Page 50 of Gift from the Tree

“What have I done to make you hell-bent on hating me?” I appreciate Draken keeping his word and stepping in, and I hope he continues to when it comes to Caspian, but if I’m going to live here, I’ve got to stand up for myself. And that starts with Caspian.

“Exist.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not going to change, asshole.”

“Yet.” His tone is low, but the malice behind it is clear.

“Out, Caspian,” Draken says in a serious, deadly tone. I can’t think of a time I heard two words be so menacing.

The room falls into complete silence. You could hear a butterfly flap their wings if it were to pass through the room right now. Caspian and Draken are stuck in a stare off with one another, the rising tension causing my palms to sweat. My fists are clenched so tight, I’m leaving crescent-shaped indents with my nails.

“You sure this is what you want, Draken?” Caspian asks, his voice clear and firm.

“I’ve never doubted you, brother, but you’re wrong about this, about her,” Draken says in a much softer tone. It feels like he really wants Caspian to see reason, and this is hurting Draken. That pisses me off even more. Fuck Caspian for putting him in the middle of this.

“No, I’m not.” Caspian swears as he stands from his chair and walks out the door, slamming it so hard the silverware shakes.

I wait a moment to make sure he’s gone before I speak. “Maybe I should go to the dorms. I’m coming in between you guys and as much as he is the world’s biggest asshole, this is his home, and I shouldn’t make him uncomfortable.”

“No.” Tillman’s objection in that deep voice makes a tremor crawl up my spine and I have to force myself to look at him.

“No?”

“I said no. Be ready at dawn for training.” With that, he stands and leaves the room.

“Dawn? Is he serious?” I ask, looking between Corentin and Draken.

“Sadly, kitten, yes. And his training is brutal,” Draken informs me with a smirk that doesn’t really seem that sad.

“Great.” Looking over at Corentin, noticing his unusual quietness, I ask, “Are you okay?”

Surprise crosses his face before he schools his features again. “I’m fine, Willow. I’ll see you in the morning.”

When he leaves the room as well, I slump back in my chair. “My presence here is interrupting everyone’s lives. I shouldn’t stay here, Draken.”

“None of that. The guys have their own shit to work out and they’ll figure it out. Their issues aren’t yours to worry about or try to fix. We all agreed on you staying here, so that’s what’s going to happen,” he says with a finality that I don’t have the energy to argue with.

As the two of us finish our dinner, barely making small talk, a yawn creeps out of me before I can catch it. Standing, Draken offers me his hand. “Come on, a relaxing bath, then bed. You got a big day tomorrow.”

Don’t I know it.

Thirteen

Tillman

This is a fucking mess.

By the time we figure out all the mysteries surrounding Willow, it’ll be too late for us. She won’t want anything to do with us. Even as on the fence as I am about getting closer to her until I know for sure she’s our Primary, I can’t help but be a little jealous of Draken and his “fuck it, all in” attitude. But I can’t do that. I can’t go all in, then turn around and have to cut it off ’cause she isn’t the one. Either way, distancing myself from her will either protect my heart or fuck me over. It’s a hard fucking tossup.

When all the secrets we’ve been keeping from her blow up in our faces, it won’t matter because she’ll run. The doubt of belonging here in the first place is a constant thought in her mind. If she’s really our Primary, she’ll run for the hills from the sting of our rejection, even though that’s not what we’re doing. And so far, it’ll be Draken who’ll be crushed the most since he hasn’t heeded a single warning or fucking rule of ours, but regardless, she’ll still hold him responsible for his part.

Walking into the lounge, Caspian’s sitting on the couch with a glass of whiskey already in his hand. “Don’t start, Tillman.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to say anything. It’s written all over your face. If he wants to act like a lovestruck idiot, then so be it.” He scoffs before drinking down his entire glass.

“He doesn’t believe she has any nefarious plans, and she hasn’t shown anything that would say otherwise. He’s following his instincts, and he wants her.” I try to reason with him.

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