Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
‘We’re days away from when I need to break the curse,’ I said, my voice dangerously edged.
‘On the autumn moon, I need to cast the spell that will show me the way to my soulmate, who I need to share true love’s kiss with.
I need Silas to already be standing beside me, and this night was supposed to bring me one step closer to that.
I didn’t want any variables ruining it – can you understand how much pressure I’m under? ’
Orion didn’t say anything for a stretch of time.
‘You’re so sure he’s your soulmate, aren’t you?’ he finally asked, and there was that challenge in his voice.
‘He’s a good guy –’ I began, but Orion cut me off.
‘Please, don’t give me his accolades right now,’ he said, and then pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing in deeply.
I watched him, anger replaced with weary confusion. ‘What are you doing here, Hawthorne?’
His sighed, dropping his hand to look at me.
‘Last summer, Celine asked me to give her a shot at a true relationship. I told her I wasn’t interested because I was leaving for MAC.
And because –’ He swallowed the words and then pivoted.
‘It doesn’t matter. Either way, when I came back this time, we agreed on one shot. This was it.’
‘And?’ I whispered, my heart aching for reasons I refused to examine. For reasons I was choosing to be blind to.
‘And it was a bust, because all I could think about was you,’ Orion said, so blunt it made my heart stop. ‘After the party, I’ve been a little off-kilter. When you said you were going to the cinema with Silas, I got a little … protective.’
‘Protective,’ I said, dumbly.
Orion lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. ‘Couldn’t help it, Reverie. You might trust him, but I don’t.’
‘So that’s why you’re here? To give your relationship with Celine a shot,’ I reiterated. ‘And ruin my night?’
Orion looked like he was about to say something else, but the doors to the cinema opened again, and Celine strolled out.
She looked breathtaking against the moonlight, and her face was made of all soft and serious lines.
I felt my hackles raise at the sight of her, and I knew it was unfair.
She’d done nothing to me, and I didn’t hate her – not in the slightest.
It was just that the younger version of myself had wanted to be her so badly. And a year later, that feeling still persisted.
When she finally reached us, I felt myself step into the shadows of her presence, and become smaller than I felt.
‘Orion,’ Celine said pointedly.
‘Cel,’ he responded, nervously. What did he have to be nervous about?
Celine rolled her eyes, a smile breaking out on her face.
‘I can’t wait to see the girl who finally gets your heart, Orion Hawthorne,’ she said, and then stepped away from him.
I was sure she was going to leave, but she cast me a glance over her shoulder, her tone full of sincerity. ‘And that’s a cute sweater, Maya.’
And with that, she walked away. I watched feeling all too dumbfounded. I had to physically shake my head to bring me back to reality.
‘Are you disappointed?’ I asked, turning back to the dragon shifter.
‘With it not working out with her?’ he asked, and I nodded. Orion laughed, the sound coiling around my ears. ‘No, Reverie. Tonight was a success in my books.’ His gaze traced my face again. ‘I learned a lot.’
I didn’t pry, didn’t ask what he’d learned. I felt him waiting for me to ask, but I wasn’t going to. Just like I wasn’t going to touch on those feelings that I’d buried deep in my memories. Feelings that would fade once I confirmed Silas was my soulmate.
Silas.
I turned around quickly, looking for the werewolf.
I saw him leaving and was about to shoo Orion away, but I didn’t have to.
When I glanced back, he was already in the air – fully shifted, his long, serpentine body stretched across the dark expanse of sky, his pointed tail swishing in powerful strokes behind him.
I watched as he flew away, his huge wings causing scattered leaves to flutter in the air.
I always thought he looked magnificent when he shifted, even when we were kids.
‘Maya?’
Silas’s voice pulled my attention back to him.
I moved to where he was standing, hands tucked into his jacket, blonde hair falling over his forehead and a worried look in his eyes.
In front of the theatre, under the moonlight, should have been a good place to confess my feelings for him.
But, before I could say anything, Silas made his own declaration.
‘I should probably tell you that I hate horror movies,’ Silas blurted out, surprising me. ‘But you were so excited, so I didn’t say no. I didn’t want you to think I was a wimp.’
I couldn’t fault him for keeping quiet. Didn’t I tell him I liked peach rings? Didn’t I pretend to enjoy rugby? Maybe that’s how every relationship started, with a bunch of white lies that help you get a foot in the door.
‘From now on, only honesty,’ Silas swore, with the kind of voice that made it sound like an oath. I gave him a small smile, and I knew this wasn’t the right moment to share my feelings – not when he was still wound up from the movie, and I felt like a tornado had swept through me.
This wasn’t how I wanted our love story to start.
‘Only honesty,’ I agreed, hoping I sounded just as sure as him.