Chapter 23
Elena
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“I’m sorry,” I whispered as I tried to quickly dry my eyes, feeling mortified that I was breaking down with him present, like I’ve not embarrassed myself enough today.
The car slowed to a stop then warm hands were pulling my hands off my face, then his face was filling my eyesight.
“Hey, hey… calm down, okay?”
“You probably hate me now and it’s fine. I’m sorry for dragging you into my own mess. I didn’t realize it was this bad.” I continued as I tried to wipe my face after pulling a hand free from Eric’s gentle grip.
“I don’t hate you and stop blaming yourself for this, okay?” He suddenly said and I sniffed again.
“The public is very toxic. What they did to you was uncalled for, and they should be the one apologizing to you. And I’m really not mad or annoyed so you don’t need to apologize to me, okay?”
I sniffed again as I peered at him, trying to see if he was being honest or not and the honesty was clear in his eyes. It made me swallow a lump as I wiped at my cheek again.
“I’m still sorry though, you were dragged into my mess against your own will.” I mumbled as I glanced down at my fingers, suddenly feeling drained and numb.
“It’s fine, I promise, okay?”
Not knowing what else to say, I nodded and resumed driving. He looked calm as hell as he controlled the car, but I felt nervous as hell and like I was suddenly bared in his presence.
“I didn’t do all of that which I’m being accused of though.” I mumbled, feeling like I needed to set things straight because like others, he might have believed all that was online.
“Of course you didn’t.” He said, suddenly catching me off guard that I quickly whirled around to stare at me.
“Y–you believe me?” I whispered, my breath bated. He glanced off the road for a moment to stare at me then he nodded.
“Yeah. I know you couldn’t do something like that.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Someone actually believed me???
“you do?” I whispered again, voice shaky.
“Yes. I believe it’s something planned against you. You seem too sweet to be able to do something like that, so yes, I do believe you.”
As I blinked at Eric, I suddenly felt the urge to break down all over again from how relieved I currently feel.
Chapter 23
“Thank you.”
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“Of course I hope you still had fun today despite it ending the way it did?” He flashed me a little smile this time and I suddenly felt awed by him. He was literally the sweetest man to exist. Other men wouldn’t even be willing to drive me back to the palace, and they’d have talked my ears off with complaints. This man wasn’t doing any of that.
I nodded as I responded. “Yes, I did. Thank you so much, for the meal and for helping me escape the crowd.
He nodded with a grin. “Of course. Hopefully we’ll still be able to hang out?”
I nodded with a small smile. “Yes, that’s a given.”
Once we arrived at the palace, I knew there was trouble because Blaze was waiting for us, with video clips of Eric and I and the angry mob of reporters and people hurling words at us. I winced as his angry eyes settled on ms, right before he thrusted his phone into my face. It carried a picture of Eric when he had his arms around my shoulder, as he shielded me from the reporter trying to force me to speak.
“What the fuck is this supposed to mean?” He demanded, voice filled with so much rage that I flinched again.
“Why did you take her out? Did I give my permission??? So why?” He said to Eric this time, rage still stark across his face. Eric rolled his eyes as he folded his arms.
“I didn’t know that I was supposed to get your permission first. She’s not a child, she’s a freaking adult and she consented to coming out with me, so why do I need your permission?” Eric snapped in response and when Blaze’s eyes focused me again, I wished to disappear into thin air at once.
He was furious right now.
Fuck!
“You’ll not take her anywhere outside this palace again. Is that understood?” He thundered as he focused on Eric once again. Eric stopped closer to Blaze, holding his gaze as he spoke,
“And why the fuck would I not? You can’t tell me what to do in this aspect, Blaze. She’s a consenting adult and if she wants to come out with me, I’ll fucking take her out.” Eric bit out, voice filled with anger this time.
One moment, Blaze was still staring at Eric without speaking, then in the next, he was punching him hard in
the face.
A gasp tore from my throat and I blinked in horror, panic rising within me as the two alphas began to throw punches at each other.
“You greedy fuck, always wanting what belongs to me every damn time. My father, my throne and now my mate? How dare you question me? You’ll not take my mate from this palace and that’s final.”
Eric laughed maniacally and the sound rooted me with fear because it sounded quite crazy, a complete opposite of what comes to my mind when I think of him.
