As I walked away from Adam, my mind spun with confusion and frustration. However, I hadn’t gone far when his strong grip closed around my arm, pulling back into his embrace. My heart pounded erratically, torn between the comfort of his touch and the turmoil within .
"You’re doing a stupid thing," I muttered, trying to pull away, but he held firmly. His eyes searched mine, pleading for understanding.
"I know you ntioned that your hatred stemd from the wicked activities of my brothers and I. And even though I have no recollection of what you were talking about, the past twenty minutes has shown that we can be friends. We can be much more. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling the tension between us."
I shook my head in denial. "I don’t know what you are talking about, Adam."
Adam piqued an eyebrow, and enclosed in his arms. There was no distance between our lips.
"You promised not to touch, unless I asked..." I grasped for the last straw left, sighing in relief when his hands around dropped to his sides.
That close to Adam, I had thought I would lose my mind. I had almost forgotten how muddy he could make my mind feel in re seconds. Drug. That’s what he was. A drug. The drug had almost cost my life the last ti I had taken it. Would it do the sa now?
"We don’t have to love each other," Adam suggested quietly, cutting into my thoughts, his voice tinged with desperation. "It could be a marriage of convenience, to secure peace and stability for our kingdoms."
I shook my head vehently, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I don’t care about your kingdoms," I insisted, my voice rising with emotion. "I don’t even care about this community, but for my family. This isn’t my place."
Marriage of convenience? And I thought I had seen it all. Was he thinking that his love wouid be enough for the both of us? Or did he believe that I was lying about not loving him?
Adam’s expression softened with understanding, but he persisted. "Please, Dora," He implored, his fists clenching slightly. "My father... you don’t know him. He never gives up on what he wants. He would get whatever it is, either by hook or crook. Let talk to my father, so he can stop conniving with the Queen. Whatever plan they had been discussing about wouldn’t be favorable if you are not forthcoming."
I sighed heavily, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on . "Adam, I don’t think your father would ever stop conniving with the Queen." I replied bitterly, my resolve hardening. "So, I will like to see how he would make bend to his will. Don’t suggest a marrriage of convenience to , Adam. I have nothing to gain from it."
Marriage of convenience, my foot!
Turning away from him, I took a step forward, but Adam reached out to touch my arm again. Instinctively, I reacted, summoning a burst of magic that tingled in my fingertips. Heat surged through , channeling into my palm, and I watched as Adam’s hands recoiled as if scorched.
"I’m sorry," I gasped, guilt suddenly flooding . "I didn’t an to..."
Adam winced in pain, but he quickly composed himself, his gaze locking with mine. "It’s alright," he said softly, his voice strained. "I understand. I shouldn’t have touched you without your permission."
The mark on my neck decided, at that mont, to throb with a renewed intensity. It was a constant reminder of my vulnerabilities, of the past that still haunted .
"I can’t do it," I whispered, my voice wavering. "Not like this."
Adam nodded solemnly, his eyes flickering with unspoken sadness. "I know," he murmured, his words heavy with resignation. "I won’t force you."
Silence settled between us, thick with unspoken words and shattered dreams. I knew Adam was trying to do what he thought was right, for his kingdom, for our people, for himself. But in doing so, he was asking to sacrifice my own desires, my own future.
"I’m sorry," I said again, my voice barely audible over the rustling leaves and distant murmurs of the forest.
Adam took a step back, his gaze never leaving mine. "I’ll find a way," he vowed quietly, determination burning in his eyes. "I promise."
The determination, however, gave way to confusion the next second, when his gaze ran to my exposed neck.
I instantly froze as I felt his confused eyes linger on the mark on my neck, that was supposed to be hidden beneath Raul’s spell. Had the cover around it peeled off, exposing the faint but unmistakable imprint of his claim? Quickly, I raised my palm to shield the spot, a surge of panic gripping . I couldn’t let him see it.
