The elders had made her meet the wolf couples, trying to prove to her the ritual works. Bellatrix knew it worked. The moon spirit herself chose the person as your mate. She had seen successful relations with her own eyes. Yet, she couldn’t adapt to the idea of having anyone chosen for her. She hoped that whoever the moon spirit had chosen for her would meet her naturally, and they would fall in love naturally. Without some ritual dictating it.
Bellatrix watched as the happy couple kissed, looking in each other’s eyes. A puddle came, and the man picked up the girl so she wouldn’t get her feet dirty. Bellatrix had a sudden flash back when it had rained heavily a few months ago. There were puddles everywhere, and Eric had held her in his arms so she wouldn’t get her new sneakers dirty.
Bellatrix shook her head, shaking the memory off. She looked away and noticed another couple. The man was proposing to his girl on one knee, and people around them were cheering. Bellatrix closed her eyes, imagining Antoine proposing to her one day. Her wolf stirred restlessly at the image, and Bellatrix felt a wave of anxiety.
Why did the idea scare her? The idea of being Antoine’s bride. She was in love with him. He was the perfect man, and he made her so happy. Yet, her heart twisted at the thought of being with him. She was slowly starting to realise something that she hadn’t realised before. The one who really made her happy was Eric. He was the one that she been traveling with for so long, and nearly every memory she had with him, she had been happy.
Even when they had fought, even when they had been lost and worried, even those memories made her happy. She tried to imagine a life without Eric. If she stayed with Antoine and Eric moved on. A wave of sadness washed over her, something she didn’t understand. She had always thought of Eric as a good friend, in fact, she thought of him as her beat friend.
She thought of Eric with another girl. He would move on while she would stay here. He would meet someone else, fall in love, and get married. Bellatrix felt a strong wave of jealousy wash over her. She remembered the moment when she had seen Eric being attacked by that monster. She remembered the panic and worry that had flooded through her. If she hadn’t reached him in time, what would she have done then? What if she had reached him to find his lifeless body on the ground?
Bellatrix shuddered at the thought, tears running down her cheeks. She couldn’t even imagine it. A life without Eric wasn’t worth it. Eric had been with her through thick and thin. He had truly been her best friend. He had taken care of her, supported her, and been there for her. Never once in this past year had he left her side.
Even if he hadn’t done all this for her, Bellatrix had to admit one thing. He made her soul happy. When she was with him, even if she was just sitting with him, he made her happy. Just his presence comforted her. Till she met him, she had been living for the sake of living. Now, she enjoyed living. He made her want to live. He completed her in a way she had never even realised.
Bellatrix slowly started to walk away. She was shocked by the sudden realisation that had hit her. She was in love with Eric. She had been in love all this time, and yet she hadn’t realised it. She had fallen for Antoine, but it had been nothing but an infatuation. She had never loved Antoine, she loved Eric.
She swallowed her tears and started to make her way back home. She was still furious at Eric for interfering, but she couldn’t leave him alone when he was injured. She was in love with him, and she had no idea what to do about it.
Chapter 12
Eric
Eric tried to contact Bellatrix again, but her phone was still turned off. He sighed, deciding that it was best that he went home. There was no way he could find her in this huge city. He just hoped she would come back home, so he could talk to her and explain what was going on. Maybe she would listen this time.
He reached back and opened the door. His sigh of relief was instant when he spotted her standing there. She looked up as he walked, he could see in her eyes that she was in some kind of turmoil.
“Eric,” she said, breathlessly.
“Bella,” Eric said. “Listen, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I realise that I had no right to spy on Antoine and interfere in your life.”
“I have decided to end things with Antoine,” Bellatrix said, cutting him off.
“You what?” Eric asked, shocked.
“I don’t love him the way he loves me,” Bellatrix said. “It was wrong and unfair of me to keep him hanging like that just because I was attracted to him. I was infatuated, and deep down inside I knew it. I shouldn’t keep him hanging like that, when he could be with someone who would truly love him.”
“I,” Eric stammered. He was shocked. He had expected a huge argument when he tried to make her see sense. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Yes, well,” Bellatrix said, coming to sit next to him. “I don’t know what to say either. You are not off the hook though. You still spied on him. You still didn’t trust me to make my own choices. I am not a baby, Eric, who needs you to look after her all the time.”
“I know,” Eric replied simply. “I know you are not. I know you don’t need my protection, but I can’t stop. You are my best friend, Bellatrix. As your friend, it is my job to look after you to the best of my abilities. Even if you can do it better than I can. Even then, I will still look after you. I love you, Bellatrix.”
“What?” she whispered, looking up.
“I love you,” Eric said. He realised that he should have said it long ago. He had been so determined to say it at a perfect moment, that he hadn’t realised that all that mattered was that he said it. It didn’t matter if it was in a fancy ball, with roses and music. What mattered was that he said it.
∞∞∞
Bellatrix couldn’t believe what he had just said. He loved her? She had no idea that he felt for her this way. She looked into his eyes and felt herself shivering under the intensity of his gaze.
“I love you, Bellatrix,” he said. “And I will protect you. With my life.”
Bellatrix leaned over and kissed him. The moment their lips touched, she became acutely aware of the tingly sensation that spread through out her body. She felt Eric stiffen and then relax a moment later. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap. He kissed her passionately, instantly taking charge.
Bellatrix was aware of her wolf that was howling with arousal. He picked her up and carried her over to his bed. He laid her down gently, and stood over her, gazing intently at her. Bellatrix remembered thinking how sexy Eric was when she had first met him. She remembered one of the first things she had noticed about him was his scent, his strong masculine scent. Something she had gotten used to, but now it hit her once again.
He pinned her arms above her, before leaning over to kiss her once more. His hands traced her body as he pressed himself against her. Bellatrix moaned into his lips, feeling the rush through her body. His fingers found the button of her shirt, which he started to open.