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Chapter 23
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“You’re lucky I brought her back here. I shouldn’t have.” Eric bit back and Blaze punched him hard in the
nose.
“Yeah, you shouldn’t have. Then I’d finally have a tangible excuse to rip your throat out.” Blaze shot back at Eric as they continued to beat each other up.
“Guys, please stop fighting,” I cried out, feeling extremely panicked as I stared between the two of them, Blaze was getting in way more punches but it still felt like he was holding so much strength back. Eric wasn’t going down with a fight and still seemed to be holding his own agsinst Blaze.
I glanced around, there was no one present. Who am I supposed to call to come pull them apart? I couldn’t possibly do that myself nor could I leave them to keep fighting right now.
I didn’t even predict that this could get Blaze angry. He said he was going to work after we returned from the hospital and had a little talk, so why was he waiting for us to return to present us videos and pictures of us out together?
I stepped outside the sitting room the fight was going down in, there were no guards in sight, and I returned back and decided to try separating them myself. I wouldn’t walk into their middle, I’d only try to stop them from the side.
“Guys… please stop fightin—” I was still speaking when a hard punch landed on my jaw, causing me to gasp as pain shot through my entire face, right as blood filled my mouth as a result of my teeth biting into my tongue from that impact.
It was silent around me and as I cradled my cheek, tears filled my eyes just as my eyes settled on the wide eyed look in Eric’s face as he regarded me, his mouth hanging open in shock. He was the one who had just mistakenly punched me.
“Elena…” he whispered just as Blaze cursed angrily.
“Now, look at what you’ve done. You’ve hurt her. You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
“The fuck would I hit a woman on purpose for? It was an accident, and I didn’t see her there.” He argued before facing me again, closing the distance between us.
“I’m so sorry…”
Before he could get to me, Blaze shoved him out of the way and was beside me in an instant, scooping me into his arms before I could blink.
“Keep your sorry to yourself, and don’t forget my warning to not take her from this palace again. You know I don’t like repeating myself twice, cousin.”
After that, Blaze turned and left with me cradled in his arms, while I tried to figure out what just happened.
“Hold still,” his voice was firm as he gently pressed a cloth against the swell of my jaw. I was flinching and winching at every touch because it hurt so fucking much. After Blaze carried me from that fight, he brought me into a room I didn’t recognize, but had to assume it was like a sick bay. Here, he settled me on the table and was currently standing between my legs as he tended to my injury.
His switch in personalities was giving me so much whiplash. One minute he was hot, the next he was cold as
Chapter 23
ice. Right now, I didn’t even know the personality to link him to.
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The silence was stretching out too much between us and I was starting to grow uncomfortable. So, I decided to speak.
“I…”
“Silence.” He shut me up quickly without looking up from my jaw and I swallowed the word down while trying to ignore the way his hands felt on my face right now. His hands were so large and one had my face cupped, his palm hot against my flushed face, while the other tended to my injury. All of this was making me feel funny on the inside. His face was so close to mine, and I could see how ridiculously long his lashes were or the way his lips were in a thin line, showing the irritated state he’s presently in, but my brain only found that look hot.
Something was definitely wrong with me.
“Only a dumb person would try to come between two fighting alphas. Why did you?” He suddenly asked and I flushed, feebly defending myself by explaining that I stayed at their sides.
“That’s still dumb.”
I bit my lips and remained silent as he began to rub an ointment into the swell. He was so gentle throughout this whole thing, like he knew what he was doing. This is something I never pictured him doing to me in forever.
“You’re so good at this.” I mumbled and he snorted after a few seconds.
“Of course I am, I have to be after doing this countless times for my two little sisters.”
I instantly perked up, cursorily swamping my mind at once.
“Little sisters?! I didn’t know you had sisters.”
His eyes narrowed as he finally dropped his hand from my face. “That’s none of your business.”
After that, he suddenly leaned forward and a squeak left my throat as I instinctively leaned backwards as well. Instead of pulling away, he placed both hands on the space behind my butt on the desk, then he leaned over me till there was barely any space between us. My heart was pounding hard, my eyes were blown wide as 1 stared up at him.
“Didn’t I ask you to stay away from Eric?”
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
