Chapter Twelve
Iris’s POV
Bang!
The door to the beds flew open, the light from the hall flooded in as I sat up startled. Who was there? I stifled a scream as I looked at the towering silhouette in the door way.
“Shit,” the gruff voice whispered. “Iris?” the voice switched on the light as my fear reached boiling point. “Oh fuck,” Robbie muttered looked at my paled face. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he hung his head in shame. “This week isn’t turning out how I planned,” he chuckled bitterly.
“Its fine,” I clutched my racing heart, trying to take deep breaths to keep the panic attack at bay.
“Look Iris,” he walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. “About early...”
“Its fine,” I cut in. “I shouldn’t have pushed you, I get that now,” I sighed looking at the white bed sheets. “You don’t know me well enough to trust me yet, I understand” I gave a small smile.
“No it’s not that,” he sighed. “I just it’s still a little raw,” he starched the back of his head. “What do you know of werewolf mates?” he asked turning to me fully.
“That you can chose one at 18 and they are like your husband/ wife,” I shrugged not really understanding where this was going.
“What about soul mates?” he asked gently.
I couldn’t stop the chuckled from forming. “Well if you believe in that kind of thing,” I laughed. “It just something people say to people after a break up,” I sobered up. “You know,” I shrugged. “Oh he was a jerk but he wasn’t your soul mate, you might have loved him but wait until you find your soul mate,” I mocked. “It just some teenaged fantasy women have made up to make them feel better about being dumped.”
Robbie chuckled. “You have a very close minded view,” he smiled. “But I disagree,” He looked me dead in the eye.
“How so?”
“Well,” He gave a sad smile. “Werewolves have soul mates, they are rare and you know they by the way your wolf reacts to the sight of them,” he frowned thinking of how to describe it to me. “They yet all yappy and silly, kind of,” He shrugged. “I don’t know how to explain it,”
“Right...” I narrowed my black eyes at him.
“Well unlike what you read in stories, you don’t get the spark or the rush of love,” He went on. “There no such thing as love at first sight,”
“Wrong,” I shook my head.
“Sorry?” he smiled.
“Well when a mother looks at her baby for the first time, what does she feel? Love. Surly that is the real Love at first sight? Granted not everyone feels loves towards their children,”
“Nice theory,” he smiled. “Anyway,” he gave me a grin. “There are such things as soul mates,” he looked me in the eyes. A small part of me wished that I was his but the idea came crashing down with his next sentence. “I had one,” He gave me a sad smile.
My face fell. “What do you mean?” I couldn’t help but feel a little hurt, he had been kind of leading me on all this time and he had a soul mate. What was this weekend even about? Disgust suddenly filled me up but I tried to keep a straight face.
“Yeah,” he picked the hem of the blanket. “It was back in Venice I met her,” His voice was heavy as he recalled the past. “Her name was Aletta and she was beautiful,” he said sadly looking up to meet my eyes. “I’m not telling you...,” he tried to explain.
“Then why are you telling me this?” I snapped. “I don’t wanna know,” I cut him off. “I don’t want to know about your soul mate, I just want to go home,” He looked shocked.
“I... I” he stuttered. “Iris...”
“No just stop,” I snapped pushing at his chest as tears began to fill my eyes. He had made me feel cheep! “Who do you think I am,” my fist connected with his chest but he didn’t react.
“Iris calm down,” He tried to pull me into his arms but my fists kept punching him. “ Let me explain,” he said trying to sooth me.
“No,” I snapped. “You have no idea what you’ve made me feel like,” I growled feeling hot fiery rage.
Robert’s POV
I hadn’t expected her to react like this and as I looked at her eyes that were flickering like fire I wish I could have taken back the words I said. I wish I hadn’t told her about my soul mate.
“Iris,” I said. “Look I am sorry about not telling you sooner and I don’t know how you feel but I know how I feel,” I sighed defeated. “I am disappointed in you that you won’t even let me explain,” I sighed again letting her pound hard on my chest.
Heat was radiating off her in waves. Iris’s Body temperature always had ran higher than mine but right now it was starting to burn. I got off the bed and moved towards the door.
“Come find me when you feel like listening and have calmed down,” and I left the room shutting the door softly behind me.