"Why are you covering it?" Adam’s voice cut through the tense silence, his tone gentle but probing. "I’ve already seen it," he added quietly, his gaze searching mine.
My heart pounded wildly in my chest as I struggled to compose myself. How could I explain without revealing the painful truth? I couldn’t let Adam know that the mark on my neck was his. That would be my death for sure.
"I covered it because... I don’t like it," I managed to say, my voice trembling slightly. "It brings back bad mories."
Adam’s brow furrowed in concern, his eyes filled with understanding. "Dora," he began softly, his voice tinged with regret, "Which Lycan did this? You never told the idiot that marked you, and then let you go. What actually happened?"
I averted my gaze, unable to et his probing stare. The mories threatened to engulf , pulling back into a darkness I had fought so hard to escape. The truth was too painful, too raw to confront.
"I don’t want to talk about it," I murmured finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Adam."
Silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words and unshared pain. I knew Adam deserved answers, deserved to know the truth. But I couldn’t bear to relive the anguish of that betrayal, of the mark he had given before abandoning to my fate.
Adam’s expression softened, his features reflecting a mix of compassion and regret. "I’m sorry," he said quietly, his voice filled with genuine remorse. "I didn’t an to pry."
I nodded slightly, grateful that he didn’t press further. The weight of my secrets hung between us like a fragile barrier, shielding from the vulnerability of revealing my past.
As Adam sighed and looked around us, I closed my eyes briefly, willing myself to push aside the mories threatening to overwhelm . I had to keep this part of myself hidden, locked away from prying eyes and probing questions.
I hoped desperately that Adam would never connect the dots, never uncover the truth behind the mark on my neck. It was a silent plea to fate, a fragile hope that he would never realize that the mark he had left on was his, the mark of a bond once cherished but now tainted with pain and regret. It was still crazy how one mont I was hot for him, and then in another mother, I wanted him gone.
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself against the tumult of emotions swirling inside . The forest around us seed to echo with the weight of our unspoken truths, a testant to the complexities of our intertwined destinies.
"Does it burn?" Adam asked suddenly, reverting his eyes to .
Where was that coming from? Should I answer a yes or a no? Would either give any information away?
"Yes..." I said, rembering the first ti he had seen the mark, whist I had humiliated Duke and his family. He had seen in pain over the mark. No need lying.
A beat of silence.
"Well, it might be a reaction to another wolf’s touch." He suggested. "Did he reject you?"
I hesitated, caught off guard. But I found myself nodding in agreent anyway. His gaze pierced through then, and I felt a sinking feeling in my chest. Did he suspect sothing more?
Then, unexpectedly, I heard his voice in my head. "Are you the one?"
What the hell! A mindlink??!
I masked my surprise, or rather El did; she hadn’t been as shocked as I was when Adam’s voice had sounded soplace in my mind. Soplace that rung of intimacy.
’Get it together, unless you want him to know.’
Get it together? Girl, I just found out that I have an open mindpath! That I’m connected to Adam, in more ways than one.
But how could that be? I wasn’t a werewolf.
’So long as you are mated a werewolf, there’s a high possibility of having a mindpath. Not to ntion, a Lycan. His blood must have created it within you when he marked you.’
anwhile, all this ti, I kept my expression neutral as if I hadn’t heard a thing.
Adam had tried to mindlink with —did he suspect already that I was Maya? The thought sent a jolt of anxiety through
Adam continued to study , his eyes searching for answers I couldn’t give. Finally, he sighed heavily, a mixture of resignation and resolve crossing his features.
"I’ll tell my father to choose another female for ," He announced quietly, his voice tinged with regret. "I don’t want to complicate things with the mate of another."
His words stung, but I nodded in understanding, masking the disappointnt that threatened to surface.
"We’ll remain friends," He added, as if to reassure us both.
I forced a smile, though it felt strained on my lips. "Of course," I replied softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Friends."
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