Bloodline

forty seven|breakups

"Are we seriously having this argument again?"

"I don't know, Veronica, are we?"

Veronica groaned, covering her face with her hands and plopping down onto the couch.

It was a couple days before Christmas. Since making a plan on Thanksgiving, Veronica had been growing closer to Tristan. The vampire was more than glad to accept any offer to hangout. At first, it began as only once or twice a week. Now, the two had been spending more time than they normally had. Which was too much for Alex's liking.

"If I recall, you're the one who told me to get close to him. You can't do that then get jealous when I actually spend time with him!"

"If it interferes with the time I get to spend with you, then I have every right to be! You've been seeing him almost everyday. You barely have time to see your own daughter!"

"That's not true and you know it. I would never let anything get in the way of Hope." 

Alex rolled his eyes, continuing pacing back and forth in the living room.

"Whatever. You haven't been able to find out any of his secrets anyways. I think it's time we call it off."

"Hold on, who's 'we'? I'm the one who's been doing all the work! And he'll get suspicious if I randomly stop calling him."

"So you're just going to waste all your time with him?"

"What would you have me do? Do you honestly think that I like spending all this time with him?"

When Alex didn't respond after a few moments, Veronica looked up from where her eyes were trained on the carpet. The brunette let out a scoff, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"What am I supposed to think, Roni? You don't complain when it's time to make plans. Between classes and all of this drama, you're barely home. And when you are you're either with Hope or talking on the phone. It's like you don't care about us anymore."

"Of course I care about you!"

"I didn't say me. I said us."

"It's the same thing."

"No, Veronica. It's not," The male hybrid sighed, "Ever since the curse that was placed on our pack, I've been thinking a lot. You know I care for you, but..."

"But what?"

When Alex gave a blank stare, Veronica stood up and took a hesitant step forward.

"But what? Tell me what you were going to say."

"It's nothing, just drop it."

"No! We're married Alex you can't just—"

"Not legally." He interrupted, "We were married spiritually for the pack, but we never signed the papers."

The brunette swallowed, her throat burning as she held in her unshed tears.

Truthfully, Veronica had a feeling something like this was going to happen. The two had strayed away from any topic of their miscarriage and barely acknowledged the strain in their relationship. Ever since Alex came back from the curse, he had changed. And Veronica couldn't find it in herself to blame him, she couldn't imagine what he went through during those months.

However, just because she knew the conversation was coming, doesn't mean it hurt any less. He didn't verbally call anything off, but he might as well have.

"Be honest with me, and don't lie because I'll know if you are." Alex said, taking the spot in front of Veronica and picking up her hands. "Do you genuinely love me?"