Iris’s POV
The door shut and guilt set in. I sighed, taking a deep breath and following him out. “Robbie wait,” I called after him. He stopped but he didn’t face him, I slowly made my way to him, my heart beating in my chest. I took his hand in mine, “I’m sorry I muttered looking at the floor. “I’ve got a short temper,” I sighed. “I think it something to do with being the Phoenix,” I tried to explain.
“I am sorry too,” he sighed turning to face me. “Will you let me explain?” he bent down to catch my gaze. I nodded before he led me back to the room. We sat on the bed together but he intertwined out fingers. “Can I carry on?” he asked softly.
“Yeah,” I nodded still looking down to avoid his gaze.
“It happened 3 years ago,” He started. “I had just turned 18 and my mother wanted me to go to Italy to experience her life there. She was part a Italian and lived there for most of her life. So I went over and stayed with my Aunty her sister. I was roaming around Venice when I saw her,” his eyes swam with ghosts. “She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and that is when I knew she was my soul mate,” he said bitterly. “Her name was Aletta and I thought she was my forever,” he forced a laugh out.
“Is that where the rumours came from about there not being a Unmated Ball?” I asked looking up.
He nodded. “Yeah I started dating her 6 months after meeting her, she said she was playing hard to get and that she was already in love with me when she first set eyes on me.” He glared at the memory. “A year in I thought she loved me and that we should start our lives together so I asked her to marry me,” He sighed dropping my hand to place his head in them. “She said yes, I was delighted and we were to be married within the month. As the weeks drew closer we started to fight more and more to the point that we hated each other but always made up,” he shook his head. “The day came and left, she had stood me up. I was left at the altar by my soul mate,” he cried.
Pity filled me up as I looked at the weeping form of the Prince of the werewolves, my prince. “I’m sorry Robbie,” I leaned forward pulling him into a tight embrace.
“It’s not like I am still in love with her,” he sniffed. “That bitch broke my heart,” he said in the crook of my neck. I recalled that Robbie had a stunning girlfriend, who looked Italian with olive skin and pretty hair.
“What happened?” I asked softly rubbing his back like a child.
“She ran away with my best friend, Joey, I found a letter saying that she had fallen in love with him and that she couldn’t handle being a Princess to werewolves much less a Queen,” he chuckled bitterly pulling back. “I don’t know where she got the idea that I was gonna give her the title of Queen,” his gaze had turned cold.
“I am sorry,” I said again feeling guilty for snapping at him early.
“Please don’t,” he pulled away from me with his head in hands and his hands resting on his knees.
“What?” I puzzled.
“Please don’t pity me,” He sighed defeated. “I really don’t need that, a specially from you,”
“Why, not from me?” I asked.
“I like you and I don’t want you to feel pity for me, it was a year ago, I am over it” he explained looking at me from over his shoulder.
“But you’re not over it, are you?” I said. “You still love her, even a small part of you still does and I can’t compete with that,” I sighed. “What if she was to come back?” I raised an eyebrow. “What if we are married and have kids, would you leave me for her? She is your soul mate after all and I wouldn’t stop you,”
“I wouldn’t do that,” he grinned.
“Why are you smiling about this?” I snapped a little annoyed.
“It’s nothing,” his grin spread.
“It must be something, you grinning like the Cheshire cat!”
“It’s just you must have been giving us some thought, if you are thinking about being married to me and having children too,” I blushed.
“I was...” I tried to explain why I had used that situation. “I...I... Oh shut up,” I playfully slapped him.
“Iris,” his voice became serious as he locked gazes with me. My heart thumbed against my rib cage. “A small part of me will always love Aletta but the rest of my heart is up for grabs and I am hoping that you will steal it and give me yours in place of mine,” he tucked a small lock of hair behind my ear as my cheeks burned.
“But I want all of your heart otherwise it wouldn’t be fair,” I sighed. I didn’t want to compete with someone’s soul mate because I couldn’t!
“I know,” he sighed leaning his forehead against mine, his minty breath fanning across my face. Fear of the future bubbled inside me, what if Aletta came back for him would he go or stay? Was I thinking too far ahead? I had only just met him!
“Iris,” a small smile played on his lips. “Stop thinking for a second,” he laughed as his lips slowly met mine.
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So my lovely readers I have updated again!! It is because I am not gonna be able to update this Thursday as I am at my sister’s! So I hope you enjoy this chapter!
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