- 09.
The moment he stepped closer, the weight of his gaze pressing into me like it always did, I couldn’t pretend anymore. The connection was too strong, too undeniable. My wolf shifted uneasily beneath my skin, urging me to acknowledge what I’d been avoiding for days. Laurent’s presence was like a pull I couldn’t escape, and it was
suffocating me.
“You’re avoiding me. I know you can feel it too.”
I exhaled sharply, turning my face away from him, trying to steady my racing heart. “I don’t feel anything,” I snapped, though I knew my words were a lie. It wasn’t just my mind rebelling anymore, my wolf, my heart, everything
was screaming at me to stop resisting
Laurent stepped closer, his eyes unwavering, and that damn connection flared between us. His voice was calm, but it held an edge of something raw and intense. “You can keep denying it, Remi. But we both know the truth. You
feel this.”
I clenched my fists, biting my lip to keep the emotions from spilling out. “I don’t. I don’t feel anything for you.” My words were a desperate attempt to push him away, but I knew it wouldn’t work. Laurent wasn’t going anywhere. And
neither was the bond.
“You’re lying.” he said softly, stepping in front of me and lifting my chin so that I had no choice but to look into his eyes. His touch was gentle but firm, like he could see right through me. “And you know it”
The air between us crackled with tension. I couldn’t look away, not with him so close, not with that bond pulling at me like an anchor. My heart thundered in my chest, and for a moment, all I could hear was the steady rhythm of it
in my ears
I took a shaky breath, my walls starting to crumble. “Fine,” I whispered, barely above a breath. “I feel it. I feel the bond. But that doesn’t change anything.”
Laurent’s expression softened, and he reached for my hand, threading his fingers through mine with a quiet intensity. “It changes everything,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “You know we own each other.”
The words hit me harder than I expected. The weight of them settled on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I wanted to pull away, to push him out of my life, but my wolf–my heart–was betraying me. It wanted this. It wanted him. But I couldn’t forget the past. Not yet
I pulled my hand from his, stepping back. “I can’t.. Will you still accept me if I tell you the truth? I had a mate once, Laurent. He was everything to me, and he tore my world apart.” My voice cracked on the last words, and I hated myself for it. “And I’m pregnant. How could you accept someone with a child?”
Laurent’s eyes darkened, but his voice remained steady. “I don’t care. I’m not him, Remi.” He reached out again, and this time, I didn’t pull away. “I won’t hurt you. I’m asking you to trust me.”
I swallowed hard. What was I supposed to do? I had already given up on the idea of love, of ever feeling that kind of connection again. I had lost everything once, and I wasn’t ready to lose myself again. But there was someth Laurent’s gaze, something that felt so different from what I had known, that made it hard to keep resisting.
I closed my eyes, my wolf stirring restlessly inside me. “I told you, I’m pregnant,” I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them “And I can’t do this again. I can’t risk feeling that kind of hurt.”
Laurent’s eyes softened, and there was no judgment in them. Only understanding “I heard you,” he said quietly “And that’s why I’m asking you to give me a chance. To let us try this together. Whatever you need, I’ll be here. I might go crazy if you don’t acknowledge me *
I hesitated, torn between the overwhelming desire to pull away and the undeniable truth that Laurent was right. The bond between us was more than just a connection–it was something deep, something primal, something that I
couldn’t ignore anymore. My wolf was calling for him, urging me to accept the bond, to trust him
With a deep breath, I nodded. “Okay I’ll try. But don’t expect me to fall into your arms.”
Laurent’s lips curved into a smile, and I felt a warmth spread through me at the sight. “I don’t need you to fall into my arms, Remi. I just need you to give us a chance.”
The bond flared again, stronger this time, and I felt the weight of it settle deep in my chest. It wasn’t just his scent or his touch anymore–it was something more. Something that made my heart beat in sync with his. The moment I accepted the bond, everything around me seemed to come into sharper focus. His warmth, his strength, his presence–everything about him felt like it had been meant for me.
It was overwhelming, to say the least. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Later that day, the royal gathering continued. The excitement in the air was palpable as news spread that the missing princess had been found. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease.
The royal family introduced the supposed princess, Bianca, and the crowd erupted into applause. She was beautiful, with long flowing dark hair and the kind of poise that only someone raised in the royal courts could possess. She stepped forward, and I couldn’t help but notice the wrist birthmark that matched the description of the
princess
As if that wasn’t enough, Bianca’s eyes locked onto Laurent the moment she laid eyes on him, and I could see the immediate fascination in her gaze. It was impossible to miss. The way she looked at him, like he was the sun, the moon, and the stars all wrapped up in one.
My stomach turned uneasily. I couldn’t blame her. Laurent was undeniably handsome, strong, and powerful. But the jealousy bubbling in my chest surprised me. “Get a grip, Remi,” I whispered to myself. “You can’t be jealous.”
I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts from my mind. The mission was clear. We were to guard Bianca while the royal family awaited confirmation of her identity through a DNA test. But as I stood there, watching Laurent’s every move, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this would be more complicated than I had ever imagined.
