39

"Unchanged, but with my brother's attention now on you, I have hope again." She smiled and stared into the rainy forest until she turned back to me and we walked back to the cabin together.

"Do you think I should talk to Ludwig?" I asked her, hoping that she would make the decision for me, but she just shrugged. "It's between you two, but I'm sure he didn't mean it badly."

I thought to myself that somehow she was right. He'd done the same thing that Ethan and Lou did, but he'd also lied to me about his wife and kissed me. I stopped a few meters from the cabin and wiped the rain off my face while Lou looked at me questioningly.

"Then please send him out," I turned to her, biting my lower lip nervously as I always did in such situations. She nodded to me and then disappeared into the hut, from which my blond angel appeared only a few seconds later.

"Hey," he mumbled, tucking one hand into his black pants. He seemed almost as nervous as me. He obviously knew he hurt me and no matter what happened between me and Jayden in the moment, he would always be my first kiss. "Hey," I replied and started walking deeper into the forest. I didn't want to be overheard and I'm sure he didn't either.

He followed me in silence until we stopped in the same spot where I was standing with Lou. "So?" I looked at him questioningly while leaning against a tree to protect myself at least a little from the rain that kept dripping on my face.

"Bringing you closer to Jayden was the right thing to do," he began, leaning against a tree across from me. "I'm not psychic, but I sense danger and I felt it more and more intensely the further away you got from him."

I listened to him intently while staring at the floor and preparing my questions. "And why did you kiss me and not tell me your wife?"

He leaned forward, eyes wide, staring at me in confusion. "My what?" he asked startled and I frowned angrily. "Yes! Your redhead wife!" I raised my voice, annoyed that he was still lying to me.

"I don't have a wife! What made you think of that? I'm the opposite of a devil and you think I'm capable of juggling two women?" He came closer and gave me a questioning look, but all I could see was his beautiful blond hair, which shone even in the dark. I tore myself away from the sight and turned back to his face.

"After all, you stole years of my life with your kiss, so yes, I might have thought you capable of something like that. And to your other question, it was Ethan," I explained without taking my eyes off his. "So you believe Ethan more than me?" "No, I didn't know what to believe anymore, that's why we're having this conversation."

He leaned against my tree next to me so our shoulders were touching and took a deep breath. "I don't have a wife, Ethan must have said that to drive you into Jayden's arms," ​​he said softly, turning his face to mine. "You wouldn't have kissed me otherwise," I whispered, catching myself thinking back to the kiss.

"I think so," he began, gently stroking my cheek. "Even with a wife, I couldn't have resisted you." He got closer and my heart started pounding like crazy. I watched in slow motion as he closed his eyes and his lips came menacingly close, but before he touched me I reached out and slapped him, making me gasp in shock myself. Only when I realized what had just happened did I clench my fists in anger.

"Do you still have them all? You tell me how important my connection to Jayden is and not a minute later you want to kiss me!?" I turned my back on him and wanted to start marching when he held my arm back. "I'm sorry. I thought, I mean, it looked like you wanted that too."

I yanked my arm from him and stood there furious, like a ticking time bomb about to go off. "No, I didn't mean to!" I hissed, wondering if that was the truth I was throwing at him.

I was so angry. Not just him, me too, the rain, the forest and everything that was around me right now. "Ludwig, let's just forget about it and never do that again," I warned him, looking down at the same time. "Okay," he murmured softly, and we walked back to the hut together, but not together. I didn't want to talk anymore and just wanted to feel the security that Jayden could give me.

Does he stay to the movie? do i tell someone What was that anyway? How am I supposed to survive the evening if it stays there?

Questions over questions followed me on my way, which not even the rain could wash away and only when I saw Ethan in front of the front door could I breathe calmingly again. I'd rather think about that idiot than the one walking behind me with my head down.

As we stood together in front of Ethan, Ludwig actually wanted to say goodbye, but the Beta apparently found it amusing to stop him.

