41

Word Count: 2373

~Dove

I approach the little coffee shop, feeling strange coming here without Dev.

He was by my side when I last came here for coffee. Apparently my father frequents the area, as Varian's spies reported that he would be here again, and this time of the day.

Now, instead of running into him on accident, I'm running into him on purpose. This is the first stage of Varian's plan, and it needs to go perfectly.

The only barrier to this working, is me. I can't let my emotions get the best of me.

A little bell above the door jingles as I step inside, the bitter scent of coffee hanging heavy in the air. It's quieter in here today than usual, and sure enough, my father sits in the corner, writing something in a notebook while he sips at his coffee.

I turn on my heel, facing the counter. This can't seem staged. He has to believe I happened upon him by accident again.

"Dovely?"

I bristle at the sound of his voice, slowly turning.

"Oh. Father."

"How are you?" He asks, stunned.

He's even more awkward than the last time that I was here. There's more reason for it now than ever before. I completely rejected him, and now, I need to make myself seem open to resolution.

"I'm fine, I suppose." I scratch below my ear, hoping my skin isn't flushed.

"Did you live around here?" He looks out the window, at the tall apartment buildings that are in far better condition than anything I could afford to live in.

"I don't live in a neighbourhood this nice, but I live in this pack of that's what you're wondering."

His eyes brighten. It's not a complete shutdown of his question, indicating a mild willingness on my part to engage with him.

"Can we talk? Can you sit for a bit?" He pulls at a chair at his table, gesturing at it.

"I suppose."

Sliding into the seat, I try to stop my foot from incessantly tapping against the floor. I want to be anywhere else but looking at a man who looks far too much like me. He's a reminder of the past, and what I wanted to leave behind.

The problem is, some part of me, way deep down still cares about him, still wants to protect him.

He wrings his hands. "I'm sorry about the last time we spoke. I shouldn't have—"

"It's okay. I blew up at you, and it wasn't fair," I excuse smoothly.

He blows out a breath, rubbing his forehead that is already shimmering with sweat.

"I missed you. I can't even tell you how much..."

"You understand why I left, right?" I say bluntly.

I might be here on a mission to garner his trust as a way to get to Matthias, but that doesn't mean I can't remind him of why our relationship disintegrated.

His brows draw toward each other. "I let you down, I know that-"

"You betrayed me. You offered me to a powerful man." I keep my voice low but harsh, not wanting to invite attention from neighbour tables. "He could have raped me, or killed me."

"I needed to prove myself to Matthias. Had I not done that, we wouldn't have had a pack to return home to," he says desperately.

He is so incredibly close to realising how poisonous of a person Matthias is, but he continues to fail to make the connection.

"There are other packs," I snap. "We could have made it work."

"I know." His head falls into his hands, his fingertips kneading into his temples. "I'm sorry Dovely. I truly am."

I examine him quietly for a moment. Frankly, he's pathetic, grovelling to me without admitting any fault. Were I not on this mission, I would tell him how I truly feel, and leave him to pick up the pieces of whatever is left.

"You hurt me, and in turn hurt Eden." My jaw hardens before I let out a reluctant breath. "But I've missed you too. I'm done punishing you."

He peeks upward, hope blooming in his eyes. "Really?"

"I'm not going to come home to babysit you again. I live my own life now," I state. I can't have him showing up at my apartment, trying to repair a relationship now long gone. "But I would like to see you more."

"I would love that." He grins.

"Last time I saw Matthias he threatened to kill me. Am I going to receive that treatment again?" I question.

This will be for nothing if the Alpha snaps my neck once I'm his proximity again. Varian's mark protects me to a degree, but I can imagine Matthias becoming so overcome with anger, he lashes out anyway.

"No, do not worry about that," he assures me, waving his hand. "Since you left I've become close to him. For a while we never spoke of you, but one night he admitted he loved you and regretted the way he acted that night."

I almost roll my eyes, but refrain.

"I still bear Varian's mark," I tell him, pressing my thighs together beneath the table. "I am not emotionally ready to go through the pain of having it removed yet, but I intend to."

"He has come to his sense, Dove. I believe that when he sees you again, he will welcoming of you."

I drum my fingertips against the tabletop, uncertain. "We shall see."

"We shall. Right now." He stands suddenly, his chair scraping backward. He's excited, like he's the one with a plan that is falling into place instead of me.

My eyes widen with alarm. "Wait, now?"

"He's just outside. He's been in meetings all morning." He rounds the table, pulling my chair out for me. "Let's go clear the air."

This is happening too fast...today was supposed to be about establishing a connection with my father that could act as a jumping off point to get to Matthias later on. I haven't prepared to see him today.

Numbly I stand, letting my father grab my arm, leading me out the coffee shop.

"But father-"

I'm cut off as we round the corner. Matthias stands with two of his personal guards, discussing something with them with his back to me.

I jolt to a stop, fear crawling up my throat. My vision is blurry for a second, the sound of the city muffled in my ears. My mind is spiralling, memories slamming into me as I take in the man the I once loved, but who also tried to kill me.

"Matthias." My father claps his hands together, the sound bringing me back to reality. "Look who I ran into."

Matthias turns, pausing upon seeing me.

We stare at each other for a long moment, a cold feeling creeping up my spine.

He looks the same a whole year later. Maybe a little more tired, with dark shadows clinging to the bottom of his greenish eyes. What must be stress has even aged him a touch, the lines on his forehead and around his mouth having deepened.

