CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN - ADRIEL
CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN - ADRIEL
Maricela freezes, looking at me like she has no clue what is going on.
“Play along.” I mouth silently.
She grits her teeth, a flash of sympathy taking over her beautiful features and for a moment I fear she’s going to ruin it, that she’ll disagree, break this entire spell and my grandmother will react the way she always does, with confusion, hurt, upset.
“I came,” Maricela says softly as she crosses the room. “It’s been a while. I wanted to see how you’re doing?”
Gods, I think I could kiss her. She acts so natural, sitting down in the chair, taking her hand the way my mother really would if she were here.
“I’m fine.” My grandmother says more haughtily. “But you know my son, he likes to be in control.”
Maricela nods, smiling gently. “Yes, he does.”
“Who wants a drink?” Layla asks behind us and I turn seeing that hesitant look on her face still. She’s clearly looking to grill me, and I can’t say I blame her.
I nod, slipping back out, leaving the pair of them alone and hoping that Maricela doesn’t fuck this up.
“What are you doing?” Layla hisses as soon as we’re out of earshot.
“I,” Gods, I don’t know how to explain where my head was at. I just thought Maricela seeing me here, seeing this side of me might make her realise I’m not such an arsehole. Only, now it feels manipulative, now it feels twisted.
Layla huffs, shaking her head. “She’s your grandmother.” She states, jabbing me in the chest with her finger. “How dare you use her in your messed games…”
“That’s not what I intended.” I say quickly.
She narrows her eyes, glancing over my shoulder to where I know she can still see my Little Wolf.
“So that’s her then, the other one?”
“That’s her.” I confirm.
Her nostrils flare. She’s met Lia once. Only once. And it did not go well. That’s another reason why I stayed away, why I think Lia kept me away. A flash of something hits me, I grasp my chest as that thought dies.
“Ads?” Layla says watching me with concern.
“It’s nothing.” I lie but then my shoulders slump and I lean back against the counter, feeling like my body is suddenly exhausted. “It’s the curse.” I grit out.
Her eyebrows raise. “Excuse me?”
“I feel it, it’s like it’s there inside me too. I can’t explain it but…”
She moves closer, scanning my face, studying me. “Ads, when was the last time you properly slept?”
I grit my teeth. “A while.” A long while. I can’t sleep because every time I do, I dream of Maricela, of the Wolf I can’t have, shouldn’t have, shouldn’t want. And then I wake up, in pain, in guilt, in absolute agony as something inside of me takes over because it’s Lia I should dream of, Lia I should want.
“Have you spoken to Axel?” She asks.
“No, he’ll only fuss.”
She shakes her head. “He’s the Pack Doctor. It’s his job to fuss.”
“He has enough on his hands with everything else.”
She turns her back, sticking the kettle on and I can tell she wants to say more, to argue. “So why did you bring her here?”
“She won’t talk to me. She won’t run with me. She avoids me.” I state.
“But you’re with Lia.” She replies like that’s the answer, and in so many ways it really should be.
“I…” Gods, I can’t say a reply to that. I can’t admit the shameful fact that I want them both.
“What do you want, Ads? In your heart, what do you want?”
Her. Maricela. That thought hits me like a freight train and then in an instant it’s torn right out of my head like that hollowness has swallowed it up.
I turn my head, staring at the girl still sat there, chatting away, smiling, being so attentive to a woman she’s only just met, a woman she owes nothing. She’s laughing, nodding, she looks so relaxed, so at ease, and my grandmother does too.
And then she looks up, she looks straight at me and that spark, that connection burns brighter than ever. Like a raging fire that’s so hot it will consume us both. In this moment it’s like that is my answer. I want her. I want Maricela.
But another wave hits me, my heart twists and that thought dies, it dissipates, and my Little Wolf’s face is replaced, Lia’s replaces it, as if my heart can simply switch out one for the other.