"Oh, Ludwig, old house. Stay. We'll watch a good film and have a good time." Ethan walked up to the blond, put his arm around his shoulders and grinned cheekily at me, which made me wonder if he'd just overheard the situation.

The two led me back inside and I reluctantly followed. I would have loved to be alone with Jayden. I imagined this evening as something calming, but it turned out to be the complete opposite.

I hesitantly entered the cabin last, closing the door behind me while Ethan curled up on the couch with Ludwig, Chace sat in a chair next to him, and Lou appeared to be in the bedroom with Jayden. "Sit down," Ethan said to me, scooting away from Ludwig to urge me to sit between them. I could see it clearly in his provocative facial expression. He had noticed that Ludwig wanted to kiss me and he used it to make my evening unenjoyable.

I didn't want to make him feel like he'd caught me doing anything, after all I hadn't done anything bad either, so I smiled kindly and walked over to the couch to sit down carefully between them.

It felt weird just sitting there with everyone and the silence that filled the room made me really uncomfortable. I glanced at Ludwig, who avoided my gaze in embarrassment, and then to my other side at Ethan, who was grinning to himself. I used to be told that everyone had angels and devils on their shoulders, but it was only on this day and as an adult that I realized how true this saying was.

I didn't lean back, took a deep breath and waited for the silence to break, which it did shortly after. Lou angrily stomped past us, gave Chace a destructive look, and left the cabin in a rage. I wanted to get up, but Ethan put his arm around me. "Let her. These are quarrels, the two of them can only settle them among themselves," he whispered menacingly in my ear and then made no move to take his arm away again.

Chace next broke the silence by rising from his chair and heading for the door, but Ethan pulled his arm away from my shoulder and leaned forward, growling. "What are you up to?" he said in a loud voice to Chace, who just silently gave him the middle finger and then disappeared out the door.

I looked over at Ludwig, who, like me, had observed the situation but didn't want to get involved either. Only the Alpha, who entered the room at that moment, could change that. "Shut down, Ethan," he said to the trembling Beta next to me, who then jumped up so quickly that I held my breath and my heart skipped a beat.

"Shut down Ethan," he began to ape Jayden, who just stood there glaring at his beta. "What's your damn problem?!" he retorted to the upset chain smoker, ruffling his black hair.

Ludwig and I sat there as if we were in a cinema and watched what was happening curiously and tensely. All that was missing was popcorn, I thought, and I would have laughed at that thought if the situation hadn't gotten more and more heated.

"What's my problem?" Ethan began, stunned, and took a deep breath. "Chace doesn't have any respect anymore and runs after your sister despite being forbidden! Plus all these changes!" He pointed to the table where the bowls of sweets were still like last time. Two bright scented candles were new that I hadn't noticed before, although they looked really nice.

"I don't even know anymore if I'm with you or in a nursing home! Oh yes, let's not forget the smoking ban, as if you were in a holy temple here!" Ethan swallowed hard after throwing all that at Jayden, but Jayden just smiled. "The one with the cigarettes probably upsets you the most."

Jayden grinned cheekily at Ethan, who was obviously furious. He glanced at me, then turned back to the Alpha. "You think it's all funny, don't you? I'm just the beta who's saved your ass so many times. I get the middle finger as a thank you. Take care of his sister yourself! I shouldn't care."

He turned away from Jayden and walked over to the door to pause in front of her again. "Oh yes, the fact that the two of them almost made out in the woods earlier will surely amuse you too." Now Ethan was the one smiling while I held my breath and Ludwig next to me looked like all the color was draining from his face.

The door slammed loudly, leaving only the three of us and the loud growl of the Alpha, who took slow steps towards us.

My heartbeat quickened, even though I hadn't even done anything. But I also didn't want the two of them to fight again. My blood froze at the thought, but I still decided to get up and stand between the two of them so that all the attention was on me.