Soap Opera
1044 Words
Chapter 15: Soap Opera.
Reece’s POV.
I stopped, smiling inwardly. He'd fallen right into my little trap. I'd been waiting for this moment for a long time, and I was glad to finally have it.
He had fallen into it. Cleanly. Exactly where I needed him.
I had waited a long time for this moment, rehearsed it in fragments and impulses, imagining the timing down to the breath.
Damon was a great brother. I was glad to have him, but there was one tiny little problem. He was too good. He loved too much, trusted too much. He loved without limits, trusted without question, gave without restraint. That was his flaw.
That was always a problem, especially having to follow behind him like a little puppy dog all of these years. That was why he always stood in my way without even meaning to.
I loved him more than words could say, but I just couldn't take it anymore, especially not with the involvement of a possible spy.
I couldn't let my brothers suffer for something I know they may not even know about, for something I too had little to no information about. A possible spy meant uncertainty. Uncertainty meant weakness. And weakness spread fast. I could not allow my brothers to suffer for something none of us fully understood. I could not afford patience. I could not afford honesty. So I had to do this.
I had to earn her trust again somehow, in a way that didn't make too much noise.
Quietly. Carefully. No blood. No witnesses.
And the simplest way to earn her trust was to redirect it.
She did not need to like me.
She only needed to doubt him.
Damon was the problem. The only real one.
And problems were meant to be handled immediately. The only way I knew how.
We stopped now, panting at each other and growling on both sides of Aria. We both stood up by now, grunting and growling at each other, both of us ready to pounce.
“You've been biting me way more than you can chew Reece, and I'm getting very tired of you doing the wrong things at the wrong time.” He belted, thoroughly angry.
“Who are you to try to protect her? To come and play savior? When all you've done is try to harm her.” His finger was aimed at me, his head shaking repeatedly.
“If anything, I've been the one trying to protect her. Why do you come now to try to fix anything, when you know full well that you can't? You can't even see it through!” He was screaming now, his voice carried along with the wind.
He was angry, which was exactly what I wanted. I played along, finding my loudest, angriest voice.
“You don't get to tell me how I feel about her. I'm just as much a mate as you are. You don't get to decide for me because of my previous actions.” I was screaming back, matching his energy.
“There's such a thing as changing and doing better. There's such a thing as wanting her just as much as you do.” I pointed at him, then dropped my hand dramatically, breathing heavily.
“I'm not always the suspect, you know. I'm not always the horrible one.” I was speaking passionately now, slow and hidden, and it sounded as realistic as I could get it.
I meant none of it.
But it sounded perfect. Perfect enough to get the reaction I needed. Perfect enough to draw the guilt out of him, slow and steady.
I watched it land. Watched his posture falter, watched doubt creep in behind his eyes.
This was definitely going to work. I could feel it in my bones. He stopped, looking at me, his chest heaving.
“Is that really how you feel?” His expression had fallen. Shame radiated off of him.
“Yes. And in case you didn't know, I've felt that way all of my f*****g life.” He flinched, I was getting to him. I fought back a smile, finally pushing through the last bracket of my plan.
“You have been playing high and mighty for all I have known you. And now we find our mate, and you want to play again. I'm not even allowed to make mistakes or judge. You just waltz in and play hero and expect that everyone is fine with it.” I spat, panting furiously.
Fury was hard to fake without actually getting angry. The anger burned hot in my chest now, sending invisible smoke out my nose.
“For your information, I love her too.”
Silence fell.
Our eyes locked and held. Aria looked between us, confusion written across her face. Damon stared at me for a long moment before finally dropping his gaze, disappointment weighing heavy in his expression. We all went quiet.
Aria looked from me to him and back again.
“Well, I think that's a good enough end to the telenovela, don't you think?” His voice returned order to the entire thing. I could have hugged him at that point.
Kael walked onto the field, clapping dramatically.
Kael was a pain to deal with, but could be useful. Especially when I most needed him. He'd come at the perfect time. At least now I didn't have to keep the angry act too long. I could just retire and stay within my quarters for the rest of the night.
“Are you all done with this soap opera? I think we can pack up now.” All, all three of us looked at him, visibly tired and sick of the situation.
“That's enough. I think it's time everyone retired to their resting places. You both are too volatile. I think you should take a break from each other for now.” As he spoke from one to another, one of our men stepped behind him, waiting for him to finish.
Once he was done, the man stepped forward, a stout, plump man with a very hairy face.
“News just came in, sirs. Wolves at the borders. Our territory is being invaded.” My eyes widened.
Not again.
- Writer
