Chapter 29. Goodbye, Daniel.

A/N: I haven't proof-read the chapter. So, sorry in advance for the errors in the typos:(

Ariana's POV

I felt the ground beneath me move as I sank to the floor and crouched down wrapping my arms around my knees which almost touched my chest.

Daniel had just said that he loves me--not the exact words ofcourse but everything he did screamed about how much he cared. Kiana was right. I don't deserve Daniel. He's too good for me. How could I be so heartless as to break his heart when he just indirectly confessed to me? But what could I do? I didn't have any other option...

I shut my eyes letting the tears roll down my cheeks as my mind drifted off to the conversation I had with Kiana after Daniel left to meet the Alpha.

♧♧♧

I had already freshen up and was ready to leave the room and look for Kiana so that I could say her that I won't be able to accept her condition. I would request her or even plead her to let me stay here.

But then a knock came through the other side of the room's door and when I opened the door, Kiana stood there looking as stunning as ever.

"Kiana? Why are you here-" before I could finish the sentence, Kiana let herself in as she pushed the door open and stepped inside the room before closing the door shut behind her.

I stared at her with an incredulous look on my face. Who does she think she is? Barging into my room --well technically Daniel's room-- without my permission.

"What are you-"

I begin only to be cut off by her again.

"You're going with Anthony today, right?" Her voice was more like a command than a question. She was busy scanning her nails as she blowed at them ocassionally, not even sparing me a glance.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," I begin as she finally looked at me with a raise of her brow, "Look, I know you said that you wanted me to go with the Alpha but honestly I can't leave Daniel because...."

He's finally opening up a bit around me And if I leave now, I don't think he'll ever open up around someone. And if it's true that Daniel holds some kind of feelings for me, then how can I break his heart? My heart hurts when he hurts....but ofcourse, I'm not going to say this to Kiana.

"....because I don't want to go back with Alpha Anthony. I know we are mates and that's supposed to make us feel happy around each other and all those stuff. But honestly, I feel uncomfortable around him and I don't think he likes me as his mate either. So how about I stay here instead of going back with the Alpha. I'll do whatever you say other than leaving Daniel-I mean, leaving this castle..."

I tried to compensate with her. Kiana didn't seem quite pleased with my answer as she walked up to me and looked straight into my eyes,

"You're leaving with Anthony. It's fixed." Kiana stated giving me a I-dare-you-deny-me look.

A slow smile grew on my lips. I was prepared for this. I did try to talk nice but she asked for it.

"Well then," I smiled almost sardonically, "I wanted to say you -sorry- warn you that if I inform Ariel about what you're scheming to do, I don't think the queen will be very happy knowing that you're threatening to reveal her brother's identity to the world and putting his life in danger. Ariel is a loving sister and don't think just because she's sweet and caring, she'll tolerate your threat. She's the queen for a reason. If she wants, she can just lock you up in the dungeon so that you never see the sun again or splutter about Daniel's identity to anyone. As for Daniel, from what I know of him, he would be furious and would regret letting you stay here. He might as well kick you out of the castle or better yet, feed you to the rogue wolves. Besides, how can you think that anyone would believe you -a normal wolf who betrayed her mate who loved her so much, for another man-  other than believing their queen or prince who had been trustworthy since centuries?"

I ended my mini-speech with a triumphant look on my face. When I looked up at Kiana, I had expected her to be a little wary at least. What I didn't expect was for her to turn hysterical as she laughed as if I had cracked the funniest joke in the universe.

"You're so funny...haha.." laughs "Gosh, I can't believe this.." laughs.

She clutched her stomach still laughing her ass off. Could you please stop with the laughing? Seriously, her laughs were annoying and sounded like those evil witch's hysterical laughter in Disney movies.

After some more laughing, she thankfully composed herself and looked me straight in the eye,

"Do you take me for a fool, Ariana? Do I look stupid to you? Do you think I'll let you win just like that if I can't win myself? The thing is, even if I won't make it out alive out of this castle or if no one believes me, I still have some alleys--some of them are very trustworthy among the courtiers as well--who will expose Daniel if I go missing even for a day and I also have a lot of evidence which prooves that Daniel indeed is a hybrid. Wanna look at one of them?" She cocked a questioning eyebrow at me as she bought forward her phone and clicked on something.

A video played shortly after and I felt my eyes widening as I looked at what it displayed.

"H-How did you...?" My voice trailed as I focused my attention on the video in which Daniel was tied up in shackles with his wrists wound by silver chains and tied to the ceiling the same way he was tied that day when I found out he was a hybrid. The background was dull and looked like it was a cellar while Daniel growled ferociously. His voice enough to raise goosebumps for a normal person.

Then Kiana swiped the screen letting another video display on the screen.

***

In this video, Daniel was in the study and was looking directly at something or someone with a worried look on his face.

