Chapter 196

Chapter 196
Blue swallowed hard, his legs feeling too heavy to move.

He knew exactly what it was he felt the moment Maren’s hand touched him.

His little suspicion was brutally confirmed: the mate bond was alive.

"You feel it, too, don't you?" Maren's voice was shaky as he stepped closer, her his tightening slightly around Blue's wrist.

He stood in front of Blue, his eyes slowly roaming Blue's face.

"I feel it, Blue... I've always felt it," He murmured, fighting the urge to draw Blue into his arms.

"From the moment you turned your back on me after the ritual, I knew that I was about to suffer not from a broken bond, but from the loss of the absence of your soul beside mine," He spoke softly, his thumb rubbing the inside of Blue's wrist.

"Can't toy see, Blue, where meant to be, not even the ritual could separate us. I am –"

"Enough," Blue's voice was barely over a whisper.

He gently removed his hand from Maren's hold and stepped back. Dragging a slow breath into his lungs, he lifted his head and stared at Maren.

"I'm sorry, Maren. But, I don't know what you're talking about. The maye bond is broken and whatever you feel is on you. Please... you've already made me suffer so much in the past, don't try to hurt me again," He sighed and glanced around him, seeing the sun almost disappear from the sky.

"All I ask is that you stay away from me. I'm dead to you, you're dead to me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to catch the last glimpse of sunset," he murmured and turned away, walking ahead to get a better capture of the disappearing sun.

Maren felt like a bucket of ice cubes had been dumped over his head. Blue's denial was worse than a heartbreak. It broke his entire being.

Hearing a nate deny you was one of the things that killed the soul. But Blue had done it so easily without looking bothered.

But Maren wasn't about to be fooled. He couldn't be deceived; he saw the look that flashed through Blue's eyes when their bodies had touched, it was a look of shocking realisation and Matenbwoukd be a fool to give up now.

He had thought that he was the only one feeling the mate bond, but now that he'd seen that Blue was just as affected, he was never going to back down. Not until Blue acknowledged what they still had between them.

He stood there, watching Blue take his pictures, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm never letting you go this time, Blue. I promise," he whispered, hope surging within him.

He decided to wait for Blue and get another stolen moment with him as they walked back to the glass mansion. However, a voice he had come to despise spoke right behind him.

"Hey, man," Black said and tapped Maren's shoulder before walking past him.

Maren scowled, the urge to simply transform and drag Black for a deep swim was getting stronger and stronger.

He did not like the guy for one second, and the moment he saw Blue flashing his beautiful smile at Black, he moved, striding over to them in long steps.

"Did you take lots of pictures?" Black asked, slowly taking Blue's camera and looking through his images.

'Yeah, good?" He asked as Black went through the pictures.

Black nodded, lowering the camera from his eyes.

"You did great, as always," he raised his hand, about to touch Blue's cheek, but Maren suddenly stepped between them.

"Would you look at the time, the waves are about to get crazy. We should go in," Maren stated, his eyes boring into Black's face, challenging him to object.

Blue frowned, aware of exactly what Maren was trying to do. He would have found it endearing in the past, but at that moment, he found it annoying.

Maren was just trying once again to get what he wanted which was selfish of him. He didn't care that the other person had stated an uninterest, yet he was pursuing.

Blue wasn't going to have it.

"You can go inside, Maren. Black and I will stay a little longer," Blue said and stepped aside, grabbed Black's hand and dragged him away.

"I wasn't lying, Blue. The waves are going to be heavy tonight. I just want you to be safe," Maren said, his heart stinging from Blue's distrust.

"Whatever," Blue murmured and kept walking forward.

"Blue," Black called quietly, his eyes glancing around the large ocean.

Blue paused, "Yeah? Want to go another direction?" He asked.

Black cleared his throat, "No. Um, I think we should listen to Maren," he said, glancing back at Maren who was still standing at the same spot, watching them.

Blue frowned, "Why? Are you tired already?" He questioned.

He did want to go back to the house now, but he just wanted to let Maren know that he would never listen to what he says, even if it would save his life.

That would show the distance he wanted to be from him.

Black sighed, "No... I'm not tired. It's just, you know I can't swim –"

"Shit..." Blue suddenly muttered, scratching his head, "Sorry, man. I forgot u had to pull you out from drowning in a pool once," He chuckled, slowly turning them back to face Maren.

Black smiled, "Yeah... that was embarrassing but I'm glad you saved me. It made our friendship stronger," he gently squeezed Blue's hand, smiling at him.

Blue nodded, "Yeah..." His voice trailed off as he reached Maren's side, trying to look unbothered by the intense gaze Maren was sending his way.

He tried to walk faster, to leave Maren behind them but Maren was right beside him, his steps not looking one bit hurried.

Blue gave up and simply focused on discussing whatever came to mind with Black just so he kept his eyes and mind away from the brooding Prince beside him.

Soon, they arrived at the glass mansion and walked into the living room.

"Blue, look! I'm feeding my princess!" Bianca immediately called from the sofa as she gently held the baby in her arms, her other hand holding a bottle of milk to the baby's mouth.