Chapter 28 Unknown
MEIRA’S POV
I followed him, my heart hammering so hard against my ribs I could feel each frantic beat in my throat. Every step I took felt heavier than the last, like my body knew I was walking straight into something I wasn’t ready for.
The rakes and cleaning tools slipped from my hands and clattered to the ground behind me, but I didn’t stop. The firmness in his voice had already told me there was no point arguing, no point pretending I had a choice. Still… the way he spoke gnawed at me. His words dragged slightly—not enough to be sloppy, but just enough to be off. His steps weren’t unsteady, yet they weren’t the usual precise, deliberate Mr. Sherlock I knew either.
He was drunk. Or at least affected by liquor. Was that what made him act this way—the sharp command, the sudden intensity? Or had something else pushed him over the edge?
I trailed behind him, each step deliberate, slow, my legs weighed down with dread. Every second stretched too long. Every breath felt shallow.
I had lied to him.
And the worst part? I thought he already knew.
The thought twisted my stomach painfully. Had he felt it too? The pull, the strange awareness that flared whenever he was near. Or was he only suspicious, asking questions he already knew the answers to? How could he know what I felt… if he wasn’t feeling it too?
Questions swarmed my mind, leaving barely any room to think.
We were almost at the chamber when someone stepped into our path so suddenly I nearly ran into him. He was tall, solid, brown-eyed, and observant—every detail of him screamed control. Jet-black hair, sharp posture, and the kind of presence that made the air feel heavier.
The beta.
His gaze flicked to me briefly. Nothing. No curiosity. No judgment. I couldn’t read a thing from his expression. Then he leaned toward Dane and whispered something low in his ear. Despite being a hybrid, I couldn’t catch the words. I’d always been at a disadvantage when it came to subtle whispers.
Dane’s shoulders stiffened.
The beta straightened and turned to me, tilting his head just slightly. No words came, but it was clear—he dismissed me entirely.
Dane, still stiff, muttered, slurring his words just enough to confirm what I had already suspected. “I… I will summon you la—later.”
My chest tightened.
I stared at the beta, waiting for a response, but he said nothing. So I turned and walked away.
“Oh, Moon Goddess,” I whispered under my breath, my steps quickening. “I know you hate me. But for this… thank you.”
Returning to the cleaning felt surreal. My hands moved automatically, but my mind stayed trapped in the memory of Mr. Sherlock’s voice, in the way he hadn’t looked at me long enough, had barely spared me a glance. The thought of him cupping my face with those warm, large hands, placing his palm over my lips, and instructing me to call him “Dane” made it clear—it had to be the liquor. There was no other reasonable explanation.
I think he felt it.
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve been quiet for a while, Roxy,” I muttered through the link. “But the moment it’s him, you suddenly have opinions?”
She stirred lazily. Have you seen him without a shirt? she asked.
I almost snorted. That was rhetorical. Exactly.
And you’re willing to forget everything else because of a chest? All the orders and warnings just because of a chest?
Her tone softened. No, Meira. I was just playing around.
“Better.”
I think you should tell him. Let him reject you if that’s what he chooses. At least then you’ll be free.
“Chooses?” I almost scoffed. “Of course. What else are we expecting?”
I know, she responded.
“You say ‘free,’ like it would be that easy.”
Yeah, free from all this, she said.
The words felt cruel.
“What if it’s not that simple?” I snapped. “When have you ever heard of a cursed hybrid being mated to an alpha prince?”
She didn’t answer immediately.
You know how painful it is to deny the bond, she finally said. It’s already wearing us down.
I was about to respond when footsteps sounded behind me. I spun around.
It was Emily. Standing there with her usual grin, sharper, meaner. Two other girls flanked her, laughing as they deliberately scattered dirt and leaves across the freshly cleaned garden I had just spent hours tending. Like children. Like bullies with nothing better to do.
I said nothing.
Emily stepped closer, feigning sweetness. “Clumsy us,” she said. “I think I messed up where you cleaned.” She gestured vaguely. “Looks like you’ll have to start all over.”
Anger burned in my throat. I opened my mouth, but Roxy’s voice cut through the link. Don’t. Silence is the best answer to a fool.
I swallowed. I’m only giving her that because I have no choice. Silence makes her think she’s winning, I replied.
Emily’s smile faltered when I didn’t react. She scoffed. “Let’s go,” she said, turning to the others. “We have an important ceremony to prepare for.”
They walked away, laughter fading into the distance.
I let out a slow, steadying breath. My hands were shaking as I picked up the broom again, forcing myself to focus. The garden had to be perfect before the ceremony, but more importantly, I had to gather myself before facing him again.
Because Mr. Sherlock—and the way he made my body and mind betray me—wasn’t finished yet.