Chapter 22: Choice

Adelie

I found myself restlessly wandering in the front yard of the house. I was frustrated with myself. I couldn’t keep kissing both of them without making my choice clear.

Madeline, of course, was thrilled. She was close to our original mate. They say there’s no bond like the one with an original mate. But maybe...

I needed to clear my head from all this mate business. I decided to head towards the pack’s village. On my way, I saw Nathan approaching. “Adelie, why are you wandering alone?” he asked.

I furrowed my brows. “I’ve made it clear that I can protect myself. I’ve been alone in the forest many times,” I told him.

Nathan nodded. “I understand, Adelie. But Alpha Kairos ordered me to stay with you. I’ve already asked him if you still need me.”

“And what did he say?” I asked, my ears perked for his response.

“He cares about you. He’s just worried,” Nathan said.

“Well, he shouldn’t be,” I retorted. In the distance, I saw Maeve sitting on a bench next to James’s wheelchair. Behind James was a middle-aged man, presumably his caretaker.

“You don’t need to stick with me. If Kairos says anything, tell him it was my order,” I said, heading towards Maeve and James. I might have seemed in a hurry, but I was just trying to distract myself.

“Maeve, James,” I greeted them. Maeve stood and gave a slight bow.

“Luna Adelie, to what do we owe this pleasure?” James asked.

“I just wanted to see how you two are doing with Maya gone and your mother...” I trailed off.

“It’s getting better, Adelie,” Maeve said, smiling. She used my name, not my title. “Maya still calls us. She’s happy.”

“And I’m grateful for my caretaker. Maeve can’t spend her life looking after me, at least not for as long as I have left,” James added.

“I’m glad I could help,” I said, preparing to leave. I needed to get away, to distract my mind. But Maeve stopped me. “Adelie. Is everything okay? You seem tense.”

“Of course, Maeve,” I replied. What could I tell her? That I had two mates who loved me and by the end of the day, one of them would be hurt by my decision? I couldn’t burden her with my problems. What could she do if she knew?

“The training was just intense, that’s all,” I lied. Lies were becoming a significant part of my life. Maybe they always had been. Maybe they were my only purpose.

Maeve took my hand and led me away from James and his caretaker. “Adelie,” she began in a half-whisper. “I saw Jasmin in the forest today.”

“Jasmin left training early today. She had somewhere to be. She was probably just going to town. And she’s not a pack member, so the rule about not going into the forest alone doesn’t apply,” I explained. But Maeve seemed worried.

“That’s just it. She wasn’t alone. There was a man with her. He wasn’t a werewolf or a vampire. I would have known if he was. He gave Jasmin something.”

“What was it?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. I shouldn’t care about Jasmin’s personal life. It didn’t concern me.

Maeve was nervously twisting her hands. “She had this tiny bottle, like the ones you see in a pharmacy. But it wasn’t filled with medicine. It was this bright, unnatural red. What kind of medicine looks like that?”

I was confused. “Maeve, I’m not following you.”

“I think there’s more to her than meets the eye. She’s not just here to train you, Adelie.”

“Jasmin is a witch, Maeve. She’s bound to be different from the rest of the pack. And the bottle could be anything. She’s a witch, after all,” I tried to explain. Jasmin had always been nothing but kind to everyone.

“But why hide it? And she’s always disappearing. Do you know where she goes? I don’t trust her, Adelie. And I don’t think you should either,” Maeve’s words stung, igniting a spark of anger within me.

I didn’t want to be mad at Maeve, but Jasmin was helping me. She was the first one who believed in me, who taught me new things, who wanted me to be strong. She had faith in me and my powers.

“You didn’t like me at first either. Maybe you still don’t,” I retorted, my words colder than I intended. “Jasmin has been nothing but helpful. You don’t know her.”

“And you do?” Maeve’s voice rose in a shout, but she quickly regained her composure. “When she turns her back on you and everyone else, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that, she turned and walked back to James. I felt unwelcome, so I left.

I spent the rest of the day in the forest. It was the only place that felt real to me, the only place that felt true. But as darkness fell, I knew I had to return. I had made my decision, but it would break a heart.

I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I was just trying to delay the inevitable heartbreak. But what was the point if I was still causing pain with my indecision? I knew what I wanted, who I wanted.

I needed to stand up and announce my decision, but I couldn’t. My heart was torn. I loved one of them more, but they both held a place in my heart.

“Adelie. Kairos is more irritable than usual,” a familiar voice said. Only one person would call Kairos by his name, disregarding his title and the werewolf hierarchy.

“Jasmin. What are you doing here?” I asked. “And why is Kairos upset? Did something happen?”

“Yes. You happened. Hans is there too, waiting for you. They’re both so tense, I can’t stand it,” she replied. “And you need to make a decision to enhance your powers.”

“Is that all you care about?” I asked, leaning against an oak tree. My powers and the prophecy were all she ever talked about.

“Of course not. You’re my friend and you’re hurting,” she said, kneeling beside me. She called me her friend. I’d never had a friend before, except for my mother.

“A friend?” I echoed.

“Yes. And the only way to ease your heart is to accept the mark from your true love,” she said, standing and offering me a hand. I took it and stood up. There was no escaping this. “Let’s get this over with,” Jasmin sighed.

I wished the walk back to the house could last forever, but before I knew it, we were at the door. Jasmin stopped with me. “Adelie, don’t torture yourself and them,” she said. “It won’t get easier if you wait.”

I gave a nod, and Jasmin swung the door wide. Kairos and Hans were there, their eyes fixed on me as if they’d been waiting all day. Their intense stares caught me off guard, and I froze. Kairos seemed to sense the awkwardness, the way he and Hans were looking at me as if seeing me for the first time.

He broke his gaze from me and moved further into the living room. Hans followed suit, and I was the last to enter, Jasmin having vanished from behind me.

Both men stood before me. Hans continued to watch me, while Kairos kept his eyes down. The fireplace was ablaze, and I was grateful for the crackling of the wood that filled some of the silence. I’d been quiet for too long, unsure of how to begin.

“Adelie. Who?” Kairos asked, his tone impatient, his eyes still averted.

“Will it hurt if I choose the other?” I asked them.

Hans let out a chuckle. “It will, but it’s inevitable. If Alpha Kairos wants you to choose him as much as I want you to choose me, it will hurt either me or him. But you need to tell Adelie.”

I turned to Kairos, hoping he would say something, anything. He tilted his head towards me. “I don’t have any right to be hurt if you choose him. I’ve hurt you enough already. I want you to be happy finally. So go ahead.” He gestured towards Hans. He was so certain that I would choose him...so confident that he wasn’t the one.

I approached Hans. I noticed that Kairos avoided looking in our direction. Hans looked at me, his eyes full of hope, and I was the monster about to shatter it all. “I forgive you...” I said, and Kairos turned away. I couldn’t see his face anymore.