Number 30
The sound of the keys jingling could be likened to teasers for the main drama – the drama she was going to act when Roman walked through that door. Her face was already wet, her eyes, red from the tears pouring incessantly and effortlessly.
The moment of truth arrived! The door knob tilted and the fellow from the other side dragged it open.
The scene that met with Damien’s gaze sent shivers down his spine. Lorelei?!! Despite the tears gushing from her eyes, he remained careful not to fall into his own trap by blabbing and exposing himself since he was still unsure of how much she heard. But wasn’t it obvious though?
“Damien how could you?” she asked with a quavering voice.
Taking precautionary measures, Damien remained silent and just shook his head slowly.
“Cut it out already, I heard everything!”
Boom! His suspicions were cleared, his questions, answered. She heard ‘everything’. It was then it dawned on our Alpha prince that all hell’s been let lose.
“Lei I can…”
“Shut that gutter you call a mouth!” she cut in abruptly. “You’re an alpha prince? Did you think because I was human and couldn’t tell, you could deceive me and play with my emotions?” she blubbered.
“L…L…Lor…,” he stuttered.
“Why’re you stuttering? Do you want to lie again to me that you just regained your sense of speech?!” she scolded. “I’m disappointed in you, Roman! And to think I fell for your antics.”
“There were no antics. Just calm down and let me explain,” he gesticulated.
“There’s nothing left to hear from you, Roman. You lied to me all this while, pretending to be mute when in actuality, you’re an heir to the throne of the Crimson Fangs???!” she stressed the latter. What a bombshell! “How could you, Roman? How could you?” she wailed.
His cover was blown, it felt like he came to a dead end. Whenever Lei was in that condition, talking to her was only by the grace of the gods. But he still had to go for it. He knew there were no other exits or turns, so he had to somehow create one – by apologizing to her first.
“Lorelei please listen to what I have to say,” he said to Lorelei who won’t even glance at him once. “Lorelei?” he called out mildly. “Please let me explain,” he closed the distance between them and tried to touch her when she retraced her steps in a bid to keep her distance from him.
“I’m disgusted! I trusted you, Roman,” she sniffled.
Lorelei felt betrayed. Come to think of it. She’s known Roman for years and throughout their stay together, never for once did she hear him utter a word. When she heard his voice earlier, she could not even recognize whose it was, as she was completely oblivious to how he sounded. How he managed to keep her fooled all these years, struck her the most. If he for a fact could speak, how many more secrets did he keep away from her? Not only did she feel betrayed, feelings of sneer were not left out entirely. She’d honestly liked and cared for Roman, thinking he was weak and needed her shielding. The grand divulgence that just occurred made the vague picture she painted in her head clear – she was in fact the one in need of his protection. A mere human protecting an alpha?! Ridiculous beyond imagination!
“Move!” she pushed him aside and forced her way through only to meet with another obstruction – Ivy. “Where’s my child?” she glared at her spitefully.
“Calm down,” Ivy urged.
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” she backfired. “Go in there…,” she pointed nowhere in particular, “and bring my son!” she ordered.
“Please calm down,” Ivy kept asking politely.
Lorelei hissed and tried to make her way past Ivy, but she kept standing in her way whichever direction she turned to.
“In addition to conniving with this despicable spy, you dare to keep me away from my own child?” she stressed the ‘my’ emphatically.
“You have to listen to what Damien has to say,” she requested placidly.
“And if I don’t?,” she paused for a reply which did not come. “Move,” another attempt to go through failed.
“You have to listen to my Lord.” Lorelei scoffed jeeringly.
“Your lord?” she echoed.
“Agreeable, it was wrong to have kept you in the dark for too long…,”
“You didn’t …”
“but that doesn’t alter the fact that Damien is the alpha prince Crimson Fangs pack,” ignoring her intrusion, she continued. “He’s undeniably going to be the next Alpha. And I’m sure being human doesn’t mean you have forgotten about the hierarchy in this part of the world. He deserves your respect so accord him such,” she informed, making her scoff again.
“My ultimate respect?” She scoffed repeatedly in disbelief.
“Yes, your ultimate respect. That’s how things are done in our own world. We pay serious attention to the issue of hierarchy here and you know it. You have to listen to him, Lorelei,” she resounded. Lorelei kept wiping her face repeatedly with her shaky hands.
“And what more do I have to…,” Before she could finish her sentence, Damien pulled her into his embrace forcefully and held on to her tightly as she struggled to free herself from his grip.
“Leave me alone,” she kept struggling but oh well, if it were a case of physical strength, she stood no chance against him.
“Please listen to me.” He eventually yielded, letting her pull herself few inches away from him.
“I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to do any of this.”
“I know you wouldn’t have trusted me if I revealed my identity to you. I didn’t intend to deceive you in any way.” Lorelei kept looking away, avoiding eye contact. “I also know how badly Alpha Damien treated you and abandoned you.” For the first time in minutes, Lei turned to stare at him directly, looking fazed. Roman understood the stare and affirmed once again by nodding his head.
“The two packs are ganging up against the Crimson Fangs. Revealing my identity would not only be lethal to me, but also to you. I hope you understand.” She looked away again.
“I…,” he took her left hand, “promise…,” he took the right and held them together, “to eliminate Damien and give you back your peace of mind,” he completed his sentence and pulled her into his embrace again.
“I’m sorry,” he patted a sobbing Lei on her head, providing her troubled soul solace.