AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Aurelia wouldn’t throw our friendship away like that. Not on purpose.
That was what I had to keep telling myself. That there was reasoning to this and I’d have to figure shit out in the next three days if I wanted her to remain alive.
Without much thought, I began to slip into the attire while my mind drifted to multiple things.
When would Roberto’s funeral be? What would he want us to dress him in? Black suit? Tan? I never really knew what his favorite color was. What should I do about his assets, businesses, and everything he left behind? Will I have to work alongside Mother with this? Did she want me to participate? Or did she want to take the lead?
Thinking about the looming uncertainties made me sigh as I paused in buttoning my coat — my hands already trembling with fear.
“Breathe, Alpha.”
I blinked out of my daze just as large hands slowly wrapped around my trembling ones. I watched as they gently gripped mine, stopping them from further shaking while the firm surface of Beta Malachite’s chest pressing against my back further ground me in my spot.
“Take deep breaths,” he instructed, and I felt the need to listen to him as I began to do exactly that. I took deep inhales and exhales, again and again, to the point that I was mimicking his breathing pattern.
We stayed exactly like that for a few minutes before he guided my hands in buttoning up the suit jacket until it showed a smidge of my cleavage.
“Everything is going to fall right in place,” he coached. “Stop letting your mind wander and focus on what you can fix and change.”
His voice was far from condescending. It was soft, delicate in nature, while his energy simply soothed me just like his touch. I slowly nodded my head while allowing myself to take a few more calming breaths.
When I didn’t feel so overwhelmed, I allowed myself to relax and close my eyes for a few seconds.
“I’m okay,” I finally announced with one more inhale. Letting it out, I turned into his hold to face his calm expression — not a hint of judgment in sight. “Thanks, Beta Malachite.”
“You can just call me Malachite, you know,” he pointed out though his eyes were still peering at me as if to ensure I truly was okay.
“Hmmm. I’ll think about it,” I voiced and watched him roll his eyes before he turned away.
“I need a smoke real quick.”
“I didn’t know you smoke,” I voiced.
“Sometimes,” he muttered and headed to the door. “If you need me, simply say my name and I’ll be back.”
“Okay.”
I watched him leave but wasn’t expecting Jayce to enter his steed. Closing the door, he glanced my way before walking over to where I stood.
“You okay?” he immediately asked and didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around my waist to pull me close. “You look pale as hell.”
“I probably almost had a panic attack I think,” I admitted with a shy smile and stepped into his arms, knowing he wouldn’t hesitate to embrace me. “This is probably the most nerve-wracking, panic-inducing moment in my life and I’m not even getting married.”
He lowly chuckled and hugged me a bit tighter.
“There’s a lot at stake, isn’t there?”
“There is,” I whispered into his chest. “And it’s overwhelming, Jayce. Frighteningly overwhelming that no matter how many times I mentally tell myself things are going to be okay, I am bombarded with all the reasons why it won’t be okay. I’ve never dealt with so much anxiety like this. It makes me wonder if I’ve lost my spark or something.”
“You haven’t lost your spark, Rebel Flower,” he comforted me as he rubbed my back. “A lot has happened and is still happening. As much as you may wish to be Superwoman, you’re not. Our world is still rather new to you and no one should expect you to be perfect in a matter of weeks. Not even yourself.”
Letting me go, he ran his hands through my hair, loosening the tight curls that I’d yet to comb through just so he could admire the wave pattern of my pink locks.
"Let’s not worry ourselves about how we’re gonna solve shit,” he encouraged. “Let’s focus on one task at a time, starting with you proving to these fuckers you ain’t some pushover.”
“Why do I feel like you overheard something I didn’t?” I pondered but leaned up to kiss him.
“Apparently guarding in disguise helps when you want to know the hidden tea around here,” he teased with a wink. “You look hot in this suit.”
