Chapter 269

Noah left the next day. I took him to the airport, we exchanged a hug and a brief farewell, and then I watched him walk through the gate. That was the last time I ever saw him.

With a heavy heart, I returned to an empty apartment. All our furniture and my belongings—what little I still had—were there, but I could feel Noah’s absence everywhere I went. I didn’t think that I would miss my friend that much, but I had grown accustomed to his company.

Once I did my rounds, ensuring that Noah hadn’t left anything behind, I plopped down on the bed. The silence swept over me and rang in my ears. I thought about turning on the TV or watching videos on my phone but decided that I wanted to soak in my new reality instead.

I knew that I wasn’t truly alone, not really. Outside of my apartment, somewhere around the complex, the Special Guard had stationed themselves in strategic places. The Bob and vampiric threats might be gone, but I knew that Andrew would not give up on protecting me that easily.

I sighed.

Andrew.

Lying back on the bed, I looked at my phone. My reflection in the screen seemed to glare back at me, judging me. It judged me for being such a coward, it judged me for my hesitance…it judged me for just lying there, doing nothing.

My thoughts wandered to the last piece of advice that Noah had given me the night before.

Call Andrew. Don’t be afraid to pursue the man that you’re truly in love with.

I bit my bottom lip and stared at the blank phone screen. Noah was right; I knew that he was. I would never be happy if I did not at least try to give Andrew and me a second chance.

At the same time…what if Andrew rejected me?

I didn’t think that I would be able to take the heartache if he did. I already couldn’t handle being separated from him of my own accord. What if he told me that he didn’t want me this time?

I turned over onto my side and curled up into the fetal position. He could decide that I was not worth the trouble and rip my heart out. The very thought made me not want to get out of bed ever again.

Suddenly, I shook my head and stretched myself out.

That wasn’t going to happen. Andrew had already made it clear that he loved me, that he wanted me back. He hadn’t been the one to end our relationship in the first place.

Andrew had sent his Special Guard to protect me even when we were broken up, and he had done everything within his power to try and keep me from leaving the pack in the first place. No, there was no way that he would reject me.

Besides, what did I have left to lose? If he turned me down, then I would just stay where I was and continue my life as it was…alone. I didn’t need a mate to live my life; I just wanted him.

With a heavy sigh, I located Andrew’s number in my phone—I never bothered to delete it—and clicked on it. My hand shook as I raised it to my ear.

The phone rang a couple of times before Andrew answered.

“Hello?” he asked hesitantly. “Crystal?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” I replied, my voice a bit quiet.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine, better now that you’ve taken care of Bob and his vampiric allies.” I tucked my hair behind my ear. “How are you?”

“Better, also. We’re getting ready for Bob’s trial. It’s a pretty high-profile affair here.”

“I bet. How is Lisa handling it?”

“As well as she can be.” Andrew paused for a moment before continuing. “Crystal, why did you call?”

I swallowed against the hard knot in my throat.

“I called because…” I cleared my throat. “I called because I wanted to tell you that I still love you, and I want to be with you.”

There was no response. My heart pounded hard against my ribs as I waited for Andrew to answer, but nothing came. The silence continued for so long that I started to worry that we had gotten disconnected.

“Andrew? Are you there?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m still here,” Andrew said. His voice cracked slightly. “What about Noah?”

“You don’t have to worry about him. He’s out of my life forever.”

“Oh?” he asked, his interest suddenly piqued. “What happened?”

“He’s studying financial law in the human world for a year, and I…didn’t go with him.”

“Why is that?”

I rolled my eyes. He had to know why already; he just wanted to hear me say it. Well, if that was what he wanted, then I would give it to him.

“Because of you, Andrew,” I said. “It’s always been because of you.”

My heart clenched.

“Look,” I continued, “if you don’t want to be a part of my life, either, I’ll understand. I just couldn’t keep on living without telling you the truth. I had to give it…give us…a shot.”

I closed my eyes tightly and braced myself for Andrew’s reaction. Negative or positive, it was best to just get it out of the way—at least, that was what I kept telling myself.

“Crystal,” Andrew said, his voice the gentlest that I had ever heard it, “I love you, too, and I want to be with you. I’ve only been waiting for you to want that, also.”

I was so relieved in that moment that I felt as though my heart would burst open. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I laughed more heartily than I had in a very long time. I wished that Andrew was sitting right in front of me so that I could gather him in my arms and never let him go.

“Are you okay?” Andrew asked, his tone tinted with concern.

I nodded, though I knew that he could not see me.

“Yes,” I choked out. “Yes. I am better than I have been in a long, long time.”

Andrew chuckled.

“I’m glad. I can’t wait to see you again.”

“I’ll pack tonight and be there in a couple days—”

“No need. I’ll come get you immediately.”

I laughed, too giddy about the entire situation to do much else.

“All right, but won’t it be the same amount of time?”

“Not by private jet.”

My mouth dropped.

“You’d hop on a private jet just to come get me?”

Andrew’s voice grew gravely serious.

“Haven’t I proven by now that I would do anything for you?”

A chill ran down my spine and straight to my loins.

“Yes,” I said, “yes, you have.”

“Then let me do so once again.”

I grinned.

“Well then, I’ll be waiting for you with bated breath.”

“I love you, Crystal Blanchard.”

“I love you, Andrew Dubois.”

As I hung up the phone, a sense of euphoria swept over me. Everything felt so unreal, so disconnected, but in the most beautiful and peaceful way. Finally, all the pieces of my life were falling back together.

All I had to do was wait for my knight in shining armor and his white stallion to come galloping through the door.