“I remember you liked the novel, so I got the tickets for the play. Why don’t you take the day off and come with me?” He smiled as if everything was okay.
“No thanks. I’m up to my neck with work,” I brushed him off.
Axel came around and tenderly hugged me from behind. My skin crawled from disgust, especially when he whispered in my ear.
“Are you still mad? You’re my mate, and Jena was just a sister to me. So, quit it with the childish jealousy, okay?”
The glass almost shattered in my palm. It was first thing in the morning and he was already getting on my nerves.
He made it sound like I was at fault and believed he could call it quits with tickets to a play I didn’t even know.
Oh, Goddess, why did you pair me with this mule?
I peeled his arms around me and flatly said, “I’m not angry,” leaving him without a glance, but this daft wouldn’t get the clue and still followed me.
“So, we have a date then. I’ll pick you up later at three,” he said, convinced I had forgiven him.
At that moment, Jena came out of his room, dazed and wearing his shirt.
“Well, good luck on your date.” I snorted loudly, not meaning to, and then walked out.
“Diana, wait! I can explain.” Axel chased me.
“Save it, Axel. I don’t want to hear your bullcrap.”
He grabbed my hand, looking like a beaten pup. “Diana, please. I know I shouldn’t have left you that night, but it was a matter of life and death.”
“You mean, out of all those people in the temple, only you could bring Jena to the hospital?” I slapped his paws off in utter disbelief. “Have you thought about what I’d feel before you abandoned me, alone in that temple?” I roared.
Axel went silent for a while but all he could say was, “I did.” which was the lamest lie I had ever heard. If he had ever put my feelings first, he wouldn’t have put me through that pain and torn a hole in my soul.
“Enough. I don’t have time for this bloody conversation,” I said, soulless, and left.
Axel shouted that we would talk about this late, but I refused. What was there to talk about? Everything was crystal from the start.
For the next couple of days, work suddenly flooded in. The rogues had gotten more aggressive with their invasions. With new challenges arising, preparations for the aid mission were expedited but the departure was delayed. It was hectic and I couldn’t even catch a break between the menial tasks and meetings with Gamma Brandon.