Page 191 of Cursed Bonds: An Alpha's Destiny

Kirsten

When I woke up the next morning, my mood had not improved. Jace was still caught up in his head, and I was getting tired of him taking out on everyone else. After getting home from dinner last night, I’d hoped a nice long night of rest would help. It hadn’t. Plus, my head was throbbing from the accident.

I lay there, a pulsating drum beat blasting away between my ears. There had to be a spell that could take the pain away, but I didn’t want to deplete more of my energy. I never knew whether I’d need the full power of my magic today. Better to be fully energized and in pain than worn out and comfortable. For all I knew, Eren would attempt to kidnap or kill me yet again.

Rolling over, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. The message from Jace the night before was still open on my screen. I’d never replied to it. He wasn’t actually angry at me, that much was obvious. It was all in his head, but that didn’t mean he could lash out at everyone who cared about him. He was angry and anxious and didn’t feel like he was enough. I wished I could fix it for him, but I didn’t know how. But if he didn’t figure it out soon, I worried he’d have a breakdown.

The sun was barely up, but I could hear muffled footfalls in Jace’s room next door. I listened to him moving around, getting ready for the day. His door opened, and his footsteps moved in the direction of my door. Acting like a child, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep in case he checked on me. I didn’t have the mental capacity to talk about what had happened the night before.

The clunk of his boots stopped right outside my door. I imagined him, hand raised, ready to knock. He didn’t. A few seconds later, his steps trailed away as he went downstairs. The front door opened and closed, and the house descended into silence again.

I opened my eyes and huffed. Why hadn’t I gotten up to talk to him? Why was it like some insurmountable thing I didn’t have the energy for?

How could I help him? I’d tried comforting him as best I could, tried to talk him out of feeling the way he did, but I simply couldn’t imagine how he felt. I’d never been a man, much less a shifter alpha. I needed to talk to someone about it, if only to get it off my chest.

I got dressed and went downstairs, where I made French toast out of a loaf of sourdough. Harley joined me ten minutes later.

“Oh my god,” she said, eyeing the slices frying on the pan. “Carbs and sugar? A woman after my own heart.”

“I thought you’d be happy,” I said, sliding a couple of pieces onto a plate and handing it over, along with a bottle of maple syrup.

“You,” Harley said, pointing at me with her fork, “look like shit.”

“Thanks. Just what every girl wants to hear.”

“Well, it’s the truth. You didn’t sleep well, did you?”

“No,” I admitted. “I kept tossing and turning. I’m still mad at Jace and the way he acted. It’s like I told you last night at dinner, he’s being such a big baby about all this. He’s become a completely different person. Hesitant, overbearing, easily pissed off. He keeps freaking out on me.”

Harley took a few bites, then nodded. “Here’s the deal,” she said. “I’m not justifying the way Jace is acting. When he got all snippy in the hospital, I kinda wanted to punch him, so don’t get the wrong idea, but—”

“Are you going to say something to make me mad?” I asked, dumping my own breakfast onto my plate.

“Not mad, but maybe something that will help you see things from his point of view. How about that?”

“Proceed,” I groaned, shoving a piece of French toast into my mouth.

“So, I sort of see where he’s coming from. He’s Mr. Big Bad Alpha, biggest dick on the block, right?”

I shrugged and took another bite. “Yes, to the big bad alpha, and… well, yes to the other part, too.”

“Ha! I knew it.” She flashed me a triumphant smile. “Anyway, as I was saying, he’s never not been at the top of the pyramid. He’s waited a hundred years for his mate, then she shows up and almost immediately gets kidnapped and nearly assaulted. He doesn’t even get to save her; she saves her own damn self. Not only that, but then she almost gets hurt again. On his own land, no less.

“From what everyone has said, this Eren douche is half the man Jace is, yet he keeps getting closer and closer to screwing him over. It’s like getting your ego stepped on. Add to that, this hotshot Flynn shows up. It’s no wonder Jace feels a little inferior right now. I can see why he’s losing it a little. Nothing he does is helping the situation.”

I stared at her for a long moment, letting that all sink in. Jace had admitted that he felt less capable than others, including me. But the way Harley explained it made even more sense. Eren had gotten under Jace’s skin. The asshole was always one step ahead. If I had to guess, that was the real reason Jace was so tightly wound. The other stuff only exacerbated it all.

“Well, shit,” I said. “That makes it seem a little less childish, I suppose. He’s freaking out because he doesn’t think he can keep me safe. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Basically. He’s also probably worried about losing face with his pack. Here’s the bigger question, though,” Harley said, tossing her fork onto her empty plate. “Do you want to live in a world without Jace? Every guy can be a dick now and then, just like every woman can be a bitch. Is that enough for you to cut it off and go back to your boring human life?”

“No,” I said. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“Then you know what you need to do, don’t you?”

“Shit.” I tugged my phone out of my pocket.

Harley stood, put her plate in the sink, and walked toward the door. “I’m gonna head into town, see what fun there is to be had. I’ll see if Tank or the other guy can take me. Looks like you might need some privacy.”

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