Chapter 31

Soren

“You can…heal me?” I repeat Celia’s words, slight confusion hidden in my voice. She nods, eyes darting away from mine.

Celia’s gaze flickers between mine and the rest of the car. She fidgets in the passenger seat of the car and keeps her hands to herself. Her body radiates nothing but pure nervous energy.

Her words are sickeningly sweet with the promise of granting me sweet relief from the constant headaches. It is tempting to jump into the honey trap she has set out for me.

It is too good to be true, no? After all of this time, after all of my years of dealing with the constant migraines and headaches, Celia thinks that she has the answer to all of my problems?

I don’t believe her. I don’t believe that she all of a sudden has the ability to cure me. Not even the best Healers in the Werewolf pack can heal me and my condition.

Her eyes show nothing but the truth through, a glimmer of desperation and neediness that she has shown me before in the past.

Ah…I see. This isn’t her wanting to heal me. This is Celia wanting to trick me into believing that she can cure me of my lifelong ailment.

What is her angle? What is she going to gain from this? Is being close to me and the life that I live that important to her?

Celia sighs and looks away. I can’t help but look at the side of her face, the way she looks everywhere but me.

Is submission the angle she is going for? Has Celia finally come to her senses and realized that she has no power when it comes to me?

Or perhaps, just maybe, Celia is still in love with me. Even after all of the bickering and arguing that we have gone through has only solidified the love that she holds for me.

Does she miss us? Does she miss our contracted relationship?

Warmth spreads across my chest. I clear my throat and try to get the fulfilling feeling out of my body, knowing that it is my mind tricking my body and I into thinking I have feelings for her.

I love Bianca. My heart belongs to Bianca. She is the woman I am going to marry and spend the rest of my life with, not Celia.

Celia can submit and love me all she wants. She must know that I can never, and will never, return her feelings of affection.

My eyes drift to the stack of cash that sits in my lap. I pick it up, hesitation laced within every move I make, and place the money back in her lap. Celia’s face snaps to mine, her eyes locking onto me with a slight shocked expression on her face.

“What are you…” Celia’s voice trails off, a slight shake to her head as I pull my hands away from her.

“If what you are saying is true,” I avoid her eyes, opting to stare at the cold hard cash that sits in her lap, “then consider this as an incentive to make for sure that what you are telling me is correct. That you can heal me.”

“Soren,” Celia angles her body to face me, her eyes slowly widening.

“Celia,” I cut her off, “take the money. You are doing me a service so I must pay you, okay? It is only right.”

I turn away, unable to continue to peer into her eyes for much longer. My stomach twists and contorts inside my body despite my mind screaming at it to stop, that we don’t have any positive feelings towards Celia.

“Okay,” Celia breathes out. I can see her nod her head out of the corner of my eye. “I…I’ll get going now.”

“Great,” my answer is sharp and instantaneous.

I look at her and notice the flash of shock and disappointment that covers her face. A piece of me wishes that I could have been nicer but I know that my feigned indifference towards her is for the best.

Celia sighs and opens up her purse, placing the stack of cash inside the small bag. She opens up the car door and looks back at me. I immediately look away, though, and act like I am not interested in what it is that she has to say or offer to me.

“Goodbye, Soren,” her voice is like music to my ears but it is a symphony that I do no wish to listen to.

I remain silent in the drivers seat. It is only when the passenger door closes that I am able to breathe again, turning the car on, and speeding away like a man on a mission.

My head begins to throb just as I reach my mansion. I park the car and get out, hurrying up the stairs and inside where my Beta awaits me.

“Good afternoon, sir,” the Beta bows their head and is quick to follow me as I walk towards my office.

“Celia said that she can heal me. What do you think about it?” I bark the questions from over my shoulder.

“I think it is surprising that she said that, sir,” my Beta cooly responds. “Are you wanting it to be true? That she can cure you?”

I don’t respond. How can I? No matter what I say, someone’s feelings will be hurt and I’ll be left to pick up the pieces as usual.

“Sir, if I may,” my Beta quickly walks around me, stopping me in my tracks.

I look down at them, one eyebrow perked up, a slight irritation coursing throughout my body from their sudden boldness.

“The marriage pact between the Werewolves and Lycans has been finalized. No matter what happens now, if you decide to change your mind and head in another direction, there is nothing we can do. You are to be wed to Miss Bianca.”

“Yes, I know this,” I groan, placing my hands on my hips. “What is your point here, exactly?”

My Beta knows everything about me whether I like it or not. They know every aspect of my life, having it planned out and ready for me to go through. They know what I like and don’t like as well as what makes my happy and sad.

So what is it that they are trying to tell me right now?

“Sir,” they clear their throat and keep their eyes steady on mine, “Miss Bianca and Miss Celia will not mix. If Miss Celia is indeed able to heal you and cure you of your headaches, you will have to repay her, no?”

Their reasoning makes me pause.

I think back through all of Celia and I’s past interactions. My mind brings up an argument we had in the car, a time where she cried when I told her that I did not want to see her anymore. I handed her a contract, one that stated that after Bianca and I’s engagement party that she must leave the pack once and for all.

“She will leave the pack after she treats me, Beta. It is in the contract she signed so she must go through with it,” I nod my head at them, breaking my long silence.

Celia is the one who willingly signed her name on the dotted line, not me. She made her choice so I must hold her to it.