Page 23 of Hawke

Even Bear’s usual scowl had softened, and his shoulders slumped.

I slammed my fist on the bar. “Her roommates wouldn’t even let me in the apartment. What else did they say?”

Anaki scowled. “Well, they said she was fed up with the men around here. No one was able to commit, tired of having her heart broken. You wouldn’t have anything to do with that now, would you?”

“No, I wouldn’t,” I snapped, shaking my head.

It was a lie. It rolled right off the tongue so effortlessly, just like any other time I’d lied about my feelings toward her.

Journey began to cough, and “liar” escaped her lips.

The bar patrons chuckled and turned to their own devices. Meanwhile, I looked like an idiot, but that was all I knew. For so long, I’d kept her away, and now I didn’t know how to show her I wanted to keep her.

“Sorry, I’m allergic to denial,” Journey said.

“Excuse me?” I scoffed.

“You heard me,” Journey said, taking a sip of her milkshake. “You love her, and she loves you. If you’d just open yourself up to the goddess, she would be your mate. But you, as well as everyone else in this damned club,” she said it loud enough for all to hear, “are just scared.”

“Me, scared? Are you serious?” I said incredulously.

Journey nodded. “Scared of your own feelings. You may not fear death, but you are scared to open your heart again. You are scared to have it broken. Can you see Delilah rejecting you? Seriously? She’s the happiest person in this bar, and the way she looks at you…” Journey tsked.

The way she looked at me? She looked at me like I was the only man in the universe. She made me feel things only a mate would feel. I had more of a connection with Delilah than I ever did with my mate.

But I had to protect her! What if the council came? What if she found out what I am? I couldn’t put her life in danger for my own selfish desires! Unlike what Grim had done to Journey.

I swirled the glass Anaki’d left for me. I let the amber liquid coat around the cylinder.

“I’ve been hurt.” I gripped the glass, speaking to Grim. He was trying to console me, trying to make me see what he could see.

Journey and Grim were in their own little world, happy, but what would become of it? She had a mark on her shoulder and her ears were bleeding. Who was to say that she wouldn’t die in time? She was sick from the bite, the goddess had cursed her with that damn thing on her head because she was not his.

Like Delilah wasn’t mine.

“You don’t know how long—” I stared at Grim and glanced behind him. Journey was eating her burger again, oblivious to what we were saying.

But Grim knew what I was talking about, because he didn’t know what would become of hismateeither.

I shook my head. “I don’t want to put her through that,” I gulped. “I don’t want to get her, only to lose her. If we are even mates.”

Grim leaned closer to me, his mouth near my ear. “To have her as my mate for any amount of time is worth it.”

I instantly sobered.

Maybe I could have Delilah. I could have her, not have my wolf claim her, and just be with her until my death. I could get her to understand I wouldn’t be around for much longer. Tell her she needed to keep this secret after I pass. Surely the council wouldn’t find out if she accepted who we were, which I think she could.

She could still live freely if she chose. Still have a life without me once I was gone. I had plenty of money for her to live off of. She would be taken care of; the Iron Fang would make sure of it.

After conversing with Journey and Grim once more and knowing Journey had no clue where Delilah had gone, I rose from my seat.

I was going to find her, tell her how I felt. That I wanted to be with her for as long as I lived, but I didn’t know how much longer that would be. To have her, even for the briefest of moments before my death, would be enough.

Chapter Eight

Delilah

Iwasstartledbythe sound of the wind pushing the nearby branch up against my window. A loud screech joined the scratching down the side of the glass. I winced as the lightning flashed into the darkened room, ready for the thunderous roar to follow.

---