Page 64 of Brutal Alpha Beast
“I understand,” she says. “Why you’d feel that way. But you have to believe me, Ellis, I don’t want to hurt you.”
A little late for that. But again, I don’t speak. I tense my jaw and stare at her, unmoving. My heart is hammering against my ribs, and I hate that despite my anger, I still care. I’m still bothered by much more than just a witch putting me under a spell.
“Look, Ellis, if you don’t let me do this, if you don’t trust me a little, then I can’t make this right. You’ll keep walking around without knowing the truth, and we’ll keep going on, not trusting each other when I could have done something. I know that I should have done this a long time ago, but I’m coming to you, openly, now.”
I want to believe her, but something inside me still stops.
“How do I know that you’re not manipulating me?” I ask. “How do I know that this spell even exists?”
She shrugs. “You don’t. You can’t know until you try.”
“I don’t know Danielle,” I mutter.
Danielle exhales slowly. She sits back down on the chair by the table behind her, and her shoulders fall slack. She looks tired, regretful—human.
The way her eyes look tugs at my heartstrings, and it takes the weight of a mountain to stop me from comforting her.
“I should have never come here,” she says, a defeated look spreading across her eyes. “I should have told Penelope the full story, and that I couldn’t face being with you, but even if she had chosen someone else, I think you still would have found your way to the truth. It’s wrong to put someone under a memory spell, even if you think it’s better for both of you. I know that now.”
She continues, the ache in her voice pulling at my heartstrings. I want to remember everything without needing to trust her, but when it comes to our past, my mind is still blank.
“I’m sorry, Ellis, I really am. I wish I had the words to express how much regret I feel, regret about everything. If you want me to go, just say it, and you’ll never have to see me again.”
She swipes at her cheek roughly and lets out a shaky laugh. “And look at me now. I came here hoping to fix everything, but the truth is… maybe I just made it worse.”
“Danielle,” I murmur.
Her name feels strange on my tongue. Is she someone I care for, or is she my enemy? Should I agree and send her away?
I’ve been going back and forth about whether I can trust her, and at first, I decided I’d speak with Penelope and my council in order to make a rational and balanced decision.
But that look in her eyes is killing me.
She looks up, her beautiful face so distraught, and yet hanging on with just a glimmer of hope.
“I’m not going to send you away,” I say. “And I definitely don’t trust you, but I know that I need to learn the truth. So... fine, I want you to lift the spell.”
Danielle blinks, like she wasn’t expecting that answer. Her lips part, her breath hitching just slightly, and then she nods.
“Okay,” she says. “Let’s go.”
As she stands, I look at her suspiciously.
“We can’t do it in here?”
“It’ll be better if we’re in nature,” she says. “It’s helpful for the spell.”
I exhale. “Sure, whatever, fine. You lead the way, Danielle. Let’s go.”
A much-needed lighter air settles upon us as she leads me out of the cabin, but I feel like I’m jumping off into the deep end.
I’m nervous. I have no idea what to expect.
***
“Here,” she says, looking around an isolated area of forest. “This will work. I think.”
Maybe it should be concerning that we’re out of pack bounds, in an area completely hidden from sight. No one from my pack knows we’re here—Danielle could technically try anything.
