Lawrence.
Theresa didn’t say anything again, even after both Lurgard and I had chorused the question at her, our voices overlapping in expectation and concern. The silence she gave in return was heavy, almost deliberate, as though she had decided that words were no longer sothing she wanted to offer us at that mont.
Lurgard, on the other hand, seed to drift away into his own thoughts. His expression shifted slightly, unreadable, as if sothing had clicked in his mind that he wasn’t ready to share. He stood there for a while longer, lingering in the room without truly being present, before finally turning away. Without another word, he left the room entirely, his footsteps fading down the corridor and leaving behind a silence that felt even more suffocating than before.
I took that as my chance.
A chance to finally be alone with Theresa.
A chance to do what I had been holding back from, especially with him always hovering around her like a hawk that refused to loosen its grip.
His presence had been irritating in a way I couldn’t fully explain, always watching, always close, always making it difficult for to just... be near her the way I wanted to be.
Without wasting another second, I moved closer and took Theresa’s hands imdiately into mine. The mont I felt her skin against mine, I began to gently caress her hands, my thumb brushing softly over her knuckles as though trying to ease away whatever invisible weight she was carrying.
A strange warmth filled my chest at the contact alone. Despite everything, I was genuinely happy just to be beside her like this, to have even this small mont where I could hold her without interruption.
She was my mate after all. That thought anchored itself firmly in my mind.
Everything would fall into place soon—everything would beco right, especially when we finally got married. That future felt so certain to that I almost couldn’t imagine anything standing in its way.
"Baby, is anything bothering you?" I asked softly, my voice lowered so it wouldn’t disturb the fragile atmosphere between us.
I searched her face carefully, hoping—almost pleading internally—that she would open up to . I wanted her to trust enough to share whatever was weighing her down. At least then, we could begin to strengthen what existed between us, to solidify the bond that I believed was already ours.
"Can you help with sothing, Lawrence?" she asked suddenly.
The question alone made sothing in lift instantly. For a brief mont, foolish excitent rushed through at the thought that she was finally reaching out, finally asking for sothing. I didn’t even pause to consider what it could be. It didn’t matter. Whatever it was, I was ready to do it.
"Anything for you, Theresa. Just na it, because I can do anything for you," I said almost eagerly, a happy assurance slipping through my tone without restraint.
But nothing—absolutely nothing—prepared for what ca next.
"Get out of this room!" she said firmly.
The words hit harder than I expected. At the sa ti, she imdiately withdrew her hands from mine, breaking the contact so abruptly it felt like a physical rejection. Her eyes closed afterward, shutting out completely as if she could no longer bear to look at .
For a mont, I just stood there, frozen, my mind struggling to catch up with what had just happened.
She actually does want out.
But...what have I done wrong?
Did I do anything? Say anything? Or was it simply ?
The question lingered in my chest, unanswered, as I stood there still trying to understand why the warmth I had just felt had so suddenly turned cold.
"It’s all Lurgard’s fault," I muttered loudly in my head, my thoughts sharp and bitter as I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails pressed into my palms.
Everything about this situation suddenly felt clear to in the most frustrating way.
If he hadn’t been hovering around Theresa, always inserting himself between us, always trying to stay close to her like so kind of shadow that refused to leave her side, then she wouldn’t have started finding my presence disturbing in the first place.
It was him. It had to be him.
If Lurgard hadn’t been constantly trying to separate Theresa from , if he hadn’t been around her almost all the ti, watching her, talking to her, touching her hands as though he had so right to her attention, then she wouldn’t suddenly look at like I was the problem. She wouldn’t have pulled away from the way she just did.
My jaw tightened as the thought spiraled further. I couldn’t understand why his behavior had changed so suddenly.
One mont he was acting normal, and the next he was practically clinging to her presence, as though sothing in him had shifted and made him decide he needed to be closer to her than before.
Why? What had changed? What was he trying to prove?
I looked at Theresa again, my eyes lingering on her face. Her eyes were still closed, her expression shut off from completely, as if she had locked herself away and thrown away the key. The sight unsettled more than I wanted to admit, and yet I couldn’t stop my thoughts from forming.
"Does she love Lurgard now?" the thought slipped into my mind, uninvited and sharp.
My chest tightened at the idea. I an... he had been the one holding her hands earlier, caressing them so gently before he left the room. And yet, when I did the sa thing, she pulled away instantly. Not just pulled away—she rejected outright and told to leave.
The contrast burned in my mind, twisting everything into sothing I didn’t want to believe but couldn’t ignore either.
"Lurgard!" I scread his na loudly in my mind, anger flaring hot and imdiate.
Theresa was my mate. That was not sothing that could be questioned or replaced.
And as my brother, Lurgard should understand that. He should know better than to covet what does not belong to him. He should know his place. He shouldn’t be interfering, shouldn’t be standing between us like so obstacle I didn’t ask for.
No... I think it was high ti I made sothing very clear. To both of them. To everyone involved.
Theresa belonged to .
That thought settled in my chest with finality, hardening my resolve. I was not going to leave this room just because she told to. She couldn’t simply throw out as if I didn’t matter. She needed more than she realized—more than she could ever understand at this mont.
And I refused to believe she truly ant what she said. I refused to accept that she wouldn’t open her eyes and speak to again.
If she wouldn’t do it willingly...then I would make her.
Without hesitation, I stood up properly, my movents slow but certain. Then I bent my head slightly, leaning forward as my gaze locked onto her face.
My heart pounded, but not from fear—more from anticipation, from the need to break through whatever wall she had suddenly put between us.
Before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in closer.
My lips brushed against Theresa’s lips in a deliberate kiss, firm enough to demand a reaction, yet still holding onto the belief that this would bring her back to .
And just as I was about to fully claim the mont, her eyes snapped open.
She pushed away imdiately.
"What are you doing?" she asked sharply, her voice filled with irritation and anger.
But I didn’t care. Not even a little.
’Bingo,’ I said in my head, a strange, uncontrollable smile forming on my face.
It had worked. She was looking at . She was speaking to .
Whether she looked at with anger, irritation, or even hatred, I realized I didn’t mind. Any reaction from her was better than the silence. Anything was better than being ignored.
As long as she acknowledged ...as long as she saw ...then I could deal with whatever ca after.
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