Page 5 of Forever My Siren Luna (The Hidden Cove #2)

“Not this again.” I muttered under my breath, not ready to have this same argument with him. I can't give him what he wants. Not yet.

Another thing I have been blaming myself for is what I was doing at the moment of Elelira’s escape….

~~~

“OUT!” Ela screamed at me, her green eyes shining with tears. “GET OUT!”

This is not what I expected her to do. I don’t know what I expected after telling her about her father and the knowledge I possess about her first life, but it wasn’t that. I didn’t expect her to be angry at me. Her father, maybe. Not me. She had never been angry like this with me before.

What’s worse is that her expression looks just as broken as it did last night. She looks lost and betrayed. I caused that. Guilt is weighing down on me. I didn’t help her at all. I ended up hurting her more.

“I won’t be far, my princess. Please, let me know when you are ready to talk.” What else can I say to her right now? She needs time to process. I knew she would. I just didn’t know she would be so angry at me.

I wanted to help her. I didn’t want to hurt her.

She didn't respond, so I turned to do the only thing I could do. Leave. Just like she asked.

Cherum was standing with the door open for me, having come in after hearing Ela yelling for me to leave.

He is looking between us with confusion, but doesn’t ask questions.

I’m glad he is here for her. Even if she doesn’t want to talk to me right now, maybe she will talk to him.

He doesn’t know about her first life and always has her best interest at heart.

She can safely vent to him if she needs to.

Wandering back towards the barracks where I currently reside when I choose to sleep on land and not in the water, I don’t realize he’s there, waiting in my room until I’m in it and shutting the door.

My mind was so preoccupied that I didn’t pick up on his scent, or his aura emanating from the bed where he was sitting, watching me.

When I turned back around to face the room, that’s when I saw him. Meldec. He’s sitting on the edge of my bed, watching me with a wary expression.

My room smells of him often. I often catch him in my room, waiting to ambush me or doing cringey things such as smelling my pillow or tracing his fingers over my things. I don’t understand all the ways lycans and werewolves fascinate over their mates. It is like he craves my scent at all times.

I mean, he smells nice too, but I don’t go barging into his room to sniff his underwear or anything.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, not in the mood for another of his attempts to get me to comply with his ridiculous mating requests.

His eyes narrow, his mouth pressing together like he’s truly upset about something. I truly do not wish to deal with his mood swings right now.

“You left.” He simply stated.

“Yes?” I huffed. “And now I’m back. If you are here to state the obvious, you can leave now. I am not in the mood for these petty games.”

“This is not a petty game, Cedric,” he stood, pushing his bulking frame from my bed and standing before me.

I’m not a small man. Far from it. I’m as large, maybe even larger, than most of the warriors here, but not Meldec. He is eye level with me, and his shoulders are somehow even broader than my own. He may even be bigger than his alpha.

Standing this close, I can almost feel the buzzing energy between us. When I first felt it, I was so enticed by this man that I would have easily given in to the desire to see how amazing the sensation could be if we truly touched.

Then he opened his mouth.

That was enough for all desires to be ridden from my mind.

“You didn’t tell me you were leaving. I thought….What if you didn’t return?” His tone was accusatory, making me roll my eyes.

“Why would it matter to you if I didn’t? I really am not in the mood for this today. I have too much to worry about with my princess and I need to get my thoughts in order. She needs me and-”

"I need you!"

Before I could finish, his mouth pressed forcefully against mine, and I could practically taste the anger and anxiety on his lips.

I only fought against him for a second, but the intensity of his feelings and the sparks against my skin quickly overtook me.

After only a few seconds, I was kissing him back, just as desperately and fervently.

Clinging to him, I let the sensations of the bond chase away all my anxieties and guilt about the situation with Elelira, if only momentarily. His kiss and his touch were too powerful to fight against.

I was fooling myself before. I want him. I can feel the need for him growing inside me. I fought against it for so long, denying it, because of my damaged ego and pride, but I can’t fight this desire when it is overwhelming every single one of my senses.

I should be thinking about Ela, trying to figure out a way to appease my distressed princess, but for the moment, just this moment, I wanted nothing more than to forget about everything else and lose myself to this man.

~~~

That was a decision I soon came to regret.

Ela ran, and I was so lost in Meldec that it took me far too long to realize she needed me.

By the time I put my clothes back on and went running through the castle to find her, she was already gone.

All I found was a broken Lachlan sitting on the dock next to his ship, staring out into the ocean.

The purpose in his and my life was lost to us, and I have been stuck in the regrets of my past ever since.

“I told you no,” I muttered, without even looking up at Meldec.

I can feel him behind me; feel his eyes on my back.

I know what he wants, but guilt still prevents me from giving in.

I can’t even fathom giving into those desires again until I know my weak and frail princess is safely back where she belongs.

“I didn’t say anything,” he murmurs, lowering himself to sit beside me.

I try to ignore the heat radiating off his body and the alluring scent that drives me to tempting thoughts whenever I smell it.

I once didn’t understand the Lycan kind’s fascination with their mate’s scent.

Now….I get it. I get why they all become so obsessed.

“You never have to,” I sighed. “I know what it is you want.”

He takes my hand, and I don’t fight him. I rarely do anymore. What’s the point?

He begins to play with my fingertips, rubbing my nails with his rough calluses.

The contrast in textures makes me close my eyes to fight temptation.

I want to grip his hand back, melting my body against his for soothing comfort, but I know I don’t deserve it.

Until Lachlan has his mate back, and Ela knows how sorry I am for being so hasty and headstrong as I always am, I don’t deserve my mate.

“You want it too,” he stated in a whisper.

He’s right, but I don’t deserve it.

“Where is your alpha?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

He sighed heavily, knowing what I was doing, but going along with me. “Visiting Niomi to discuss the new living quarters.”

I sighed deeply as I shook my head. He continued on with his plans to build a family wing onto the castle for Elelira and himself to share.

He still hasn’t given up hope. Niomi has been stepping up and helping be an adoptive parent to him like she was to Ela, helping him not to give up.

She loves Luna dearly, and I think she won’t let Lachlan ruin himself for Ela's sake.

“Is it close to completion?”

“Close enough,” Meldec states, looking out over the sea.

“Niomi has been trying to talk him into moving into the new room early. She doesn’t think it’s healthy for him to obsess over keeping their old room the way she left it.

He wouldn’t even let anyone wash the bedding or touch any of her discarded clothing from the day she left.

He wants every bit of her scent to remain in the room for as long as possible. ”

“He really loves her,” I whispered, looking down at our hands interlocked together. “I did a horrible thing to him.”

“No,” Meldec murmured, pulling me closer as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “You tried to help her. It was that whore that did the horrible thing.”

I snorted, knowing that is the truth. If she hadn't entered Lachlan’s office and tried seducing him at the worst possible moment, Ela would have talked with him and not run away. I’m sure of it.

Ela loves him too.

Loved.

I doubt she still harbors the same devotion to the man after all she discovered in a single day.

And it’s all my fault.