“That’s not true. I’d never dance with anyone but you, Odette,” Theo pleaded. “We've been partners since we were six. I wouldn’t give that away.”
Odette’s eyes moved from left to right, unsure who to believe. The cruel truth slapped me in the face. The Fake Theo was telling Odette everything she feared— everything she already believed. The real Theo spoke the truth, but words Odette wasn’t sure she could have faith in.
Odette would put her faith in one or the other. Her fears, or her love. And that she’d chosen her fear up until this point had me very worried she’d make the wrong decision now.Gods, Milonna, help her. She needs it.
“The true Theo thinks we have a mating bond. I want to know why,” Odette said. “Someone better start explaining.”
Fake Theo launched into a tirade before our Theo could speak. “Being together would be easy,” he said. “We know each other so well, and I want to take care of you. But if we’re bonded, doesn’t that put our friendship at risk? Odette, the reason I took so long to tell you was because I was afraid of losing you. I can’t let you go if we don’t work out. So maybe it’s okay if we don’t try at all, because I can’t stand to lose my best friend.”
Odette nodded, and my heart fell. That was exactly what she wanted to hear. It wasn’t very far off from what Theo had actually said before.
The real Theo stepped in front of her. “No. That’s not good enough anymore,” he insisted roughly. “I thought like that months ago, but my stance has changed. Being afraid of losing you isn’t enough to ebb the pain of not having you as my mate.”
“Then I know you can’t be the real Theo,” Odette shot at him, and my heart broke. “My Theo would never take a risk.”
“I’m taking one now! We kissed in the alleyway— don’t deny it, you know we did,” Theo said as Odette looked away. “You have feelings for me, too. And those feelings are too strong to keep denying. It doesn’t matter what I feel. What doyouthink, Odette? What do you want? Do you want to be my mate?”
“It’s a little too late for that now!” Odette snapped, and she whirled on him. “You made me waitso longthat I just gave up!”
“I’m sorry,” Theo begged. “But you can’t have truly given up, because you still love me. If you didn’t, we wouldn’t be here.”
Odette looked to the Fake Theo, and he said, “See? This is what it would look like if we were together. Do you really think something like that can work out?”
Theo snarled, and faced his doppelgänger. “I hate you so godsdamn much. You were too much of a coward to put your heart out there.”
Theo ran a hand through his hair. “And now that you were, I might’ve lost everything.”
Fake Theo didn’t give a reaction. It was just as well, because our Theo was falling apart.
Odette crossed her arms as she stepped between the two boys. “This isn’t getting anywhere. I need hard truths. If we were to be together,for real, what would be the worst part about it? What would make you leave if things got really tough?”
Fake Theo scratched his head. “I mean… Idolove you, but you’re kinda needy. I don’t know if I could handle being suffocated all the time.”
Odette flinched. It was the same kind of shit Igor spouted at her— that she was too desperate. Odette was terrified of repeating the mistakes of the past. Had Igor hurt her so badly she believed she was too annoying to be with?
Odette’s gaze connected with the true Theo. His tone steeled as he said, “You know what would be the hardest part of being with you? Watching you walk away. Because that’s what I’ve been doing for the past three years, and I just can’t do it anymore. Every step you take away from me is another ocean we’re farther apart.”
Theo’s voice began to waver. “Odette, I will always be here for whatever you need. You have to believe me when I say that I love you. I’ve always loved you, and I always will. I can’t sit here and promise you that there will never be any hard times, because there will. I can’t say I’ll never hurt you, because people make mistakes. But Icanpromise I will never hurt you on purpose, and I willneverwalk away from you.”
A tear ran down his face as he took a shuddering breath. “For thegodssakes, don’t be the one to walk away this time. Try. Just try.”
Odette’s face cleared. The confusion left her eyes. In one fluid movement, she spun around to face Fake Theo, and said, “You’re not real.”
Fake Theo blew away like a wisp on the wind. Odette twirled and shouted, “Oh, my mate!”
Odette jumped and flung herself onto Theo. He staggered a few steps backward as he caught her, and Odette leaned forward to give Theo the sweetest kiss I’d ever seen. He clutched her tightly, and kissed her back, boosting her up higher so he could continue to profess his love.
In the balcony, the crowd was going wild. Me, along with the rest of my friends, cheered and clapped like we were at a freaking game and our team had scored the winning goal. The Alicorn Court did not applaud, and yet they wore thin smiles.
The box on the quartz podium clicked open. Odette and Theo didn’t notice— not at first. They continued to kiss until they needed to come up for air. Then both of their heads swiveled to the side, to take in the sight of the open box as if they’d just realized it was there.
Odette slid down Theo’s body. She walked to the box and opened the top. Lying on a velvet pillow was a small war axe that would fit perfectly in Odette’s hand. In the hilt of the axe was a circular pink diamond.
The alicorn stone.
Odette squealed and yanked the axe out of the box. She turned it toward us and waved the axe in the air. “Hey, guys! We got it!”
All of us laughed. I went running down the staircase, and I flung my arms around Theo. “Guys, that was amazing!” I cheered.
