A Violent Love - Werewolf/Vampire

Chapter 34 - Goodbye

"Do you love him?" Nathaniel asked, breaking the silence that lingered after she had stopped crying. They were both lying on the far sides of the bed, waiting for sleep to take them.

Arabella was silent for awhile, pondering over the question. She replied, "Not in the way you imagine."

Nathaniel let out a sigh of relief, unknotting his tense fingers. "You know, you can't keep avoiding me. You can't avoid this anymore." 

Arabella said nothing, continuing to stare out of the window and into the faint moonlight. 

"Your body needs mine, as mine needs yours. As much as you hate me right now, we have to complete the mating process. Or your body will shut down." Nathaniel winced at the thought.

"I know." She said softly. 

"So why are you prolonging the pain?"

"It feels...wrong." She replied. "Sleeping with the enemy."

"I am not the enemy." Nathaniel muttered, "All I want is to love you."

Arabella felt her heart flutter briefly at his words, but showed no emotion on her face.

"Do you really love me?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"With all my heart," He turned to look at her, her face half hidden in the shadows. "Do you love me?"

Silence. 

Nathaniel sighed, silence was an answer too. But before he was about to doze off, he heard her say. 

"I'm afraid I do," 

And that was all he needed to hear. 

_____________

Arabella woke up early in the morning to find Nathaniel gone, sleep was not kind to her when he was not around. The servants brought her breakfast swiftly, and she was thankful that her appetite had returned briefly, gobbling down the pancakes to satisfy her growling stomach.

There was a knock on the door before Nathaniel strode in, holding a brown envelope in his hands. He sat down in front of her on the table, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He watched her carefully, his steel grey eyes focused on her every move, making her feel rather uncomfortable.

"Good morning," He finally spoke, taking a sip of his coffee.

She offered a small smile in return, "Morning."

And again, an awkward silence filled them. 

Nathaniel looked at Arabella from underneath his long, dark lashes, "I have..... a proposal for you," 

"A proposal?" 

Nathaniel nodded slowly, "A deal of sorts."

"What kind of deal?" Arabella asked, half-bored. To her a deal with someone like him would never be beneficial and she was already prepared to turn him down. She laid back in her seat, glancing at the ground uninterestedly. 

"I can guarantee you Benjamin's safety. And freedom."

Arabella's eyes immediately lit up, she straightened up and leaned in, eager to hear more. 

"For one thing," He continued. "In exchange for the completion of our mating process." He put the cup back on its dish, laying it on the table in front of him. "I'll give you time to think-"

"Okay." She cut him off. 

"O-kay?" He asked, surprised. He thought she would take more time to consider it. Did Benjamin's freedom mean that much to her?