But he is still the same Matthias I loved.

"Dove..." he whispers. He clears his throat, shaking himself out of whatever trance he was in. "Hello."

I nod my head. "Alpha."

Father grabs my arm, giving me a smile. "Dove was just...what were-"

"I'm just getting coffee," I jump into add. Coffee that I never actually got. "One of my clients lives around here."

Matthias nods, probably not hearing much of what I'm saying. I don't blame him, because I'm barely certain I'm stringing coherent words together at this point.

"You're still in my pack." I can't be certain if it's a question or a statement.

I shrug. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He must have figured I moved to Varian's pack to be with him. Seeing me here, still living within his borders is confirmation I'm not betraying him in someone.

That's good...that gives me more of a chance to earn his trust.

"We were just talking and she has agreed to rebuild our relationship." Father nudges me. "Isn't that right, Dovely?"

"Well, have to see where things go." I tuck my hair behind my ear, trying not to notice the way Matthias' eyes track the movement.

Being around him is more difficult than I anticipated. My entire body recoils at the thought of him, of the way he used me for over a year with no real intention of ever committing to me. Although his eyes are soft and searching now, I can't still remember how quickly they switched to rage when he saw Varian's mark.

"Give me a moment. I better collect my belongings from inside." Father rushes off, leaving Matthias and I to stand there, staring at each other.

"You look well," he comments awkwardly, sweeping the long brown hair he still hasn't cut back off his face.

"That seems to be a common attribute of mine. Everyone is pointing it out," I mumble.

He grimaces, shaking his head. "I mean to say you look beautiful. That hasn't changed."

"Thank you."

Silence stretches between us. I don't know how to act around him. I need to be thinking on my feet better. I need to advance this mission, to gain enough of a connection with him to flesh out what he knows about Varian's missing brother.

He rubs his jaw. "Look—"

"It's fine."

"It's not. I blew up at you and I'm sorry." He steps toward me. It takes everything in me not to cower back, especially as his familiar scent reminds my senses of our romantic past.

"I barely remember it." I think about it almost every day.

"It took some time and reflection but I realise now that I was wrong." He looks over me. "Varian he just...he aggravates me more than anything and the thought of him touching you drove me mad."

My teeth grind together as I contemplate my approach. Matthias would hate to know how much Varian has touched me since then. He would hate even more to learn about our mate bond...

"You hurt me," I breathe.

"I'm sorry. Truly." His fingers twitch. He wants to touch me, but is refraining. "I want to earn your trust back."

I wasn't expecting him to be this eager to repair our relationship. I thought I was going to have to be the one grovelling.

"Why? You made it clear what was between us was always going to be second to appearing a certain way to your pack members." I fold my arms over my chest.

"I've never felt for someone how I felt for you," he admits hoarsely. "Seeing you now...I miss you. A lot."

Maybe he is in earnest. Maybe he hasn't found another pliable woman to warm his bed, to trail his every footstep and to fawn over him. Or maybe he misses me because of who I am, and not because of who I was to him.

No, that can't be it. This is a power play. He doesn't want anyone to believe they are beyond his control and influence.

"I miss you too," I tell him, trying not to sound as though a metaphorical knife is being held to my throat. "I still bear Varian's mark, though."

He looks down at my thigh, which is covered by my pants. His eyes darken, like he can see through the fabric, to the betrayal below.

"I know. I can scent it," he grits out.

"And it doesn't bother you?"

His gaze rises back to my eye, and I can practically see himself reigning in his anger and resentment.

"I mean, I'm curious why it's still there," he admits.

"It's a painful process to have it removed and I'm not ready for that just yet. But I will be soon. I ultimately intend to have it removed," I exclaim warily, hoping my excuse is enough to convince him.

To my pleasant surprise, the corners of his mouth lift. "I'm relieved to hear that."

"Varian is an evil man who forced this mark upon me," I exclaim firmly. "Believe me when I say I want this gone. I want nothing to do with him ever again."

Matthias needs to believe that Varian is out of the picture. If he doesn't, he'll become suspicious when I begin asking him about Varian's missing brother.

"I do believe you." He reaches out, and I almost flinch. I hold my breath as he smooths his thumb along the line of my cheekbone.

The fondness in his eyes makes my stomach turn. He wants to use me again, to have me submit to him. I can imagine him salivating at the idea.

"I'm having a small gathering at my estate this coming weekend. Would you like to attend?"

Perfect.

"I could be persuaded." I lean into his touch, hoping he can't hear the thump of my heart. If he can, he might mistake it for lust and not for the fear that it is.

"Great." He pulls his hand away, and I almost sigh with relief. "I'll have a transport sent to your apartment."

I frown. "How do you know I live in an apartment?"

"I've kept an eye on your over the past year. To ensure you were safe." He winks, like he's flirting, like I would find that attractive.

He acted surprised when he found out I was still in this pack...yet he was stalking me all along. The thought has my head spinning. What else does he know?

"Tell my father I will visit him soon. I must go now." I stumble back a few steps, offering a departing smile before I rush off.

I need to report back to Varian, and soon.

💛••💛

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***

My hands tremble by my sides. "Don't sleep with her..."

He steps toward me, his eyes dark. "Why not?"

"Whatever you were planning to do to her tonight, do it to me instead," I whisper.

***

~Midika 🐈‍⬛💜