False Expectations (Editing)

Chapter 24 - The necklace

 Luna's presentation Ceremony day.

Adelina's pov:

I woke up feeling extremely weak and tired. My mind was a mess. Maximus' term worried me. I didn't anticipate it. I never thought that he would set such term. I know he doesn't care about me. Ιt is completely irrational to oblige me to have a real relationship with him.  Why does he even bother? Ι can understand that he wants me close to him in order to gain the throne, but I cannot figure out the reason he wants a real relationship with me. What does he want to achieve? Why is he doing it? That's a big enigma for me. One thing I know for sure is that I don't want to be involved in a relationship with him. I do not believe that a love affair between us will flourish. There are no true feelings between us.

I tossed and turned in my bed all night until I realized that there was no use of torturing my mind about Maximus' plans. Morning had come and the best thing I had to do was banish all the thoughts from my mind and get up and do my daily routine. I was brushing my teeth when I heard a knock on the door. Probably it's Maria the girl who cleans my room every day. "Just a second please" Ι said loudly as I rinsed my mouth. I opened the door and to my surprise Marisa was waiting for me outside.

Although we agreed that Marisa would come at noon to help me with the preparations  she came early in the morning. Never the less, I was glad she was here. I needed someone to talk about yesterday's events. I wanted to get it out of me.

She came in and waited on my bed as I got dressed in the bathroom. When I got ready we decided to have breakfast in a nice bistro instead of the pack's restaurant. I wouldn't like to bump accidentaly on Maximus or Jina. The bistro was located in the city center and made the best pancakes I had ever eaten. On our way to the bistro, I summarized to her what happened yesterday afternoon between me and Maximus. We ordered coffees, croissants and pancakes with strawberry jam and praline. We were really very hungry. When the waitress left, Marisa started talking as she couldn't hold back anymore.

-"Ι thought you said you wanted to move on. So why on earth did you go to his office and proposed such thing? What's the matter with you Adelina?" Marisa asked me frowning her eyebrows. She looked really disappointed. She never talked to me like this before.

-"I know that the agreement and especially the term he set doesn't particularly favor me, but there is no other way".

-"Yes, there is. Reject him and go away" she said sternly.

-"Do you really believe that he would let me do that and just go away without facing any consequence? If he couldn't get me, he would vent his anger on whomever I love, my family, Alex,......you. I could not bear to have your blood in my hands, you know that" I explained.

-" I don't think he would hurt Alex or me. We are members of his pack. He has no excuse for such crime. As for your family I do not believe he would also hurt them, at least not until he became king. He wouldn't jeopardize to spoil his image. This would earn us time to think of something".

-"Even if that's the case, he wouldn't let me go so easily. He needs me to win the throne. There are so many at stake" I exclaimed in despair.

-"So you decided to help him by sacrificing yourself while he was always unfair to you and treated you badly. Have you completely lost your mind Adelina?"

-"I'm not doing it to help him, but to help myself."

-"How exactly are you going to help yourself?"

-"I don't like being a fugitive. What's the point of running away if I have to hide and live in fear of being found? That's worse than living here with Maximus. At least here I have my friends, my job my , I have a daily routine, I have thought about it a lot in the last few days, I will help him become king, and I will be able to leave and live my life, be patient for a few months.