Chapter 33

I wait for Adrian to say it. To put the word, the explanation, for this pull that exists between us. To help me understand why I can’t stay away from him.

He takes a breath, as though waiting for me to process what he is saying. I want to scream for him to just say it already. To tell me what I am to him.

“I believe you are Julian’s mate.”

The words hit me like a hammer and my heart sinks, plunging into my stomach. A million questions come to mind, but only one stands out from the rest as important. How? How can I be Julian’s mate when I feel drawn so much to Adrian.

“How?” The word slips out though I have no intention of expanding on the question.

“It’s rare.” Adrian says again, “But Julian believes you are. There is an instinctual knowing, usually more so on the male’s part, when they find their mate. He says he felt it with you.”

My head swims again. I don’t understand.

“This is a lot.” I finally admit. “I need time to think and maybe some rest though I doubt I’m sleeping well tonight.”

“Of course.” He says and turns to go. “You are safe here. Please come to me if you have any more questions.” He assures me again. Then I’m left alone in my room. I almost regret having him leave. Being here with him was better than being left with just me and my thoughts.

True to my predictions, I barely sleet at all. When I do sleep, I dream of wolves. Julian’s face changes into a wolf and chases me through the woods, snarling viciously.

When I wake in the morning, I’m still exhausted. My phone sounds, alerting me to a text message. It’s Julian asking me to meet him downstairs before Grace gets up. I don’t really want to speak with him right now. I’m completely overwhelmed and still processing everything. Does he know that I know? Or do I pretend I don’t?

I’m tired of his lies. I decide to give him the opportunity to tell me this morning. I get up, dress, and walk down to the kitchen. Nothing is going to happen before I get coffee.

Julian is waiting for me outside. I sit opposite him in a chair. His face lights up when he sees me.

“Good morning!” He greets me and leans over to give me a kiss. I shy away, still angry with him. He looks a little disappointed but respects my space. “I’m glad you agreed to see me.”

“Well, I decided to hear you out. What do you want to tell me?” I ask.

“I just wanted to chat.” He says, his brow creased a little in confusion. “Last time we spoke, we fought. I just wanted to make sure we were ok.”

I think for a moment. “I think we could be, so long as there are no more lies between us. No more secrets. Half of our problems lately are because you’ve been lying to me or not telling me things I need to know.”

“I can agree with that.” Julian says. He sounds sincere.

“Is there anything else I need to know? Any more secrets?” I wait and watch as he swallows and seems to think a moment.

“No, there are no more secrets between us.” He finally says.

My heart sinks a little. I’m not surprised but a small part of me had hoped he would be honest with me.

“I know, Julian.” I say, trying and failing to mask the accusation in my voice. I understand his secrecy, but it’s gone on long enough. It’s hurt our relationship far too much already. He needs to see that.

He goes still. “Know what?”

“I know what you are.” I say, still hoping he will say the words and not force me to. When he stays silent and looks at me with a mixture of dread and anticipation, I finally say it. “You’re a werewolf.”

Julian jumps to his feet and begins to pace. Maybe it’s because I know what lurks beneath his skin now, but his gait is almost animalistic.

“How do you know? Who told you?” He demands. I flinch a little at his tone. I think he sees it because his voice softens a little. “Lily, please tell me. How did you find out?”

I don’t know how to explain it and telling him will only put another dent in his relationship with his father. I regret saying anything now. I didn’t think this through.

His face gets stern, but before he can demand answers from me again, Adrian’s form fills the doorway.

“I told her.” He confesses, his voice calm, but authoritative.

Julian whirls on his father, his face a storm of temper. “You had no right!” He yells and I shrink down into my seat.

I know this temper of Julian’s and I’m not sure I can calm him down. He usually storms out when he gets like this, but he plants his feet, and I know he’s settling in for a fight.

“I had no choice.” Adrian explains calmly, not reacting to Julian’s tone.

“You had a choice! You knew I wanted to tell her the truth. You convinced me not to. She is my mate! You had no right to tell her anything!” He explodes.

Adrian raises his chin and with an even, but commanding tone says, “Lower your voice. I am your father and your Alpha and you will speak to me with respect.”

The way he says it makes me want to apologize and he isn’t even speaking to me. It seems to have the opposite effect on Julian who simply squares his stance and crosses his arms.

I leap to my feet and place my hand on his arm, hoping to stop him before he says something he can’t take back.

“Julian, stop. It wasn’t his fault. I went for a walk and saw him when he…I don’t know what you call it…turned into a wolf. I panicked. He had to explain.” My words come out in a rush. I’m tired and I don’t have the energy for this.

Julian doesn’t break from glaring at his father.

“You should have called me.” He accuses Adrian. “I would have come.”

“Would you have?” Adrian asks. “Would you have answered my call?”

It’s a fair question and it asks far more than the words say by themselves. I know what the answer would be. Julian would have seen Adrian’s call and refused to answer.

Finally, Julian turns to me. “Lily, get your things. We’re leaving.”

I gape at him, shocked by his demand.

“No, I’m not leaving.” I finally force out.

His face hardens. He’s getting impatient. Any moment now, his temper will break. “Lily, I’m leaving. I need you to come with me. I don’t want you staying here anymore.”

I stare at him, perplexed. I tell him that I’ve learned he’s a werewolf, and this is all he can focus on. His anger for his father. I shake my head in disbelief.

“I have to get Grace up. Come talk to me when you’ve cooled down.” I say, before I leave both of them to go to work.

Adrian POV

Lily leaves and I face my son alone on the veranda. I haven’t seen him this angry since his mother died and he stormed out. That time, I didn’t hear from him for over a year.

Disappointment threatens to overwhelm me. I don’t want to lose my son again, but there really was nothing I could have done differently.

“I had no choice, Julian. She saw me. You didn’t see the fear and panic she was going through. I needed to calm her down quickly.” I explain, hoping my son will see reason.

He is silent for a long moment. “I will be discussing her moving back home. There’s no reason she has to live here. She can still be Grace’s nanny without being here all the time.”

“That will be her choice.” I say firmly. I won’t let Julian bully her into leaving.

“Well, at least there’s one good thing to come from this.” Julian sighs and levels me with a look that dares me to challenge him.

“And what’s that?” I ask, already dreading the answer.

“There’s no reason not to mark her now.” He responds firmly and my wolf threatens to level the cage I have him restrained in.

“No, absolutely not.” He refuse him, much to the beast’s satisfaction.

“You don’t have a choice in this.” Julian raises his chin, ever the defiant son.

I shake my head, half in disbelief and half in refusal. “She is still wrapping her head around the fact that werewolves are not a fairytale and that her boyfriend is one of them, now you want to mark her. She doesn’t know this world. She won’t understand what it means.”

My reasoning is falling on deaf ears. Julian refuses to hear me.

“It’s not up to you, Alpha. I will discuss it with her tonight.” Julian spits my title like an insult. The wolf growls, low and threatening, the only response I get out before he pushes past me and leaves.