64.

-HER-

I try to act normal when I reach near our tents. I silently sit beside Lisa and don’t look at Jake for the rest of the time. I am mostly silent and listen to their chatter. I feel Jake’s eyes on me all the time.

He somehow finds an opportunity to sit near me. His arm is instantly wrapped around my waist before I could get up and leave. I press my lips in a thin line and try to act normal.

The air is slowly thickening with tension.

“I want to talk to you, Cybele,” He mutters lowly in my ear when no one is paying attention to us. I sit still for some moments before I mumble, “Not now,” He groans in response but doesn’t move from his place.

He follows me everywhere I go. He’s breathing down my neck. The air is buzzing with tension whenever he’s around. He is always holding me or just have his hands around me. He just needs to be touching me all the time.

As afternoon appears, we get to roam around the camp. He has to leave for some work then. His lingering look before he leaves is enough to communicate that he’d be back soon. I am able to distract myself for a moment or two when I am in the woods with everyone else.

This time Davis manages to get the desired reaction out of me by employing his antiques. Although he soon leaves me alone after getting a glare from Brooke. I am mostly indulged in conversation with other wolves of the pack while we walk back to the camp.

My mind couldn’t stop replaying Tiffany’s words all the while. It’s burning my skin. I am angry but I cannot decide that exact reason behind it. Whether it’s because Jake didn’t tell me anything before or because what Tiffany said was true.

Jake is already in the camp when we are back. Everyone has lunch together before we head into our tents to get some rest. I try my best to delay going to the tent that I am sharing with Jake. He comes looking for me when I don’t show up.

He is breathing down my neck as he follows me to the tent. When we are inside and alone, he finally speaks to me, “Don’t believe anything Tiffany said. She is the last person you should listen to,”

I silently go to my side of the tent to lay down with my back facing him. After the lunch, I am feeling tired but judging by the tension in the air, I cannot ignore this talk, “This wouldn’t have been worse if you weren’t keeping things to yourself,”

“I was going to tell you everything soon, Cybele,” He speaks very close behind me. I didn’t hear him move. Next, he places his hand on my waist so that he could turn me around.

“When exactly?” I ask, trying my best to sound stern. A lump is slowly developing in my throat while my insecurities eat away my self-esteem. Maybe she was right. I don’t deserve Jake. He is too perfect for me. Heck, I am not even of his kind.

I am not good enough for him.

I have to turn away because his intense eyes are too much for me to look into. But he forces me to look at him again, “Cybele, listen to me…” He puts a finger under my chin to make me look up at him, “Whatever Tiffany said is not true,”

“So, the Council didn’t recommend her to you?” I question him. The look that climbs on his face is enough for me to know the answer.

“Yes, they recommended her to me before I met you. My pack is in desperate need for a beta female. They were speculating that I might not find a mate on time,” He spoke gently, stroking his thumb over my cheek.

“She is of your kind. She would make a better beta female,” My words help a look of irking climb on his face before he says, “But she is not my mate. My wolf doesn’t want to do anything with her,”

“And what if it wasn’t for your wolf?” My anger speaks this time. I feel an overwhelming wave of emotions wash over me, taking away whatever sense I had left in me. His black eyes are focused on me heatedly when he answers, “I’d still choose you over everyone,”

I didn’t know what to say after that so I remain silent and let his words sink in my mind. Meanwhile, he lays with me in his arms. Whatever tiredness I was feeling previously has long vanished.

“What happened that day in the office?” I ask him. He had promised to tell me about that. He didn’t look pleased by my question but he knows that he has to answer me, “I went there to meet a council official,” A momentary silence follows his words before he adds, “We got into a heated discussion,”

“What was it about?” I have to ask him because I have a gut feeling that it had something to do with me again. He keeps staring at the tent ceiling before he answers, “It was regarding the same issue,” I don’t miss the resentment laced in his voice.

“They want you to take Tiffany as your mate?” I ask to confirm. His eyes are instantly on me. His jaw is set. His voice is stern with determination when he says, “I’d rather leave my beta position than take her as my mate,” The possessiveness in his eyes is back instantly.

I instantly remember how we almost lost control in the car that day. He seemed really angry that day. I don’t think it was the only thing that pushed him that much. There must have been more to it.

“What else happened that day?” I press him. He looks at me for a second longer. His hesitancy is audible in his voice when he tells me next, “Er… the top council members will be in my pack next month for an audit…” He trails off.

“And?” My heart is thundering in my chest and my stomach is churning, making me sick slowly. He gulps before he adds, “They want to meet you,”

I am dumbfounded at his words. I don’t know how to react to that. My mind is racing with my heart. I don’t know what to make of it.

“Cybele, I have made it clear to them that you wouldn’t be meeting them if you don’t want to. You are under no pressure,” Jake is instantly trying to calm me down. I notice now how hard I have been clutching his shirt. “It would be all right, Cybele,”

“When are they coming exactly?” I couldn’t help but ask even after knowing that it would scare me even more. He rubs my back gently as he answers, “Around the month-end,” I bury my face in the crook of his neck while fighting my tears.

He holds me as if I am made of glass while I search for comfort. It soon greets me but the seeds of fear of the future have already been planted. I am aware that my anxiety would water it from time to time until it sprouts and grows into a poisonous weed.

“Would they accept me, Jake? I am a human,” I couldn’t hold my sob back at this moment.

“They’ll accept you, Cybele. Our Luna is also a human,” I know that he’s trying his best to keep me calm.

“But what if they don’t? Would you leave me?” Tears are streaming down my face already. My words make him hold me tighter and that’s enough as an answer but he still lets me know, “Never,”

“Would they tell me to do something?” I ask after a prolonged silence. I have recovered from the shock and I am slowly able to process everything.

“I cannot say that yet,” He mutters over me.

“Would I need to prove myself to them?”

“I don’t think so,” He answers calmly. Before I could ask anything else, he speaks, “Don’t worry, Cybele. We’ll figure it out,” It’s enough for me to hold my questions back for now.

**...
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