Fates | Book 2 ✔️

[22]

The sun is up. I can feel the heat of it beating down against my back. Slowly, I wipe away the sweat threatening to trickle down onto my face and head for the shade. Night time would have been the best time to travel. That way, I could have slept away the day. However, Lance, being the way that he is, wouldn't have let me go, so I had to leave right then and there. He'd forgive me for this. I know he will. 

I stand in the shade for a moment, hoping to push away those thoughts. They just keep coming back like a bad memory I'm doing my damnedest to suppress. He has that way about him that drives me insane. I don't even think he does it on purpose, but he has always stayed in my head. Since the beginning, the moment, I met him... I couldn't stop thinking about him. And even know, like this, I can't. Some great part of me keeps trying to tell me to stop and just turn back around and apologize. I don't want to ruin what took forever to build between us to fall apart. The very thought of that scares me.

Should I turn back around? The Western pack's territory is only a couple more days away. If I transform, it could be a day or maybe even less. I wet my lips and look around. Lunas, I don't want to be here. I want to be with him. I do, so I must stop doing this. I run my hands through my hair and sigh out madly. Why must I do this to myself?

Everything is becoming messy and jumbled the more I think about him. I thought I would have less to worry over if Emery was somewhere safe, but I never really did figure in Lance and his personality. I once said how much he had changed, but I realize now he hasn't changed much at all. He's very much the same man I knew of four years ago.  I don't ever want to hurt him again. I should go back. 

As soon I turn around, I'm tackled to the ground with sparks running up and down my body like ants. His blue eyes bore into mine, leaving me speechless. Of course, he would do something like this. He's not one to just sit around and do nothing. 

"You thought I wouldn't follow you?" 

"...Lance."

"If I mark you now, you won't be able to go anywhere for a day or so. "

"You wouldn't."

"I would. Because you're being stupid! You keep making these terrible choices even when I present you with the right ones. You're frustrating, and I'm angry with you but I can't bear the thought of losing you again. I can't. My pride is not worth losing you over. Why can't you understand this?"

I look away from him, but he turns my head back to face him. 

"I love you. I just can't stand how you are sometimes."

"I'm doing this for you," I mumble.

He presses my hand against his cheek before kissing it. "Then don't you think I have right to know what it is even more?"

Although I can see his reasoning, I can't help but think my way is better. I don't want to bring any problems to him. They are my problems, not his and he has enough to deal with. As if reading my mind, he gives me a small smile and presses his forehead against mine. 

"Your problems are mine as mine are yours. Have you forgotten that? In order for this to work, you must tell me these things... so I can get rid of this lingering doubt. So I can love you without pause again. Give me this, and I promise my heart will follow."

I nibble on my bottom lip. My brows furrow. There is nowhere else to look but into his eyes and Lunas knows how I am weak for them. No matter how reluctant I am to this, one look into them and he can get whatever he wants from me. He must know this. He must. A small breath escapes me before I take a deep breath.

"You have me wrapped around your finger... you know this, right?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have had to follow you and come all the way out here. There would be no secrets between us and... you would not be so stubborn to doing as I wish."