His Little Human Mate

Chapter 22

Nixx

Her eyes...

Her eyes were so full of betrayal, of distrust and disappointment. So full of pain.

I had put that there. I made her trust me just for the rug to be pulled away, and now she saw everything that was underneath. No more lies, no more secrets. Everything had been displayed in front of her, waiting for an explanation.

I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she was a wolf, and now I had to explain why I was hiding my wolf, and why I was hiding the way I knew her dad was a wolf. It was a mess.

"Noella," I started, calm, even, balanced. "No one in this forest is a human. Rogues or the other creatures that live out there smell them immediately if they get in here. They won't survive more than a night here. That's why you were such a surprise, but I guess it all makes sense now."

"Because I have a wolf," she stated reluctantly.

I nodded, my thumb still rubbing lazily along her hand. It was calming me and probably her, so I would keep it there as long as she would let me.

"So... Kyler, Rowan? They're wolves too?"

I nodded with a grim expression, cringing inside at all the lies that were unravelling before her.

"But they only lied because I made them," I amended. "Nobody here has lied to you intentionally."

Her eyes locked with mine, betrayal and tears glistening within them.

"Except you," she whispered.

An exhale shoved its way out of my mouth as I ran a hand through my hair.

"Just me, but I only did it to protect you," I explained, holding her eyes as I pushed sincerity into the words.

She let out a weak laugh that held no humour.

"That's the same thing my father said to me on the other side of my cage," she said bitterly, face twisting in anger. "Why does protection have to be wrapped in lies? What does withholding the truth do to keep me safe? What does not knowing you're a wolf do to protect me?"

My eyes traced the pattern I drew on her hand as I asked, "Does knowing my true self make you afraid? Did finding out about your father make you scared?"

Her throat worked with a swallow before she whispered, "Yes."

My wolf rioted in my head, pounding on the brick wall I had made. I pushed him away just as I had been doing since Noella came. It wasn't fair.

"So to answer your question, I was protecting myself, not you. I didn't want you to be scared of what I could be, and instead get to know what I am."

She looked to her lap as a weak scoff left her lips.

"I already told you that I don't see you as a monster. I still don't. You just won't listen," she explained frustratedly. "Yes, I'm scared, but not of you. I'm scared of the unknown. I'm scared of the lies I keep finding. I've never been scared of you, Nixx, and I would have listened had you cared to talk, except instead of trusting me with the truth, you made me trust you with lies."

Ouch.

"You're right, I did lie. I have no excuses, no reason to defend myself other than I'm a selfish individual who should have been more open with you when it was clear you trusted me. I'm so sorry, Noella."

She let another weak laugh-free.

"This is such a mess," she groaned. "I don't know what to do anymore. My father is a rogue leader, my mother is on the other side of the planet, my only home is probably stolen by now, and I have nothing left to fight for." She looked out the window as she added, "My father was what kept me going, and now that he's... I don't even know."