Chapter 131 - Not all wounds are visible

EMMA

The moment I heard a voice calling us out, panic seared in my chest in hot bursts.

“Stop what you're doing,” Lucas says. His voice is not loud, but his alarm is audible. He walks into the alley and has one hand over his eyes as he swings the other hand from left to right.

I blow out a breath of relief when I notice my brother coming into the alley. I let my head fall onto Hadrian’s chest. *Will we ever learn?* A part of me hopes not.

“What’s wrong?” I ask. The panic in his voice has me worried.

“Besides you fucking in an alley where everyone could see you if they walked in?” Lucas whisper-yells.

Hadrian releases me and I slide down his body. I don’t want to let go and my body is clammed around him.

“Besides that." Hadrian grumbles. He zips up his pants and I adjust my dress and hair. Hadrian adjusts himself and I can see the bulge straining in his jeans. Hadrian narrows his eyes at me when he catches me staring.

My cheeks start to burn and I dramatically look around and anywhere but him. I jumped him only minutes ago, I begged him to fuck me in an alley while there were people not far away. To say that I wasn’t thinking with my brain is an understatement. The desperation I feel for him is insurmountable. It’s almost animalistic.

“I lost the rings,” Lucas says, breaking my train of thought.

“You what?” Hadrian asks.

I catch up with what is being said when his words register in my clouded brain.

“I lost the rings,” Lucas repeats, his hand still covering his eyes. “Seriously, I thought you had supernatural hearing.”

Hadrian growls. “And I thought you had psychic abilities, can you not sense them?”

The rise and fall of his chest increases in pace with his irritation. I know Hadrian doesn’t like to be questioned about his abilities. Many have done that for most of his life. I place a hand on his arm to calm him down.

“They’re objects.” Lucas counters as if it explains everything. His voice starts to rise.

“Okay, calm down.” I look out to the entrance of the alley. I fear that people might be able to hear. Nobody seems to have though.

I step between my brother and Hadrian. “Arguing is not going to find the rings.”

Hadrian exhales and nods in agreement. “I agree.”

“Of course you do,” Lucas grumbles

“Do you want our help or not?” Hadrian gripes.

“We still have a few hours before the ceremony,” I say as I think out loud. We have to stay calm. Arguing is not going to find those rings.

“We better split up. It gives a better chance to find them. I’ll check the houses.” I say.

Hadrian leans towards me and places a kiss on my temple. He moves lower and his lips brush over the shell of my ear. His breath is hot and it leaves shivers over my spine. “I‘ll find you after and we’ll continue this.”

His words travel from my eardrums to my core. They pool together with the hot magma and create this inpatient ache. We better find those rings fast.

Hadrian moves away from me and exits the alley. “You can look.” He grumbles to my brother.

Lucas turns around with his hand still locked over his eyes. “I would rather not.” He turns to follow Hadrian and walks into the wall.

——————————

I turn over every inch in the living room. I search through every nook and cranny in the kitchen. *Nothing.* My optimism is wavering fast. Usually, whenever my brother loses something it’s always in the most obvious place. Not this time, however.

“Are you ready?” Dex asks. He walks into the kitchen as he fastens the cuff links on his shirt.

“No,” I grumble and turn back to lifting every lid from every pan.

“What are you doing?”

I continue to search around the kitchen. “Lucas lost the rings.”

“And you think he lost them in the refrigerator?” Dex fails to conceal the humorous hint in his voice.

My shoulders deflate and I close the door to the refrigerator. I sink to the floor and turn to Dex. “I searched every room in both houses.”

“Where’s Lucas?” Dex looks around before he lowers to his heels before me.

“He and Jack are searching around town.” My dress is rumpled and my hair is disheveled. Sweat gathers on my skin and my makeup is smudged.

“The ceremony is starting in fifteen minutes,” Dex says. He takes a breath and I notice that he’s wearing a white button-down shirt. It seems too clean on him somehow.

“I know, I don’t know what to do.” I gripe. I don’t know why he feels the need to remind me of the little time left.

“Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out.” He gives me an encouraging smile that has a confidence that I don’t feel.

So many people lean on Dex to figure things out. He keeps the town running, comes up with ideas for training and provides for the two houses. I don’t want to be one depending on him too, but he makes it so easy.

Dex offers his hand for me to get up. “Shall we?”

I watch his outstretched hand and don’t immediately make a move to take it. The tattoos on his knuckles peek around like curious critters climbing up his palm.

“One date, remember,” Dex says with a crooked smile.

“Don’t get any ideas in your head,” I say before I take his hand and he pulls me up. I want to make it clear that there is nothing but platonic friendship here.

“I don’t know, maybe I will sweep you off your feet.” His dimples are deep and his hazel eyes are playful. Any other girl in town would be swept off their feet, I’m sure of that.

I take a few minutes to address the hair and make-up situation. I clean away the smudges and tame the soft waves. Graciella helped me do my hair this morning and for a few hours, it fell gracefully over my shoulders. But my hair tends to decide when it's done playing by the rules.

The square is bustling with people. Everyone has made an effort to look the part. Seeing everyone together makes the town feel more lively. Even if the few hundred people are only a fraction of what Aldea used to be.

Dex guides me to the square with the lightest press of his fingertips on my back. The touch is barely there and still, it sears like cold acid through my dress. My body repels it. I turn towards him and he sends me a questioning brow when I step out of his touch.

“Your tie is crooked,” I say to cover up my action.

Dex moves his tie, but it actually makes it more askew. “Better?”

I shake my head. “Let me do it.”

“Can’t have the ceremony master looking like a rag.” Dex gives me a crooked smile that deepens the dimples. It sharpens his jawline which gives hardy masculinity to his boyish charm.

“You don’t look like a rag,” I mutter as I fix his tie.

“How do I look then, Em?” There’s a low intensity to the smoothness of his voice. He’s closer than I expected and notice that he has leaned down.

I chuckle and brush off the intensity I see. “Are you fishing for compliments?”

Dex playfully shrugs his shoulders. “Maybe.”

I roll my eyes and cross my arms to create distance. “You look good.”

“Just good?” Dex wiggles his brows. “I was hoping for devilishly handsome.

I laugh and this time it’s not pretend. Many eyes turn our way with smiles and greetings. Dex is the one in charge, many look up to him. He is the center of attention everywhere he goes. Now is no different and I wish it would be. I can see the questioning eyes going from me to Dex.

I smother my laugh and my eyes fall on Graciella on the other end of the square. Her eyes are wide with shock. She sees the same as everyone else and I move a little further away from Dex.

“Is that Grace?” Dex asks.

“Yeah.” I turn to him with a frown. “I forgot that you haven’t met her yet.”

Dex chuckles and matches my frown. “Hardly anyone has.”

Graciella stayed in the house for the past two weeks. First, she needed to gain strength and adjust to living in a town full of humans. She recovered too quickly, so we decided it was better if she pretended for a little longer.

Dex turns his attention back to Graciella. “Is she okay?”

Her skin turns pale white as her stare is fixed on us. The energy is sucked out of her and I can see her body wanting to buckle.

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.

There’s confusion and terror in her eyes. I know Graciella holds a strong loyalty towards Hadrian. He’s the prince and I’m his mate. I should probably explain the situation to her. Nothing is going on between me and Dex.

“Maybe we should get her to the doctor.” Dex offers.

“She was fine this morning.”

Graciella hasn’t shown any signs of fatigue in the past week. Her weight has been rapidly increasing with the regular meals she eats. Her skin has been showing more color and her hair has a healthy shine to it.

“Not all wounds are visible, Emma.” Dex presses with urgency.

Graciella clutches her head and her features contort in pain. She turns away from us and rushes off the square.

“I should check up on her.”

Dex nods in understanding. “Of course. I’ll delay the ceremony.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I do. I know you don’t want to miss it.” He gives me a sympathetic smile. “Besides, maybe Lucas or Jack will find the rings in the meantime.”