Chapter 179

When he asked, all I could hear were her words.

I love you, ‘Dido.

“I didn’t lie. She did attack me!”

Candido put the last little jar inside the box and put it in his pocket with a sigh. “Defending herself—”

“So you’re just going to believe her over me?” I asked. “I’ve been here all this time. She just—”

“Your heart skipped, Hedy,” he said, turning to look at me. “I heard it when you said it. I know you lied.”

“It didn’t.”

“It did,” he said. “And given that you were covered in leeches, I’m far more inclined to believe her even without that.”

“Just because I was in the lake?”

“How did you even get in the lake?” Candido asked and looked up at the sky.

“I don’t know, but why does it matter? I—”

“It matters,” he said.

“She must have sent me here somehow and—”

“Estella has been with me this entire time,” Candido said. “In the temple for at least an hour. There is no way she could have sent you into the lake.”

“She must have prayed to the Goddess to get rid of me!” I said. “I know she wants to be luna. I know she wants to be your mate. She’s just trying to get rid of me! Don’t you see that?”

Candido regarded me calmly. “I’m not going to debate what you believe. I am just trying to understand why you would lie about her attacking you. What were you trying to achieve?”

“She’s turned you against me,” I said looking up at him. “You believe over me… What happened to loving me? What happened to believing in me and protecting me? She admitted to attacking me and you didn’t do anything! That guard wrestled and you did nothing. Troy hit me and you did nothing! You don’t care about me!” I sniffled. “All this time I thought you cared about me… I thought you loved me, and you’re just like Steven! Just watching people abuse me.”

He said nothing. His eyes turned cold as he looked at me and said nothing. And I cried, because what else was I supposed to do? He wasn’t listening to anything I said. He didn’t believe me. It doesn’t matter that I attacked her first. I’m Candido’s mate, the future luna of the Full Moon Pack, every attack against me should be treated like an attack on the pack. He should be defending me. He should believe me no matter what.

“I’m supposed to be your future wife… How can you not trust me?”

Candido continued saying nothing, but he didn’t take his eyes off me.

“You’re not going to say anything? You’re just going to stand there and stare at me?”

He picked up my dress and shook it out before offering it to me. I didn’t take it. I stared at him waiting for him to say something.

When he didn’t I let myself cry. I couldn’t believe him.

“Your silence is as good as saying yes,” I said. “Let me guess, you really did get married in that temple today? What am I keeping you from consummating your bond? You want to sleep with her more than me? I’m prettier than her! I’m younger! I’m smarter than her. We were mates first!”

He took a deep breath. “I think we should take a break from each other.”

His words struck through me like lightning, like a knife had been shoved into my chest. I almost wished that Damian had just killed me on that altar. This pain was so much worse.

“It’s true…” I gasped, my jaw trembling.

“No, it’s not—”

“IT is! Why else would you say that?”

“Because…” He took a deep breath. “It’s clear that you are… emotional—”

“I’m more than emotional. I’m devastated! I’m hurt! You hurt me. You did this. You’re the one thinking about another woman when you said you loved me! You kissed me! You—We’ve shared dreams and everything! And suddenly she shows up and—”

“Hedy,” he said calmly. “Calm down.”

“No! I’m not calm at all!” I went to him, beating at his chest. “You can’t do this to me! You can’t do this to me!”

What was I supposed to do now? I looked up at him. I didn’t have anything but Candido.

“Hedy,” he said softly, catching my wrists and stopping me from hitting him anymore. “Stop.”

“No.”

“I need you to stop and listen very carefully.”

“I don’t want to hear that you don’t love me or want me anymore.” I sniffled. “Just put me back in the lake.”

“I wasn’t going to say either of those things. Will you listen?”

I met his gaze, but I didn’t answer.

“You have… been through a lot. It’s clear that the war has… affected you in ways that I was not prepared to handle and neither of us could have known. That is not your fault, but I cannot let you continue on like this.” He held my chin up as I averted my gaze. “I cannot let you continue to endanger people, including yourself, while you come to terms with how things are changing. I cannot help you either.”

“Because you don’t want to?”

“Because I don’t know how to,” Candido said, shaking his head. “I never thought you would lie to me.”

“I didn’t.”

“But I realize that you’ve had quite a bit of practice with lying given your involvement with Moon Shadow. I never imagined you would… turn into this.”

I turned back and glared at him. “What does that mean? I’m the same person.”

“Are you? Then, have I been wrong all these years?” His lips twitched. “I guess so. I guess Uncle Wren is right.”

I shoved away from him. “What does that mean? You think he’s right that you should marry her? I’m your mate! It should be me you’re marrying, no matter what!”

It would be me he married, no matter what. I didn’t know how I was going to make that happen. I didn’t know if I could pray to the Goddess harder for this, or if she would even hear me. I thought that storm of electricity in the temple had been a sign that she would give me what I wanted, but maybe I was wrong.

Fine….

If she wouldn’t give it to me, I would just have to take it, however I had to.

“You could just say that you want to get rid of me,” I said and he turned, rubbing his forehead as if he was getting a headache. “Just say it Candido! Just say you choose her over me! I’m not a child. I know that’s what you really mean anyway! I know that’s why you’ve been spending so much time with her.”

“I haven’t seen her in over thirty years, Hedy,” he said. “And unless you count being unconscious for several days with her tending my injuries, we haven’t had much time to talk about anything, let alone anything you’re thinking.”

I glared at him. “Now who’s lying?”

“Hedy, if you’re not going to listen to a word I say, what is the point?” Candido turned.

“I could say the same thing.”

“I am listening very closely, and all I am hearing is panic and accusations. You are trying to manipulate me into doing something, but I can’t figure out what it is.”

“I’m not manipulating you.”

“Lying and omitting information is the prime mode of manipulation,” he said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked. “I never lied and I didn’t omit anything.”

Candido rubbed his head. “You can’t even hear what you’re saying anymore. You’re being completely irrational.”

“I’m not listening to you go on about her and what she’s convinced you of again,” I turned away from him. “I know what I know. You’re the one that’s confused about what’s going on. But I guess that makes sense. You didn’t even know Sibyl was sleeping with a vampire!”

I glared at him. “You’re the one who can’t see the truth. You’re getting upset about me trying to help you. You’re the one who can’t see that I wouldn’t do those things. You’re letting her turn you against me, and now you’re just using this as an excuse to be with her and toss me aside!”

I growled and bared my teeth at him. “And if you hadn’t ignored me. If you would just stop and paid attention to me, I wouldn’t have gone to that party. It’s your fault. It’s your fault I had to ride back with Cillian.”

I sneered at him. “And I was thinking about you.”

His eyes narrowed. “You lied again, and I was unconscious, Hedy. I would hope that you were mature enough to get on a jeep.”

“Liar! You were just with Estella and you didn’t care about me at all.”

Candido set his jaw. “You know… I can see it.”

“See what?” I hissed.

“Do you know who you sound like?”

“Estella?” I asked, sneering at him.

“No,” he said. “Sibyl.”

Before I realized it, I slapped him across the face and stormed off.