Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Friend or Foe?
His gaze darkened as his lips parted, but no words came out. I took a small step back, but he mirrored my movement forward, his expression unreadable.
"Tell me," he said slowly, his voice low and steady, "how long were you going to hide this from me?"
My lips trembled. "It’s not what you think..."
"Then what is it?" His tone rose just slightly, enough to make the air grow heavy. "That mark belongs to me, Aeris. I know it as much as I know my own heartbeat."
I turned my face away, clutching the side of my neck as though I could erase it just by pressing harder. My throat felt dry, and my chest tightened painfully. "You’re mistaken... this mark... it doesn’t mean anything."
His hand shot out, gripping my wrist, but not tightly. His touch was warm, trembling even, yet it made me flinch. "Don’t lie to me again."
I met his eyes for a brief second, and all I saw was a storm of longing and pain. His voice dropped to a whisper. "You think I wouldn’t recognize the bond even if it is half-formed?"
’Why does it feel like I’m the one who is in the wrong? When I should be the one who is supposed to be angry right now... and he thinks he can play the victim.’
My eyes burned. "Stop it, Damon..."
He stepped closer until the air between us was barely there. "You can lie to yourself all you want, but your body doesn’t lie. I know I messed up but does it warrant you to treat me like this?"
"I’m tired, Damon," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Don’t make this harder than it already is."
His expression softened for a moment. "Why did you come back only to pretend you didn’t?"
The sound of his words broke something inside me.
I stepped back, shaking my head. "I didn’t come back for you."
’I came to awaken my wolf... and if you should be included, it was only because of revenge.’
He smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Maybe not. But fate brought you back anyway."
The silence that followed was deafening. Only the sound of thunder clapping filled the room, echoing through the walls.
I turned away, gripping my arm tightly. "You don’t understand... our encounter is a disaster."
"Then let it be, as long as we are together, I don’t care what comes our way."
I scoffed. "You really have changed Damon, what happened to the icy Alpha King, who wanted no one but Allison?" I pretended to look around the room. My cover was already blown, what’s the point of hiding?
"Don’t tell me you didn’t make her your Luna after everything you went through?"
He clenched his jaw before running his hand through his hair in frustration. "I was blind back then..."
"And now you can see?" I completed the sentence for him.
I sighed heavily. "Let’s continue this chat tomorrow, I need some sleep." I walked towards the bed, dragging my body to the center. "Sleep on the couch, pet." I shut my eyes and buried myself under the cover.
......
My eyes snapped open to the feeling of my mind being tugged, like something, or rather someone was trying to pass through it.
I tossed the blanket aside, holding my head. What was the meaning of this? Then the feeling came back stronger again.
My eyes widened as realization dawned on me, it was the barrier I had formed around the Bloodshade pack, and someone was trying to get through.
Immediately, I climbed down from the bed. A portal formed in front of me, I wanted to see who the person was, was he a friend or a foe?
Damon woke up to the whirring noise of the portal, and before I could walk inside, his voice echoed from behind.
"Where are you going? Are you leaving me?" His voice cracked, broken, and thick with emotion.
I turned my head slightly towards him. "Come with me." I walked inside the portal. I didn’t have the energy to explain to him, and I could use a hand if it happens to be a foe.
I stepped out from the other side of the portal in front of the barrier wall, but I stood inside the territory of the Bloodshade pack. Damon appeared behind me.
"What’s going on?" As if he could sense something, the sharp sound of his claws elongating soon filled the air.
I raised my head, it was dusk and the sun was not yet out. Who could this visitor be? I wondered.
"An intruder," I answered curtly.
I waved my hand across the barrier, and it became transparent. My breath caught in my throat as the familiar figure stood just a wall from me.
"Rhydian," Damon growled behind me, the temperature plummeted drastically to minus forty degrees.
I closed my eyes in exasperation, sighing for the foreseen trouble.
I opened my eyes, staring at Rhydian, there were blood stains all over him, and small cuts around his face. His shoulders slumped slightly as he clutched his sword.
He stared at the barrier with mixed feelings, his pale blue eyes looked dull and a little irritated.
I didn’t know what to feel, should I be happy that a good friend of mine is probably still looking for me or should I be mad at him for pushing Damon to give his heart? I know Damon would have still made the same decision regardless, and wasn’t easy to influence, but I still can’t help but be mad at him.
Even the way he acted made it seem like he had a hidden agenda. I knew he didn’t like Damon, but I thought we were on the same side.
’Should I let him inside or not?’
"Ember, are you going to let him come inside? You are safe here, you don’t need him anymore." His chest rumbled.
"You don’t get to tell me what to do." I snapped at him.
Looking back at Rhydian, he looked injured. One should never discard their friend when they are in need. With that thought in mind, I flicked my finger, and the barrier wall parted.