Her Best Friend’s Alpha Father

Chapter 26 A Fragile Bond

"I'm trying to respect your space," he said quietly. "But you keep making everything impossible for me."

"What exactly does that even mean?"

Ronan hesitated for a few seconds, not because he didn't know what to say. This was because the truth was kind of standing right inside his tongue, ready to be heard.

It was too dangerous to be said, albur at the same time, to real to be hidden.

"I can feel you," he admitted instead.

Elara froze, his voice kind of softening.

"My wolf reacts to you constantly, even when I try to restraint him," he continued. "It doesn't settle down, doesn't stay calm. It just pulls, irrespective of everything."

Elara's breath kind of shook the whole place. "Well, I can't see that being my problem," she whispered.

But it was already weak, and unconvincing. Ronan stepped closer again, and at this point, there was almost no space left between the both of them.

"It is," he replied calmly. "And that's because I am overworking myself, holding back from doing something I shouldn't, that would push you to being hurt "

Elara widened her eyes, maybe in shock.

"Ronan..." The moment she mentioned his name, it ignited the dangerous part of him that he had been trying for so long to hide.

He exhaled slowly, doing everything possible to fight every instinct, the urge to claim hr wholly.

"You need to calmly stay away from me." But even as she said that, the truth was still obvious, raw and unfiltered. No matter how hard she tried to push him off, she still couldn't do that.

Neither of them moved an inch. They stayed silent, hearts pulling together. The heat increasing. Ronan continued fighting to stay in character, all because of Elara. He didn't want o do anything, that would get her in trouble.

"Elara..." Ronan called for the million times. Then he said something. It wasn't authority, softly that one could mistaken him for a common member if the pack.

"You're definitely going to break me into pieces.

At first, Ronan thought she would walk away, but she didn't run. She just stood there, looking at him, her breathing uneven. She was caught in-between fear, another thing she could not recognize. Then, she started hearing footsteps, and it was as if someone was calling her name. Could it be her mother, she didn't know, so she quickly broke the moment a d made to leave.

"I have to take my leave now," she whispered.

Ronan didn't stop her, he couldn't do that. Because if he had done that, he would have lost control entirely.

*******************

Things didn't just start breaking between them at once. That would have been a lot easier to handle. It all started with silence, and Selene was the first to notice.

It wasn't because Elara said anything inappropriate, but because she bottled everything up, and didn't say a word of what had been bothering her.

They were actually sitting together again, same room, same couch, same space that used to feel like home in the past. But now, it was more like a necessity. Everything felt off, because Elara was just there physically. Other things about her felt distant, a d detached.

"Elara?" Selene called her softly, but there was no response.

"Elara." She called the second time, and this time, she blinked, turned to stare at her.

"Hmm?"

Selene studied her for a few seconds, not understanding her again. She couldn't hide the fact that both of them weren't getting along again. Her baby bump, hadn't started showing, so she won't be getting awful remarks from their classmates, especially those that haven't heard her story.

"You didn't hear a word of what I just said, or did you?"

Elara forced a smile, trying to cover up. "I did. You were telling me about...your class."

Selene didn't induge her by smiling back.

"I was actually taking about my dad."

This made Elara jolt from her seat, but it wasn't too obvious. Both of them stayed quietly, saying nothing.

"Oh... sorry,“ she quickly replied. "I'm just a little distracted."

Selene leaned back, as she was already tired of getting the same response every time they tried a conversation.

"Yeah. That's not new again. I've been noticing that "

There was no much accusation in her tone. But there was doubt, very heavy, that she didn't even try to coat it.

Elara felt really guilty, that she bent her head, and started picking on her fingers.

"I said I'm sorry."

Selene nodded slowly, determined not to say much. "I know."

There was another silence, more uncomfortable, with none of them saying anything.

"You don't talk to me anymore, not as we used to before." Selene said, breaking the silence.

Elara glanced at her face, not knowing where to start with. If there's anything she had been avoiding so badly, it is actually having a conversation with Selene.

"That's not entirely true."

"It is, and you know it." Selene said, her voice still too calm for the conversation they were having.

"You only tell me surface things. Only the safe ones. But whatever is actually going on with you, the one that gives you sleepless nights...you lock them away, very far from my reach."

"That's not how it has been..."

"It is, if you must be honest with yourself." Selene cut in, though it wasn't harshly, just certainty.

Elara looked away, angry with herself for even arguing the obvious with her best friend.

If for anything, her wolf had been a silent witness right from day one, warning her of the implications, and to open up to her. She knew that Selene wasn't wrong, but couldn't bring herself to face reality. Not even by putting in a little effort.

"I'm just dealing with a lot lately." Elara said quietly. Selene nodded like she even understood or can relate to what she was saying. "I'm aware of that, but you're not letting me help you."

Elara let out a shaky breath, before dropping the bomb. "I don't need anyone's help!"