Derrick’s Pov:
I watched as she stifled all of a sudden, fear overwhelming her. She looked stunned and frightened, her skin suddenly felt cold in my palms as her heartbeat could be heard. She tightened her grip on me when glancing around everywhere like she was looking for something. Focusing her attention back on me she opened and closed her mouth instantly, the routine continued for a while as I patiently waited for her to speak but no words seemed to be coming out of her lips.
Though I haven’t known her for long, I have found out that she is the type who never resists expressing herself. She points out the things that she didn’t like and the ones that are bothering her but right now she is the opposite. She looked nervous and afraid, she seemed worried and this annoys the shit out of me. My heart pieces as I watched her panic and wallow in pain, I wanted her to share her worry with me but that is impossible since she couldn’t open up about her fears.
“What’s wrong? Come on talk to me,” I smoothly said to her ignoring the knocking at the door. I wanted her to open up to me. I want to share in her distress, staring at me. She tried talking but resisted immediately. She looked like she was struggling within herself on whether to tell me or not, giving her a small smile and nod, encouraging her to speak up but I got interrupted by the knock at the door again.
“Hey, bro….. you there……..?”
I know that voice is my brother’s voice. Is Nicholas, my twin brother, smiling? I couldn’t wait to show off my mate to him. I know that he was going to be surprised that I have already found my mate within this short period and a bit disappointed that I didn’t tell him but I am going to apologize and explain in such a way that he will understand.
” NICHOLAS….” Annabel barely whispered as the name slipped out of her lips, she looked more scared as her body trembled in fear. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her, why does she shiver in fear as the name escapes her lips? I’m starting to get worried and I just don’t like the feeling I am getting about this whole thing. It doesn’t feel right, something doesn’t add up, or is it just my imagination?
“Come on, bro, if you are in there just open up or wait!… Are you with someone?” Nicholas says the last word in a naughty way causing them to laugh.
“We know that you are in there, come on open up,” Lucien impatiently muttered.
“Yeah, I…….. I didn’t get to finish as Annabel instantly covered my mouth roughly with her palms. I wanted to laugh at how tiny her palms are but come on, that’s not the time for this, I need to open the door for my brother and Lucien. I just can’t leave them hanging.
I tried telling Annabel that I needed to open the door for my brother and Lucien but she refused, using her head to plead for me not to open the door. She is fucking scaring me, though we are not mated or marked each other I can still feel her emotions small from the mate bond which seems strange. She is fucking scared like a rain-soaked chicken.
” Come on, Annabel, I don’t know what is going on with you but I can’t leave them outside, especially my brother,” I attempted to reason with her.
“Please bring down your voice,” standing on her two legs, she quietly whispers.
“What’s going on? I need to open the mother fucking door,” I said, annoyed. I am sick and tired of her sudden behavior, why can’t she just talk? Why can’t she just say what is wrong? She doesn’t have to be mute and act strangely for me to find out. I can’t leave my brother and my beta more like a friend to me, out there just like that.
“Look, Derrick, please do you care about me?” She panicked and asked with desperation.
Staring at her like she had lost it, “Of course, you know I care about you…..” I said in one go.
“Is there another exit in your room?” She asked again with nervousness.
“Yes, but why do you ask? And please enough of these questions,” I gazed at her as I anticipated an answer.
“Please, can you lead me to the place?” She pleaded.
“I said enough questions and besides I asked you a question?” I shot her a confused and uncertain look.
“Please, I will………” She didn’t get to finish as we heard another knock at the door.
” Hey, if you aren’t going to open the door let us know,” Lucien uttered.
“He is right, come on, bro…..” Nicholas growls in frustration and anger for snubbing and ignoring them. Trying to speak, Annabel dragged me towards the center of my room as she pleaded for me to allow her to leave the room.
“Look, little wolf, they are my brother and Lucien…..” Holding her by the shoulder to calm her down I say those words to her.
“I know…..” She declared.
“Then why couldn’t you allow me to open the door for them and I will be honored to break the shocking news of finding my mate,” smiling as I muttered, I hope this calms her down.
“Please, Derrick, show me the exit,” with tears stuck in her eyes she pleaded.
“Why? I mean why this sudden behavior,” I asked annoyed. Shutting my eyes to calm my nerves I glance at her “What’s wrong……” I asked this time in a more gentle way than I could ever master.
Shaking her head, with trembling lips she pleaded, “Please just show me the exit, and I promise to explain everything later…….
“Come on………. I didn’t get to finish before I was interrupted again.
“Hey, since you don’t wanna open the door, we are going…..” They sounded annoyed.
“No, No……this can’t be I need to open the fucking door,” I half-whispered to Mira.
“No!!….. Please, you can’t do that, please I beg of you,” she stubbornly insists. I am now in the middle and in the situation of not knowing what to do, should I please my mate and leave the door? Or should I open the door and show my mate to my brother and Lucien? though they seem harmless, why is Annabel not getting my point? But I couldn’t allow my mate to shed tears for me for anything, but if I didn’t make a move, she wouldn’t say anything. With that, I tried taking a step forward towards the door, but she hastily fell to her knees and held me by the leg. I surprisingly gaped at her, like seriously!!
Nodding her head to calm her heavy breath, she fearfully says “I understand that you wanted to open the door for your brother but please show me the exit before you make a move…….”
My heart softens as I watch tears drip down from her eyes wetting her cheeks as those crystal blue eyes stare at me with pain and desperation. Squatting down I wiped out her tears as I warmly embraced her in an incredible hug. Only she knows the reason behind her sudden behavior but right now I need to listen to her and find out the reason later when she is ready to talk. This is the first time that she is asking me for a favor and I am not going to let her down.
“Hey, look up, here is the exit,” hearing the word exit she stood up immediately. Pointing at the exit I gestured for her to go before moving to open the door for my brother, stopping at my track I mumbled to her before she could exit the room “You owe me an explanation, remember….”
Nodding with a small smile, she runs out of the room.
” Hey, bro, what took you long to open the damn door,” Lucien asked me as soon as I pulled the door open.
“I thought you guys threatened to leave,” a mocking smile curled up my lips as I gazed at them.
“Yes, we are about to leave…….” They grumpily mumbled.
“Fine, then I have to lock up my door in that case,” aiming to close my door. They both pushed it suddenly and bashed inside. I laughed mockingly at them. Grumpily glaring at me for some time, all of us burst into a laugh till Nicholas suddenly stifled as his nose flared up, his face hardened with his eyes glancing around my room. Lucien and I stopped laughing instantly as the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Turning at me, he asked, “Did she come here?”
“Who….. Is there?” I was confused by his words.
His eyes turned murderous as they roamed around my room before focusing back on me “I can still smell her scent, it is still lingering around here,”
“What are you talking about….?” I asked as I and Lucien shared a confused look.
“Is Mira here?” He snarled with rage.
“No, Mira, was not here,” I told him, his brow furrowed up in annoyance as if I was lying to him. Lucien uncomfortably shifted.
Clearing my lips I mumbled sheepishly “But Annabel was here, my mate……….