Strings ✓|COMPLETED|

Chapter 47

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There is no charm
Equal to the tenderness
Of the heart
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*Edited

It's safe to say that the exhibition was going smoothly. As angry as Asher was to see Adrian with me, he let him live.

I did my part which was to make notes for Adrian and he did his part which is finding things to make this report interesting.

Finally, after 3 hours, it was time for a refreshment break which was not much, just a sandwich and juice box.

"Yeah, I am not eating that." Adrian said to me, "Let's go somewhere else to eat."

"No thank you. I don't want to miss anything, which we might if we go out." I held out my part of the argument.

"Oh, come on Ava! We already have so much information. Please, I really need to eat some real food." He pleaded and I just couldn't say no cause low-key I was craving McDonald's too so I just nodded and we took his car to the nearest McDonald's which was 10 minutes away.

"I guess the usual for you?" He asked me while we waited in the line.

"You remember?" I asked, kinda feeling bad for him.

"Of course, I remember. There are only so many girls in my life who would straight up ask for a chicken wrap and 2 large fries with a large coke." He laughed but then something flashed through his eyes and he lost the happy glint.

Not wanting it to be awkward I replied with a yes and a thank you. He just shook his head and went for the order smiling at the attendant.

While we waited, he started speaking, "So why are you, of all, failing biology?"

I didn't know what to tell him but when I looked in his eyes something told me that I can trust him with what's going on, so instead of answering his question I asked him.

"Can I ask you something?" Just as I asked, our order arrived and he took it in his hands and we walked to an empty booth.

"So, what were you saying?" He asked.

"I wanted to ask you this," I started to fidget with my fries while speaking, "How did you, you know, handle yourself when I didn't talk to you for a week? When you told me about the-uh- werewolf thing."

Taken aback by the question, he took a big gulp of his drink before answering. "Well, it was hard, really hard. I craved you every minute that passed with you, not beside me. Ryan knows the number of hours I was in training, making every pack member's life hell. But I tried to keep myself together, knowing that what we felt for each other was stronger than any fear. I waited, knowing that pushing you won't get us anywhere. There was this one time when I convinced myself that you won't come back, and then I thought to myself if that actually did happen. If you really did leave me would I have let you go? I asked that to my wolf and he snarled at that, not talking to me for the whole 2 days," he laughed at the memory, "but I knew the answer. I had known it all along, that I love you. I love you a lot, enough to let you go, if that is what made you happy, but not before fighting for it. And eventually, you did come back. For us. Not for long, though and I blame the rest on me."

He smiled at me, a genuinely 'I love you a lot smile' due to which I had to look down at my food.

"Look, Ava, I don't blame you for not taking me back, and honestly, I was a little surprised to know that you have a second mate. So, know this, that I won't try to steal you from him, not because I can't or that I'm afraid to, but because I want you to have happiness wherever you can find it, even if it's not with me. But there is this one thing you have no control over, and that is on how much I love you. I won't ever try to force my feelings on you but that doesn't mean I can't love you from afar. So, go ahead and live your life with whoever you want, but also know this that if you need a hand to hold on to, I'm always there." He said while holding my hand tightly in his.