CHAPTER 35

~ DAMIAN ~

I was back in my room in time to watch Isabelle discover my gift on the live feed of the cameras installed in her room. She was shocked to find the box and searched the room for a few seconds.

After some contemplation, she opened the box and looked at my gift. I waited for her reaction, holding my breath. She studied the pendant for a while, a pensive look on her face. She glanced around the room again, but this time, she stared at the wall for a solid minute, and then something seemed to click in her head.

I expected her to wear the pendant, but she closed the box and put it inside the closet as if she didn't want to see it again. I tried to ignore the minor stabbing hurt in my chest as I kept staring at the screen, watching her move through the room, looking.

She stopped in front of the camera installed behind a decoration on the dresser. She stopped before it, filling my whole screen with her face and narrowing her eyes at me. For once, it felt like she was seeing me through the camera instead of me seeing her.

I had to give it to her for being smart. She fiddled with the camera for a while but then gave it up. The next moment, a piece of clothing covered the view, and nothing could be seen. But that wasn't the only camera in the room.

I watched her try to find the other cameras for a while before she grew tired and went back to bed, hiding under the covers this time. I watched her for a while until she seemed to have fallen asleep. I had a lot of things to do, but I chose to watch my mate fall asleep.

I wished I could have her curled against me, sleeping peacefully like she did with Aiden. The thought was an immediate torture, making my body hum with need. I sat back, watching, contemplating.

When it finally got too much, I caved in and went straight to her room. As soon as I walked in, her intoxicating scent invaded my nose. It incited so many emotions in me that it felt like a punch in the gut. It made me realise how much I had genuinely missed her and how her absence affected me.

I couldn't help but go to her bed and stand aside, watching her sleep. Everything in my body ached to be touched by her, but I held myself back. I stepped away from her bed before I could give in and slip under the covers with her.

Instead, I went to the closet and took out the small red box. I took the dainty pendant and went back to her bed. As quietly and as carefully as possible, I pulled back the covers to expose her neck to me. It helped that her face was turned away from me. I didn't want to wake her up midway.

I clasped the pendant around her neck, trying not to stir her much. When I was done, I sat back and admired her. The dainty necklace looked cute on her. It wasn't much for now, but it was the most thoughtful gift I could think of.

Because I'm selfish, and it was hard to stay away from my mate, I ran the back of my knuckles down her jaw, feeling the sparks tingle my skin and making my wolf stir awake.

Isabelle’s breath hitched, and she stirred in her sleep, making me climb off the bed, but I didn't leave yet.

I froze in my place and kept watching her, waiting for her to return to sleep, but she didn't.

She tossed in her bed, her cybernetic arm searching for something... or maybe someone.

"Aiden?" She mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

I should've snuck out of her room then, but I didn't.

I stood there, waiting for her to notice me-to see me for once, even though I knew she wouldn't be pleased to see me.

She blinked her eyes sleepily, looking around until she found me at the side of her bed. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but the expression on her face told me that she had been expecting me.

"Damian," She sighed deeply, sounding half asleep.

Maybe she wasn't awake. Perhaps she was dreaming. Otherwise, she wouldn't have called out for me like that-with a hint of longing in her voice.

The thought hurt me deeply. I decided to leave before things could escalate and my wound could worsen.

"Where are you going?" She called after me. It made me stop in my tracks and look back at her.

She was dreaming.

"You didn't want to see me, remember?" I reminded her. She frowned but didn't say anything.

"I was here to check on you.”

"You're watching me," She mumbled, “I know. I can feel it.”

I turned around, unable to keep it to myself anymore. She watched me sleepily as I stalked towards her bed and loomed over her.

"I am watching you," I told her upfront, in case she was somewhat awake, "I'll keep watching you. You can push me away as much as you want. You can deny me, but know this: I will always be watching you from the sidelines," I told her darkly, and her breath hitched. She blinked, looking more awake than before.

"Is that a threat?" She asked, searching my face.

"No," I told her, touching her face. Even in sickness, there was a haunting beauty about her that was hard to ignore. "I want you to know that even if you push me away, I will be there, waiting for you, craving you, wanting you even if you hate me.”

Her eyes softened at my words, but it was gone sooner than I could anticipate. She sat up, looking fully awake, a discerning look on her face.

"You don't know what you're talking about," She told me darkly.

"I don't?" I probed, tilting my head to the side, never taking my eyes off her. "Then tell me, Isabelle.

Why must you keep pushing me away? Why do you keep ignoring me? Why do you hate me so much?" I asked her truthfully. "I want to know everything.”