Anaiah’s POV
The truth I wanted, the truth I’ve been pressing him to tell me hits me like a truck, and my heart drops, what was I thinking to even pressure him into giving me an answer? My legs involuntarily move backward until they hit the bed and I sit. Leon closes his eyes momentarily, regretting his words but he’s already said it.
Why do I feel bad though? This is the truth I’ve been wanting to hear right? Why is my heart clutching?.
‘I- I,’ He stutters, pressing his hand to his forehead.
‘Why didn’t you share your feeling with me?’ I ask quietly.
‘I shouldn’t have said that, I’m just tired and I think we should rest,’ He says but doesn’t make a move. I feel tears well in my eyes and I wipe them. He has only been pretending to be alright all this while because he didn’t want to hurt me.
Leon didn’t utter another word as he got in bed to sleep, for the first time, we didn’t snuggle in bed, my back was turned against his and he did not attempt to come close. Sleep didn’t come easily for me as I kept turning and tossing. I got out of bed to take shower, maybe it would help but it didn’t. I lay on the couch and watched my mate.
The next morning Leon was up before I was. I enter the shower just as he is leaving and the atmosphere was weird.
‘Morning,’ He greets and I respond quietly before rushing into the shower. Five minutes later, I get dressed and go down for breakfast, when we host guests we all dine together and today is no different. My mate smiles softly at me and I sit next to him, why was this awkward? Everyone is engaging in small talk except us. Even Melody is laughing with the other two warriors sitting on either side of her.
I spend the rest of the day supervising the new foundation at the center. My mind trails from here to Leondre, thinking of what he told me, and a cloud of fear washes over me. I shake my head and continue to create the new dining area. Justine and Darius pull me out for lunch, we are sitting at a table and eat hamburgers as we laugh and talk. A car I don’t know comes over and when the door opens, I realize it’s Erickson, It’s been a while since I saw him.
‘I thought the king doesn’t want you near that man,’ Darius murmurs. I shake my head and stand up, meeting Erickson halfway.
‘Hi,’ He says, kissing my cheek.
‘Long time no see, how are you?’ I ask.
‘I’m fine, I came to see your new project,’ I nod and take him around, he is impressed. Erickson and I have a special kind of relationship, we don’t talk or see each other often but when we do, there is no awkwardness between us and our conversation flows naturally, I even consider him a friend now.
‘How are things going with Mary?’ I ask, he stops walking and looks indifferent for a minute.
‘Erickson, Is everything okay?’
‘Things are not going too well between us and I recently found out she slept with Enrique again,’ He says and I almost choke, I am going to kill my brother! He has a mate, has he no respect for her?.
‘I’ll kill him,’ I grumble.
‘And I’ve been having vivid dreams about Savannah,’ He says and I raise my eyebrow, he used to dream about her when she died but they stopped He tells me the kind of dreams he’s been having and it almost feels like she’s calling unto him.
‘And my Lycan is going crazy, I swear, he can feel Savannah’s spirit,’
‘Wow, that’s crazy,’
‘Yeh,’ He stands up and leaves with a promise of coming here again in two days.
Melody’s POV
Something is going on between King Leondre and Anaiah, I can tell, they are not their loving usual self. This is good for me. After breakfast, I ask Jack to show me the grounds, I need grandmother to believe that I’m seeing someone and Jack is the right person for that; He’s good-looking, and of higher rank in the royal pack.
‘And this is the lagoon,’ He says. I must admit that the castle was indeed exquisite.
‘How many stay here?’ I ask, trying to conversate with him.
‘The king, Queen, Beta Danford, and my brothers but we host a lot of guests so it’s usually we usually have a dozen of people,’ He says.
‘Oh, I see,’
Jack leads me to sit on a gazebo and looks into my eyes; his gaze trapping as he asks;.
‘So why are you hanging out with me?’ He asks.
‘Because you are fun,’ I say truthfully but I do have a hidden agenda, he doesn’t need to know that!
‘You’re lying,’
I tilt my head and encourage him to tell me,
‘I think you are getting someone off your back by pretending we are courting, whatever this is,’ He guesses, he is good and I take my time, taking in his looks, he will easily make any woman fall for him, he is funny, good looking and status of gamma, third in command to the king! He is a wealthy man too.
‘My grandmother wants me to find a husband and she has brought me some suitors that I don’t like, but seeing us together will make her back off,’ I shrug.
‘So you’re using me, it’s strange because usually, it’s the opposite,’ He says amused.
‘Yes but I honestly do enjoy your company,’ I admit.
‘Alright, Melody, enjoy the rest of the day. I’m going back to work,’ He says and waves at me. I pick out my phone and call Fai, she is keen to meet up with me and in twenty minutes, I reach her restaurant and we exchange pleasantries.
I let her fill me in on what is happening and I grab my phone to call Alaiah, from what I was told, she hated the Queen and maybe still does.
I arrange a meeting with her under false pretenses and she accepts. Alaiah Martin and I run in the same circles but we’ve never been friends. We always had a silent competition. I do hope she agrees to help me.
