Chapter Eighteen
1227 Words
Duriel's POV
Man, watching her answer that phone call hit different. I tried keeping my face straight while something twisted in my gut. Brandon's name lighting up her screen felt like a personal attack, even though I ain't have no right to feel that way.
"Hey baby," she answered, and I suddenly got real interested in my coffee cup, like it held all the secrets of the universe. Anything to avoid watching her face light up at his voice.
The kitchen felt smaller somehow. Too intimate. The morning light streaming through them windows caught her alabaster skin, making her glow like something otherworldly. Them ice-blue eyes of hers softened as she listened to whatever Brandon was saying, and I had to grip my coffee cup tighter to keep from reacting.
"Yeah, the house is incredible," she said, turning slightly away from us. "You should see this kitchen."
I wanted to tell her about how I'd spent weeks learning every detail of this place. How I'd memorized every entry point, every security feature, every possible escape route. How I'd made sure the coffee machine was the exact model she'd mentioned liking once, months ago, when we was all hanging at the packhouse.
But none of that mattered. Because she was Brandon's. Had been since they was sixteen. Would be his Luna in two years.
"Two years," I heard her say softly into the phone. "We'll make it work."
Two years. Seven hundred and thirty days of watching her, protecting her, living under the same roof while pretending I ain't feel what I feel. Living with the knowledge that every day brought her closer to being Brandon's Luna.
Piper caught my eye across the kitchen island, her knowing look making me straighten up, try to pull my guardian mask back on. But Piper had always seen too much. Known too much.
"Every chance I get," I heard Kionna promise Brandon. "I love you too."
The words hit different. Made me focus real hard on stirring my already perfectly mixed coffee.
When she turned back to us, I forced myself to switch to guardian mode. Professional. Detached. Like I ain't just spent the whole call fighting the urge to leave the room.
"As I was saying," I said, my voice carefully controlled, "security protocols..."
But something had shifted in the room. The easy vibe from earlier was gone, replaced by something heavier. Something that felt too much like reality.
In twelve hours, her wolf would emerge. In twelve hours, everything would change. And I'd be right here, watching, protecting, pretending that was enough.
The morning stretched ahead, full of possibilities I couldn't let myself think about. Because I had one job – keep her safe. Everything else? All these feelings I couldn't shake? That wasn't part of the mission.
Even if watching her plan her future with Brandon felt like taking an L I wasn't ready for.
So what's up with this ghost tour thing?" Piper asked, pulling me out my thoughts. "You said something happens after?"
I straightened up, trying to focus on the mission instead of them feelings eating at me. "Yeah, it's like this underground supernatural spot. Mad exclusive. Your pops made sure we got the connect."
"And it's safe?" Kionna asked, them ice-blue eyes of hers looking right through me.
"Wouldn't suggest it if it wasn't," I said, maybe a little harder than I meant to. "Local pack's got it locked down tight. No Council ops can touch it."
The morning light kept hitting her different, making her alabaster skin glow like she wasn't even real. I had to keep reminding myself to look away, focus on something else.
"The venue's perfect for what we need," I continued, forcing myself back into guardian mode. "Multiple exits, supernatural security, private rooms if we need to dip quick. Plus..." I hesitated, then added, "it's where most young wolves go when their first change hits. They got facilities for that."
Kionna's eyes widened slightly. "You mean..."
"Yeah. When your wolf comes, you'll have a safe space. Private. Protected. Everything you need."
What I didn't say was how I'd spent weeks researching this spot. Making sure it was perfect. Safe. Special. Because even if I couldn't be what I wanted to be for her, I could make sure her first transformation was everything it should be.
"That's actually perfect," Piper said, but I caught her watching me with them knowing eyes of hers. She'd always seen too much.
"Just doing my job," I said, but them words tasted bitter.
Because that's all this was supposed to be. A job. A mission. Protecting the Alpha's daughter while she started her new life. Her new future.
With Brandon.
The morning light kept streaming through the windows, making everything look too bright, too real. In twelve hours, her wolf would emerge. In twelve hours, everything would change.
And I'd be right here, doing my job. Nothing more.
Even if every minute felt like taking another L I wasn't ready for.
My phone buzzed. Kennisha. Again. Third time this morning.
I let it ring, watching Kionna's reflection in the window as she talked with Piper about outfit choices for tonight. The way her ice-blue eyes lit up when she smiled... man, that hit different.
"You’re not gonna answer that?" Piper asked, nodding toward my still-buzzing phone.
"Nah," I said, maybe too quick. "Gotta focus on security protocols."
But we all knew that wasn't it. Kionna's eyes met mine in the window reflection for a split second before she looked away. My phone buzzed again. Kennisha wasn't letting up.
"She has been calling all morning," Piper noted, her voice careful. "Maybe you should—"
"Said I'm good," I cut her off, but then caught myself. Ain't need to be taking my feelings out on Piper. Finally, I grabbed the phone and stepped into the hallway. Needed some space from them ice-blue eyes that kept pulling me in.
"Yeah?" I answered, keeping my voice low.
"Really?" Kennisha's voice was cold. "That's how you gonna answer after ignoring me all morning?"
I leaned against the wall, running my hand over my face. "Been busy. Security protocols—"
"Security protocols," she repeated, her tone bitter. "That’s what we’re calling it now? You’re too busy protecting your precious Kionna to answer your phone?"
"Don't start," I warned. "You know this is my job."
"Your job?" She laughed, but it wasn't happy. "Nah, this more than a job. The way you look at her—"
"We ain't doing this," I cut in. "Not now."
"When then?" Her voice cracked slightly. "After her wolf emerges? After y'all spending every day together? After—"
"I said we ain't doing this," I repeated, firmer this time.
The silence stretched between us. In the kitchen, I could hear Kionna and Piper talking about tonight's plans. The sound of her laugh hit different, even through walls.
"You ain't even deny it," Kennisha said finally. "About how you look at her."
I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of everything I couldn't say. "I gotta go."
"Course you do," she said. "Your precious Alpha princess needs you."
The call ended, leaving me in the hallway with nothing but truth I wasn't ready to face.
Twelve more hours.
Twelve more hours before everything changed.
And I still wasn't ready for none of it.
- Writer
