THE DESTINED ONE

Chapter 25: Disappointment, Rage and Peace

I hesitated. Should I ask her about Ethan, or it wouldn't be appropriate?

"What is it, Manya? I know it will sound strange as we don't know each other for that long, but you can ask me or tell me anything. You have no one here that you can talk to. And I would love to be that one person for you if you would let me."

There was nothing but honesty in Hannah's words.

So, I decided to ask her the one question that I was dying to get answered.

"Where is Ethan?"

Hannah hesitated for a moment and looked at me as if I had asked a wrong question or something. Maybe I had. Afterall, I had been marked by Ethan's brother. But that was all he was to me. Ethan's brother. I didn't even know that guy. So, why would I be expected to enquire about him? It didn't even feel right.

But finally, Hannah's expression softened, and she had that vibe of understanding.

"Ethan is in his chamber. And if you are wondering, he hasn't decided to leave you alone. It is just that Claudia needed time and he is giving that time to her. Once the time will be up, he will come see you."

I was disappointed a bit. I thought of Ethan differently. But I guess I was wrong. He was the same as others. I shouldn't have trusted him. I didn't even know him for that long. So, why the heartbreak?

"Ethan is not like others, I can assure you of that, Manya."

As if knowing where my train of thought had run to, Hannah said defensively.

"I don't trust words, Hannah. I see actions. I don't judge people through what others see in them. I judge them by what I see. And what I see is that when I need someone to be by my side, no one is there. Not even Ethan. So, I really can't differentiate between him and others who are not here with me either."

"Ethan wants to be here for you, Manya. He really does. But..."

Hannah tried to find words to defend Ethan, but unsurprisingly, she couldn't.

Because I was afraid there were none.

"If he truly would have wanted to be here for me, he would have been here by my side. If someone, even if it being her Aunt Claudia, can persuade him for not being here and he can be persuaded that easily in doing so, I don't know whether I should trust him, Hannah."

I was damn serious and skeptical for the first time in my life. I had always found positive within the multiple negatives in my life. I could even stretch and say that the only positivity that I had ever experienced in my life was my thinking which had always refused to believe that humanity was lost in the world that I was living in. I embraced the world with its good as well as bad side because that was all I ever learned to do. Even though having mostly bitter experiences throughout my entire life, I never stopped believing in good. But maybe today was the day that I finally would give up on that for good.

And unfortunately, Ethan might be the one to break me for good. Not his brother. But him.

"Believe me when I say this, Manya. He wanted to come to you the moment he was told that you were awake desperately. I have never seen him so uneasy. But Claudia has to try persuading her son in accepting his one chance at happiness. You are not aware of the boons and curses that haunt us throughout our entire endless existence. If Addy will lose you without completing this bond from your side, he will never be able to be mated to anyone else. He doesn't realize it now but trust me he will. And Claudia is afraid that when he will realize the value of what he lost, it will be too late for him. You will be long gone. And let's not forget, you will need your mate to survive this transition, Manya. You cannot survive without him. He is the one who marked you. He is the one who has called upon your beast. So, when your beast appears in your body, she will need her mate to help her go through the whole transition process. If Addy will not show up on time, you can lose your life. No human till this day has survived this transition. That's why when a Lycan finds his or her mate in human, they choose to be human and stop shifting in their Lycan form to age appropriately to his or her mate. They choose to die with their mate in their human form rather than let their mate choosing to try to transform into the Beast. So that at least they won't have to live without their mate. At least they have a lifetime to live their happily ever after with them. I know Claudia is being selfish. But you are the only chance for her son to have that happily ever after. She had to tell Ethan to stay away from you or else she is afraid that your Beast will start forming the bond with him even after being marked by someone else."

She was satisfied I could see.

But I had only one question to all these waste of words.

"Okay. So, where exactly is Adrian right now?"

"Claudia is trying to..."

"That's not what I asked, Hannah. I asked where is Adrian right now?"

Hannah looked away. And I got my answer.

"Is he even here?"

No reply. And that was the exact reply that I knew was coming.

"He is not even here, is he?"

Hannah looked guilty.

All of the words that came out of her mouth were for nothing, I see.

"When I need someone by my side to assure me that everything is going to be alright; that everything is going to be just fine, no one is here beside me; supporting me; carrying this life threatening burden with me. Not Ethan. Not even the one who has decided to put me through this hell. And still you think that he has the right to have this happily ever after? The one who destroy my every chance at happily ever after; according to you and Claudia he does deserve a chance at the same that he destroyed for me! Are you guys even listening to yourself?"

No words could come out from her mouth.

I knew that I had to give chance to Adrian. I promised Claudia that I would try. But her interference in something that was there between me, and Ethan could not be acceptable. She had no right to decide for me or Ethan about what we should or shouldn't do together. Whether Ethan should visit me or not; support me or not. And that too, while her son was not even here.

I felt the boiling rage inside me. I had never been this angry before in my entire existence. It felt like an inferno is erupting inside my chest. I couldn't breathe properly. The feeling of nausea washed over me. I closed my eyes to gain control of my body. But it was of no use. I felt dizziness.

"Oh My Creator! Manya! I want you to open your eyes, Honey. Everything is going to be alright. Just open your eyes. Try to open your eyes. Please, just hold on to the thread to this world. Open your..."

And the voice faded entirely. The agony and inferno that I felt mere moments ago were gone. Again, I was floating in nothingness. And all I felt was peace; and nothing else. No pain; no agony; no anger; no betrayal; nothing at all.

And I wanted to be here for eternity. Whether I was supposed to or not. In the world of the living, there was nothing else for me to live for. I had nothing and no one there; no hope either. Here at least I had peace. Here at least I had no expectation for a knight in shining armor to come and save me. I knew too well that I would be alone and left with peace.

Yes. That was what I needed. That was what I should choose over the life that was nothing but a disappointment.

And with these thoughts, I welcomed the peace for good. Or so I thought.