Fractured Bonds
Chapter 45
Lucia Lorenzo's POV
This morning, I woke up to find myself under a big arm. Not the ideal way to begin the day.
"BLAINE."
Not a reply.
I gave him a slight prod, but all he does is press down harder and say something gibberish. So I follow everyone else's lead.
"Oh shit! Did you just bite me, Goddamn it?" Blaine stammers away. He expresses his rage, sleep still casting a shadow over his eyes.
He sounds exactly like the boy who used to tug on my braids when I was a kid, so I throw my head back and laugh.
"What are you laughing so hard about?" Even as he mumbles the words, I can feel his gaze following my every move.
"Recounting your days as a child bully," I responded. He flinches.
"I was angry at the world."
"You still seem angry at the world."
He met my eyes and said, "Not as much."
I can't believe what he said. I can't risk him pushing away again, even though I have a ton of questions for him. He inhales deeply before continuing.
"Love, I cannot guarantee you. I promise to keep you safe even if I can't give you the happily ever after. You won't ever be without anything because I'll give you whatever you want. This is my sacred vow to you."
He's standing away from me, and though he didn't move, it appears as if the space between us increased. How do I tell him that I don't want anything? I just want him.
"So you can love her, but you cannot love me."
The words came out before I could stop them.
"A part of what I feel for you is more than the entirety of what I felt for Mirabel. Do not compare yourself to such a woman."
I blink, and he has already left the room. With a sign, I dump myself on our bed. My hands run through my hair in irritation. Maybe one day we will love each other, but that day is not anytime soon.
I sat there with my thoughts for a moment, then the doorbell rang. Blaine never had visitors, so I am caught off guard. I hurriedly put on my grey silk robe and patted down my hair. I forgo the mirror, too terrified to look at my reflection.
By the time I've made it to the door, Blaine has too. I can immediately tell by the fragrance who is at the door. Blaine's palm grips the metal handle as he swings open the door.
"Lucia!"
My mother rushes herself at me. She's always been about the drama, and I despise myself for not expecting it.
"Oh, Lucia my child, the house is so empty without you," my dad exclaims before pulling me into an embrace. My dad delivers the finest hugs, so I make sure to relish them. I hesitate to inform him that I've been out of the house for years.
The smile that had spread over my face from being visited by my parents disappears when I notice who is heading up the steps to the house. Her light brown hair captures the sunlight as it bounces off her shoulders. She walks with confidence as if she had traversed this journey a hundred times before. An awful thought hit me at that moment.
Has she been here before? Has she been awed over the design of this gorgeous mansion as I have? Did Blaine tell her she looked perfect while she lay naked on his bed? Nausea grips me as I think about others doing the things I do with him. I am not an idiot. I know they have had sex before, but the pang of concern will always be there.
Will he go back to her? Did he have a better time with her than me? The insecurity I feel is so unfamiliar because I have always been sure of myself.
I want to toss her out. The impulse to grab her and throw her into the lake that our house overlooks is tremendous, yet I didn't. Blaine could be my mate, but she is my sister. We came into this world together, and that's a bond that is hard to break.
It's always been hard to be upset with her, and it is no different now since every time I look at her face, I think about her on the floor of our house, weeping. Her face was so crimson as she grasped her chest and felt the partner she never got a chance to meet be ripped away.
"Luna," she says as she reaches for the door. I can tell by her tone that she feels I do not deserve the status of alpha female.
"Mirabel."
My arms itch to hug her, but my brain warns me not to. If she plans to disrespect me in my own home, then I have no thoughts of exchanging pleasantries.
She pulls me aside and enters. Her eyes immediately land on Blaine. They are full of longing and a bit of rage. I'm almost terrified to look at Blaine and see the same emotion echoing in his eyes. However, when I look over at him, he almost appears bored.
Trust that man to look bored in such a difficult situation. I stood by him as we both glanced at my sister, who was solely looking at him.
"So this is the place that should have been mine," Mirabel said as she twisted to get a good look at the house.
I hear Blaine grind his teeth. Before he gets a chance to say anything, I beat him to it.
"No need for the blatant disrespect, Mirabel."
"No? You snatched my whole life from me, and you want to talk about disrespect?"
She takes a step forward.
"You know what's disrespectful, Lucia? My quiet twin sister, who Blaine always found annoying, became the alpha's mate."
She takes another stride, and she's right in front of me.
"Let's not forget who had him first, sister."
She spits the word sister like it's an insult. As if I am not worthy of being linked to her.
My hand takes her wrist, and I squeeze it in a stronghold. The vibrations of her pulse quicken as I drive my claws into her arm. Her glare hits mine in an icy clash. One side is motivated by fury, and the other is motivated by retaliation.
"You don't get to walk into my house and disrespect me. I am your Luna, and you shall regard me as such."
The tone of my voice never wavers. It's constant, never too loud, and never too quiet. I could disgrace her in front of our family if I wanted to. I could use my alpha command and even make her kneel, but I chose not to.
"Leave..."
The words were cut in my mouth. This is not the way our future is supposed to be. She was meant to be by my side. We would have family dinners together and exchange the pack gossip. Everything went wrong. And I don't know how to mend it, even though I truly want to.
