Chapter 6 - Sebastian
Lydia had me at a crossroads—a deep conflict I didn’t want to endure, yet I had to due to her situation.
I didn’t want to block her in and take away her ability to choose, but I also couldn’t stand the thought of anyone taking advantage of her, whether it was her alpha or some shifters she didn’t know.
It felt like I was working against my usual morals, but I knew it was necessary for her sake. If I let her go and something happened to her, I’d never be able to forgive myself.
I didn’t want Lydia to think I was domineering or trying to control her, but I didn't see how to let her go.
Meeting her gaze as irritation filled her eyes, I let go of a breath and tried to keep my tone gentle yet assertive enough to get my point across, all while keeping our past in mind.
We were familiar with each other at one point, and that had to count for something.
"I'm worried about you," I admitted, refusing to let her through. "Be mad at me all you want, but you can't leave yet."
A brief flicker of surprise in response to my stubbornness flashed in her eyes before she narrowed them again, sparking more of her anger as she put her hands against my chest and tried to push me out of the way.
"Damn it, Sebastian, let me go!" She said with a growl, using all her strength to try and move me.
But it was no use. I didn't move an inch as I planted myself there with my hands against the threshold.
"I can't."
There was no mistaking how her anger began changing into frustration as she tried to fight against me, hitting her fists against my chest to no avail. "Just move!"
"No," I uttered, taking every one of her hits as my brows furrowed before I had enough.
Swiftly, I grabbed both of her wrists to stop her, firm but gentle enough not to hurt her in return. Looking down at her, I knew I couldn't give up, even if she were being insistent.
Lydia froze at the realization, her eyes meeting mine and allowing me to watch as those confused emotions passed through them at once. She swallowed hard, tears brimming her eyes out of flustered annoyance. At least she stopped fighting me.
Looking down at her, I was at a complete loss for how we got there. For what was causing her to react in that way. My eyes softened slightly as I sighed and released her wrists once she seemed startled enough not to bolt.
"Where is all of this coming from?" I questioned, still looming over her in the doorway. "Why are you afraid of me? You know me, Lydia."
This silenced her momentarily as she held her wrists, more so out of comfort as she averted her gaze. Her voice was small and riddled with doubt. "Do I?"
"As well as you could, given the circumstances," I mumbled, somewhat confused by her response. She used to spend as much time at our house with Zoe as possible, which meant we couldn't help but run into each other from time to time.
As far as I knew, I didn't do anything to hurt her before. I'd be ashamed of myself if I had.
"Time changes people," she murmured, crossing her arms over her chest with a look of discomfort on her face.
"I can't argue that, but I can assure you, you're a hell of a lot safer here with me than out there right now."
Wearing her refusal well, she still didn't look at me. "But I don't know that for sure."
Realizing I had to make a decision and needed her trust before we could reach any kind of agreement or understanding, I glanced at the door behind me before looking back at her.
"Fine, then. If you agree to answer my questions, I'll step away from the door, and you can decide if you'd rather face what's out there or lay low here with me," I proposed, lifting a brow. "Sound like a plan?"
Lydia finally met my gaze, her face lighting up slightly at the prospect of obtaining her freedom again. However, the realization—the side of her bargain she'd have to uphold—seemed to put a damper on that brief excitement. Still, she let go of a breath and nodded once.
"All right," I began, taking several steps away from the door to give her some space; I leaned against the wall instead. "First, why did you run away from Jack? What made you leave to the point of collapsing?"
It was the biggest, most pressing question in my mind, and I needed to know if he had crossed a line.
I needed to understand the confusion, anger, and fear surrounding her, even if it meant prying.
Letting go of another breath, Lydia couldn't meet my eyes as she considered the question and held herself a bit tighter. A faint, embarrassed color filled her cheeks.
I could sense her hesitance, and while I wanted to be patient with her, she had agreed to the arrangement.
Despite my frustration with the situation, I pushed it aside and did my best to seem approachable. It wasn't meant to be an interrogation, after all.
"Lydia, I know this must be difficult, and I understand your hesitance, but I just want to help," I began, leveling with her as smoothly as possible. "I found you collapsed in the grass behind a bar with little to no explanation, and at the very least, I'd like to know why you ended up there in the first place. Our past doesn't give me a right to you or your personal life, but I'd like to believe it's enough of a foundation for trust. I'm here to listen and do whatever I can to ensure your safety."
My words made her look up at me with a glimmer of emotion that even I couldn't decipher, but I watched as those cracks in her defenses began to form.
Even if she was hesitant about being near me, referencing our past seemed to soften the edges of her resolve. It was enough for me to work with.
Pushing up from my relaxed position, I took a few careful steps toward her, hoping she would find comfort in my support. "I don't know what happened or why you seem afraid of me now, but I want to understand. Please, allow me that much."
Looking down at her, wearing my sincerity on my sleeve, I felt something move within my chest.
The internal conflict she was enduring as it knitted her brows together made me want to reach out and smooth those troubled lines. I wanted to put her at ease, regardless of her response.
But given the tension and her doubt as it lingered in the air, I didn't want to overstep. I couldn't trample her boundaries, regardless of how curious I was.
At that moment, I couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she looked, even while silently questioning how much she should and shouldn't share with me.
The mental acknowledgment of how much she had grown and changed made that sensation in my chest swell even more, catching me off guard slightly.
Pushing the thoughts aside, I had to remind myself that this wasn’t about me. It was about Lydia and figuring out her situation.
Her ears were tinged pink as she broke the eye contact again, apparently finding it easier to stare at the floor than my face. It brought me back to those old days—when she'd get flustered if I caught her looking in my direction.
Even if I didn't really appreciate it then, it was endearing. Part of me wished we could apply that dynamic again to find a common ground.
Closing her eyes as she let go of another breath, it was like the dam had finally cracked enough to give way beneath the pressure, and at last, I was about to get my way.