Chapter 25
SHANE
-I know. But what am I supposed to do with Steven now? I love him and I don’t want to lose him, but I don’t want to lose Gigit or hurt him either.
-I don’t think you’ll lose him, but you will lose Steven. There has to be a way to fix this.
“What are you suggesting?” he asks, tilting his head and focusing his gaze on me.
-Perhaps there’s a possibility involving all three of us, -I suggest.
-We live in the real world, Shane.
-As real as werewolves exist.
-You’re right. Still, it’s not impossible…
-Nothing is impossible, -I interrupt.
-This one is, -he seems saddened.
-What do you mean?
-I’ve talked to Gigit. He won’t accept sharing me with anyone but him. He says werewolves are very possessive and dominant; he won’t allow another to enter his territory. -I’m stunned. Who would have thought? The picturesque Gigit is territorial and quite the alpha in his own way.
-Well, shit. Whether you like it or not, that’s hot. -I suppress a smile.
-Seriously, Shane?
-Okay, okay, it was a bad comment.
-You think I don’t know that situation is as hot as hell and, yet, it doesn’t make me happy, because I know I have to break up with Steven. What am I supposed to tell him? That I’ve been sleeping with someone else?
-No! Of course not! -I exclaim.- That will only make him hate you.
-Right. Because that’s exactly what I want…
-You’ll end up hating Gigit, -I whisper.
-I…
A doorbell rings, interrupting us both. Marc’s head snaps up, looking towards the entrance.
-I’ll open it. You stay here.
-It’s Steven.
-It is. -I squeeze his shoulder reassuringly before going to answer the door. First, I peek through the peephole to make sure it’s him.
Opening the door, I find Steven. His gaze is restless, and his smile seems forced, like a mask that fails to hide the worry consuming him.
-Hi, Shane, -he says, trying to sound cheerful as he hugs me. But his embrace is colder than usual, and my instincts tell me he knows why he’s here.
-Hi, Steven. Everything okay? -I ask, trying to assess him, but he just shrugs.
-I’ve had a rough week… -he begins, looking at the floor as if the words are stuck in his throat.
-Come in. Marc is in the kitchen. -I close the door behind him.-If you need someone to talk to, I’m here…- I reply, he looks so alone and lost that I hate what Marc will do, but before I can continue, Marc appears behind me, interrupting the moment.
-Hey! Ready to have some fun? -Marc shouts with a smile, although his smile is only a fleeting glimpse of what it usually is. The atmosphere becomes tense between Steven and him.
-Marc, this is serious, -Steven interrupts, his tone changing, becoming more serious.-We need to talk.
Marc’s playful banter vanishes immediately, and I notice how tension takes over the room. The awkwardness becomes palpable, but what follows is even more devastating.
-Fine. Let’s cut to the chase…-Marc begins, but stops, as if the words are heavier than he can bear. After a moment of hesitation, he continues.-I can’t do this anymore. I’ve been sleeping with someone else.
The silence that follows is like a scream in the night. The betrayal echoes in every corner of the room, and the impact of his words leaves Steven frozen, unable to think or respond properly.
-Cheating on me? -Steven’s voice is barely a whisper, but it feels like a megaphone in the chilling silence. His gaze darkens as reality begins to set in. -Who with?
Marc feels trapped, his gaze shifts. There’s no way he can tell him he’s been with a werewolf. I feel like an intruder in all of this, I want to strangle Marc. How could he drop such a bomb like that!
-With someone. -Marc’s response is sharp. Idiot! But in his eyes, I can see that all the courage he has left is crumbling.
-You want me to hate you, don’t you? -Steven’s voice trembles, and for a moment, it seems I’m watching a heartbroken lover instead of a friend.
-Yes, Steven. That’s right. You deserve better. You’re too good for me. -Marc’s words are like daggers.
-Better than being with you?-The disbelief in Steven’s voice is heartbreaking. His face transforms, and his eyes fill with tears he struggles to hold back.-I gave you my heart, Marc… why are you doing this to me?
-Because…-Marc feels cornered. The internal struggle is evident on his face.-You have to forget me.
-Forget you?-Steven asks, his voice full of disbelief.-How am I supposed to forget someone who meant so much to me? The only person I opened my heart to?
A tear rolls down Marc’s cheek, and for a moment, it seems he’s about to give in. But he composes himself, as if each tear were a reminder that he must walk away.
-You have to do it. You have to hate me.-The firmness in his tone is heartbreaking. What he’s saying is tearing him apart, and I know it. But he’s afraid.
The silence that follows is almost unbearable. Reality feels heavy. Steven falls to his knees, trembling, and I feel powerless, not knowing what to do.
-Why?-Steven murmurs, broken.-Why can’t I be enough?
The words resonate in the air like a biting echo. All three of us are trapped in a maze of emotions that seems to have no exit.
Marc walks away, leaving the apartment, fearing that his weakness will cause him to give in. And I realize that the love they shared, as intense as it was, is now crumbling under the pressure of predetermined destinies and broken illusions.
Now, in this room, the shadows of what could have been loom over Steven, and as Steven remains there, unable to rise, I feel all the bonds that once united them are slowly fading, taking with them the essence of what they once were.