The Secrets Between Us | ✓

|54|

Icarus had been wounded time and again while fighting in battles, but the pain he felt at the moment was the worst kind. It wrapped around him like the branches of a gnarled tree, with sharp thorns penetrating the very core of his being and leaving him hollow. He wanted to lash out until the rage within him tapered off, but it clung to him like a heavy cloak, suffocating him until he couldn't breathe.

"No!" Anaya's voice echoed through the room as she ran over to him and covered his fist with her hands, desperate to stop him before he could land another punishing punch to the wall. "You're hurting yourself."

"Does it matter?"

His bitter tone made her flinch. "Hear me out once," she implored, her fingers ghosting across his bruised knuckles.

"What's there to say?"

With a low growl, he stormed out of the house, heedless of their cries and pleas. His wolf, Cy, was in control, driven by a restlessness that demanded he shift. In a blur of fluid motion, his clothes shredded as his body transformed, and before either Anaya or Nicholas could catch up, he took off. Dried leaves and gravel crunched beneath his paws and mud coated his fur as he sprinted through the tall and thick trees, trying to escape from himself.

Both the man and the wolf were awash with conflicting emotions. They couldn't figure out why the truth about the beast had been kept a secret from them. As the werewolf king, he should ensure the safety of his packs, not cause terror by attacking them. The thought evoked a raw, guttural howl that sliced through the silence and echoed into the night. The pack members would not let him live if they knew he was the beast, and that was okay, the right thing to do. His life was insignificant compared to those of thousands. Someone like him deserved to rot in hell or somewhere worse.

His heightened senses told him he was getting close to the place that brought him solace. He prodded the wall with his snout, and it parted to reveal the cottage. He rolled around on the grass, seeking comfort in the arms of the moon and the wild, but he still felt tormented by the revelation. He couldn't accept himself as the beast, the murderer of his pack members. It sounded impossible to be able to shift into Cy as well as Lupinneaus. A whimper escaped his mouth, and he shut his eyes as the tears he'd been holding back broke free.

When he awoke, the sun was up with the rest of the world, blinding him with its bright light. For a split-second, he thought it was all just a dream, but had it been so, he wouldn't be here, away from Anaya. He stretched his limbs and trotted into the cottage, shifting into his human form. The urge to dull his pain led him to the liquor cabinet, and before he could think it through, he grabbed a bottle and more, drinking until he couldn't anymore. The noise faded, and he became light-headed, eventually drifting off.

The next time his eyes opened, he couldn't tell how long he'd been lying on the hard floor. His body ached, and his head felt like it had been bashed with a hammer. He stumbled into the shower to get rid of the grime coating his skin. The cold water was a shock to his system; it helped clear his thoughts enough to make him realize that wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to change anything.

Returning home, he found Anaya waiting for him in the drawing room. She didn't look like she'd slept all night. If anything, her dark circles and puffy eyes indicated the distress nagging her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he raised his hand, shaking his head. "I need to talk to Nicholas."

She nodded weakly and slumped back onto the couch, watching him until he disappeared out of her sight. It was tough to be understanding when all she wanted was to be there with him.

Nicholas was pacing back and forth in Icarus' office, his mind reeling after the situation turned ugly. He let out a relieved sigh, his shoulders visibly relaxing when Icarus emerged. But the relief was short-lived as Icarus' question hit him like a physical blow. 

"When did you find out?" Icarus asked in a strained voice.

"It was several years before you became the Alpha king," he admitted after a beat of hesitancy, his gaze fixed on the ground. "We were returning home from a party at midnight when you transformed."

Icarus' face darkened, and he clenched his fists. "Does anyone else know?"

"Your mom, dad, and grandma." He swallowed, sensing the tension in the air. All his efforts to conceal the truth had been in vain. He'd failed to keep his promise to them.

Icarus gave a stiff nod and left. He knew deep down that they were only trying to protect him, but the betrayal still stung like an open wound.

Anaya barged into the office, her eyes searching for him. "Where did he go?"

"It's none of your business!" His clipped tone caught her off guard. "If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have found out."

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling with regret. She knew she was at fault here, but she hadn't intended for this to happen.

Nicholas shot her a withering glare, his words laced with venom. "Your apologies won't change anything. Stay away from him."

She met his gaze with a steely resolve, suddenly angered by his dismissive attitude. He meant well, but he didn't have any right to interfere in their relationship. "I will leave if Icarus tells me to."

Her heart thundered in her chest as she rushed to the front porch. The world seemed to blur around her until she saw him waiting in the car. Their eyes locked, and he opened the door, a wordless invitation that tugged at her heartstrings. She didn't hesitate to slide into the seat next to him.

For several long moments, they sat in silence, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging heavily between them like a blanket of fog. Then, he turned to her, and she saw unexpected tears glistening in his eyes. Pain and confusion radiated from him like a palpable force and seeped through her. She wanted to take it all away. Without a word, she climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around him. He leaned into her embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck just as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Can you come with me?" he asked, his voice choking with each word. "I don't know what I'll find at the packhouse, but I can't do this alone."

He sounded so lost and adrift, like a shipwrecked sailor who couldn't find his way after getting washed up on an unknown shore.

With a gentle touch, she pulled away and cupped his cheeks, brushing away his tears. "You're not alone. I'm here for you always. Whatever happens, we'll get through it together."

"What if I don't like the answers?"

She searched for the right words to say, but she knew nothing could ease his fears. She tightened her hold around him, a silent promise to stay by his side, to be the anchor he needed in the storm of uncertainty that lay ahead.

A/N
Hello! I had to take a break due to my exams. I have another set of exams from May 8th. Thank you for your understanding and patience. I appreciate all of your support and can't wait to share the final chapters with you!