Page 6 of Abel

As he walked through her living room, she growled, “Put me down now!”

“Alright.”He said as he unceremoniously dropped her on the couch.“I was just trying to be a gentleman.”

“What?Why?How did you find me?”She pushed herself up and glared at him.“I’ve kept my house hidden for years, and now you just suddenly found me?”

“Oh, she-wolf.It’s never been hidden from me.I’ve known about this place since the day you bought it.”He shrugged and sat down in the overstuffed chair across from her.“I just didn’t want to intrude.”

“Until tonight.”

He nodded.“Until tonight.”

“Why?”She sat up and brushed her hair off of her face.“Why now?”

“Because you released me.”He saw the anger boiling just under the surface and added.“I understand how difficult that had to be, and I wanted to say thank you.”

“Yeah, well.One of us had to have the balls to finally make it official.”

He leaned forward, clasping his hands in his lap.“So, this is really what you want, then?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t have let you go if I didn’t mean it.”

He blew out a heavy sigh.“I know I was a real jackass to you over the years.I know I said and did horrible things to hurt you.I just—”

“Don’t you dare, Abel.Do not come in here on the day I let you go and try to make up for everything.”She jumped to her feet and pointed at the door.“Just leave.Don’t sit there and rub salt in the wound.”

“I just wanted you to know—”

She snapped her fingers and pointed again to the exit.“I don’t need to know anything.There’s nothing you can say that I need to know.Goodbye.”

He wanted to stay and argue, get her riled up, so they could scream and yell at each other.He wanted to see some sort of emotion, some sort of pain like the pain he was feeling.Deep down, he knew it was selfish.She’d given him the one thing he said he wanted.Shaking his head, Abel stood up and made his way to the door.He didn’t bother to look back, he simply resigned himself to his fate and walked out, feeling like a dog with his tail tucked between his legs.

* * *

“She sent you packing,didn’t she?”A male voice boomed from the shadows, followed by laughter before Abel had even shut the front gate.

“What do you want, Carsidious?”

“I’m just here to make sure my future wife is safe.I wouldn’t want any bottom feeding fake wolves bothering her right before her wedding.”

Abel growled.“I’ll let my wolf out, and you can see for yourself just how fake I am.”

“Why would I bother wasting my time?I don’t have to fight for Esmeralda, she’s made her choice.”

“She’s angry.She’ll come to her senses.No wolf in their right mind would marry you.”

“You know, I almost thought for a moment there during your speed dating that I might lose my grip on her, but then I saw the pain in her eyes, and I knew in an instant that no matter how she feels she will never give in to you.She’s too proud, and you’ve hurt her too much.So, even if she wanted to call the whole thing off, she won’t because she refuses to show that kind of weakness.”He chuckled.“The gods bless a strong female.She’s so strong in fact, that I think she might even last beyond our wedding night.But don’t worry, I will give it my best try nonetheless.”

Abel’s lips curled into a menacing grin.“You’re lucky we’re standing in front of her house, or I’d rip you to shreds, asshole.”

Remus shrugged and turned his back, walking slowly back into the shadows.“It’s a real shame you were too stubborn to realize what you had before it was too late.But between your bitterness and her old man’s insanity, you all made this so fucking easy for me.Have a good night, pup.”

Abel lunged, but the man was gone before his parting words had left his lips.He turned back to Esme’s house and started back up the path.“He set this whole thing up, used her dad…” The thought built up in his head.He had to tell her, he had to warn her, so she could break it off.He raised his hand to the door to knock, hovering it there for a few seconds.

“Go home, Abel.I don’t want to talk to you.”She yelled from the other side, already knowing he was there.

He blinked.“Es, we need to talk.”

“No, we don’t.For once, just once, could you respect my boundaries and leave me alone?”

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