Fated | The Heir of the She-Wolf

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

[Eleanor]

“Is everything alright? How long was I asleep?”, I turned to Austin and asked as soon as Valerio, Clara and Lorenzo left the room.

“About nine hours. How do you feel?”, Austin replied gently and placed his hand on my forehead as if he was checking my temperature.

“I’m okay, really. I don’t know what you guys did but thank you.”, I smiled at him and straightened myself up in the bed, ready to leave. “What happened exactly?”

Austin got up and went to the corner of the room where my jacket and shoes were sitting on a chair. I looked around and noticed a large black spot on the wall exactly where there was a candle the previous night. My body felt hurt in every single place and I could barely move but I tried not to show any of it. I was healed and I had found my she-wolf. That is all that mattered.

“We, or I mean I, figured it out that the three elements were not strong enough to absorb such kind of darkness. So Valerio drove to the Tower and back and picked up a magical ring which he used for the spell. He was able to pull away all of the magic you absorbed yesterday.”, Austin explained calmly while helping me get dressed and put my shoes on.

I gasped in shock at his words. Did he just say Valerio performed the spell that saved my life?

“What do you mean… he used this magical ring for the spell? Didn’t Clara do the spell?”, I asked hoping for an answer which did not mean I owed Valerio my life… for the second time now.

“No, no, Valerio insisted he do it. But Clara was here the entire time ever since you passed out and she helped put a sleeping spell on you so that you don’t feel any pain.”, Austin said warmly but I could feel he was holding something back so I raised my eyebrows at him to continue. “At one point we saw that the infection was spreading quickly…”, he started and paused to look at my eyes. “Clara did something to slow it down, I don’t know what, it was a powerful healing magic. I helped her with it, that’s all.”

I nodded and took Austin’s hand but he gently pulled it back and stood up.

“I will make sure to thank her. Is there something that bothers you?”, I asked as I walked slowly to the door ready to leave this place once and for all.

Austin did not say anything for a long moment but his gaze caught mine as he was opening the door for me and I slowed down.

“I like you, Eleanor.”

“Oh, thank you!”, I chuckled weakly and smiled at him but he did not respond with the same. Instead, his eyes were filled with sadness.

“I think I might even fall in love with you, like… madly.”, Austin continued and paused again, giving my cheek a quick but gentle brush with his hand. “But I also think it is quite obvious there is something between you and Valerio so I prefer we stay away from each other… in that way.”

I stayed silent, completely and utterly shocked at his words. Did he just break up with me before we even started dating?! I opened my mouth to say something in protest, to try and convince him that no, there was nothing, absolutely nothing between Valerio and I. But then I realized that would be a lie.

“We… can still be friends, right? I wouldn’t want to lose you entirely, you are one of the only two people in the Tower that I actually…”, I pleaded but Austin stopped me and smiled at me.

“Just because I don’t want us to date doesn’t mean I don’t want us to speak. Or be friends.”, he said and with that, we left the infirmary.

My she-wolf purred at the back of my head, happy for reasons I could not understand.

….

Austin and I entered the hotel together but took separate ways as he had his own room and my things were in Valerio’s room still.

Once I reached the room, I knocked on the door and heard his voice inviting me in. I walked in and Valerio was pacing around the room frantically, something definitely up as he was speaking quickly on the phone giving orders to whoever was on the other side.

“I have to go. Wait for my call.”, he ordered with demand in his voice, hung up and put his phone on the table.

“I just came to pick up my stuff. Won’t bother.”, I said coldly and leaned down to pull my luggage bag from under the bed. I heard Valerio’s steps coming closer to me and when I got up he was right next to me, staring at me intently. “What?”, I asked but he did not say a word.

I quickly decided ignorance is the best practice, walked past him and headed for the bathroom to collect the rest of my things that were still lying around. I could feel Valerio staring at me and anger boiled in my chest even stronger.

I snapped, and turned around to find him looking at me again.

“What?!”, I raised my voice and dropped my now full bag on the floor. “What the hell do you want?!”, I shouted and walked over to him.

“Nothing.”, he hissed and a playful smirk appeared on the corner of his lips. He was enjoying himself for whatever f****d up reason he had and was driving me crazy. “Do you want something? You seem exhausted, a quick bite before you hit the road?”, he chuckled.

My she-wolf purred with excitement. Not you too!, I snapped at her in the back of our mind and she growled at me.

“No, thank you. I think the last time I fed on you we established that you do not respect any boundaries whatsoever.”, I growled at Valerio and turned around to leave.

“What boundaries would that be? The same ones you crossed with Austin?”

I stopped on my heels and turned around not believing what I was hearing. Oh, you might be the King, boy, but you are crossing a line here.

I took a slow step towards Valerio while anger kept building up inside me, clenching my stomach and my chest in a burning desire to hit something. Valerio kept smiling arrogantly and as I closed the distance between us I stopped right in front of him just inches away from his face.

I looked up at him and met his eyes and saw the arrogance disappear and be replaced with gentleness. I cracked a smile and in that moment slapped Valerio across his face, a strong lashing sound echoing in the room.

“Don’t you dare touch me. Ever again. You might be the King but the next time you feel horny call for a w***e or use your hand!”, I hissed and turned around leaving Valerio struck on his place.