Chapter 69
1602words
"Reject Jean? Why should she do that? Why do you feel she would do that?"
"I looked her in the eyes when she spoke to him, I watched her today. Her wolf is attracted to him, I'm sure of that. But her heart? It's not locked in. and I worry that if Paris presses further, she will reject him."
"Does he press her at all?"
"she would not have so many doubts if he did not."
William sighed and shook his head, "So if she rejects Jean for Paris, you want me to seduce her? I thought days ago we were against manipulating her feelings?"
"we are. We are. But Is this really a form of manipulation? I mean, this is me, advising you to go after what you want. And what you want, at this moment, is my sister. And yes, at this juncture, I'm desperate about you going after what you want, because if you don't someone else will. Paris will. And he could hurt her again. I never want him to hurt her again."
"We are friends, Axel, so you know I've never seduced a woman in my life. I've never had to."
I raised a brow, "Never, not even a woman you truly admired?"
"Never. The Alpha position has demanded my utmost respect. I've never wanted to look like I persuaded a woman because I'm an alpha. In any case, your sister is the first woman I've truly ever desired and admired."
"This will be harder than I expected," I said, and shook my head,
"I wonder if Paris bewitched my sister from the very start. Otherwise, why should she be willing to bypass two good men, and choose the man who has hurt her again and again?
William scoffed, "The last time you said she was stuck in a trauma bond."
I ran a hand over my face, "I'm not even sure, anymore, what it truly is. I just know that I don't want my sister with this man, and I have to look for a way to keep them away from each other.
"Whatever you do though, you have to keep in mind that your sister has free will. You have to respect that."
"her future self will thank me for intruding this way, trust me."
He rose a brow and then shook his head,
"I know all that you do, you do in love. But just be careful. She is trying to be the strongest version of herself, but she's still the sensitive Ember we know and love. Don't go ahead and do the thing that would make her think you see her as weak."
I smiled a bit, "you do love her. Look at you, knowing my sister more than I do."
He merely cast his eyes to the heavens, "Just be careful."
"sure. Sure. I'll be careful with plan c."
"so I was plan b. what was plan b?"
"pushing her toward jean."
"So you're the reason she's not here. Thanks a lot, mate."
"it's not how you see it. I just want her to be happy. Whether it's you or Jean. I'm a desperate man at this point."
"I see that. and I think I'm slowly bordering on some desperation of my own at this point."
"Sorry mate."
"I would have pushed, same you are so eager to push, perhaps if she hadn't met Jean. I donâ™t; want her to hurt the same way you don't. but now, should he even choose to move on from Paris, her wolf will always tilt toward Jean. Should she ever choose me, she would still always wonder about a life with Jean. I fear that so much."
"can't be living in fear, mate."
"can't be living on the edge either."
I only sighed. To an extent, I really did not know what to do. But I had to do something. Once upon a time, I had left my sister to herself. Let her run wild and free, and she had landed on her arse, all in the name of love. I wasn't going to let that happen. Never again.
Ember's POV
"you're quiet," Jean said, about thirty minutes into it, and I turned to look at him with a smile,
Paris had brought me to the same restaurant at the beginning of our relationship, and the ghosts of those memories were having their way with me. I didn't mean to be quiet. But such was the way it actually was and I couldn't help how quiet it made me.
"Sorry about that. " I said, reaching out to hold his hand, "I've just got a lot on my mind."
"your youths?" he asked with a smile, and my guilt came, crawling up the skirts of my gown, and I shook my head because if he deserved anything, he most certainly deserved the truth,
"I've been here before. In another life. So, I suppose, I was remembering. I couldn't help myself."
He looked like he wanted to say something, but simply nodded, before looking out over the place, "perhaps I should have chosen a place far away from your youth."
I giggled, "My youth?"
He shrugged, "you're quite young. and if the person you came here with is the person I have in mind, then you must have been way younger. "
"I'm sorry I'm bringing my past here."
"It's not the worst thing that could happen. I knew what I was getting into when I chased you down to your pack land. I don’t expect you to suddenly act like none of it exists."
"I feel like I'm putting you in some kind of tight spot. Like I'm forcing you to be okay with the life I'm coming from. The life I'm trying to heal from."
"you aren't forcing anything on me. I'm choosing this."
His words warmed my heart. So why wasn't I happy? Why wasn't it enough?
"Because you're still stuck on Alpha Paris." my wolf said sadly, and I knew it was the truth. And God knew, there was nothing I would not have given for that to not be my truth.
"How about we start all over again? " I said, brightening with a smile, "I am well capable of putting my ghosts that roam this place aside, and enjoy this moment I have, with you."
His other hand covered my hand that covered his, "you're sure you would not rather go somewhere else though? I know a spot."
I shook my head, "Here is perfect. With you, it is perfect."
I did it though. I did have a calm evening with Jean. And when the memories with Jean tried to steal me away from the now, I reached out to take Jean's hand in mine.
"I won't ask you to tell me all of the places you've been to Paris."
"I think that would be too much, I think," I said weakly, and he made a face,
"I've been known to be too much to tell you the truth. But not right now. But I will ask you for honesty. If there should be a time, when we go somewhere, and you feel attacked by memories, as memories often do, I hope you can be honest with me. I hope you won't feel the need to hide it from me."
I stared at him, completely guilt-ridden, and nodded slowly, "I really donâ™t know what happened today."
"It's normal," he said gently. But his gentleness only made me feel some more guilt.
We took a stroll after our dinner, and found ourselves, on a bridge, staring at the water beneath us,
"a witch once told me I'll always be happiest when I'm close to water," I said, watching the water currents,
"And so, are you happy now?" he asked calmly, and I turned to him, looked at his profile, and I had to admit, he was incredibly handsome. But my heart squeezed at the heartbreaking realization I was slowly coming to terms with,
"right now, with you. Yes. I'm incredibly happy." I said and rested my head on his shoulder. "When everything with Paris ended, I wasn't sure that was ever going to be possible. But look at where I am right now."
"so, I factor in?"
"more than I cared for," I said honestly. But even then, the heartbreaking realization set in. It was the fact that It didn't matter how much Paris broke my heart, or whatever else I did to mend it. I was completely in love with Alpha Paris. And it did not matter how wonderful of a friend William was, or how beautiful the experience of finding Jean has been, I was always going to be running back to Paris. It was always going to be Paris.
~~~~
"I hope we can try this again," Jean said when he dropped me over at my place,
"Me too," I said honestly. I had a conflicted feeling I would have to decipher, but not yet. Not with him here.
he heaved out a breath, and ran a hand down my hair, "I would kiss you, but I meant what I said about not being pushy with you."
I sucked in a breath at his admittance, and although my wolf relished it, I chose to use my brain,
"maybe next time?" I said softly, but he ran his tongue over his lower lip and shook his head before slowly drawing his head toward mine,
"I'm not sure, because in the end, the future isn't very promising," he said, and softly, slowly, he brought his lips to mine.
