~ISSA
“What? Have you lost your mind?” Yulia screamed and I was taken aback by her outrage.
She glared daggers at me and I just knew that if she had the power to burn people with her eyes, then my body would have lit up in flames.
“I would never move in with you!” She yelled while getting off the bed this time.
She staggered and almost fell. Her fingers were shivering and her face was pale. The drugs the pack healer had administered to her had not finished its work but she just wouldn’t listen.
I stood up and wanted to run to her but she darted her fingers at me, signifying me to stop.
“Why are you being so stubborn, Yulia? Can’t you see that I am doing all I can for your safety?” My hands were in the air, trying to make her see things from my point of view.
As I spoke, I attempted once again at approaching her but for each step I took forward, she retreated two steps back every time.
“Stay where you are! Don’t come any closer,” she stated firmly.
“But…” I began before she cut me short.
“No buts, just stay where you are!” She screamed even louder.
“For the goddess’ sake, Yulia, you can hardly walk. If something were to happen now, how would you defend yourself?” Frustration bubbled beneath the calmness on my face. She was definitely driving me crazy.
I stopped trying to reach her and just stood rooted to my spot. If that was what was needed to iron our differences out, so be it.
“You’ve lost your mind,” she spat, her words laced with venom. “I won’t share a room with you, not now, not ever.”
“Even when it costs your life!” I growled this time, losing my patience. “These people are desperate and we don’t know exactly what it is they want. One minute they are after you, the next they are after me and everyone else!”
By now, my temper was lost and I was snapping at her. I was very sure that my veins were almost bulging out of my skin with the strong emotions that I felt.
“What then are you trying to say?” She asked, her voice laced with contempt.
“Can’t you see…” I began. “The attacks on your life and the troubles in my life fucking began the day your mother died! Your entire existence set everything in motion!”
Her eyes widened as she looked at me, as shock and pain scattered across her features. Tears welled up in them and I realized that I had crossed a line.
“Y… Yulia I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way,” I began to explain but it was too late, she had marched out of the room.
“Screw her!” I whispered in a muffled breath with my fist clenched. “Why do I care so much anyway? She can go to hell for all I care, I’m done begging and trying to protect her!”
I paced around the room, my thoughts a swirling mess and decided to sit for a while.
‘You can’t let her go,’ Iran’s voice pierced through my thoughts. ‘She’s your mate- our mate.’
She could be my mate but that didn’t mean my life should become another hell as a result of her presence.
I began to rant. “She’s stubborn and arrogant and doesn’t give a care in the world about every effort I put in protecting her, she’s-”
‘She’s a child, Issa,’ he whispered. ” Besides her mother, she never had much contact with others. Give her time, let her express herself and never stop trying to protect her. She’ll come around,” he advised before going silent.
His words made sense to me and I was quite surprised. This was because I knew that Iran was all about killing anyone who got on our nerves.
Yet for some reason, he was defending Yulia. What power exactly did this little woman have on us?
“Here goes nothing,” I whispered, walking towards the door and out of the room in search of Yulia.
I followed her scent and found her standing on the terrace of the house, her back turned to me. She must have also sensed me coming as she cleaned her eyes.
Was she still crying?
“Yulia,” I whispered, stopping a few steps away from her. “I- I’m sorry.”
She sighed but remained speechless, her back still turned to me. Determined to win her over, I continued to speak.
“Some strange things have been happening and I don’t know why, Yulia but it seems like you are at the center of it all,” I revealed.
“Why? I know nothing. I’m just an ordinary girl,” she whispered in a breaking voice
“Earlier today, before the explosion,” I began to speak. “We got reports, Miles and I, that some people went missing when they left to explore a certain house on the outskirts of the pack. Getting there, we got into a fight with some witches.”
I stopped to study the look on her face as my words sank into her mind. Her eyes were slightly focused on mine, drifting away each time we made contact.
“And… what happened?” Her curiosity got the better of her despite her shivering voice.
I had succeeded in getting her attention. She turned and rested her side on the railing.
“They got away, right after I found out that you were the main target.”
“What could they possibly want with me?”
I sighed as I thought of how best to answer her question. If I told her that her mother had a secret which she took to her grave, she would want to know what it was and I didn’t have an answer either.
Yet, I had to give her a solid reason- one that would make her agree to stay with me. “I don’t know, but I do know that they will not stop until they have you.”
She looked away, her mouth pouting like she wasn’t satisfied with the answer I gave her.
“I can’t move In with you,” she replied in a muffled voice. “This isn’t reason enough.”
“I won’t hurt you. You’re the safest with me,” I insisted.
“You may not hurt me. But there’s no telling what Iran would do,” she said, her fingers grazing a particular spot on her arm.
So that was it. She was scared of Iran. She was scared he would hurt her like the night before.
“Last night was a mistake, Yulia, I promise you, it won’t happen again- please,” I pleaded, stretching my hands out for her to take it.
She eyed it suspiciously.
“Please, will you trust me just this once?” I asked.
“On one condition,” she stated.