Chapter 88
ACE’S POV
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stood by the bed and stared at Charlotte’s sleeping figure, she passed out after screaming and crying. I had never seen her ike that, she looked terrified, like she was trapped somewhere no one could reach. Her fingers had dug into her own hair,
er body shaking as if something inside her was breaking open. Tears soaking her face while she begged for it to stop and I ouldn’t do anything to help except hold her still so she wouldn’t hurt herself. When she suddenly dropped to her knees arlier, I thought she was fainting. I didn’t know her mind was dragging her back into her memories.
felt Gavin walk up beside me, but I didn’t look at him. My focus was only on her.
Her memories are coming back gradually,” he said quietly.
Yeah. You’ve said that before.”
No. I mean they’re really coming back.”
finally turned to look at him, but he wasn’t looking at me, he was staring at Charlotte. And there was something in his eyes I lidn’t like, his eyes were filled with so much longing.
My hand curled into a fist at my side. It took effort not to grab him by the collar and slam him into the wall. He was looking t my woman the way only I was allowed to. I hated it, my wolf hated it even more.
This has happened before,” Gavin continued softly. “The first day I came to her hospital, she recognized my voice. She said he’d heard it in her dreams but never saw my face. In her office, she suddenly fell to the ground. She held her head and creamed like something was tearing through her. That was when part of her memories came back.”
looked back at Charlotte, she looked too peaceful for someone who had just relived hell.
There were patches of dried tears on her calm face. Even in her sleep, her brows were slightly drawn like the pain hadn’t ully left her.
What do you think she saw?” I asked quietly, my heart clamping tight in my chest. “She never tells me what she sees, but he talks to you about it?”
Don’t blame her,” Gavin replied. “I’m the only one who has admitted that I know about her past. So when the memories come back little by little, she comes to me for clarification.”
turned and walked into the smaller room I had converted into my study, I needed to breathe. He followed right behind ne. “You’re holding back from telling her everything,” I could tell he didn’t want to tell her everything while he spoke to her.
And I hate that I’m doing that to her. I don’t want to be a part of you and your little crew that look her in the face almost every day and you lie to her. You kiss and hold her in your arms while you lie to her,” he shook his head and I saw the disappointment in his eyes. Fuck! The worst part was that I was also disappointed in myself for always lying to her.
1 can’t tell her the truth,” I said finally. “You know I can’t.”
“You’ve always been a coward, Ace.” He placed his hands on his waist, anger twitching in his eyes.
“Don’t you fucking call me a coward,” I growled.
“You’ve always hated bullies, you can’t stand it when people lie to you but you’ve never told yourself the truth.” His voice was rising now. “I hate myself for leaving her to you years ago, thinking you would be man enough to admit your feelings. Man. you’ve always liked her, you bought her gifts secretly. You took care of her from a distance but when you get close enough, you act like you don’t notice her, like she was some invisible moth you didn’t want landing on you.”
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10:21 am P
Chapter 88
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The muscles in my jaw flexed, my hands curled into fists. I could feel the heat building inside me. “You chose her sister over her many times,” he continued, stepping closer. “You saw her get bullied by her own family, but you only fought the outsiders. You ignored what was happening right in front of you.” His words felt like a slap. He moved even closer until I could feel his breath on my face. My neck strained as I tried to hold myself back. “And worst of all,” he said, his voice turning cold. “you became her biggest bully.”
I snapped, I shoved him hard in the chest and he stumbled back, losing his balance before hitting the floor. Man, he didn’t stay down, he got up almost immediately, fury written all over his face. In two long steps, he was in front of me. We grabbed each other by the collar at the same time, fists bunching fabric, our foreheads almost colliding.
“You hate it when someone tells you the truth,” he spat. “Does it hurt now? Knowing you were the worst part of her life? She’s going to remember soon. She’ll see your face and she’ll hate you. She’ll leave you and you won’t even get access to your son and I’ll be right there beside her…”
I didn’t let him finish. My wolf dragged against the surface, claws scraping under my skin. My shirt ripped down the middle. is my body strained against the shift. For a second, all I wanted was to tear his head off. It took everything in me to force my wolf back down. Instead, I swung against him, my fist connected with his jaw. His head snapped to the side and he tasted blood on his lips. But Gavin was Alpha blood and he’s strong as hell. If his father hadn’t died, he would’ve been Alpha by now and not me. He punched back just as hard. I felt my lip split, the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
We went at each other again. “You have no right to her!” I roared. “Or to my son! She’s my mate!”
He cackled, blood running through his teeth, making the sound rough and ugly.
And yet you’re not bold enough to tell her that,” he said. “Tell her you’re the mate who called her and her mother hoes, heap and a pathetic side piece.” His words made my ears sting. “I lost her once because I thought I was doing the right hing,” he went on. “I thought you would finally grow up and you would admit your feelings and tell her you loved her. But you didn’t.” His eyes became hard. “I’m not making that mistake again. I’m going to pursue her and will show her how trongly I feel about her every chance I get.” He smirked through the blood. “And guess who she’s going to choose?”
let go of his collar, he dropped to the floor but kept laughing like he had already won.
She’s seeing your wife in her dreams,” he added, wiping the blood from his nose with the back of his hand. “You should ook into that wife of yours by the way. She’s not the angel you think she is.” He gave a dry chuckle. “The angel you chose over your mate? She might just be the devil.”
Moon might not be such a good woman,” I said coldly, “but she’s not evil.”
Oh yeah?” The smile on his face told me he knew something I didn’t.
If you have something to say, say it fast if you don’t want another punch,” I warned. He slowly raised his hands in surrender. The cocky smile faded, but the look in his eyes didn’t.
‘Remember that day, years ago, when Charlotte fell down the stairs?” My brows pulled together as I remembered that day. Guess who pushed her.”
‘You’re lying!” I roared.
“Am I?” he shot back. “Or you just don’t want to admit what you already know? You didn’t fully believe Moon that day,” he continued. “I saw it in your face but you still chose the version of her fake story. You believed her while your mate was fighting for her life.” His voice turned colder. “You didn’t even go to see her.”
I lost control and drove my fist into the wall. The impact echoed through the room, sharp pain shot up my arm, but it was nothing compared to what was tearing through my chest. My strength left me right after, and I slid down the wall to the floor, clutching my head as if I could physically hold my thoughts still. They were too fucking loud!
Then the side of my neck where my full moon mark lay began burning. I pressed my hand against it but the pain only grew
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10:21 am PDOO
Chapter 88
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stronger, moving down my spine and into my chest. It felt like something inside me was reacting to more than just anger.
“Look further, there are a whole bunch of things you may find out. But then again, you already know these things, you just don’t want to admit them to yourself.” He walked away, banging the door so hard the wall rattled.
I forced myself up and walked into the bathroom. I poured bags of ice into the tub and turned on the water, I tore my clothes off and stepped inside. I needed the cold to calm whatever fire was rising under my skin.
I stayed there until the ice melted completely. When I finally stepped out, water dripping down my body, I faced the mirror. The marks on my skin were darker than usual, tinted red.
My eyes shifted to the moon mark on my neck
It had turned red.
What does that look mean?
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
