Chapter 23
A/N: Wow, 1,5k reads, I can't believe this. When I started this chapter, I was at 1k, and that was already incredible. This chapter is long overdue and I'm sorry all of you had to wait so long for this. So anyway, I hope you'll enjoy and leave your thoughts on this chapter!
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Caleb was the first to speak.
"You're not a failure." He paused for a few seconds and I watched him contemplate his next words. Weighing them, trying to see how I would take them. I rose an eyebrow at him, patiently waiting for him to continue. "I'm sure we can fix you though."
I froze, his words ringing on in my head, like an echo, but instead of fading away into silence, it seemed they were only getting louder.
"What do you mean?" I frowned, slightly panicked, while gently pushing my hands on his chest so I could look at him.
"We'll go see an oracle, I'm sure they'll be able to See what went wrong."
I nodded my head no, trying to unravel myself from his arms, but of course, he was much more in tune with me than I was with him, so he had already tightened his embrace again.
"Cassie, come on. What's the worst that can happen?"
A lot of things! I wanted to yell, but didn't. For him this was all brand new, I had had over 6 years to come to terms with my - condition.
Truth be told, I hadn't actually gone to see anyone about this. I was afraid to get my hopes up, go see someone with supposed Sight and then be disappointed all over again. It had been easier for me to cope with not having a wolf by avoiding renewed disappointment. I bit my lip as I contemplated what to tell him.
When I had finally figured out how to gently say no, I looked up to a face so full of hope and adoration, that I couldn't find it in me to turn him down. Maybe if we went to see one Seer, Caleb could hear how there was no hope for me and he'd be able to let it go too.
Or he could end up rejecting you after all.
My heart stammered and tightened painfully as once more, the thought of rejection barged its way through the walls of my mind.
Caleb studied my face and put his large hand on my cheek. Instantly I leaned into the warmth, which seemed to please him. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, until he spoke in the softest voice I'd ever heard him speak.
"Love, no matter what the Seer tells us, I won't reject you. But as I've told you before, you have a wolf, my wolf can feel her, there must be some kind of block between you and her, but she's still there."
I wanted to believe him, so, so bad, but hope was a dangerous thing. Hope meant risking disappointment and that meant I could get hurt, something I was adamant on avoiding.
I couldn't bear look at him, either I'd end up hurting him, again, or I'd end up hurt myself. One, or the other, but no balance. I took a shaky breath, preparing myself, or at least trying to.
"Promise me one thing."
I finally said, making up my mind as I looked at him once more.
"Anything." he said, without even thinking about it.
"Promise me, that when this Seer says that nothing can be done, you'll let it go."
Caleb opened his mouth to speak, but seemed to realize the heaviness of my condition. At first he had wanted to reply instantly, but now he was being a true leader, weighing both answers, the one he wanted to give, or the one that would please his mate. I smiled a soft smile at him, glad he was being serious about this, giving it as much thought as he needed to. Although there was only one real option here. If he truly wanted me to go see a Seer, he would have to promise me, because there was no way I'd agree otherwise, and he knew it. He was simply having a hard time coming to terms with my condition.
I saw his eyes change quite a few times until they finally settled back to their normal brown orbs.
He smiled a cocky smile.
"Fine, I promise, because I know I'm right."
I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, for his sake, I hoped he was right, and maybe for my sake too.
"Well then, I guess we should head back, I'm sure you'd want to spend some more time with Alexander."
Caleb stared at me as though I'd just grown two heads.
"Cassie.."
"What?" I asked, utterly confused and not following why he was looking at me like that.
"There's absolutely no reason left for you not to move in to the house that's meant for my mate and family. There's no reason why you should stay in the little cottage, you two belong with me and you've run out of excuses not to move in with me."
I opened and closed my mouth like a fish, but really, he was right. It still felt foreign for me, and my mind swam in the thoughts and worries, but I really didn't have a legit excuse for not moving in with my supposed mate. That's the way things went when you meet your mate. And Caleb had been very lenient with me so far, not marking me on the spot against my wishes, letting me out of his sight at night, not being overly affectionate... I supposed I could humor him and move in with him.
"Alright, I'll guess we'll move in with you."
Instantly, Caleb was picking me up and swinging me around, causing me to lean my head backwards and laughing. His joy was so cute, I couldn't help it.
"Okay, okay, put me down!" I said, patting his shoulder, but secretly, I enjoyed the moment. Couldn't tell him that though, he'd think I'd just declared eternal love.
As he lowered me down to the ground, we gazed into each other's eyes, but he didn't make any attempt to kiss me. It was the first moment where I kind of wished he had and I wondered if it was my mate bond waking up, or if it was the actual me feeling this. I didn't know which of those options I was more hopeful for.
The thought of moving in with him was overwhelming, but there was a part of me that was really looking forward to it. I'd be able to cook for him and it'd be like we were a normal family. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all..
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