NALEDI’S POV
The door shut with a small thud and I felt the place enclose in on me.
“You betrayed me.” Caellum’s voice was even – like he was merely stating facts.
“Then you rejected me.” One step forward. “Like you hadn’t done enough damage, you went ahead and helped recover what was stolen, putting your life on the fucking line.”
Another. “I rescued you from death and the moment you get up, all you can think about is leaving?” His tone was incredulous – like he couldn’t wrap his head around why I would want to leave.
“Am I a fucking joke to you?”
Caellum was right in front of me, eyes flickering between my lips and eyes.
“I’m sorry.” I managed to say, amid the tension and the atmosphere that reeked of my favourite man in the world. “I just… I’m sorry.”
“You don’t get to say that.” He held my jaws and pushed it forward, straining my neck. “Sorry doesn’t magically change everything. Sorry cannot change the fact that you broke my heart, Naledi. It doesn’t change the fact that you chose to destroy what we had when you could have come clean.”
I pulled his hand from my jaw, ashamed and unable to bear the pain in his eyes. “I made a mistake that we can’t fix, Caellum. But please don’t make me watch you move on, knowing it could have been me. My heart can’t bear it.”
There it was, I finally said the truth.
He dragged me by the waist and I was flush against him. “I’ll ask you one thing. One question and you have to answer truthfully.”
“Caellum..”
He shook his head, refusing to back down. “Just tell me the truth, Naledi. I need to know the truth. Not what you think, not what you have convinced yourself to believe, I just want the truth.”
His voice melted, “Think you can do that for me, love?”
My heartbeat increased and I swallowed hard. The atmosphere was thick with tension. “Do you love me, Naledi?”
I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.
“Just tell me the truth. Don’t overthink it. I just need to know. Please..”
I tried to say something, to tell him just how strongly I felt that love couldn’t possibly cut it. But I couldn’t. He deserved more than me, he deserved more than a woman who betrayed him and all he stood for.
My mouth sealed shut and I figured he took that as an answer. Caellum moved away like one burned and I find myself bereft of his attention. I reached out to him and he dodged me with a flinch.
“You don’t need to attend the ceremony. You can leave.”
Caellum walked out of my room, taking the warmth from my room and leaving me out in the cold. A sting of regret hit me and in that moment, I wanted to cry.
A rogue tear dropped down my cheek and I decided it was no use going for the darned party. I looked around, deciding I was better off leaving now, and realised a second later that I had nothing to pack.
Everything I wore down to my pants was not mine to begin with. All of those things were at the Yakuza. I had no place here, nothing to call mine. It was pathetic.
Deciding to put on the black stilettoes that Korah picked out for me, I got out of my room, and headed downstairs. Soon enough, I was out of the Alpha’s quarters and ready to leave when I noticed the crowd outside.
Lots of people arrived with a cheery look on their faces. Humans and werewolves alike. I had forgotten what a fun event the mating ceremony was. Deciding it was better I left while it was buzzing, I headed for the gate only for a black jeep to park right in front of me.
I knew that car too well.
The door opened and just like I predicted, a male dressed in a black tux and shades walked out of the place, holding a proud smile. “We meet again, Attai. Are you on the run?
Alek pulled on his glasses and shot up a brow in question.
A small smile. “You always seem to find me when I am in need of help, Alpha.”
He gauged me with a smirk before giving me his hand. “I also think you always find me when I am in dire need of help too, Attai. I’m desperately in need of a date,” His eyes sized me up. “You look decent enough to keep the ladies at bay. Could you bail me out one last time?”
“Only if you promise it is indeed the last time,” I said with a chuckle and hooked my arm around my ex-employer.
“Of course. I plan to finally find my mate and get this ceremony done with.”
I could tell that he had a lot to say to me, but decided against it. The moment we entered the hall, I felt all eyes on us. Especially at the place where our hands were joined. Then the murmurings began.
When I felt Caellum’s eyes, I stiffened, refusing to turn around. Caellum had other plans because he walked right to us, holding Donna on his arm as he greeted us.
“Alek.” He said but his eyes remained on our hands. “I see you showed up with a date.” His tone was icy like he was looking for a fight.
For some reason, Alek didn’t reply. Instead, he sniffed the air and a growl erupted from his chest. “Mate!”
My eyes widened when I realised that he was referring to the woman Caellum had on hand, the woman I hated as soon as I saw her standing beside him. Donna.
Things ended up with Alek leaving with his mate and Caellum storming off. I followed him to the poolside, calling out his name.
“Why are you here, Naledi?!” He roared, lashing out in anger. “I told you to leave, get the hell out of my pack and leave me the fuck alone!”
“I can’t, okay?!” I yelled, tired of the entire back and forth. “I can’t just leave because I can’t stand the thought of not having you by my side. I can’t stand the thought of seeing you mated to another woman!”
He looked deranged. “Is that what this is? Some fucking jealous string?!” He pushed towards me with fire in his eyes. “Guess what? I am still fucking in love with you and the idea of having you as my mate so if you don’t share the same sentiments, I advise that you quit doing stupid shit like following me to places like this and fucking with my freaking mind!”
“I love you, Caellum. I know that it makes me a terrible bitch after what I have done but I just can’t help the side of me that wants-”
My rant was cut off by Caellum’s lips which pressed against mine in a deep longing and satisfying kiss that left me hungry for more.
“Say that again.” He said between kisses. “The first three words and nothing else.” Another kiss, “Please..”
A coy smile found its way to my lips and those butterflies came alive. “I love you, Caellum. I never stopped.” I said and meant it from the depths of my heart.
The look on his face as he carted off my clothing piece by piece, making love to me under the moonlight by the poolside made it all worth it.
At the end of the night, we had become exhibitionists, marked and mated for all to see. And for the first time ever, I was indeed complete.