CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
ALEX DAVALO
“Being around Alex and his brother only makes me sick. I wish they could just disappear from my life.” I felt my heart drop at those words.
I had come back to the hospital hoping to check on Nadia after everything that had happened. Honestly, I didn’t think I would be back there, but the mate bond was beginning to get even stronger, and I couldn’t help it.
Even though she had rejected the last one I brought, I still came along with flowers and fresh fruit, trying to show that I cared, but I didn’t realize just how much pain I had caused her. The realization weighed so heavy on my chest. And now, to hear her wish we could disappear? It felt like a punch to my gut.
When I got to the hospital earlier, I had made my way to the ward where she had been placed, but as I opened the door, confusion washed over me. My heart raced at the thought of seeing her-and yet, she was not there. Instead, another patient lay in her bed, resting quietly.
“Who are you?” the elderly woman asked me, looking pale.
“I’m sorry,” I just said and walked away.
“Where could she be?” I thought, feeling a mix of frustration and concern twist inside me.
Just as I turned to leave, I spotted one of the nurses. It was the same one I had often given gifts to deliver to Nadia while she was at the hospital. “Hey! Alex!” she called, recognizing me immediately. I forced a smile, feeling a strange mix of emotions as I approached her. Nadia must have told her my name.
“Hi! How’s Nadia?” I asked, wanting to get straight to the point.
The nurse smiled warmly. “Thank you for the gifts you gave her! They brightened her spirits, even though she never admitted it, and helped her recover.” But that wasn’t what I wanted to focus on.
“What happened to her? Why isn’t she here?” I pressed, my fingers clenching and unclenching anxiously.
“Oh, that? Well, she was discharged today,” the nurse replied, glancing down at her clipboard. “She left less than an hour ago. I think she must be at home now.”
I muttered a quick thanks, my heart sinking again. Discharged? I should have been with her, making sure she was okay. And now, I have missed my chance.
As I turned to leave, the nurse called me back. “Wait, Alex! Before you go, Nadia mentioned something interesting.” I turned back, curiosity piqued.
“What did she say?” I asked, leaning in slightly.
“She told me about you and your brother, and that she likes you both, but she’s too scared because of how you two have bullied her in the past. ”
The nurse took a pause then continued, “Her heart is too fragile; don’t break it.”
Her words sent a shock through me. Stung by her fear, I nodded silently, letting her words sink in. Nadia had feelings for us? Wow! Even after everything we had done to her? I walked out of the hospital feeling heavy, my mind racing as I sat in my car.
What should I do now? Should I go to her house and explain everything, try to show her I wasn’t the monster she believed I was? I wrestled with the thought, remembering how I still wanted her to fear me a little. A part of me still relished the power of bullying her. That thought pulled at me, and the anger came flooding back as I ignited the engine. I didn’t want to lose my control over her. Sandro would even think of it.
I drove, lost in my thoughts, the road a blur as my mind swirled with confusion. Unconsciously, I found myself headed toward her place. As I parked a few poles away, I felt a mix of dread and anticipation. I had to see her, even if it was to confront her about what she had said.
But then, as I walked closer, I spotted something that made my heart stop-Nadia and Jack, her ex-classmate from college. They were hugging, and then they kissed. A wave of jealousy crashed over me, making my stomach twist. Seeing them together hit me harder than I expected.
“Why is he here?” I thought, rage boiling under the surface. I wanted to leave, to forget what I had just seen, but as they walked inside and closed the door, I felt an unexplainable urge to know what was happening.
I tiptoed closer to the window, my heart pounding like a drum. I pressed my ear against the glass, straining to hear their conversation. “What are you saying?” I whispered to myself, desperate to catch their words.
That was when I heard Nadia’s voice, clear as day. “I just wish Alex and Sandro would disappear from my life,” she told Jack. Those words hit me squarely in the chest, feeling like shards of glass piercing through my heart. My breath caught, and anger, pain, and humiliation swirled inside like a wild storm.
I could feel my wolf trying to push through, the primal instincts bubbling just below the surface. My hands trembled as I gripped the window frame, my knuckles turning white. I fought against the urge to smash through the window and confront her, but the rage boiled over in a way I couldn’t ignore.
Feeling my control slipping, I turned and ran back to my car, rain beginning to drizzle around me. “Damn it!” I yelled, kicking a nearby rock as I climbed into the driver’s seat. I slammed the door, tension filling the air like static electricity.
I backed out and sped off, the road ahead a mere blur as I left her house behind. I drove recklessly, too angry to care about anything else. With each turn, the storm inside me grew stronger, and I finally decided to steer off the road and into the woods.
The trees loomed overhead as I stopped and jumped out of the car. I felt the ache of transformation begin to surge through my body as my anger and pain collided. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. The feeling of rejection clawed at my insides, and in that moment, the world fell away.
I let out a growl as my body twisted and changed, the sensation overwhelming as I shifted forms. The feeling of my bones cracking and reshaping sent jolts of energy coursing through me. I could feel my wolf breaking free, embracing the darker parts of my nature that I had tried to suppress.
Once transformed, I felt my senses sharpen. The forest smelled rich with life-crisp, damp leaves underfoot, the scent of rain mingling with the earthy aroma of the woods. I felt powerful, my muscles coiling with tension and strength.
Letting the pain of rejection fuel my speed, I darted into the trees, a blur of gray fur and sharp claws. Every step was a release, the ground trembling beneath my paws. I let out another growl, this one louder, a raw, guttural sound echoing through the trees.
As I ran deeper into the woods, the storm inside me began to quiet, replaced by the rhythm of my heartbeat and the sound of nature. I was free, but also painfully aware of how much I had lost, how much I desired something that felt just out of reach.
With each stride, I tried to push thoughts of Nadia out of my mind, but they lingered there, a persistent ache in my heart. I recalled the way she smiled, the warmth in her eyes, and how her laughter held power over me. But now, the pain of rejection was too strong.
I continued to run, feeling the energy of the wild surge through me. I howled into the night, letting my emotions spill into the darkness around me. Each growl was both a release and a reminder of what I craved and could not hold onto.
Eventually, as exhaustion swept over me, I slowed my pace and came to a stop in a small clearing. The rain fell softly around me, washing away the heat of my anger and sadness. I sank onto the ground, letting the droplets mix with my fur.
At that moment, I accepted that I was hurting and that it was okay to feel that way. I needed to confront my feelings-my fear of losing Nadia, my need to be loved, my desire to have her in my life, despite the darkness that loomed over us.
As the rain continued to fall, I let out a final low growl, a promise to myself that I would figure it out. I would embrace my wolf and learn to fight for what I wanted, even if it meant facing the consequences of my actions.
As the woods surrounded me, it felt like a clean slate, a new beginning that was waiting just out of reach.