Semua Bab He Called Me Weak, Now I Hold His Fate: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Lunch was...civil. Forks twinkled. Glasses chimed and chairs scraped against the marble floor as the guests took their seats. Varic pulled a chair to his right for me, and I smiled at him as I sat. He took his seat at the head of our table and soon after, the now familiar scent of rose followed as Ophelia sat at his left. Every nerve in my body tingled as I fought the urge to glare at her. Why was she following us—more like Varic—around like a moth drawn to light? I shut my eyes for a second to pull myself together. It was a beautiful day and I had spent so long planning it out, so I wouldn't let a woman who popped out of the house ruin it for me.Soon, waiters trooped in from the back door pulling trolleys of the buffet. Lamb chops, roasted pork, barbecue... You name it was brought to fit the desires of each guest. The meals were served in waves—first light appetizers, then the full buffet. The foods were served, and soon, the clinking of cutleries on dishes echoed. Occasional chatter

  Thelma’s nails dug into her palm, and for a second, I thought she would draw blood. Her lips pulled back into something that might have been a snarl, and I swore I saw her wolf flicker behind her blue eyes. If we weren’t in a hall full of guests, I knew she would have torn me apart. My heart thudded, but I didn’t flinch. Maybe I wanted her to strike—to do anything to make me feel like I wasn’t the one losing control by daring her the way I did.But the lunge never came. “You two look like you’re about to give the celebration a sparring match.” Aiden’s voice drifted, lazy but laced with sharpness. He stopped by my side, slightly shielding me from Thelma with polite grins and casual arrogance. His eyes moved from Thelma’s trembling fingers to my clenched jaw. “Who the hell are you, and who gave you the

 “Hey, wait.” He called out, but I had already crossed a few tables. It felt like a walk of shame, but I kept my head low and walked on. “Nadia,” he called out, now following me. My heart skipped a bit at the way my name rolled off his tongue, it sounded foreign like it didn’t belong to me anymore. I didn’t realize how much of myself was blending into the mask, becoming Vanessa, and the way he called my name sounded like he was reminding me of who I was. "Nadia," he called out, harsher this time. "Don't!" I snapped, spinning around to face him. "Don't say it like that." He stopped a few inches away. "Like what?" My eyes blurred, and I fought to keep the tears at bay. "Like you care. Like you didn't stand there and let her paw at me, laugh with you, flaunt to everyone present that you could

  I couldn't sleep. I'd tuned my pillow so many times, that it had turned cold, but the heat under my skin refused to fade. My lips still tingled from his, and I kept brushing my fingertips over them, as if trying to prove it had happened—that he had kissed me... Me. I hated how much I wanted to feel it again. Groaning, I rolled to my back, staying up at the ceiling. Part of me wishes I could go back to the moment and stop it before it had happened—to save myself from this twisting ache of betraying someone I didn't even know. But the bigger part, the honest part, wanted it all over again. Want the rough drag of his lips, the desperate rumbling in his chest. Stop it, I closed my eyes, but the images just got brighter. He said I was his. He staked a claim, and I didn't know how to feel about it. I pressed my palm to my chest. The word should make me feel this warm. Not after Greg. Not after being tied to

Varic’s POVI held her hands and brought her so close that I could feel her breath on my face. I brought my face down to hers and our nose touched and I saw her smile. Her smile always had the effect of warming my heart. I held her close to me and hugged her for a while. “I'll get going,” she said looking up at me and I nodded as I watched her walk out the door. By the time Nadia left my study, the feeling of her warmth lingered on my skin like an echo. My heart still hadn't calmed. She had no idea what she was asking me to let her do.And I had no idea how to say no to her anymore.I stared at the door long after it shut behind her, the scent of her jasmine and smoke still hanging in the air. I could still smell her on me. I should’ve locked her out of this from the start. I should have prevented her from coming close to all of this but now she was in it, tangled in it and maybe there was no point in shutting her out of it again. The more I tried to pull her free, the tighter it