face as I clung tightly to Darius. I couldn’t let go, even as the pain from the mark on my neck made me tremble. Percival was making significant strides in forming the bond, and the realization only added to my torment.
“I’m here to support you, Edeline,” he said softly, his gaze locking with mine before drifting down to my lips.
He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine for a brief, gentle kiss. The contact sent a shiver through me, a tingle that I couldn’t ignore. My hormones were definitely in play. The scent of my heat was irresistible to any unmated wolf, and I understood his reaction. Despite our friendship, his affection felt completely natural in this moment.
“I have strong feelings for you, N,” he murmured, his voice serious. “I’ll always be here for you, no matter what happens.”
I genuinely believed him.
“I love you too, D,” I said, offering him a faint, but sincere smile.
“Let’s get going,” he said, his tone practical. “It’s important we get you home soon. Your scent is pretty strong right now, and it’s affecting me. Maybe ask your mom to make some tea to help mask it until your heat arrives.”
With effortless strength, he scooped me into his arms and took a different route to avoid the party.
“I really meant what I said, D. Thank you—for everything,” I said, snuggling closer to him.
He brushed his lips gently against my temple. “Always,” he whispered, his voice a soothing promise.
…
Percival
Profound anguish. Despair.
Disdain.
Intense frustration.
Unrest.
Edeline was drowning in a flood of emotions, each one crashing into her like a relentless wave. She forced her wolf to feel it all, chastising her for giving in to my own wolf’s instincts. She needed to understand the cost of letting herself be ruled by primal urges.
I dropped to my knees, crushed under the weight of the sorrow and grief she carried. It was a deep, aching sadness like nothing I’d ever known before.
And I hated it.
I hated myself.
I can’t even tell when it all started to fall apart.
Tatiana’s eyes searched for a smile when she mentioned feeling our pup kick, but all she got were hard, cold stares. I felt an urgent need to check on our pup, and my wolf growled, unhappy with the lack of joy in the room.
Tatiana looked down, finally realizing there’d be no sympathy here. Not from this pack, who wanted their true Luna. Before I knew it, I was on my knees, my hands on her belly, feeling the soft movements of our pup beneath her swollen skin. I had no idea how I got there. One second, I was just watching... and then I was there, my hand resting on Tatiana’s stomach. My wolf’s instincts had taken over, leaving me lost in thoughts of our pup’s uncertain future.
The men murmured softly about the struggles I faced after taking over from my father, while the women watched with disdain, growling in disapproval. That’s what I heard.
Then, a low, threatening growl cut through the air, making the younger ones whimper and tremble. My wolf’s attention snapped to the source: Edeline’s beautiful white wolf, marked with streaks of gray. Her stance was serious—chest low to the ground, ears pinned back, tail curled over her lifted rump—ready to pounce. Her eyes blazed with deadly intent, the kind that made your blood pound in your veins. Her teeth were bared, a snarl tearing from her throat, saliva flying from her muzzle.
Fear rooted me to the spot as Tatiana locked eyes with Edeline’s piercing silver gaze.
I was a mess of emotions, torn in every direction. I wanted to go to Edeline, but my wolf’s instincts screamed at me to protect his offspring, to calm his mate.
It was agony, feeling pulled apart like that.
The men cheered, egging Edeline on to kill Tatiana. The satisfaction in their voices turned my stomach. They’d have to answer to me once this was over. They’d hated my wolf for too long. I was done with it.
Confusion clouded my mind as my wolf forced me back, the shift tearing my clothes apart. The evening air was filled with the sound of ripping fabric, mixed with the unsettling snap and crack of bones. The bonfire crackled, flames licking the night and casting shadows between us. In the flickering light, her eyes, that mesmerizing silverish blue, locked onto mine with an intensity that cut straight to my soul.
She let out another growl as I started to approach. Her claws dug into the ground, her fur bristling with tension. The scent of dry earth filled the air as she prepared to strike.
My wolf wasn’t about to be controlled by his mate. He wanted to comfort her... smooth down her fur with a gentle touch. But he also had to protect the future growing inside another woman.
I heard my father’s voice...
"Get Tatiana out of here now!"
He knew, just like I did, that Edeline’s wolf would attack with deadly intent. My wolf knew it too. He stood there, watching, while Edeline’s father barely held himself back. Dad gave me a nod, giving my wolf the green light to take control as her mate.