Forbidden Desires: Mating My Step-Daddy

Promise Me

Chapter 12:

/-Skylar’s POV-/

“Sky!”

I turned around and saw Dwayne walking toward us. His eyes narrowed when he saw us, and I could see a flash of something, jealousy maybe? But then he quickly controlled his expression and bowed respectfully to Adonis.

“Alpha,” Dwayne said in a polite voice. There was something careful in his tone, like he was trying to be proper even though he wasn’t happy about the situation.

Then Dwayne looked at me and smiled. It was a gentle smile, but I could see the tension in his eyes. He came closer to me, and I noticed how he moved with purpose.

“You have something in your hair,” Dwayne said softly. His fingers carefully removed a small leaf from my hair, and I felt a strange mix of emotions. He was being sweet, but I almost cheated on him.

I gulped, feeling ashamed.

“Don’t be ashamed! Adonis is our mate!” Aria said and it wasn't one bit helpful.

After Dwayne removed whatever was in my hair, he looked at me seriously. “Your mother needs you, Skylar. Please come with me now.”

I felt my heart jump. My mother? Was she okay? I immediately moved toward Dwayne, but then Adonis spoke.

“Wait.” His voice was deep and commanding. Dwayne and I stopped and turned to look at him. Adonis looked at Dwayne with cold eyes. “I was speaking to Skylar.”

The air in the garden suddenly felt tense. I could feel the unspoken conflict between the two men. Dwayne’s jaw tightened, and I saw his hands clench slightly by his sides. But he kept his voice respectful when he answered.

“I understand, Apha Adonis. But it was Luna Zelda who requested her daughter’s presence. I’m simply following her instructions.” Dwayne’s voice remained courteous, though there was a firmness beneath it.

Adonis stepped closer to us. His tall frame seemed to fill the space around us. “I’m still having a conversation with her. I haven't permitted her to leave yet,” he said simply. But the way he said it made it clear that he wasn’t asking. He was telling.

I felt frustrated being caught between them. Why were they acting like this? Like I was some prize they were competing for? I was tired of men thinking they could make decisions for me. I was tired of being treated like I couldn’t think for myself.

My irritation grew inside me. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I looked at both of them, but my gaze lingered on Adonis for a moment longer than necessary. He was the one being stubborn right now. My mother needed me, and he was preventing me from going to her.

Something twisted in my chest when I looked at him, something I refused to acknowledge. Instead, I reached out and grabbed Dwayne by the hand, pulling him close to me in a deliberate gesture.

“Come on,” I said through gritted teeth, my voice sharp with determination. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Dwayne looked surprised but didn’t resist as I started pulling him toward the garden exit. I could feel Adonis’s intense stare burning into my back, and despite myself, a shiver ran down my spine.

“I’m going to see my mother,” I said firmly over my shoulder, not slowing my pace. “And nothing - absolutely nothing - is going to stop me from that.”

I dragged Dwayne out of the garden, ignoring Adonis.

When we got to the main path, I finally let go of Dwayne’s hand and turned to glare back at the garden entrance. Adonis was still standing there, his tall frame silhouetted against the flowers, watching us leave.

“That devil almost got me in trouble,” I muttered under my breath, but not loud enough for Dwayne to hear.

“Sky,” Dwayne said quietly as we walked, his voice filled with concern. “Are you sure that was wise? Alpha Adonis… he looked really angry. Won’t he be furious about the disrespect you just showed him?”

I stopped walking abruptly and turned to face him, my eyes blazing with fierce determination. “I would disrespect anyone in this world for my mother,” I said, my voice low and intense. “Anyone, Dwayne. I don’t care if it’s the Alpha, the Moon Goddess herself, or the devil incarnate. When it comes to my mother, I don’t care about the consequences.”

Dwayne’s eyes widened at the passion in my voice, and he nodded slowly.

We both walked to the main house in silence. I could tell he was happy that I chose to leave with him instead of staying with Adonis.

When we got to my mother’s bedroom, I knocked softly on the door. “Mom? It’s me, Sky.”

“Come in, sweetheart,” my mother’s voice called from inside.

I opened the door and saw Luna Zelda sitting on her bed. She was wearing a soft blue dress, and her long hair was braided down her back. She looked beautiful, but I could see how tired she was. The sickness was making her weaker every day.

“Sky, my darling,” she said with a smile. Her eyes moved from me to Dwayne, and her smile grew bigger. “And Dwayne. How lovely to see you both together.”

I felt my cheeks get warm. I sat down on the bed next to my mother while Dwayne stood by the door.

“You two look so good together,” my mother said with a teasing voice. “I can’t wait for you to be mated and married. It will be such a wonderful celebration.”

I stayed quiet and nodded politely. What else could I do? My mother was so excited about the idea of me and Dwayne together. But inside, I felt uncertain. I couldn’t really imagine myself marrying Dwayne. The thought made me feel unsettled, though I couldn’t exactly say why.

When I remembered what happened earlier between us, I felt that uncomfortable feeling again. Something about the whole situation just didn’t feel right. But how could I tell my mother that? She seemed so happy about our relationship.

“Sky?” my mother said softly. “Are you okay? You look sad.”

I looked up at her and tried to smile. “I’m fine, Mom. Just tired.”

But my mother knew me too well. She could see through my fake smile. She reached over and took my hand in hers. Her skin was cold and thin, and I could feel her bones underneath.

“Skylar,” she said in a serious voice. “I need to talk to you about something important.”

I felt my heart start beating faster. “What is it, Mom?”

She looked at Dwayne, then back at me. “I need you to make a decision soon, sweetheart. About your future. About who you want to be with.”

“Mom, I don’t understand—”

“My life is coming to an end soon, Sky, I can feel it every day,” she said quietly. “The poison in my body is getting worse. It’s eating me up from the inside. I can feel it getting stronger.”

I felt tears start to fill my eyes. “Don’t say that, Mom. You’re going to get better. The healers said—”

“The healers are trying their best, but we both know the truth,” she said gently. “I need to know that you’ll be okay when I’m gone. I need to know that you’ll have someone to take care of you and protect you aside from your stepfather.”

I squeezed her hand tighter. “I can take care of myself, Mom.”

“I know you can, my strong girl. But this world is dangerous. Especially for someone like you. You need someone by your side who will love you and keep you safe.”

She looked at Dwayne again, and I knew what she was thinking. She wanted me to choose him. She wanted me to promise that I would marry him and let him take care of me because he was my boyfriend.”

But how could I promise that when my heart felt so conflicted whenever I looked at him? How could I promise to spend my life with someone when I wasn’t sure about my feelings? Who acted abnormally most of the time?

“Think about it, Sky,” my mother said softly. “Think about what you want your future to look like. But don’t take too long. Time is running out.”

I nodded.

“Promise me, Sky.”

I forced a smile and turned slightly to look at Dwayne, whose eyes were filled with love for me.

Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Right?

“It’s the worst thing ever.” Aria chipped in aggressively. But I ignored her and turned to look at my mum.

“I promise.”