"You're what?" I reconised Kiana's voice but she wasn't visible in the video. She must the one recording it.

"I'm a hybrid," Daniel whispered slowly with his gazes cast down.

Kiana's hysterical laughter was heard before she spoke, "Gosh, Danny you scared me! Stop joking already! How can you be a hybrid? They're monsters. They deserve to die. That's the reason why they're killed when their existence is found. How could I even think for a minute that you were actually one of them. I must be crazy."

After a minute of silence from Daniel and his heartbroken look, Kiana spoke up again, "No...you can't be..."

"Kiana..let me explain-" Daniel started moving forward.

"No! Don't come near me! You're a monster, Daniel!" Kiana's voice said loudly before the video went blank.

***

I felt anger surge through me. How could she be so heartless? Daniel just confessed about himself and she blatantly said him that he deserved to die and called him a monster! She didn't even let him explain himself!

I looked back at Kiana vehemently but when I noticed her smirk, I realised what this was all about and I felt my shoulders slump in defeat. Guess, I don't have any other option now rather than leaving Daniel...

"Fine! I'll go with the Alpha. You have to stick to your part of the deal and erase all the evidences that states Daniel's a hybrid in return."

"Done. Though about the evidence, it'll be safe with me as long as you're with Anthony. And there's one more thing I want you to do. I mean, you have to do...."

♧♧♧

And that other thing was asking for divorce from Daniel. Apparently, Kiana wants to be back with Daniel and with me still being bound to him through the marriage, she won't be able to do so or that is what she said.

I didn't accept to her condition initially which also led to her dissatisfaction but I didn't care. I just wanted myself to be connected with Daniel at least through those papers but when she spoke certain things, it did really hit me hard and I didn't know what to do anymore....

♧♧♧

"Don't even think Daniel likes you or you could ever have a chance to be with him. I've done my research on you. You're a murderer, Ariana. You killed your own mother. Your father despises you and your entire family just tolerates your presence. If it weren't for you being Anthony's mate, you'd still be stuck with your hateful family. Anthony pulled you out of that cage and even though Daniel married you as a punishment to Anthony, you're nothing but a stain on him, Ariana. How can you even fit in?

"On the other hand, I'm Daniel's mate. He loved me from his heart ever since he met me and I know he still loves me that's why he's so angry at me. Don't you think that if I want to return back to him and if I ask him to forgive and shed a few tears, he would accept me now or later? Because he loves me. He had always loved me. And he will always love only me because I'm his mate. You don't know the Daniel I know, Ariana. The man he's now is completely different from how he used to be. Daniel was the most funloving and carefree person I'd ever met but now, he's no more the same since he's still pinning over his lost love for me.

"Ariana, if you really love Daniel, then let him have his happiness back. With me. Let him get back with me and don't be an obstruction between us. Besides, you don't deserve him. You're just a nobody with maybe okay background but you've been accused of killing your own mother. Just don't think you deserve Daniel or he has any feelings for you."

♧♧♧

Kiana's big speech did make me upset. I wanted to yell at her and say to her face that I didn't kill my mother, that it was my father who made mom kill herself. She had no right to speak about my background. What did she know about me? Nothing. She didn't know how long I have endured my father's abuse or how much it hurt to see every single person who I cared and looked upon see me with accusing and disdainful look on their faces or how much I've wanted to end all of this, end my pathetic life. The people who I thought trusted me, even they betrayed me. My father was so addicted to money and power that he didnt care about anybody else, nor even his wife or daughter. No one believed me when I cried or said that I didn't kill my mom. Then how can I expect Kiana to believe me?

Besides, what she said about me not deserving Daniel, wasn't it right? How can I even deserve someone like Daniel? He's the only person who had cared for me since my mother's death. His presence itself lifts my mood up. And though it's strange, Daniel is the only person in front of whom I had ever been my true self and felt free even when he was arrogant and rude during our initial days of the marriage. I know he's an amazing soul and I don't want anything other than happiness for him. Even if that happiness has to be without me in it.

So earlier I cried alone in the balcony till there was no tears left and I had prepared myself to say everything as per Kiana told me to say to Daniel.

But despite everything, I didn't expect myself to break-down in Daniel's arms the moment I saw him or for Daniel to look heartbroken when I said that I loved Anthony... I never meant it. What I meant when I said that 'I love him' was,

I love him; the man whose in front of me, the man whose looking at me right now, the man who resides in my heart but I couldn't say it. I just couldn't say that I love you, Daniel. For your own sake.

But then when he kissed me, it just broke my resolute once again and at that moment, I didn't think about anything else and just kissed him back because I knew this might be the last time I'll be able to feel his lips against mine but when we pulled back, it hurt me like hell when he asked me to stay and I refused him on his face.

What could I do? I was in a fix. It wasn't like I wanted to go. I am forced to go.

