“Why?” Delilah frowns. “Do you not believe that you're special? Damn…you two have that in common,” she chuckles dryly, patting my shoulder. “Night, Ty.”
I respond with a brisk nod, sauntering toward the window when Delilah leaves, and I feel the talons of emptiness clawing at my chest, only my mind filled with thoughts.
Fears?
Arianna has been afraid of being rejected again; I've gathered that much. It doesn't help that I turned cold on her after we shared another passionate night, thinking that the man's name she murmured was the name of the mate she had Noah with.
Can I blame her for keeping a secret?
Considering it's a big one, I just can't seem to find the forgiveness to move forward.
Delilah's right, I need to speak to someone, and I'm glad she called Dominic and Nicholas over, and that reminds me about the stash of wolfsbane Dominic brought over when they visited the other day.
I sigh despondently, hanging my head and briefly glancing at the empty bed, recalling the first night Arianna slept there, and I came in to find her tossing and whimpering in her sleep. She was having a nightmare that would eventually lead to the discovery of her mystic heritage.
Another wave of emptiness settles over my body, turning me numb as I leave the bedroom, wanting to leave behind the memories of Arianna, along with the nagging reminder that she's special.
Still, it gave her no right to deceive me the way she did, and that's why I end up at my liquor cabinet, pouring out a drink and sprinkling the dried, crushed wolfsbane like powder into the glass. It's just enough to help me pass out for the night, not enough to be lethal.
Death would be a welcome escape if it meant I didn't have to face being hellishly mad at my true mate. I chug down the drink that burns my throat on its way down, hearing a message tone ring out from my phone, which I'd left in the living room before going out tonight.
Dragging my feet over to it, I open the text to find a message from my father, informing me of my parents’ return on the weekend. I sigh out an irritated breath, knowing that I'll have to pull myself together before they arrive.
They'll probably meet with the council when they're back, and I'll be faced with more questions about my intentions of picking a mate from the high-ranking she-wolves.
Now more than ever, I don't want a mate. I can do without anyone who has the power to break my heart.
Chapter 21 - Arianna
Folding my arm across my face, I cough into the crook of my elbow, struggling to breathe from all the dust that's entered my lungs. Delilah rushes over with a bottle of water, encouraging me to follow her outside.
“Don't drink it,” she says as we step out into the back yard. “Slosh it around and spit it out; you need to get rid of all the dust.”
Choking, I nod fervently as I open the bottle and take a generous sip. I do as Delilah advised, sloshing around the water and clearing my mouth of all the dust we've been cleaning from the old cottage.
When I spit out into the garden, I notice the wilting flowers growing under the kitchen window and make a mental note to replant new flowers to refresh the place.
The wooden logs also needed a fresh coat of varnish on the outside, but the most important thing was taking care of the inside so Noah and I could live here.
“Better?” Delilah asks, rubbing my back gently.
“Yeah…thanks, Delilah,” I sigh, straightening up and dusting the apron I took from the pack center.
Brynta has been kind enough to send over fresh linens and promised that my job in the kitchen would still be there when I was ready to start. She can sense that I've been going through a lot, but she's not the friend I can talk to.
Somehow, Delilah has become that friend, since she's the only other person aware of my witch abilities, and about Noah being Tyler's son.
“Don't mention it, Arianna. You are a sister, and we're always there for our sisters,” she winks.
“What about…” I gulp, unwilling to say his name after last night. His reaction to learning the truth frightened me, and I've been wallowing in regret ever since.
Regret for not coming out and telling him Noah was his son the moment I returned.
Regret for deciding to tell him at all, if it would only lead to more rejection.
It's just overall regret, and it's not like he's made any effort that proves he wants to be a father. Since we left his house last night, he hasn't come looking for us.
“Tyler?” Delilah finishes for me with a thoughtful nod. “He'll be fine. Dom and Nick are coming over today, and they'll be able to drill some sense into him.”
