Evaline:
I had said everything I needed to say. Every thought, every explanation, every plea that had been burning inside spilled out like water from a broken jar.
When silence followed, I dared to lift my head, my eyes moving between Oscar and Draven. Both of them wore unreadable expressions - shadows in their eyes, their jaws tense, their shoulders rigid.
That was when it hit .
Two angry mates. At the sa ti.
A lump rose in my throat. How was I supposed to handle this? Whom was I supposed to pacify first?
My gaze shifted from Draven’s clenched fists to Oscar’s tightened jaw. I knew them well enough by now - Draven could be stubborn and sharp when angered, but he was also quicker to soften if I reached him in the right way. Oscar, though... Oscar was the kind of storm that didn’t easily pass once it started.
After a mont of internal debate, I decided to start with the one who was harder to deal with if left unattended - Oscar.
I took a deep breath and stepped closer to him again, closing the small gap I had created earlier. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pressed myself against him and tilted my face up to et his eyes.
"Are you mad at ?" I asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
His eyes t mine - erald, sharp, filled with emotions he wasn’t even trying to hide. There was no sugarcoating in Oscar’s expression, and his voice was exactly the sa.
"Mad? Eva, I don’t even know if that’s the right word." His lips twisted as he exhaled, his tone clipped. "I was... surprised. Shocked, even. And yes, unhappy. Angry." His hand moved slightly as though he was tempted to grip my shoulders but then stopped midway. "Do you even realize how it looked? You didn’t just defend Rowan - you pleaded for him, you sided with him against us. Against ."
The jealousy was there - clear in the edge of his words, in the flicker of his gaze - but it wasn’t just jealousy. It was sothing deeper.
I could have tried to downplay it, could have reassured him with soft words and little lies to ease his heart. But that wasn’t fair. Not to him, not to .
So instead, I didn’t hide anything.
"You don’t understand," I said firmly, shaking my head.
Both Oscar and Draven turned their eyes toward , the sa look of confusion crossing their features. It would have been comical in another situation, but right now it only made my chest ache.
"No," I repeated more softly, "you don’t understand. Rowan isn’t just a friend to . He isn’t like family to ."
I looked at Oscar, then at Draven, and finally back again, my throat tightening.
"He is family. A family I chose. A family I trust."
The words ca out raw, unpolished, but true.
"Rowan was the first one who found out about my mate bonds with you both," I continued, my voice trembling. "He is the only one who knew about the pregnancy before anyone else. He’s the one who stood by when I didn’t even know I needed soone. When I was breaking down because of you two-" I swallowed hard, my eyes stinging- "he’s the one who comforted . Who held together."
The tears I had been trying so hard to keep inside slipped free, escaping down my cheek before I even realized. "He’s the one who made believe in family again."
I hadn’t even noticed Oscar’s hand moving until his thumb brushed across my cheek, wiping away the tear. My breath caught at the gentleness in his touch. His gaze, once sharp and restless, had softened now, the fire dimming as he looked down at . His other arm moved and he finally wrapped it fully around , pulling closer.
I leaned into him, my forehead pressing briefly against his chest as I whispered, "So... Rowan is important to . Important enough that I’ll defend him, even from you. Important enough that I’ll risk upsetting you if it ans protecting him."
Oscar exhaled heavily, a sound that felt like both surrender and understanding. Then, without warning, he cupped the back of my head and pulled tightly against him, his embrace firm and grounding.
"I get it," he said quietly, his breath warm against my hair. "I understand now."
His hand stroked lightly along my head before stilling. "I’ll do as you want. Tomorrow, I’ll question Rowan myself. I’ll hear his side before I make any judgnt." He pulled back slightly, enough to et my eyes again. "And if it turns out he’s doing anything dangerous or against the Academy’s rules - other than sneaking out obviously- I’ll handle it myself. On my level. I won’t take it to Kieran."
My breath caught in my chest. Gratitude swelled so strongly inside that I could hardly put it into words. My lips trembled as I looked up at him, all of it - my relief, my love, my thanks - was reflecting in my eyes.
He seed to read it, because his lips curved into the faintest smile. Then he leaned in, brushing his lips against mine in a soft, lingering kiss.
When he pulled back, he whispered against my lips, "You should have known I would side with you. No matter what."
Before I could say anything, before I could let the words of thanks tumble out of , he gently pressed his forehead to mine for a mont, then pulled back. His gaze flickered behind , to where Draven stood, and he gave the slightest nod.
"Go," he murmured. "Take care of him. Before it’s too late."
I blinked, pulling back slightly to look at him properly, but he only gave that knowing half-smile of his, urging silently.
And so I turned.
My eyes t Draven’s... and my stomach dropped.
Maybe I had been wrong. Maybe Oscar wasn’t the harder one after all.
Because the storm in Draven’s eyes told that the real challenge was still ahead of .
And now... now I had to face him.
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