Page 86 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

Chris sighed and looked away.

“I don’t know how to get rid of them. I ignore them, and they keep coming. I keep asking you if you mind, and you say you don’t, so I don’t have a valid reason to refuse.”

“How about you just tell them no?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“I ca—What if it reflects badly on Crescent Moon? They don’t have adequate training. Shouldn’t someone be helping them? I have a du—”

I snorted. Those girls didn’t need training. They needed a mate or at least to get laid.

“Weren’t you the one who said ‘Not my monkey, not my circus, we’re just here to provide a few bananas?’” I shook my head. “Like I said, I’m not waking up at an ungodly hour to watch you training someone else. I can just ask Elim to keep helping me if you’re unable to say no. That way you can have a break from me, too.”

Chris’ eyes blazed with anger at my words, and his jaw ticked. I waited for him to reply, but instead, he just moved towards the bathroom.

“I’ll let you shower,” he said and slammed the door to his room behind him just hard enough to let me know he was angry.

I sighed. Two broken people trying to figure out their feelings was certainly a messy event.

Chris and I were prickly with each other all morning. Both unable to talk about what was really bothering us about the whole thing. Both too vulnerable and broken to open ourselvesup for heartbreak. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to say that I was jealous, and that’s why I kept getting annoyed that the other women were openly flirting with him in front of me. But then, what? He could let me down easy, or he could tell me he liked me. And what if he liked me? What kind of girlfriend could I be? I’d never even kissed a guy. I wasn’t even sure I could do it without flashing back to my time with Nickolas.

Because that was one thing I never told anyone. The one thing I would take to my grave. It was Uncle Theo’s brother the one that ‘sampled me’ first. It was his face and his hands I felt every time I had a nightmare. But, from what I’d overheard Mom and Dad talking, Uncle Theo was struggling with knowing the things Bastet, the goddess Xochiquetzal, had suffered under his hands. He wasn’t the only one. Uncle Helios was also blaming himself.

I couldn’t do that to them, and while Dr. Campbell told me it wasn’t healthy to keep that knowledge to myself because it was a reminder of what I was keeping secret every time I saw them, I knew it would harm more people than it would help me.

My uncles were good, decent men. They were already torn apart knowing what happened to me. Giving them his name or telling them the things the man said to me, would only destroy them.

After work, Chris escorted me back up to my room. He was going to get us dinner, but I stopped him.

“I’m not hungry. Why don’t you go downstairs and have dinner with everyone, and I’ll nap.”

“I... okay.” Chris barely expelled the word before he turned and walked away, sending a pang of hurt through my heart. I locked the door to my room. I went and cleaned the cage of the rabbit I’d decided to call Coco. She was slightly friendlier today, not quite trying to exit the cage the moment I opened it as if I was trying to kill her. I put in new food and treats into the forager, but I noticed she wasn’t eating very much.

It probably misses outside,Nenetl mentioned.

I’ll let it go once it’s fully healed, and they catch the thing that tried to eat her.

I spent a few minutes petting the rabbit, letting it get used to my scent, then I returned her to her cage, crawled under the covers and tried to sleep.

“It’s just a dream. You’re safe. You’re here. I’m here. It’s just a dream.” Chris’ soothing voice brought me out of my nightmare.

I opened my eyes to find myself staring at his broad chest. He was holding me in his arms, my hands were fisted, trapped at my sides by his embrace and I could feel the tears streaming down my face. I took a shuddering breath, and looked up at Chris. I had to look away when I noticed a single tear leaving his eye.

I felt his arms loosen around me, then begin to withdraw. I gripped the piece of his shirt I could reach and whispered, “Don’t.”

His arms came around me again, and I let out a deep sigh. I leaned into his chest, and knowing I’d be embarrassed by my childish behavior later, I allowed myself to relax and fall back asleep, surrounded by his scent and steady beat of his heart.

I woke up in the same position, and after a moment, I dared to peek up at Chris. He was sleeping; his breathing deep and slow. His lips were slightly parted, and his face was relaxed.

This poor man got fucked royally being stuck with me, and now I was developing feelings.

I think he has feelings for you, too,Nenetl replied, having followed my thoughts.

I don’t know, Nenetl. Aren’t werewolves supposed to be dominant, passion-filled and possessive over the women they like?

When has Chris ever done anything like that? He’s more disciplined than the military. Plus, even if he did the official rejection, he’s the one who was made to feel like he wasn’t enough. To make matters worse, Traci chose our brother over him. He and his parents are loyal to our family. Even if it isn’t the truth,healready believed he wasn’t enough before Traci. Think about what it did to him after. Without a mate bond to let him know the Moon Goddess believes he deserves us, he’s operating off his own self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Just like we’re currently doubting ours.

Well, heck. She had a point on that.

So, what do I do?

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