Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Between Memories and Drinks
As we walked along the cobblestone path, the guards bowed now and then to us. Walking around made me realise how much I had missed home.
My thoughts wandered back to Aeris, lately she had been making me feel things I could not explain.
Sometimes I feel like she remembers me, and she talks like Ember... but she always denies it. Even her tease, "You look like an Incredible Hulk doing a butterfly dance," was similar to how I teased her in the past. "You look like a skeleton doing a butterfly dance."
If truly she isn’t Ember and hadn’t gotten her memories back, how could she imitate what I’ve said?
I tucked my hands inside my pocket, the sun was already setting, casting its orangey glow.
"I’m your master and you’re my pet." Her words echoed in my head. A small smile curved on my lips... ’I don’t mind being her pet if it means I can be close to her... only then can I help her remember me.’
"What are you thinking of? Let me guess, Aeris?" Alaric’s hollow voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I turned to my side, meeting his gaze briefly. "Who else if not her?" I shamelessly said.
His brows furrowed deep. "You really have changed Damon. I remember back then when I told you to wait for your second chance mate, the conversation always ended with a broken nose... my broken nose."
He continued in a calm and unhurried voice. "Now you are the one who willingly took your heart out for her. I thought you hated Fae, how can you change so quickly? I’m not saying it’s a bad thing... I’m just wondering how you have grown so much in being open-minded."
I clicked my tongue in fake annoyance. "Are you trying to say I’ve been narrow-minded?"
"Do you need me to spell it out for you?" He imitated my tone, clicking his tongue at the end.
Silence fell between us, it wasn’t one of tension rather it was comforting.
"Too bad Ember can’t see it..." He lowered his head, kicking a stone. "I know you believe Aeris is Ember and I don’t doubt you... But we never know if she will regain her memories."
My throat tightened at his words, but I didn’t say anything.
"Back then when you died, I thought that would be the end, I was devastated and Theo was consumed with rage. However, Aeris... she awakened her powers... she was ethereal and magnificent with her wings, and I even felt shudders running through my spine. She looked like someone else, someone powerful." His gaze flickered back to me.
"I thought she was just going to kill the witches as revenge, but she tore out her heart and parted in two, giving one part to you. You did yours to save her and she did hers to bring you back to life. I must admit my respect for her has grown greatly... And so did Theo’s." He added.
"That must have been painful for her..." My hands moved to my chest, feeling my heart beating. "I’ll forever be grateful to her."
Alaric threw his hands over my shoulder. "Your mate is like a goddess, you just won a jackpot... however mine is another tale, she is more of a villain and a badass." He said with something like a sigh.
I patted his back. "You’ll get through it... At least you are better than me. You didn’t reject her heartlessly like me." My eyes flickered with guilt and regret.
We both went silent again, lost in our own thoughts.
"To be honest I wanted to... especially after how she attacked us heartlessly. I would have been happier if she were a Fae." His heartbroken voice tore through the silence like a blade.
"Ahem." I cleared my throat. "No need to get sunken now, we have drinking to do." I nodded at the entrance of a bar bursting with werewolves, some were already drunk and others were chatting happily.
The strong ethanol smell of alcohol flooded our nostrils. Even the hype of the people was uplifting to our mood.
"Come, my friend... let’s drown our sorrow," I said, striding inside the bar.
The moment we entered, the atmosphere changed, and the chatting and shouting fell silent like it had suddenly swallowed. The werewolves stopped what they were doing staring wide-eyed at both of us.
The next second, they rushed up to their feet, bowing their heads. "Alpha, Beta." They greeted in unison.
I waved my hands at them. "Be at ease, pretend we are not here." My voice hardened into a cold tone.
They bowed their heads and returned to their activities, and we walked inside sitting in the darkest part of the bar.
The lights barely touched this part, I crossed my legs as I leaned back into the comfy chair.
A waiter rushed to us. "Alpha, Beta."
The waiter’s hands shook slightly as he placed two cups in front of us. "What would you like to drink?"
"Your strongest," I said flatly, not bothering to look at him.
"Yes, Alpha." He bowed deeply and hurried off.
Seconds later the waiter returned with two bottles, setting them down without a word before vanishing again.
Alaric poured, the amber liquid catching the dim light. He slid a glass toward me and raised his own. "To surviving the impossible."
I clinked my glass against his. "And to the reckless choices we can’t take back."
A crooked grin tugged at his lips. "Speak for yourself. I’ve always been reckless, you’re just catching up." He tossed his drink back in one go.
I shook my head with a small smirk, savoring mine slowly. The warmth burned down my throat, loosening the tightness in my chest.
"I’m only reckless for one person." I muttered under my breath.
Alaric leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting across the room. "I know, I know, don’t run salt on my wounds." He paused before continuing again. "Do you remember the first time we went to a bar?"
My lips tugged into a playful smirk. "You mean the night you tried to impress the barmaid and ended up in a fight with her mate?"
His cheeks flushed faintly. "I knew she had a connection with me. She loves me and I know it."
"Delusional." I deadpanned.