Hideout

N I N E T E E N

C H A P T E R 

N I N E T E E N 

L E O 

Brent and Emerson were playing in the shallows of the water, splashing and tackling the other into the water. When they got like this, it was an entertaining sight to behold. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the most entertained of mood due to the earlier interactions and neither was Adelaide.

Adelaide was on the beach blanket up on the hill, her knees up to her chin with her arms wrapped securely around them.

I dropped down beside the girl, laying the sweater she requested over her shoulders gently. She wasn't crying anymore, which gave me a little hope, but the sad look was replaced by a cold, emotionless one, which worried me just as much.

"Are you ready to talk yet?" I asked her, pulling her against my side.

The wind made for a chillier day, so Adelaide happily snuggled closer into my side. "There isn't much to say," she responded.

I kissed her temple, nodding in agreement. "Do you... do you feel the pain of the rejection? They say to be rejected is a very painful experience, so I'm a bit worried."

Adelaide shrugged. "We never had a connection to begin with. I had a crush on him, sure. But nothing other than that. So no, I don't feel pain. I just feel... empty."

"Do you believe me when I say this isn't what i wanted? I wanted you to know the truth and have every option available to you, but I assumed Harrison would be more tactful about it."

When I pictured this weekend, I expected Harrison to ask for a private meeting with Adelaide and myself, not for him to spring it on her out of the blue. Part of me wondered if Harrison had been wiser about the way in which he told the truth, would Adelaide's response been different?

"I believe you."

I kissed her face again, being as gentle as possible so as not to smother her when she was already feeling emotional. "I just can't believe he assumed I wouldn't have anywhere to go. Mate or not, to have thought something like that would mean he believes I am ugly. What kind of mate would basically say I'm not good enough? You have said some stupid things, but never once that I didn't deserve to be loved or have a mate. How desperate does he think I am?" she snapped.

"The only one who's desperate is Harrison. He's desperate to be liked by his pack, desperate to have the approval on a mate by his father, but desperate to have things his own way too. That isn't a good mix," I claimed. "It just makes him sounds psycho, if you ask me."

Adelaide looked up at me with her pretty, misty eyes. "What did you think I would do when he told me?"

"Whatever you wanted. You deserve your agency. I took that away from you before and I won't do it again."

Her eyes softened as a large wave crashed into Emerson, throwing her to the sand. Brent was quick to hoist her back up, both of them cracking up before Brent kissed her. By the way Adelaide was looking at them, I knew she wanted to go play but her sadness was weighing her down.

"Do you want to go play chicken?" I asked her. "Even after today's events, I know we would win."

Adelaide looked up at me with a blank face that quickly turned into the sweetest smile, even though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Okay."

The girl threw off her cover up and stood, holding a hand out for me to take. I pretended like she was helping me up, when in reality she wasn't really making any effort.