Ruthless Deception| ✓

》21

He's been avoiding me.

I don't know if it's accidental or not.

And I've been confused with my feelings that I ended up avoiding Mikey. The past five days have been exhausting, to say the least. Everyone has been working to make sure the coronation for William was perfect and it was. I guess I've been using the coronation as a distraction but I still can't take my mind off of Evander.

Today, Thursday, was the first normal breakfast with everyone present in the past five days. Well, so I thought. When I woke up I felt the effects of a hangover. It felt like if someone was constantly drilling a hole into my skull, my eyes hurt when I would keep them open for too long or if I looked at bright places. I didn't know what was going on because I didn't drink last night. Trying to ignore the pain, I brushed my teeth and washed my face before shimmering into the bathroom.

The hot water fell on my face as I felt the headache only increased in pain and speared to different areas of my head. What the hell is happening to me? I couldn't feel my wolf. Even the silver chain I wore most of the time burnt my neck. All I felt was pure pain. The only thing that felt this bad was when I was in heat but that was a different pain.

Could it be related to Evander?

I was trembling while I changed into black jeans and a hoodie. I wanted to be comfortable right now. All I wanted to do was lay in my bed and sleep away this headache.

"Good-" my words were cut off as I stumbled, my eyes felt like they were burning on fire. "Ah fuck," I hissed, holding onto my head. "Rieka? Are you alright?" King Vison worriedly asked. I gripped onto the wall when my vision started to become blurred. "What's wrong?" I hear a chair push back and suddenly, Jayden was at my side. "Sis," he whispered, snaking his hand around my back for support. "I'm alright," I lied as I pushed him off and tried to walk to the breakfast table. "Are you sure you are fine?" My father asked me with worry. Both of my parents looked worried at the moment. "Yes, of course," I lied again. My eyes tried to find the hazel ones that always are on me at times but he wasn't here.

Where was Evander?

I barely ate because my body simply didn't want me to. I was starving, yes but I felt as if I was going to be sick.
Dumping my plate in the sink, I turned around only to stumble back. Brandon gripped my waist to steady me and once my head wasn't spinning he dropped his hands. "What's wrong with you today?" He asked with furrowed brows and worried eyes. "I just have a bad headache," I brushed him off but he continued to stare at me.

"Huh, Evan just mind linked me that he has a terrible headache as well.."

_♤_

A whimper left my lips as I cuddled further into my pillow. My back was hurting now, so were my upper arms and thighs. I was so over with this, it needed to stop but it wasn't. I think my eyes were at their limits, I couldn't cry anymore. Instead, I'm forced to take these never ending waves of pain.

"Rie," I hear a whisper as my door opens and shut. It would hurt too much to check who came in. But that voice made my heart flutter. "Evander," I shivered. "I'm here, I'm here," he repeated and I feel the bed dip. "It hurts so much, Ev," I complained, my back arching in pain. I felt so weak and vulnerable. "I know, I feel it too," he whispered and pulled me into his chest, the heat disappeared almost instantly. I moaned in pleasure as the tingles replaced the severe pain.

I turn around so our chests were pressed together. His warm eyes looked so vulnerable and painful but happy at the same time. Hesitantly, I raised my hand to brush his cheeks. He inhaled sharply and I smile in satisfaction. "Thank you," I whispered, not even an ounce of the terrible pain was there. "Our wolves were trying to get us together. It worked," he joked. This was the first time since he left that we were separated by a wide distance.

I don't understand werewolf logic and it's certainly a pain in the ass. You'd think rejection wouldn't come with all of this extra baggage but I guess that's what we get for going against our wolves. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I didn't have a choice," he apologized. The look in his eyes told me he was telling the truth.

"You're here now," I smiled and snuggled my face into his neck with one of my hands playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck, and the other was fisted in his shirt. "I know we need to talk, but let the pain go away first," Evander whispered the reminder that had been prominent at the back of my mind.

"Okay," I agreed. Finally, I allowed myself to close my eyes engulfed by the comfort of Evander. I allowed the darkness to consume me with open arms.

_♤_

My eyes fluttered open to the feeling of fingertips gently dragging along my arm. Firstly I stare at the white ceiling, blinking while I collect and process my memories. I could feel the weight beside me on the bed, I could almost feel the air he exhaled through his nose. My head slowly turned and those bright eyes are looking at me already.

"Good morning," he whispered. I drank in how innocent and soft his features looked in the morning light shining through the curtains.

The pain was gone.

I feel terrible for breaking all of my walls last night but I was in so much pain and we were desperate. "Morning," I returned and pushed myself up against the headboard so distance was between us. "We need to talk...but we're always busy and it's hard to speak to each other about...stuff without getting upset with each other," I say without looking at him.

It was too early for this.

I didn't want to do this now.

"Ziekel promised that he would kill my mate. And he has proved this several times by killing any female that's near to me for too long. There's a lot on my plate right now shifting between the royal and golden cove pack, Iris, alpha duties, rogues, bullets...it's a lot and I didn't know if I could've protected you right now from him," Evander reveals. My eyes remained on him while I gathered it all. I could tell he's been thinking of this, he prepared his words.

"Firstly, I don't need your protection and that's a really messed up reason to put yourself and me at destruction because of the rejection. That still leaves Iris and your lies with her and I know you're not going to tell me today. So until you want to tell me the truth, please leave and don't stop me from moving on," I tell him after I've pushed off the bed. My arms crossed on my chest to emphasize how serious I was about this.

Evander's eyes fell at the sound of my disappointing words. How will I know if I should keep on holding on to him? Because after everything I'm still holding onto Evander Rowan and I know I shouldn't be but...I can't help myself.

"I will, I promise. I just need to figure out some stuff," Evander promised and in less than a second he was walking out of my room. I chase after him to lock the door and throw my back against it. My knees failed and my body slid down the door until I was sitting on the floor with my legs pulled to my chest.

What the bloody hell am I going to do now?
____________

Any ideas of why Iris is pretending to be Evander's mate?

Almost typed Payne instead of Pain✋🤭