#2. The Beta's Little Caster(MxM)

*CHAPTER 17

Elijah Phoebe

I stormed into the apartment, scowling as I began to unbutton my robe, he was close, but not close enough.

"Did we really just argue?"

"Nope, that wasn't an argument, an argument requires a back and forth and reaching an agreement together that was anything but, that was me talking and you deciding." I huffed and finally got the robe off me, I stood before my mate, bare chested and fuming. But why was I fuming really? What was actually bothering me because it can't have been something as small as Donovan chosing to tell Winston what the council said, especially when they could have sent him an email just the same.

Ugh, what is wrong?

"You're upset, why?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because my mate doesn't know how to be a team player anymore. Why else, Donny?"

The man huffed while I stormed into the bathroom grumbling below my voice, stupid, good for not-

"Elijah, talk to me."

I watch the water fill the tub and add bubbles. "I can't." I huff and undo my hair, letting the shoulder length black cascade down. Donovan slides up behind me, his strong hands on my shoulders as he begins to knead at my tender spots and I sigh, my eyes closing.

"You can," he murmured softly, a gently lingering kiss on my shoulder blade and I sighed. "Go on, talk it all out."

The water stopped, the tub full and his hands slid to my sides, slipping through my boxers and pushing them down, I stepped out of them and slowly, one foot along with the other.

"Theodore dealt with Jeffery," I murmured softly as I sunk down and Donovan got naked, I watched him, admiring every hard edge and curve as he slide behind me. "He has his family, half of his friends now," I sunk back into my mates comforting embrace and the first tear fell. "And I'm still lying to him."

"There we go." Donovan began tracing up and down my arms, splashing water onto my chest and neck gently. Soothingly. "Go on."

"Once he finds Isabella, heck, even now, Donovan how am I supposed to keep lying to my best friend? How do I continue to look him in the eye and pretend I don't recognise him?"

"You've done rather well so far."

I pulled away from him and turned to face him. "That's because I kept telling myself 'any day now, one more day, it's almost over' and now it is." I huffed, frowning as I looked at my mate seriously and he nodded, pulling me in. "Until now, he's thought mostly of Jeffery, assumed himself unprepared... That's over. Now? Now he's got time to count the days as they go by and listen to whatever I say enough to catch on."

"Elijah...maybe you sh-"

"-no." I said finally and sighed. "I can't...I won't."

"But if it's eating you up so much, that'll make it better."

"For me, but not him." I pulled away from him again and sighed. "I can't give him back memories that died, memories I didn't hide." Donovan narrowed his gaze at me then.

"But you know where they are."

"You need to stay out of my head."