A Wolf's Miracle

Chapter 52

My heart sank the moment Violette mentioned it. I started doing the math and she was right, it was tomorrow. I couldn't believe I forgot. 

Harlan looked at me with extreme alarm and worry.

"She's right," I said, breathless.

"The eclipse will happen at sunrise, you either get mated or you lose your mind," Elowen said with zero tact earning a reprimand from Selene and Arden, but I was quite glad for her honesty.

Soon the tension in the room shifted and I could feel Blaze's gaze on me and Violette's on his.

"Don't do it," she warned but he didn't listen.

"Diana," he started, taking a deep breath "I have something I've been meaning to tell you," Harlan looked at him, absolutely fuming. I wasn't sure he was going to say what I thought he was going to say.

"Blaze," Violette said, shaking her head.

"Shut up, I have to do it," he snapped. He then took a deep breath and said "Diana, I think I'm in love with you." It took me a second to register what he had said. I looked around the room and saw Elowen shaking her head, Arden and Selene being completely shocked. 

I saw Damien looking at Harlan with caution, as he stepped in front of his pregnant mate, possibly to protect her if anything went wrong. And it could, because Harlan was physically holding himself back.

"I--"

"Please, let me continue," he said looking pained and afraid "These are not the circumstances I wanted to tell you this in, I was hoping if I spent more time with you the bond might snap into place and you'd realize it too..." I wasn't listening anymore, I could only think of how Harlan was feeling, of what he might have thought of this, of me.

He kept talking but I stopped him "Blaze," I said looking him in the eye "I love you--" I stopped in my tracks as Harlan literally ran out of the room. I got nervous, knowing how bad this looked. But I reminded myself I needed to keep going or this would end up in a completely different way "As a friend," I added, breaking Blaze's heart into a million pieces, his brown eyes only reflecting how much pain he felt. 

Violette looked at him devastated.

"I really appreciate your offering, but... I'm in love with someone else" I said pointing at the door "And right now I have to go make sure he's okay," I said doing my best not to cry about this whole display of emotion and how heartbroken Blaze looked. But I couldn't respond to Blaze any other way. He needed to know the truth.

____

I ran through the woods, following Harlan's scent as best as I could. I don't know if he was deliberately making it easy to find him, but I had no difficulty in that department.

When I found him Harlan was pacing back and forth, completely lost in thought and in what I could guess was jealousy. He looked hurt and angry as well, I could feel those emotions clearer than anything else. I needed him to get out of his head, I needed to explain.

"Harlan," I started and hazel eyes looked into mine, so similar to his father's yet so different. Everest's eyes were empty and hollow, Harlan's were full of life, full of emotion and love mixed with fear and anger.

"What?" he said coldly, not being able to fully mask his emotions as he did before so easily. His eyes were his biggest tell.

"Are you okay?" I asked, taking a step closer, wanting to hug him and make him feel okay.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he said, always answering a question with a question.

I changed my focus "Why did you walk out?" I knew why he walked out, but if I brought it up he would deny it. I needed him to admit and recognize his feelings.

He looked away "I just couldn't bear it," he said.

"Couldn't bare what?" I asked.

"You saying that to him, I couldn't stand it." He ran a hand through his short brown hair.

"Why?" I asked, once again.

He looked at me almost like he hated me, but it was quite the opposite "You know why."

And now it was me who couldn't stand it. The look on his face, the accusatory glance,  he was making me angry "No, Harlan, actually I don't" I said and it came out strained.

He stepped closer and closer until we were just centimeters apart "You want me to say it?" he said in a very low tone, there was no kindness in his tone, only pure feral anger and something else. Something that made me swallow hard.

"Yes," I said, but it came out breathless.

He smirked, and I realized this was not the Harlan I knew now; the sweet and considerate one. Nor was he the Harlan I knew then, the cold and distant one. This was a whole new side of him, a side much more animal, unrestrained, wild side. "The reason," he said coming closer, but I stepped back until I was cornered against a tree with his arms preventing my escape.

"Is very simple," his voice was raspy and low and it was doing things to me. Things I shouldn't be allowing myself to experience right now.

"What is it?" I braved, but again, it came out breathless. He liked that.

He gently ran the backside of his hand along my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. "You shouldn't be with him," he started "You should be with me." He declared, his eyes hungry, my knees weak.

"I..." Couldn't speak, couldn't even think of a response. God I wanted him so bad, this was not normal, I shouldn't want him, not when he isn't even saying anything romantic or emotional. But I wanted him, wanted his lips on mine, his hands in my hair. I wanted him close to me, in the most intimate way. And for some reason, it felt natural.

And he seemed to read my mind because he said "From the moment I met you I couldn't stop thinking about you" he looked at my lips "I've always wanted to know how you taste" he grabbed my cheek "How you feel around me," I couldn't breathe, I forgot what it was. "I've always wanted to make you mine."

And I'm not sure if it was me or him but our lips crashed into each other with such force it actually felt like an electric current, like being zapped. It didn't hurt at all it was a pleasant electric feeling, I wouldn't know how to describe it, but Harlan did.

Immediately, as if waking up from a dream, he separated, wild-eyed and confused.

"Harlan, what--" I started but he just looked at me surprised and confused "What happened?"

He stared at me for a while and then his eyes turned sad as he said "But I can't," he stated "Because I'll never be enough for you" I was going to interrupt him but before I could he said "Be happy." and disappeared, taking my heart with him.