Page 211 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

“Hugo?”

“My boyfriend. The one I called you about weeks ago.”

“Ah. I remember. You have gotten serious with him, then?”

“I guess so. Is that okay? Do I need your permission to date someone?” She knew she was snapping, but really didn’t care at the moment.

He was quiet for a few minutes. “Anna, I am sorry I did not call you when Jenna died. It was unthinking of me.”

“Are you going to come see me dance tomorrow?”

“I cannot do that. Showing up in New York, especially now, would arouse Devin’s suspicions.”

Anna clenched her jaw and blinked back angry tears. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him how much he was hurting her by not being around for her. Any other time, he would have been here in a heartbeat. Now that she was safe in New York, he seemed to think she didn’t need him anymore. Well, maybe she didn’t need him anymore. “Is there anything else you need, Wilhelm?” she asked coldly.

“Nein, Liebling.” His voice was as gentle as it always was. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay and that you know I love you.”

“I’m okay.”

“I love you, Anna.”

She didn’t respond and he was quiet.

After a long pause, he spoke again, though his voice was strained. “I will let you get on with your evening.”

“Good night.”

Alex stared at his father as Anna hung up after a cold farewell. “You should have called her.”

Vati frowned. “As everyone has reminded me, yes, I should have. But I cannot go back in time and change things. I can only try to make it up to her in the future.”

Alex paced in his father’s study. “Vati, I need to see her. Seeing me would make her understand what happened. Would make everything better for her.” Alex ran his hands through his long hair. He had been patient with his father’s insistence on staying in Frankfurt until he and the other Elders figured out what to do next. But it had been over a month and his patience was wearing thin. Even his men were eager to see their families, but Vati insisted on keeping their return a secret. “My heart can’t stand it much longer.”

Vati stood behind him and put his hand on his shoulder. “I know, son. But the situation needs to be handled very carefully. Devin is still very strong. If you go out and announce you’re alive, he will find you. And Anna. You’re not ready to confront him yet.”

Alex clenched his fist as a surge of anger shot through his body. He wanted to lash out at his father, but Vati was right. Anna had only just escaped after Devin had been consuming her powers for years. He was too strong and would remain so for several months.

“I miss her,” Alex whispered after a long silence. “My heart aches for her...” He turned suddenly. “I could touch her. The last few times... I could touch her. I could kiss her.”

Vati’s eyes widened in surprise. “You could?”

Alex nodded. “Ever since I got sick—‍” He paused. “Did Devin know she dreamed of me?”

Vati shook his head. “No, I told her not to tell him. When were you sick?”

“During Vitaly’s funeral.” He flinched at the memory. He hadn’t told his father about what Devin had done to him and Seth. It was too shameful.

Vati pressed his lips together. “Anna was sick too. She must have been—‍” He paused and then chuckled. “When you’re bonded, you’re really bonded, aren’t you?”

Alex raised his eyebrow, perplexed by his father’s amusement.

“Because Devin arranged for your disappearance and insisted on you being put in the cellar, so Anna got sick with you.”

Alex grimaced. He had a strong suspicion that what Devin had done to him in that cellar had made him sick. But regardless... “Devin must have done something so she could touch me without disappearing. He wouldn’t have thought to remove the ability because he didn’t know she visited me.”

Vati nodded and the two men were quiet for a long time. Alex clenched his jaw, trying to push away the insistent memory of Devin’s touch. There were few days when the memory didn’t rear its ugly head and he’d wondered more than once if Devin had somehow manipulated his mind to make him unable to forget. The thought was more than a little disturbing. Seth had a similar struggle, but it was the pain that haunted him the most. For Alex, it was the pleasure.

Vati broke the silence. “What have you learned from the third book?”

---