Aether's Claim | Editing

Chapter 21

"What's going on, Aether?" I asked in almost a whisper, my voice breaking at the end.

He was hesitant to talk, a look of pure panic on his face. I had never seen him like this, never, so both my wolf and I were on high alert as we waited for his explanation. Though, truly, one was not needed. I had already connected the dots in my head, already deciphered the puzzle and figured out the mystery, all I needed now was Aether to tell me I was right.

Knots formed in my stomach the longer I waited, my grip tightening on the picture frame as my nerves turned to anger.

"Explain. Now." I barked at him, the heartbeat in my ears growing louder.

He was silent for a while, and I peered up at him through damp lashes to find him studying me, attractive features somber. To think, I was going to start a new chapter with him...start a new life...take him as my chosen mate.

How could I have been so foolish?

But a part of me hoped he could explain this all away, a part of me hoped that maybe...just maybe his explanation was sane enough to change my mind. That whatever was going on wasn't the freakish, twisted thing I dreaded it was.

Aether sighed, taking a step forward, taking the picture frame gently out of my hands.

"You look...so much like her..."

I wanted to take a step back, wanted to show how much her hurt him. But I remained rooted in place, he had taught me well, he had trained and healed me, and now I was a different wolf. He remained next to me, hands gently caressing the picture as I stared up at him.

"That day at the ceremony...when I saw you...you looked so much like her, I thought you were..." His eyes found mine with so much pain behind them, but he was still trying to mask it. "I thought you were sent here as my second-chance mate, thought I would get to feel love again. I saw you were hurting, it was like the perfect opportunity. I asked you here, not only because I knew it would help...but also because I thought in the back of my mind that maybe...just maybe, you would fall for me." He admitted, gaze not meeting mine.

I felt his words invade my mind like a parasite, poisoning the last few months of memories that I had had with him, his pack. Making me second guess every decision I had made with him, every intimate moment I had shared with him...every time he had confessed his feelings.

He looked to me, a brief glance in my direction before longing gazing down at the picture. I wanted to snatch it from him, to smash it onto the floor and tear it to shreds but, I knew that would do nothing. The woman in the picture was as innocent in this whole thing as I was, watching on from death at this whole ordeal.

Death...

How sweet it sounded to my ears; it's sweet release would surely put me out of the misery I had been thrown in. Betrayed by two males in the space of less than a year, that had to be some kind of sick record.

"I admit I got close to you initially because you looked like her, but...the more time we spent together...I realised I wanted you, May." He breathed out.

My lips parted in surprise, eyes darkening as anger began to pulse throughout my veins. "You used me." I spat at him, my wolf wanting to emerge but remaining just behind my eyes.

We had grown to know each other, to anticipate one another's moves, yes, but that didn't mean she stopped being the impulsive one - the one of us that acted first and asked questions later. I longed to release her, watch as she stalked Aether and hurt him in all the best ways possible, ripping out his heart like he was doing to mine. But I couldn't, he would have me dead on the floor before I could even reach him.