Chapter 74 Completely incapable

Chapter 74 Completely incapable

A confused frown settled on Desmond's face the moment he stepped into the living room that morning. His eyes immediately landed on the bunch of flowers and the jewelry box carefully laid out on the table, and the sight was so unexpected that he stopped for a moment before walking closer.

"Who are these for?" He probed, pointing toward the gifts as he looked between them and Evander.

"They are for Tyra," Evander answered, straight to the point, a small smile touching his lips as he spoke.

Seated comfortably on the sofa, with his hands stretched out on both sides of the armrest, Evander looked completely at ease. There was an obvious excitement in his expression that he wasn't even trying to hide, and from the way his eyes kept drifting toward the gifts, it was clear that he couldn't wait to see Tyra's reaction when he finally presented them to her.

"Tyra?" Desmond repeated, his voice holding just as much confusion as his face.

He plopped himself down on the other side of the sofa, his eyes narrowing slightly as he fixed his worried gaze on Evander.

"You got her a phone yesterday. Today it's flowers and jewelry. Is there something I'm missing here?"

"Figure it out."

Desmond narrowed his eyes even further, studying Evander for several seconds as he tried to connect the dots. It finally came together, and the realization made his eyes widen.

"No way, Evander. Please don't tell me you're trying to ask Tyra out," Desmond threw the accusation at him, almost hoping with everything he had that Evander would laugh and tell him he was completely wrong.

"Not planning. Actively on it."

Evander completely stripped him of the little hope he had been holding onto.

Desmond's jaw dropped, and for several seconds, he could only stare at his friend as if he had suddenly grown another head.

"What?!" He finally exclaimed, his voice rising in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. You have a mate. What then happens to Bree?" His voice came out as a distressed whisper yell, his widened eyes remaining fixed on Evander as he waited for an explanation that could somehow make sense of what he had just heard.

Evander's features hardened and darkened instantly.

"I don't want Bree. I thought I have made that abundantly clear. I don't hate her in particular, but nothing about her appeals to me. And to make it worse, she has a shitty attitude and a foul energy. My heart belongs to someone else."

Silence settled between them for a moment as Desmond processed everything he had just heard. He had suspected something like this might happen, especially after seeing how fiercely protective Evander had become of Tyra.

But he had assumed Evander would eventually be sensible enough to understand the boundaries he was crossing and put an end to whatever was developing between them.

"I have no right to meddle in matters of the heart, but you're the alpha of Blazing Moon, Evander. You know the rules. Your desires will only put Tyra in more trouble than she can handle."

He wasn't only concerned about Tyra. He was also concerned about Evander, knowing the path he was about to tow was a dangerous one.

Evander had never been fond of mates from the beginning, but Desmond had thought things were already changing for the better.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to protect her," Evander's answer threw him off again.

"Have you even thought about the fact that she can't reciprocate your feelings?" He chose another route, hoping that if he approached the situation from another angle, he could somehow talk some sense into his friend.

"That's what you think."

"It's not what I think. It's what Shonda said. I know you think things may be different because she's different, but don't forget Shonda said she is completely incapable of feeling or giving romantic love."

"And Shonda has made mistakes more times than I can count," Evander countered smoothly, showing no sign that Desmond's argument had managed to weaken his resolve. "Don't you think there's a reason she is the only one that can stabilize me? Don't you think there's a reason she turned out different at the exact same period I turned out different?"

"What are you getting at?" Desmond's confusion heightened as he stared at Evander, not sure why he was speaking the way he was or what exactly he was trying to make him understand.

"I don't know what I'm getting at. I just know she has stolen my heart, and I'm not interested in taking it back. I want her and I'm gonna make her mine. Start getting ready to call her sister in law." Evander declared, another smile touching his lips at the mention of the word sister-in-law.

Desmond's lips parted in complete befuddlement. He searched his mind for something to say, anything that could make Evander reconsider what he was doing, but the words refused to come. Every argument he could think of had already been dismissed by Evander before he could even make it.

Eventually, he gave up trying. It was no use. Evander's mind was already made up.

"Why isn't she here yet?" Evander asked, genuine worry overtaking his features as his eyes moved toward the clock. "She has never been this late."

"I hope another family member has not snatched her up to give her another round of torture," Desmond joked, trying to lighten the mood. However, the moment he saw Evander shoot him a sharp glare, he immediately raised both hands in surrender. "I'm just kidding. I'm sure she'll be here soon. Something probably held her up."

Evander didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed on the clock, and the longer the minutes passed, the more uncomfortable he became.

Another thirty minutes ticked by before Evander finally gave up waiting. The concern that had been building inside him was now impossible for him to ignore, and he reached for his phone and dialed the phone he gave Tyra the day before.

When it rang and rang without answer several times, he dialed Shonda's number instead, his first thought being that the older woman was keeping Tyra at the council building for some reason.

"Evander?" Shonda's voice echoed from the phone into his ear.

"I believe you know that Tyra has a job to do and isn't coming here for leisure sake. Why are you still keeping her?" Evander fired the accusation without a single care, his patience already wearing thin from the unexplained absence.

"Why would you think I'm keeping her? I'm not even in the palace. I'm on the streets settling problems the person you're asking after has caused already." Shonda barked back, her voice filled with annoyance.

"Spare me the sermon, Shonda. If any problem was caused, it was all your fault. Just fix it and leave Tyra out of it." He ended the call before she could respond, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the phone in his hand.

Could she be sick?

The thought immediately made his stomach tighten with worry.

"Is she there?" Desmond's voice cut into his thoughts.

"Shonda is not in the palace," Evander answered, already pushing himself up to his feet and making his way toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Desmond followed him, his brows furrowed tightly.

"To look for her."

"Where? Her house?" Desmond probed, hurrying after him.

"Yeah." His answer dropped, his feet not stopping.