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“Do you want to talk about it?” Denver asks, his tone tinged with concern as he looks between me and Greyson’s retreating form. His words break through my thoughts, his presence helping to ease some of the ice from my veins as fear and sorrow had frozen me in place.
“Not really.” I turn to face him fully. A flurry of thoughts descends on me, my mind fighting between plummeting back into the anxiety that just gripped me only moments ago and the helplessness I feel when it comes to Greyson.
“Is what he said true though? Do you feel the same way about him?” Denver asks, with no hint of incredulity in his tone. I search his expression, seeing none of the jealousy I might’ve expected. His question helps me to focus, clearing the fog that has settled over me, muddling my brain.
“I do,” I admit, a weight lifting off my chest as I say the words aloud. “I feel the same way about him, that I do about you. It’s more than attraction, it’s like the match is goddess blessed.”
“Then you should go tell him that,” he says, a grin spreading across his face at the mention of our match.
“It’s complicated,” I sigh, unable to stop myself from searching for any glimpse of Greyson amongst the trees. “Plus, weren’t you just the one who was warning me about being seen with him a few weeks ago?”
“Life is complicated. Besides, if the match is truly goddess blessed, it will work out eventually,” Denver says, hope burning in his gaze, not just for Greyson, but for us as well.
I can’t help the smile that stretches across my lips, answering his own. My chest warms at the faith he has that it will all work out in the end, which helps to strengthen my own conviction.
“You’re lucky I’m a nice guy because after that I have half a mind to keep you selfishly to myself for a few hours, sunshine,” Denver drawls, reaching out to clasp my hand in his.
“Don’t get too full of yourself there, Prince,” I groan, scrubbing a hand over my face in an attempt to wipe away my smile. “I never should’ve told you that.”
“Well you did, and I’m never going to let you forget it, no matter how much I get on your nerves,” Denver says with amusement and tugs me closer. His strong arms wrap around me and press me against his hard chest. I relax into the embrace, some of the tension easing away at the comforting hug. “Not that I want to let you go, but you should probably go tell him that too.”
“But—”
“But what?” he asks, cutting me off. He steps back, his hands sliding up to rest on my shoulders. “Stop wasting time and get back here so I can show you who should really be at the top of the class.”
I slap his hands from my shoulders, staring up at him in disbelief. Here I was thinking he was about to make some empowering speech and that’s what he says.
“You already know what you need to do.” He chuckles, his cobalt-blue eyes sparkling. “Now get that sweet ass moving before I bite it.”
I balk at him for a moment, but think better of wasting more time—partly because I need to catch Greyson, and partly because I’m starting to think Denver is serious with the way his gaze gleams with intrigue.
I turn on my heel, launching into a sprint back up through the trees with Denver’s raucous laughter echoing behind me.
Bastard.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Greyson
Myheartsinkswithevery step I take through the thick trees as I force myself not to sprint away and at least keep some of my dignity. I tune out their voices behind me, not needing to hear that right now, not when the absence of footsteps behind me is deafening. Having sensed something was off, I stayed up most of last night guarding her door and followed after her this morning. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. I thought that if we got a chance alone we would be able to work everything out, but she just froze. I thought this could be our second chance, but it seems like it’s just the second time I let my heart break.
I scrub a hand over my face, barely registering the brush of the pine needles against my jacket as I head back towards the school. All of the old feelings came rushing back the moment that I locked eyes with her in the car. It’s so much more than attraction, almost like no matter how hard we try to fight against it we keep being brought back together.
We can’t keep doing this though. I can’t keep staring at her from across the table, hoping that today will be the day she takes that leap. There are obstacles that stand in our way, but the biggest one of all is her fear of being anything like her mother.
I’ve always left the ball in her court, waiting until she was ready, while clearly showing my feelings for her. But I guess I was wrong. Or maybe it was easier for her to not admit it to herself. I have no idea how she could even think for a second that she isn’t the only woman for me and my wolf.
I saw her answer on her face, the fear in her eyes. It’s not going to happen, and it never will. I can’t keep torturing myself, and I refuse to pressure her.
Of all people to interrupt us, it was Denver. They’ve always been rivals, their families pitting them against each other because of their centuries of history. Had there always been something more between them that I hadn’t noticed? I always knew she would take more than one partner, but I never thought that one of them would be Denver. But I have to admit that despite their families, he’d fit right into her life—unlike me.
I take a deep breath as I reach the break in the trees, nothing between me and the school now except the gazebo. Reality crashes into me with the change in landscape, those thoughts ringing in my mind.It’s never going to happen.
I drag one foot in front of the other unsure how I’m even standing at this point as my world shatters around me. I made sure I was at the top of my class so I could be here with her, hoping to get another chance, to show her what it could be, but it’s over before it even started. I lose my sense of time, the seconds seeming to drag on like hours until the white painted wood of the gazebo fills my vision. Grasping the closest column of the gazebo, I lean against it, needing a moment to collect my thoughts before I continue.
I don’t want Aria or anyone else to see the gaping hole that’s opened in my chest, and right now I can’t hide the devastation from my face. I shift, about to sit on one of the benches when a panting breath stops me dead in my tracks.
“Greyson,” Aria gasps, her footsteps pounding against the grass as she breaks through the last row of trees.
