Page 46 of The Dark Elf's Secret Twins

“If your looks are all I wanted you for, I wouldn’t have invited you to come live in my home, nor would I even have come to see you when you were holed up at Nasthyn’s.”

I can tell from her face she is still a bit irate but she seems to know I need to say everything on my mind.

“I want to be with you Cyra, more than any damn thing I’ve ever wanted in my life… But I’m so afraid of fucking it all up.”

“Fucking up?” she repeats. “How?”

“Because what if I’m not enough for you?” I cry. “I know you want to get closer, but what if this version you see of me is some sort of over romanticized idea in your head?”

“It’s not like that,” she replies, shaking her head.

“You’ll end up growing sick and tired of me, see how much of a fucking failure I am then leave me,” I sob.

“Lykan,” she sighs.

“Every damn day, I live in fear of being hurt. When you first left Le Lazurt, it fucking killed me. I can’t begin to tell you just how much my life has spiraled down the drain since then.”

I bury my face away in shame.

“I have no one but I would rather live on without your love then get it back, only to lose it again. I just can’t do that Cyra, I just can’t…”

I continue crying, sobbing heavily in the cover of my arms. Cyra’s soft hands come to rest on mine. I look up from my tear stained robes, expecting to find a face of annoyance. In its place is concern and guilt, the latter of which I’m all too familiar with.

“Do you really mean all of that?” she asks.

I’ve lost the strength to speak, leaving a silence between us. The only sounds in the room are the gentle whisperings of the wind against the house’s walls. Her eyes focus on mine as if they read what I cannot say. Cyra then rises from her chair and comes to sit beside me.

“Lykan, I… I never knew you felt that way,” she sighs. “Why did you wait for so long to tell me?”

I swallow and clear my throat.

“Because… I thought you wanted nothing to do with me,” I say. I shift in my seat, straightening myself up. “Your reaction when I came in was exactly what I feared it would be.”

“I’m sorry I reacted like that,” she replies.

“No, there’s no need for you to be sorry. I should be the one apologizing. All this time, I had feelings for you even before I became aware of them, yet all I did was make physical advances on you… I’m such a fool.”

“No, you’re not,” she says reassuringly. “Things have just been strange in the past few weeks for the both of us. I’ve something to confess too.”

“What is it?”

“I was angry for sure, but every time I looked at you since that fight in the dining room… I couldn’t help but wish things were different between us. I’m sorry for being so angry but I’m glad you understand.”

“I do… and that makes it worse. How could I ever dream of being good enough for you when I can’t even be good enough for myself? I-”

Cyra swiftly throws a finger to my lips. She comes closer, her eyes lingering on mine with an intense look of desire as she runs her thumb across them.

“You’ve got it all wrong,” she whispers.

23

CYRA

"I've got it all wrong?" Lykan whispers.

"Yes," I say, stepping closer. "I want everything to do with you." I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. “You are still a hockass if you think any different.”

And then I push up on my toes and kiss him deeply. He cups the back of my head, claiming control of the kiss. But when we break apart, breathing heavily, Lykan’s eyes are heavily hooded.

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