Chapter 59
1521words
I bit my lower lip and stepped back away from him, then altogether just sat down. It looked like our conversation was going to take a longer time after all,
"Yes, he is trying to get me back," I said simply. I decided that the best way to go about this conversation was to simply come clean and say things directly.
Axel, however, didn't like my response, "but why?"
"why? Because he's discovered the error of his ways?" I said and shrugged, but Axel didn't let up,
"That's not good enough. He hurt you every day while you were in that marriage. He tried to break your spirit. Now he thinks it's enough to simply come back into your life and try to make you love him by doing the things he should have done before. No one can do that. No one is falling for any of that."
"you're right. He should have done all this before. But it mattered what he did yesterday, and what he did today. It all matters."
at my words, Axels' frown only deepened, "what did he do today? What happened today?"
It was then I realized what I had just done to myself. Later on, I would scold myself for talking too much.
"Luna Lara came over to my office when I was about to leave and confronted me-"
"that wrench."
"But Paris got there just in time to confront her. He stood up for me."
I saw the softening in Axel's features, "it's all you ever wanted, isn’t it? For him to stand up for you."
"among other things," I said, thinking about Kate, then pushed all thoughts of them aside.
"among other things. But like I said, he is a bit too late. So don’t tell me you're falling for his tricks, Em."
"that's the thing, Axel. I don’t think it's trickery. I think he's actually trying."
"And you like that he is trying?"
"I'm no longer against it," I said gently, and he shook his head. The sight of his disagreeing with everything was incredibly funny, but refrained from laughing,
"don't do this, em. Tell me, what about William?
"I'm not doing anything, Axel. And this has nothing to do with William."
"I beg your pardon, sissy. But it has quite a to do with William. What will he do if you go back to Paris?”
It was at this time I stood up and began to pace, "I
Never said I was going back to Paris. Neither did I say my relationship with William had turned into a romantic one."
"But you know very well that he sees you that way."
He nodded slowly, "perhaps. And I won’t deny that I have considered the prospects a couple of times. But not right now. Even if I were never to go back to Paris, I'm not considering a relationship with William right now. Even now, I find myself feeling guilty for the ways I feel like I can't love him right. I fear I will never be able to love him right. I fear he deserves better."
Axel shook his head and reached out to take one of my hands, "No one could love William better than you can. Stop talking like you are defective."
"Sometimes, I feel like I am."
"Well, I'm here to tell you that you are not. You know, this is another reason why I can't let you go back to that Paris bloke. He's made you believe things about yourself that aren't true. Him and his toxic little family."
I laughed despite myself and shook my head, "My beliefs are mine alone to deal with. "
"It doesn't mean he does not have a role to play. Lord, I wish I could just make him pay. Just give me the go-ahead."
"make him pay? In what way?" I asked softly, taking my seat once again,
"In any way. I could get men , very strong men to
Pound him to bits. I’m aware he is a strong Alpha. So perhaps I could gather a bunch of other strong Alphas to do the task. Courtesy of me. just say when."
“I think that would be a bit of an abuse of power, brother.”
“He didn’t have much a problem abusing his powers when he kept breaking your heart.”
“To be fair, it was his sister and mother who abused their powers. He merely bent to the whims and demands of matebond with Kate.”
“Is it me or are you having a good time defending him right now? Is there something I should know about?”
I chuckled, “I’m not defending him. I’m just telling you what is and isn't.”
“Whatever. The fact is , he hurt you and he is going to have to pay for his wrongdoings. So tell me when you want me to gather the right amount of
Men to do the deed.”
I smiled and shook my head, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to refuse.”
“I knew you were defending him. But the big question is why? Do you still love him so much?”
“I don’t know if I can say it is still about loving him. But it’s a bit counter productive, because as of now, we are trying to be friends."
"What did you just say?" he asked and I nodded. I supposed now was a good time to tell him everything,
"As you know, he and I are working on a project together. I can't go around acting like he is my enemy if I really want this entire thing to be fruitful so we had a discussion. I won't bring up the divorce for the period while we work, and I'll try to get along with him. If at the end of the project, he still gives me genuine reasons to hate him, then he has to sign the divorce papers."
"and if he does not?"
"well…" I said and trialed off,
"Ember?"
"Okay, I haven't thought that far yet. It could be anything."
"no, it could only be one thing. That son of a gun is trying to get you under his covers once again. Not happening." he said and began to pace.
"Axel." I said softly, but didn’t answer me, "Axel!" I tried again, this time he stopped to look at me,
"What?"
"I'm willing to try."
"to try, or to cry?"
"Come on."
"no, you come on. I'm not going to sit and watch while that man tries to hurt you again. God forbid."
"Axel-"
"No, ember. You may forge on with your plan, but as for me, it's a no." Without another word, he turned away and climbed down the stairs, and all I could do was sit there and watch.
We had that team meeting at the weekend as planned, and I took the time to talk to Paris while everyone closed up,
"I meant to stop you. "Paris said when I met up with him and I shrugged,
"beat you to it," I said and he smiled,
"you had something in your mind?"
"I do."`
"alright. Shoot."
"I told …" I trailed off. I was going to tell him about Axel, and the conversation we had. But Paris didn’t know Axel was my brother. He thought he was someone who had feelings for me. So I couldn't possibly tell him. So I improvised,
"you told?"
"my family. I told my family about how we had decided to be friends. Or try to be for this period of time. They knew about the divorce."
Paris didn't know my family, but he seemed pleased,
"I would be surprised actually if he was okay with it, so that’s good.”
"not exactly. My brother would much rather do away with you."
"Oh." he said and ran a hand over his head, "well, that's only normal. Since I've not been the best husband. "
"my brother can be very … aggressive."
"then I'm glad you have him on your side. Don't worry about me, Ember. I mean appreciate you being worried. But don't worry. I Can handle it. I'll prove it to you and them, that I can be a better man. I can be the man you need me to be."
He looked so sincere it hurt. I knew I struggled with forgiving him, so his sincerity did a lot to me on the inside.
"That's fine. Thank you." I said, trying to keep my emotions out of my voice, "I guess that's all I had to say." I said and started to turn away, but he grabbed me by my waist, and drew me close to him,
"I'm not ready for you to go yet."
"I know we didn’t talk about this part of the deal." I said as I struggled against my wolf's excitement at how close we were. "but I'm not interested in intimacy with you."
"your body says otherwise. The pheromones you're giving off say otherwise."
"Let me go, Paris." I choked out.
But he blindly went against me and indulged both our wolves by pressing his lips ravenously against mine.
