âCaleb, I know youâre worried about me and want to take revenge for what happened.
Iâm beyond grateful for all that you do for me!â
Calebâs face softened a bit on hearing the sincere affection in my tone.
The atmosphere around us improved, though a hint of tension still Lingered.
Noticing his frown starting to relax, I continued, âCaleb, this is the witch clanâs territory.
Itâs not wise to confront them head-on here.
â
Caleb snorted coldly.
âDonât worry about it.
I can handle this.
I wonât put you in danger.
Unlike Andrew, I always put your safety first.
â
The corner of my mouth twitch as he mentioned Andrew again.
I held his gaze for a moment, then said seriously, âItâs not myself Iâm worried about.
I just donât want you and the entire Thorn Edge Pack to be dragged into this.
â
Calebâs eyes softened further, and he asked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice, âAre you worried about me? You worry about me because you love me, right?â
I pursed my lips, unsure of how to respond.
I simply didnât want to complicate things further by asking for Calebâs help.
Caleb mistook my silence for shyness and stated with unwavering conviction, âIt must be true.
You still love me.
â
My ears burned, and inwardly, I cursed, âNarcissist!â
Lost in my thoughts, I was jolted when Caleb placed his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to meet his gaze.
With a gentle smile, he reassured, âDonât fret, Debra.
I can protect both you and myself.
â
Running a hand over my forehead, I felt a surge of helplessness.
It seemed my words fell on deaf ears.
Iâd let him do whatever he wanted.
I shrugged off his touch and lay down on the bed.
âI just want to sleep now,â I muttered into the pillow, my voice muffled.
Andrewâs POV:
After I left Debraâs room, a somber cloud has hovered over me.
When I saw the challenging look in Calebâs eyes, I admitted that I was unhappy.
The prospect of Debra returning to the Thorn Edge Pack, continuing in her role as Calebâs Luna, left me profoundly disappointed, struggling to rein in my emotions.
However, Debra and I were not a real couple.
I had no right to challenge Caleb, and I harbored no desire to ensnare Debra in a feud between us.
With a silent sigh, I hastened to the crime scene, determined to press on with the investigation.
As I passed a guest room, murmurs reached my ears, penetrating the silence.