Chapter 40

Selene

When I come back into the room, both Sam and Makayla are sitting up, their attention instantly zeroing on me.

"Ooh, what are you smiling about?" Sam teases, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Phoenix," Makayla answers for me with a knowing smirk. "They like each other, but they're both being so awkward and secretive about it."

"Why are you resisting him so hard, Selene?" Sam probes, leaning in with genuine curiosity. "From that smile on your face, it's clear you love him, right? Why not go for what you want?"

The truth is I'm not resisting him. I just don't want to end up getting hurt. I've never met someone like him; Sometimes I hate him, other times, he's so considerate and understanding. One moment he's cold as ice, the next, he's passionately kissing me or embracing me the way he did downstairs. It's so strange and confusing. Before we actually become a thing, I want to make sure he loves me too, and he's not just playing with my emotions for sex.

I can't get hurt again. It took me a long time to get over Zack.

"Tell me, something. Does your wolf react to him?" Makayla suddenly asks.

I furrow my brows. "Yeah. Why?"

That's normal. Our wolves usually react to anyone we're attracted to.

She hums, twirling a strand of her. "No big deal...except, what if he's your second-chance mate?"

I feel my face scrunch up like a used tissue. "What? Don't be ridiculous...I would've felt that by now."

Sam shrugs, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe, maybe not. I heard your second-chance mate is harder to detect. The Moon Goddess wants you to work for that love, instead of just locking eyes and finding it like the first time. What if he's yours and the Moon Goddess just hasn't revealed it yet?"

Could he be? No, that's still a ridiculous thought. We're nothing alike, there's just sexual tension between us that we haven't been able to completely satisfy yet.

"Only time with tell," Makayla adds with a smile. "But why don't we go downstairs and grab a bottle a wine? I saw some in the cabinet when I was down there."

I breathe a sigh of relief, eager to escape this conversation. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

I wonder if Makayla feels weird about Jamie and Loki being here together. But that would only be the case if she had feelings for both of them, and I've only gotten the vibe that she thinks of Loki as an older brother.

We all head back downstairs, and to my surprise, Loki is standing by the door. I thought he went with Phoenix, but I guess he stayed behind. Maybe it was to make sure we were protected, or it could be because he doesn't want to be around Jamie.

Okay, I really need to stop reading into things and making up fake drama. We don't even know if this is really the Loki from Makayla's childhood or not.

"Hey, do you know anything about Loki?" I ask Sam through mind-link so Loki and Makayla don't hear.

"Not really. I did hear something in the office yesterday, since he just got back in town. Apparently, he's really introverted and he's been through a lot. I mean, that's obvious with the whole scarred face and stuff, but when they say he's been through it, they mean some really traumatic shit that he almost died from."

Goddess. I actually feel bad for him. He almost died, and now everyone else is afraid of him. He must feel lonely and misunderstood all the time.

I glance at the kitchen, and see Loki standing beside Makayla, opening the bottle of wine for her. Her cheeks are flaming red, and she's trying not to look him in the eyes.

Okay, this is more awkward than me and Phoenix.

I really hope I don't look like that. Although, not that I think about it, that's probably what I looked like earlier when I was trying not to touch him.

I watch as Loki leans down and whispers in Makayla's ear, and thankfully I'm not focusing on what they're saying so I don't hear it. There's a long silence as Loki squeezes her shoulder gently and walks away. Makayla just stands there, staring after him.

"Oh my Goddess, what do you think he said to her?" I ask Sam telepathically.

"Nothing good if she's making that face."

Shit, let me go check on her.

I walk over to Makayla, taking her hand while she just continues to watch Loki from across the room. Her eyes are wide, and she looks lost in her thoughts.

If he said something to hurt her, I swear, I'll kick his ass. I don't care how big and terrifying he is.

"What did he say to you?" I ask her through mind-link, glancing over at Loki, who's leaning against the door, engrossed in his phone.

"H-He said that he wasn't the Loki I remembered."

My eyes widen. That means he does recognize her from their childhood, but why would he tell her something like that?

"What do you think he meant by that?" I ask her.

She shakes her head, her expression tinged with sadness. "It doesn't matter. I guess he just doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Or maybe he just doesn't want to disappoint you. He has been through a lot, so he isn't that innocent boy he was when you both were growing up together. Maybe he's just trying to warn you that you shouldn't expect for him to be the same."

"You really think so?"

I nod, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Yeah, I think he still cares about you, and now that you know that he's your Loki, you can work on reconnecting and becoming friends again, while of course, accepting that he is different now."

Her eyes soften, and she offers a small, hopeful smile. "Thanks, Selene. Maybe you're right. I just need to give it more time, let him open up to me when he's ready."

I smile in return. "That's a good idea. Now, let's take this bottle back upstairs and watch us a cheesy rom-com."