Page 294 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Chapter 146

Alex sat on his rooftop terrace, staring blankly out over the treetops of Central Park. He’d been sitting for hours, vaguely aware of the sun’s long passage overhead. It had finally begun its descent into the western sky when Aaron called. He told Alex that he had shared Alex’s story with Anna and explained why Alex had stayed hidden. It hadn’t gone very well.

He’d been hoping she’d call, or come to see him, but as the sun disappeared behind the tall buildings of the city, hope died in his heart. He’d considered going over and knocking on her door, but Aaron had said to give her time to get used to the idea that he was alive. So he sat on his rooftop terrace, watching the trees sway in the wind and the sun cross the sky.

A flash of light next to him made him grimace. He didn’t look. “Hello, Sebastian.” Ever since his friend had given Alex the Immortal essence, he’d been able to sense Sebatian’s—and any other nearby Immortal’s—presence. He could also sense Anna, if she was close enough. Her apartment was too far away for him to feel her now, but if she walked by his building, as she did fairly regularly, he knew it.

The tall Immortal settled himself on the wooden chair across from Alex. “Have you talked to her?”

“You know?” Alex hadn’t spoken to Sebastian since he’d returned from the job in Chicago.

“I do. She’s quite upset. I can feel it.”

Alex ran his hand through his freshly cut hair. It felt strange after years of long hair, but he thought it might help Anna accept him if he looked more like himself. He slid his hand over his cheek where she’d slapped him—it was sensitive after shaving off his beard. “She hit me.”

Sebastian’s eyebrows rose high on his face and amusement lit his eyes. “Really?”

“I’ve never seen her so angry.” Alex grimaced. “I guess I’ve missed a lot of things with her.” He looked at Sebastian. “She’s so... hard, so stubborn. Not at all like the girl I married.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Alex stared at the floor. “I don’t know. I’m glad she’s become her own person. But it’s sad to see her sweetness diminished.”

“She’s still sweet, Alex. But she’s hurt and confused. Did your father tell you she blatantly disobeyed him?”

“She did what?”

“He gave her an order and she willfully did the opposite. She found out what happens when a slave disobeys her Master.”

Alex growled. “Don’t call her that.”

“I didn’t mean it disrespectfully, Alex.”

Alex frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “What happened?”

“Extreme pain in her head.”

“No, I mean, why did she do it?”

“Wilhelm didn’t tell you?”

Alex shook his head.

“He and Kurt visited her on the way to Connor’s funeral—well, Chris’, at that point. She didn’t come out right away to see them, and when she finally did, it was obvious that she’d been in bed with her ex-boyfriend.”

Alex flinched. He thought they hadn’t slept together.

“She was very... stubborn. She and Kurt fought. Loudly. She was ready to storm out of the room and your father told her to stop and she didn’t.”

Alex sighed. Could anything go right with her? No wonder she was ignoring his father and brother.

“He forbade her from being with Hugo again. She cares for Hugo a great deal, and he for her. Wilhelm was trying to keep them apart so she would accept you when you went to her. She was very compliant when he left.”

“And somewhere between then and now, she’s become angry again,” Alex muttered. He needed to have words with his father. He and Kurt were supposed to take care of Anna, not drive her to anger. Maybe if Kurt had been kinder to Anna, this Hugo thing wouldn’t have happened.

“You’re right,” Sebastian said, reading his mind, and Alex looked up in confusion. “If Kurt had handled things better, she would have accepted your presence easier.” He raised his eyebrows. “But did you really want her sleeping with your brother?”

Alex frowned. “Better than Hugo.”

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