Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen
Damien's Pov

The next day, it was Jasmine's turn to avoid me.

She didn't come down to join Liam and I for breakfast. I had tried not to overthink the entire situation, but even I had to admit that it was quite unusual for Jasmine.

"is Jasmine not coming down?" I asked, when I spotted one of the maids carrying a tray full of food, that I knew had to be for Jasmine, and the maid shook her head.

"The missus requested that her food be brought up to her this morning." the maid replied, and I raised a brow.

"why? Is she not feeling good ?"

"she looked fine and well, if only tired. But I could linger to know if something is the matter." the maid said and I thought about it, before shaking my head.

"if she says she is fine, and she looks fine, then there isn't a problem. Go right ahead, get her food to her." I said dismissively and turned to my own meal.

"trouble in paradise?" Liam asked, when the maid had left and I thought for a moment, before shaking my head again.

"we were fine when I left her room last night."

"excuse me, did I hear you correctly? Did you say last night?" Liam questioned, sounding like a woman, looking for tidbits of a story that wasn't any of his business and I rolled my eyes.

"you sound like a woman just now."

"I hope I sound like a very interesting woman. But then again, you're the one who is doing interesting things, at very interesting hours to say the  least."

"it's not everything you're thinking regardless. I couldn't sleep last night, and couldn't fight the desire to see her." I said, and sighed, "little by little, she controls my waking thoughts. And even when I dream, she is the one I see there." I said sincerely and sighed.

"you sound like you're in it bad."

"not yet. But I fear I'm getting there. And I have a feeling the goddess is getting a kick out  of the situation I'm slowly going in to."

"I know I am. That's for sure." Liam said, and nudged him.

"but then, if she seemed fine when you saw her at night, what could be the problem now?"

I thought about it and shrugged, "I guess I'm going to have to find out soon enough." I said and turned to Liam who had a smug smile on.

"can I know what is so amusing to you?" I asked him, and he shrugged.

"just the fact that, after all these years of acting like your heart is made out of brass, it's nice to see you put yourself out there, and really care about someone, bigger than you."

I eyed him evenly, "want me to punch you back into sanity?" I asked, and he waved me off.

"oh, come off it. Go check on the woman, mate. I know she'll appreciate it."

"aye. Once I'm done with the meeting with the pack elders." I said, and rose, "as long as she's really not sick, then I'm not in a hurry."

He shook his head, "and here I was, thinking you'd grown a heart."

I beat my chest, "I have one." I said, and pointed at my head, "I also have a brain. I'm letting it function as well." I said, and left the table.

"one hell of a functional brain, it is." I heard Liam say spitefully, and I just smiled.

It wasn't that I didn't care about Jasmine. I did. Of course, I did. But I've thought about it, and I decided that, if after what happened last night, she decided that she needed time and space away from me, then it was best I gave that to her.

"sire?" one of the elders questioned, drawing me out of my string of endless thoughts.

"mmm?" I said, non-committedly, sure my lack of attention was showing.

"we wanted to know if you'd fixed a date for your wedding." the older man said, and I blinked twice. Because as the fate would have it, Jasmine and I had only decided we would get married, neither of us had decided on a date.

"not really." I said honestly, and the men looked aghast.

"why, but surely you must remember that time is really not on our side?" the older man questioned. He and a few other members of the elders knew of my curse. They were the one who brought the prophecy of the curse to me. They were the ones who urged me every day to find my mate, bond with her, and rid us all of the impending doom. And they, as you well may know, were the constant thorns in my rear end.

"I know."

"your 30th birthday is in two months." the man said more gravely, and I resisted the urge to sigh.

"I am aware." I had the dreams, the nightmares, coming more frequently, always ready to remind me. To torture me with what was at stake.

"so then, if you truly know, as you have said, explain to us the reason for all this dilly dallying."

"my mate and I will be married and bonded before my 30th birthday, be rest assured. I just didn't want to rush her into anything. This life is new to her." the older man's eyes took a softer turn at my words, and I knew the worst of his admonishments had passed.

"I can understand that. I truly can, but she will have so much time to learn of this new life even after the wedding. Surely you've told her what is at stake?"

"not so gravely. But she knows there is a curse. She knows of her role to help break that curse, and she is more than willing to help."

The man nodded, and turned to his fellow elders.

"we can begin to plan then ." I said, a bit more cheerfully, then turned to me, "I will officiate your wedding in two weeks."