Chapter 130

Ethan

I watch Fiona speaking confidently and brightly with the lawyer about her problems. It’s such a difference from the woman I first met. We haven’t known each other long, but her self-conscious and restrained attitude from before has fallen away, leaving a beautiful, self-reliant creature standing in front of me.

“She doesn’t need your human backing anymore,” Zev says with a hint of hesitation in his tone.

“You’re not wrong. She doesn’t need our help with the lawyer anymore,” I agree. Honestly, a few weeks after Mr. Adair took the case, he’d stopped contacting me. He worked solely with Fiona, which I thought was a good idea.

Watching them now, maybe it wasn’t. She no longer needs me in this field, which should make me feel great, but thinking about her not needing me in any sense has my chest feeling hollow.

Her conversation and questioning of the lawyer are smooth and relaxed, letting me know she’s comfortable with him. She even adds her own points in as they discuss the upcoming hearing, defending herself against the possible accusatory questions that Mr. Adair says may come up.

The timid woman I signed the relationship contract with would’ve cowered under the intense discussion, yet Fiona is sailing through smoothly with no issues.

I love and hate her new attitude because it means she might not need me anymore.

“She’s amazing,” my wolf hums.

The satisfied feeling that fills my chest has me smiling as I imagine her standing up to the elders and the council this way.

I haven’t decided when to introduce her due to the turmoil and biased opinions on having a human Luna. While I don’t think any of them will physically hurt Fiona, I don’t know if she’s ready to be reprimanded and judged by so many.

This relationship didn’t start with the best conditions, but lately, we’ve grown as a couple. I just hope we can continue growing.

After denying the marriage and learning the news of Fiona being human has spread, I hope she will stay with me for who I am and not for what I can provide her.

“She isn’t like that,” Zev growls, and I silence him.

“I know. She only used us out of sheer desperation in the beginning, but now that she doesn’t need us anymore…” My words fall off, and I shake my head. What am I thinking? The fear scratches at the back of my mind, and no matter how far I try to shove it away, it doesn’t disappear.

Everyone in my life has always wanted something from me. My parents, my pack members, my ex-fiancé, and now… Does Fiona want something too?

“She wouldn’t. Not after everything we’ve been through together,” Zev protests. I know it. He’s right, but flashes of my ex-fiancé flitter through my mind. The way she used me, the way she tricked me, and the way I thought she was the woman I’d spend the rest of my life with.

“Fiona isn’t a traitor. She’s a good woman who cares about us and won’t leave us for trivial or material matters,” Zev repeats insistently.

Nodding, I tell myself the same thing over and over again, knowing he’s right. Fiona isn’t like my ex-fiancé. In fact, she’s the exact opposite. I couldn’t find two people who are more different, so I form a plan in my mind. I need to know once and for all that she wants to be with me for more than my money and power.

I have to hear the words.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Adair. I’ll make the necessary preparations and be ready when the trial comes around,” Fiona says while standing from her chair. I follow and stand behind her as she shakes Mr. Adair’s hand, nodding to him when he looks at me.

Again, I follow Fiona out to the car, only stopping when she does, but instead of climbing into the car, she turns to me. Her brows pull together as her eyes run down then up my body in confusion.

“Are you okay?” She asks, crossing her arms over her chest. The way she studies me seems as if she’s trying to look deeper into my soul, like she can find something if she stares long enough.

My plan to test Fiona resurfaces in my mind, and ignoring Zev’s protesting growls, I reach for her. My hands cup the backs of her arms, pulling her a little closer, needing the distance between us to shrink.

“Let me buy you a house,” I say.

As soon as the words leave my lips, Fiona herks back, her eyes widening almost comically. She stutters, her words coming out in broken syllables until she steps back and takes a deep breath.

“W-what did you say?” She asks, blinking several times like it would clear the confusion. If we were fully mated, I’d have a mind link with Fiona, and I would know exactly what she was thinking right now. I wish I’d sealed the bond before, but the chance that she wouldn’t fully accept me was too much of a deterrent.

Once a mate bond is sealed by the mating bite, it can’t be undone by anyone other than the Moon Goddess herself. There are very few stories of mated couples going to the temple of the Moon Goddess and offering sacrifices, and even fewer stories of the Goddess granting severance.

All of these stories are from four hundred years ago since most Lycans accept the mate bond. Nowadays if a Lycan goes to the Goddess’s shrine, it’s typically to pay respect or pray for things like good fortune, peace, blessings, and family growth.

“I want to buy you a house,” I repeat, straightening up.

“You don’t have to do that, Ethan,” Fiona whispers, confusion sweeping across her features. “Why would you do that?”

I shake my head, squeeze her arm, and let my hands slide to her hands. She watches the movement, her brows pulling together and even I can admit this came out of nowhere. I have to know, though, how she truly feels about what’s between us.

“I want to give you your own space and somewhere to call home,” I tell her, honestly. “I don’t want you to stay somewhere you don’t want to be, so offering to buy you a house is the logical solution.”

“Logical?” She scoffs, stepping back again. This time, her brows pull together in anger and the beat of her heart kicks up in tempo.

“Ethan, there’s nothing logical about our relationship. You’re a…” She glances around us before she continues, whispering, “You’re a werewolf, and I’m a human. This shouldn’t be a relationship that happens in the real world. Things like this are straight out of books and movies, so what part of this did you think would be normal or logical?”

I try not to chuckle at her disbelief as she shakes her head and keeps ranting. “You’re an insanely hot billionaire, and I’m a divorced woman who never thought she would have a second chance. Ethan, you’re… you’re more than your money and more than anything you could do for me. I like you—”

“Like me?”

She swallows and nods.

“Okay, I more than like you. My feelings for you are growing further and deeper than I ever thought they could, and I want to be with you,” she says, turning back to me. Zev growls at the tears in her eyes, and I curse myself. I didn’t mean to make her upset.

“Woah. Hey. Why the tears?” I ask softly, cupping her cheeks.

“D-did you really think I was after your money?”

The wobble in her voice makes me regret bringing the topic up, but I also needed to know.

“No, no. I know you wouldn’t, but I just needed the confirmation,” I murmur, pressing my forehead to hers. Her watery eyes peer up at me, making my stomach churn with disgust at myself.

Fiona juts her chin out at me and narrows her eyes as she speaks, “I want to be with you, Ethan. I don’t want anyone else, and I don’t want to live anywhere else. I don’t want your money. Just yo—”

Before she can finish, I slam my lips to hers, loving the way she melts into me as our lips collide.