𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐃𝐃 𝐒𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐥

𝐄 𝐈 𝐆 𝐇 𝐓

Evangeline

Thomas sat sprawled out on the large velvet chair near my desk, his feet casually propped up on the ottoman. He always had this way of making himself completely at home in my room, as if it were his own. But that was Thomas, comfortably arrogant, yet somehow endearing. He had his arms crossed behind his head, and a small, knowing smile tugged at his lips.

"Your little werewolf pup," Thomas said, a teasing lilt in his voice. "She's just the most adorable thing, isn't she?"

I paused, mid-way through organizing the papers on my desk, casting him a glance. "Mattie?" I asked, though I knew exactly who he was referring to.

"Yeah, Mattie," Thomas chuckled. "She's practically a little ball of fluff with how she gets flustered around you. It's kind of cute, in an innocent, wide-eyed-pup way."

I allowed myself a small smile, though I kept my attention focused on my work, pretending his words didn't have the effect they did. But it was true. Mattie was adorable. There was something so sweet, so pure about her that it was hard not to be drawn to. Especially compared to everyone else in the castle, with their scheming, power-hungry ambitions. Mattie was a breath of fresh air.

"She's... different," I said, a hint of fondness slipping into my tone as I shuffled the papers into a neat pile. "Sweet. Innocent."

Thomas raised a brow, leaning forward slightly in his chair as if he were on the verge of discovering some great secret. "Different, huh?" He gave me a teasing grin, and I could see where this conversation was going before he even said it. "You've got a bit of a crush, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes but didn't bother arguing. "If I had to choose between Mattie and some of the pathetic excuses for suitors I've had in the past," I said with a shrug, "I'd choose her a hundred times over."

That wiped the smirk off Thomas's face. His expression softened into something closer to sympathy. "Yeah, I can't say you've had the best luck with that, have you?"

I let out a dry laugh, finally abandoning my papers and moving to sit across from him. "Every single one of them has been the same. Power-hungry, arrogant, entitled. They don't care about me; they care about my status, my title, the influence they could gain by being associated with me. It's exhausting."

Thomas nodded, the teasing in his demeanor replaced with something more serious. "I get that. Hell, I've seen it firsthand. They never saw you as more than a means to an end."

"Exactly," I agreed, leaning back in my chair. "And then there's Mattie. She's not like that. She's... genuine. She doesn't look at me and see power or a throne. She doesn't want anything from me. And that's... refreshing."

There was a pause as Thomas considered my words. Then, his grin slowly returned, though it was more playful this time. "So, what you're saying is, you'd rather date the sweet little werewolf than another one of those power-hungry assholes?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, but there was no real annoyance behind it. "Exactly."

He chuckled, clearly amused. "Well, can't say I blame you. Mattie's got that 'lost puppy' charm about her. She's adorable. And from what I've seen, she's absolutely smitten with you."

I raised a brow, crossing my arms over my chest. "Smitten?"

"Oh, don't play dumb," Thomas said, waving his hand dismissively. "She's been practically head over heels for you since the day you rescued her from those guards. Hell, even before that. I've seen the way she looks at you, Evangeline. It's like she can't decide if she wants to worship you or run away in terror."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "She does get flustered easily."

Thomas leaned back again, that knowing smile still playing on his lips. "Not just easily. Have you seen the way she glares at me when I'm around you? She's jealous, Evangeline. It's actually kind of cute. She probably thinks I'm some sort of rival for your attention."

The thought of Mattie being jealous of Thomas, of her thinking I might be interested in him, was amusing in a way I hadn't considered. "Jealous?" I echoed, my lips curling into a smirk. "That's... actually adorable."

"I know, right?" Thomas grinned. "I can't believe she hasn't figured it out yet. If only she knew that she has nothing to worry about. You're not exactly my type, after all."

"Neither are you," I shot back playfully, and we both laughed.

But as the laughter faded, my thoughts drifted back to Mattie. Thomas wasn't wrong. She was different from everyone else in my life, and maybe that was why I was drawn to her. There was something about her sweet innocence, her genuine kindness, that made me feel something I hadn't in a long time. And the fact that she didn't look at me like I was some prize to be won? That was rare.

Thomas must have noticed the contemplative look on my face because he leaned forward again, his expression softening. "You know," he said, his voice quieter now, "if you're serious about her, you could do a lot worse than someone like Mattie."

"I know," I replied, my gaze distant as I thought about the little werewolf. The way she blushed, the way she stammered when she spoke to me, the way her entire face lit up when she smiled, it was all so endearing.

"She's sweet, Thomas. Too sweet for a world like this."

Thomas nodded, his expression understanding. "That's exactly why she's perfect for you. You've been surrounded by all these toxic, power-hungry people for so long that you've forgotten what real kindness looks like. Maybe Mattie's what you need."

I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time, I realized he was right. Mattie wasn't like anyone else. She was good. Pure. And maybe that was why I felt something different when I was around her, something that wasn't just infatuation or physical attraction. It was something deeper.

"She's special," I said softly, more to myself than to Thomas.

He smiled, standing up from his chair and stretching. "Well, it's about time you realized that," he said, heading for the door. "Just don't let her slip away, okay?"

I nodded, watching as he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Mattie was special. And I wasn't going to let anything, or anyone, come between us.

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~ R