The most shocking thing was when he indirectly confessed to me. It just shook me to the core. I couldn't believe my own ears. I thought Daniel could never have feelings for me after what Kiana said. Guess Kiana was wrong and even stupid me was utterly wrong to believe her words and hurt Daniel. But can you blame me? Just how could I believe when I had thought about every possible reason he would hate me after he comes to know about the rumour of me killing my mother. Although it's not true...

'But he doesn't hate you. He loves you.'

A sweet feminine voice rang out in my head making me startled and I rubbed my ears trying to verify whether I really heard that voice. I'm sure it's the same voice that I had heard from when I was small....

'SELINE? IS THAT YOU?' I tried to mind-link her back.

But there was no reply from the other end. I might be hallucinating. Why would my wolf suddenly show up again after almost sixteen years?

The possible separation from Daniel is really making me insane. I'm starting to hear things. On that note...

I got up to stand straight and wiped my eyes roughly trying to rub off any traces of tears of my face. I just hope I didn't take too long... I'm glad that this room is sound-proof. Or else what if Daniel would have heard me sobbing.... It would have been strange to explain him about why I was crying when I got what I wanted....

When I stepped out of the room after fixing my hagard self, I caught sight of Daniel who was standing a few steps away from me with his forehead rested against the wall while his eyes remained close. He looked somewhat defeated and that made my heart clench.

I gulped the lump starting to form in my throat as I walked over to him. Once I was next to him, I extended my hand to place on his shoulder but thankfully stopped mid-way and instead with a shaky voice, I called out to him, "Daniel?"

The next moment, I was suddenly yanked towards Daniel's body as he turned to me and pulled me by my waist. Before I could fathom what he was doing, he crashed his lips against mine. He kissed me hungrily not willing to let go and his hands roamed all over my body while my breath started turning shallow.

I was frozen to the spot. He was kissing me with a strange kind of possessiveness which I have never felt before in both of his kisses. I realised Daniel wasn't the gentle kisser type but the way he's kissing me now just makes me feel like he owns me and my soul no matter how much I deny it.

I want to kiss him back so badly. But No. I can't do this again. I can't hurt him more than he already is by leading him on. So with much needed force, I pushed him away.

"Daniel, don't."

Daniel seemed to be stunned for a moment and his eyes widened as if he didn't realise what he had just done, as if he had kissed me out of instinct but then the look was gone the way it came and his face turned into a stony one.

"You should get going. You're mate is waiting for you," Daniel said coldly without looking at me and emphasising on the word 'mate' with a strange disgust as if the word itself contained a plague.

Daniel grabbed hold of my hand but as soon as his hand touched mine, I felt a powerful and strange kind of tingles erupt where his hand held mine. Daniel seemed to feel it as well by the way his eyes widened and he retrieved back his hand in surprise or maybe shock?

What was that???!!

I swear, in that moment when his skin touched mine, for the first time, it felt like....never mind. It's not possible. It must be just friction or something.

Daniel must have realised it too as he shook his head and simply lead me towards the court room not daring to grab my hand this time. I followed him quietly while he continued walking with an ant's speed. What's up with him? The speed he is walking in is considered slow for even a human and he's what? A werewolf, a royal one at that. I wouldn't be complaining about spending these few left-over minutes before my leave with him if it weren't so painful and aching  for me.

When Daniel was about to twist the huge doorknob to enter the court grounds, I walked over in my werewolf speed to stand in front of him and looked straight into his ocean-blue eyes. I just feel like hugging him so bad but I can't. I freaking can't. But atleast, I can say him one thing before I leave....

"Goodbye, Daniel."

_________

Okay....not the best chapter out there but this is it. The next chapter is going to be somewhat new to you'll and unexpected since it'll give you a glimpse into the real reason behind Anthony's hatred towards Daniel. And you may be surprised to know more about Anthony's past and his real nature. Maybe he's not that bad. Maybe Anthony is somehow connected to Daniel's past as well. I really don't know how to feel about this but I'll assure you that he's not the worst character in this story.

By the way, A big S-O-R-R-Y for not updating for almost half a month. I had exams on the tow and with the story on-going and me not learning a thing from my syllabus, I couldn't focus on my studies or the story either of them. So, I decided on keeping the story at the side for a while and study instead if I don't want to fail in my first academic itself.

I guess the idea worked since my exams went pretty well except,

1.  Maths (I swear, the subject has a serious grudge with me) and

2. My slow handwriting ofcourse (like I write slower than an ant. Even if I know the answers, I tend to miss them due to not being able to complete my paper on time):

Anyways, that's for my stupid ass self's to improve on so I won't bother you'll. There's another exam after 18 days after which I'll get 20 days vacation but there's still time for that.

Bubye for now and I'll try my level best to update the next chapter before the upcoming Wednesday:)