Eight
1414 Words
Watching Hector leave, guilt ate at me. Hurting him wasn't what I wanted, but false hope was far crueler. My emotions were already a tangled mess—I had no room to juggle someone else’s feelings too.
A long breath left my chest as I sank back onto the floor. The empty pizza box stared back at me, but my thoughts drifted once again to Justin. Even after everything, he was still there, lodged deep in my mind. The bond was an instant pull that kept me tied to him, refusing to let go. Yet he was engaged to another woman, someone who'd fight tooth and nail to keep him.
But he flirted with me. He led me on, only to turn away as if I meant nothing. The constant back-and-forth tore at my heart, leaving me confused, frustrated, and hurting. Despite it all, a part of me still wanted him. And I hated myself for it.
Fingers ran through my tangled hair, the silence pressing in on me from all sides. Was this my fate? To battle between what my heart craved and what my pride demanded? How long could I last before I shattered under the weight?
Tears burned at the edges of my eyes, but I blinked them back. No way would I let them fall. I had fought my whole life—for respect, for everything I owned, for my place in this world. No way would I let him break me, even if it hurt like a thousand knives.
With effort, I pushed myself up, moved to the small table, and started tidying. The leftover soda found its place back in the fridge, and the pizza box went to the trash. Anita's words echoed in my mind—"No one says no to Justin." But I had. And I would keep saying no, because I knew I deserved more than being some man’s plaything—even if he was my mate.
The bed called out to me, and I collapsed onto the mattress with a heavy sigh. How did he have this power over me? How could a single glance from him make my heart race? I hated it. I hated feeling this weak. I hated that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't switch off how I felt about him.
Rolling over, I buried my face in the pillow, trying to get myself to sleep. Somehow, I had to find balance—figure out how to work for him without losing myself in the process. Maybe it was impossible, but I would have to try.
My wolf cried out for her mate, an aching need settling deep in my bones, making me long for a closeness that would never come. Sleep didn’t come easily.
The blaring of my alarm jolted me awake, and I groaned, slamming my hand down to silence it. Another exhausting day loomed ahead, tangled with my feelings for my boss. I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Hot water poured over me, soothing the fatigue, but the thought of seeing Justin again made me want to crawl under my covers and stay there.
After showering, I rifled through my closet, picking out something simple. Nothing that would give Justin more ammunition to frustrate me. Despite everything, a part of me took satisfaction in the way his eyes darkened when he looked at me. But why couldn’t he be upfront? Just admit we were mates. If he wanted to reject me, fine—at least I’d know where we stood. Why all the games?
A black bodycon dress with a peplum waist and a slit seemed just right. Classy, appropriate, yet fitted. Checking my reflection, I saw the dress hugged my curves while maintaining modesty. Pearl studs added a touch of elegance. I glanced at my tote bag—spacious enough for my essentials—and grabbed my nude low-heeled stiletto pumps. After curling my hair and a touch of light makeup, I checked the clock—ten minutes to spare.
Stepping out of my room, I hadn’t expected to run into Hector. The air between us turned thick and awkward.
“Good morning,” I tried to break the silence.
He nodded, scratching his head. “Rissa, about yesterday... I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to make things weird.”
I cut him off before he could go any further. “No need to apologize. You like me—it’s normal to express that.”
He looked at me, eyes softening. “Still, I shouldn’t have sprung it on you like that. I thought maybe you’d already known.”
The helplessness in his tone made me guilty. In another life, maybe I would have given him a chance. But I had met Justin. I’d felt the bond, and that wasn't something I could ignore.
Heading toward the dining area, I tried to shift the mood. “You’re not worried about breaking bro code?” I teased. “Liking your best friend's ex?”
He laughed, and a genuine smile crossed his face. “Bro code? He dumped you and moved on. Married, even.”
“Ouch,” I said with mock offense, and we both laughed.
After breakfast, the shuttle ride to work began. As we settled in, Hector leaned over. “Just so you know, I was serious about what I said.”
A small smile tugged at my lips, but I shook my head. “I’m not ready,” I said honestly.
He nodded, a hint of understanding in his eyes. “I’ll wait.”
Once other colleagues joined, I plugged in my earbuds, letting music drown out their conversations. Lycans, Lycans, Lycans. The buzz around their power and wealth filled the air, and I watched clouds gather outside—dark, heavy, promising rain.
Arriving at the office, I parted ways with Hector and headed to the top floor. Thirty minutes before Justin arrived—time to organize the schedule. Checking notes, going through his appointments, and making sure everything was in order took my mind off him for a while.
An hour passed with no sign of Justin. Curiosity tugged at me, and I went to his office. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door, expecting him behind his desk, but it stood empty.
A sigh of relief left me. Time alone, finally. But then a thought crept in—why not have a look around? The idea was bad, I knew that, but the pull was too strong.
His desk was ordinary, and the neat filing system left little to explore, but the scent of the room and the scent of him—surrounded me. My wolf stirred, making me chuckle at the absurdity. Here I was, sneaking into his office like some love-struck fool.
A painting on the wall caught my attention. It was haunting. A boy sat alone in a muddy room, chains around his wrists. The sadness in his eyes gripped me, pulling me closer.
I traced the painted chains, wondering what had driven Justin to hang such a sad image in his office space. It seemed at odds with the shallow, womanizing image I'd built of him.
The painting brought back my own memories—the days after my mother’s death. The way my stepmother moved into our lives while my mom was still on her sickbed. Pretending to help us while already scheming with my father. Those days robbed me of my innocence, revealing the cruel side of people.
Lost in thought, I heard the door click. A familiar scent flooded the room. My heart skipped, and I spun around to find Justin standing there.
“What are you doing in my office?”
Panic flashed through my mind, scrambling for an excuse. “I was waiting for you,” I said, trying to sound casual. “You weren't here, so I wanted to make sure everything was ready.”
His gaze narrowed, a step closing the distance between us. “Snooping, were you?” The smirk on his lips challenged me.
I squared my shoulders, refusing to show fear. “Not snooping. I was just making sure everything was in place.”
His eyes shifted to the painting behind me, then back. “That's a sad painting,” I said, nodding toward it. “Why do you have it here?”
His stare grew intense, and something I couldn’t place in his eyes. “Stay out of my things.”
- Writer
