Chapter 117
LANA
One by one, I was introduced to each member of Apollo’s pack, and I felt like royalty being passed around. They were off incredibly bien and genidran
excited to meet me.
This wasn’t how texpected my evening to unfold. I’m so grateful I decided to fight for my mate. If I had stayed back and watched the engagement- happen, I would have missed out on a chance for true happiness.
“Apollo almost bit my head off once for staring at you during a party,” Adrian chuckles. “I thought he was just being overprotective of his grunget stepsister. It never crossed my mind that you could be his mate.”
I felt my cheeks heat up at his words. There were countless stories of Apollo stepping in to protect me without my knowledge, and countless accorès ré his jealousy whenever another man showed me attention. It was almost too insane to believe.
“Now that I think about it, I was foolish not to realize you were more than just his unavailable stepsister, Adrian continues. “Our Alpha has always been crazy about you. There are too many times to count and he has never been that way over any other woman in the past and as you know there has been quite a-
“Adrian Jake warns him with a glare. “Do you want to stay alive tonight? I will watch what you say in front of our Luna
Adrian scratches the back of his neck, “You’re right. My bad.”
Jake then chimed in about a time when Apollo warned men that dating me would land them in the hospital. All along, when I believed that no one was interested in me, it was really him keeping other men at bay.
There were so many stories I wished I had known from the beginning. Apollo and I could have started our relationship much sooner. I couldn’t help but regret all those years we weren’t as close as we are now.
“You should have seen the look on his mother’s face when Lana went up on that stage and hugged Apollo,” Jake laughs.
“Man, if we hadn’t had that last–minute mission, we all would have witnessed the engagement ceremony,” Adrian adds with a mock frown.
I was thankful the pack had missed my meltdown. But with reporters capturing everything, would it really have made that much of a difference?
“I can’t believe we missed such a beautiful moment,” Mathew says in a sarcastic tone.
1 hadn’t expected being around Apollo’s pack to feel so natural. I was connecting easily with everyone here; it felt like I was surrounded by old friends.
“Well, it all happened because of Jake over here,” I say to everyone. “If he hadn’t shared what went down last night with Apollo, I would never have mustered the courage to go up on that stage.”
Jake narrows his eyes at me. “That was supposed to stay between us,” he growls. “If Apollo finds out I had a hand in this-”
“I think he’ll thank you,” Adrian interrupts. “I can’t remember the last time I saw him this happy.”
Hearing that made my heart flutter. Could it be that this was the happiest he had been in a long time?
-APOLLO~
Watching Lana interact with the pack and smile made me the happiest Alpha in the world. I hadn’t realized how much I longed to see this until now.
Yet, deep down, I knew our challenges were far from over. It was clear our parents didn’t approve of our relationship, and they were likely to make our lives difficult. Running away was an option, but not one I would consider. I couldn’t just abandon my siblings, and I was certain Lana didn’t want to leave her family behind either. She had a strong bond with her own siblings and mother, and even had a good relationship with my father. She wouldn’t simply:
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Chapter 117
disregard everyone for me,
Isighed towardly. I wanted to make this at easy at possible for i ana
Somehow, I needed to convince everyone to accept our relatioivetvip and understand that we weren’t going in tus segaritart
isted needed to cancel my manage to lads immediately. I knew she and her parents wouldn’t take the news well while i felt gister for putting hor maber in that position, thad no choice. After witnessing the turmod! almost caused Land by considering Jada as my flances, I understood voulard never subject her to that kind of pain again.
thad to be more mindful of protecting her fragile heart in the future.
As her mate, it was my duty to safeguard her, not to be the one bringing her heartache. Besides, I couldn’t stand the judgmental states she received from the guests at the ceremony. Those people didn’t understand us; they only saw things from the outside.
When the pack members moved a little too close to Lana, I felt a wave of tension wash over me.
“Hey,” I say. “That’s enough bonding for now.”
Lana turned to me, her eyes sparkling with happiness, sending a shiver of joy down my spine. She had no idea how much I would sacrifice just to see that smile over and over again.
I strode over to her and gently pulled her away from the others.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“Thank you?” I ask, bemused. “For what exactly?”
As far as I knew, I hadn’t done anything deserving of her gratitude.
“You didn’t go through with the engagement,” she replies. “I was truly scared of losing you today.”
I hated that I had put her through such trauma.
“I’m really sorry, Lana,” I started, pulling her closer to me. “I regret how I treated you yesterday. I should have never said those hurtful things. Seeing you in that state in the bathroom-”
“I know what happened last night,” she tells me, her voice steady. “I could tell you were struggling. You felt the need to hurt yourself for hurting me. I can’t believe you nearly got yourself killed because of it!”
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