The Betrayal

Chapter Three

Staring up into his eyes, my chin quivered. I felt tears prick at the edges of my eyes, but I quickly pushed them away. Why was he hiding something from me?

A growl erupted from his lips and he turned his back towards me, folding his arms across his chest.

"Luca, what are you not telling me?"

"I said drop it, Mae! What don't you understand about that? Can't I have just one thing I keep to myself? Why do you all of a sudden need to know everything I do?"

"Luca," I breathed out. My heart broke. My trust for him hung by a thin string and he kept tugging away at it. "Okay, okay. You don't have to tell me."

I couldn't tell him the reason for me needing to know what he was doing. I doubt he would tell me if I did tell him. I sealed my lips and took a deep breath.

I just wouldn't be able to trust him as much as I did.

"Luca," I sighed. His back stayed turned to me as he took deep breaths, trying to calm down. "I-I should go." I stood from the couch and walked to the door.

If I stayed here any longer, I would break down in tears. I felt so torn. I loved him, but my mother's warning was telling me to stay away. He loved me, but he put up walls and barricaded himself and my trust away.

As I approached the door, a hand snaked around my wrist. "Mae, I'm sorry," he whispered. "Please don't go. I need you. I have barely seen you in the past few weeks." His voice cracked towards the end and my heart tightened.

Closing my eyes, I sighed. I turned around and looked up into his deep brown eyes. He cupped the side of my face and brushed his thumb against my lips.

"Mae, I'm just trying to figure things out for myself. I don't want to put my problems on you right now. You're going to be the freaking Moon Goddess." He took a deep breath. "You have bigger problems to worry about." His lips quivered as his eyes glazed over with tears. He squeezed his eyes shut and a stray tear fell down his cheek.

My eyes widened as I looked up at his vulnerability. I reached up and brushed the tear away with my fingers.

"I'm so scared," he admitted.

I shook my head at him. "What are you scared of?"

His shoulders heaved up and down slightly, trying to hold back his sobs. "Of you leaving me."

My lips parted at his words as he continued.

"When you become Moon Goddess, every alpha and every wolf are going to worship you. There's no doubt in my mind that you will find someone better than me like Alexandra did. I-I can't afford another heartbreak."

Tears streamed down his face as his eyes searched mine.

I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. It felt like he was stabbing me in the heart with a needle over and over again. I rubbed my hands on his back and felt his strong arms wrap around my waist.

"I'm so much weaker than you are. I'm a rogue. I don't have a pack anymore. I can do absolutely nothing for you," he continued. "I want to be strong for you, but right now I can't."

A tear fell from my eye. What was I going to do?

I closed my eyes, trying to push away the thought. After a few moments, I pulled away from him and ran my hand through his hair.

"Luca, I love you," I admitted.

His lips parted as his eyes widened. "You-you do?"

A smile twitched at my lips and I nodded my head. I pursed my lips together so nothing else could escape from them. I didn't know if telling him was a good idea. I hadn't rejected Damon, yet and I told him I wouldn't until everything settled down. A part of me couldn't come to reject him, not yet anyways.