False Expectations - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Adelina's pov:
-"And how am I supposed to do it?" I asked Chris, genuinely surprised.
-"I don't know. Just get closer to him and let the bond do the rest," Chris replied, trying to explain his thoughts.
-"That's the plan? Really now?" I raised an eyebrow, sarcasm dripping from my words. "It must have taken you a lot of time to come up with such a complicated strategy."
"-You don't have to be so sarcastic," he retorted, clearly annoyed. "Do you have any better ideas?"
-"Not exactly my plan, you know," I responded with a shrug, the bite in my tone sharpening. "Trying to wake up Maximus wasn't on my to-do list. So, no, I don't have anything else to suggest because honestly, this whole idea sounds crazy to me."
Chris's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Finally! The little cat shows her claws. I didn't expect you to be so argumentative. Interesting!" He grinned widely.
-"I'm a wolf, not a cat," I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance. "If I were you, I'd be more careful with labels."
Chris chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter. "Touché. But seriously, you've got this. The bond between mates is strong. If anyone can wake him up, it's you."
I rolled my eyes. "I guess we'll see about that," I muttered, unsure whether to feel reassured or even more skeptical about the whole situation.
He laughed at my antics and moved closer to Maximus' bed. I followed behind him, a bit hesitant. Chris sat on the left side of the bed, while I settled down on the right. My eyes couldn't help but wander to Maximus' unconscious form. Seeing him like this—so fragile and vulnerable—was unbearable. I couldn't fathom how we had gotten here.
After taking a deep breath to steady myself, I finally managed to ask Chris the question that had been tormenting me for the last few minutes.
-"And now what, Mr. I-know-it-all?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
-"Take his hand, caress him, whisper some loving words to him, give him a kiss—hell, I don't know—just let the bond work," he answered nonchalantly.
-"Loving words? A kiss?" I almost gagged at the suggestion. "Really? What's wrong with you?"
-"Alright then," Chris sighed, clearly losing patience. "Just say something nice to him! Instead of criticizing everything, why don't you do something? Anything!"
I paused, trying to think of something that didn't make me want to cringe.
-"Give me a second to think of something," I snapped back.
-"Fine. I'll leave you to it. Have a good night." Chris rose from his seat and moved toward the door.
-"Wait... where are you going?" I asked, a hint of anxiety creeping into my voice.
-"There's only one armchair in here, and I get really grumpy if I don't sleep well. So, goodnight, kitten," he said with a smirk, winking at me.
-"Hmmm, kitten? Really? You never learn, do you? Whatever... Goodnight, Mr. Grumpy," I said, trying to hold back a smile.
Chris shot me a disapproving look before leaving the room. I could tell he was uncomfortable with the situation, as if that somehow made me feel better. He had pinned all his hopes on me and the bond, but I had my doubts. I wasn't sure his plan would work, but it didn't cost me anything to try. After all, this was the first time I had the chance to be completely alone with Maximus— to do what I'd always wanted to do without being ignored or brushed off. He would be completely at my mercy.
I took his hand in mine and gently stroked his cheek. Sparks erupted all over my body as soon as I touched him. A sweet, almost overwhelming sensation flooded me, and butterflies stirred in my stomach. Unfortunately, he didn't react at all. I sighed, fighting the overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Questions, questions that I had been dying to ask him ever since I met him, flooded my mind. Why couldn't we be real mates? Instead of behaving like two strangers, we should've stayed together, shared a home, a bed. We should've shared our dreams, our worries, spent weekends together, gone on romantic dinners, stargazed, or just watched Netflix together. We should've laughed, argued, made up, and made love. We should've supported each other through every difficulty and celebrated every joy. We should've dreamed of our future, our children.
-'Why did you deprive us of all of that, Maximus? Why? You were never sure if it would work. Maybe it could have. Why did you reject us before we even had the chance to try? Why?"
Tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn't hold them back any longer. I sat beside him, gently stroking his hair, imagining the life we could've had. I cried for the life I would never live with him. And so, I sat there, crying throughout the night, until eventually, exhaustion took over, and I fell asleep in the armchair.
The next morning, I woke up holding his hand, feeling surprisingly at peace, despite the uncomfortable position I had slept in. I guess at least the bond was still there, working its way through me in a way that brought me some comfort. Unfortunately, Maximus' situation hadn't improved. Chris's expectations had been far too high, but I had made an effort, and I was content with that. At least I could rest easy knowing I'd tried.
I stood up, splashed some water on my face, ran my fingers through my hair, and put on my shoes. I was preparing to leave when I bent down beside Maximus' bed and pressed a kiss to his lips. This would be my last kiss. My last attempt to make our bond work. Even if he woke up one day and decided to give us a chance, I had already made my decision. I couldn't continue to base my life on a bond that had proven to be so useless, especially when he clearly preferred others over me. In the end, it's the emotions of people that matter.
And I knew from the beginning that Maximus felt nothing for me, other than repulsion and indifference. Sadly, that hasn't changed... and it likely never will. That's why I need to bury my feelings for him, move on, and rebuild my life. It's time to try and find happiness again.
-"I hope you get well soon, and that you find happiness in your life... Bye... mate," I whispered in his ear.
I gave him one last look as he slept soundly, then turned and walked toward the door. I opened it, nodded to the guards, and was immediately met by Chris, who had been waiting in the hallway. He looked exhausted. It was clear that he hadn't slept well the previous night—perhaps those armchairs were more uncomfortable than I realized.
-"Well? What happened?" he asked, his voice thick with anxiety.
-"Good morning to you, too, Beta," I said, a touch of sarcasm in my voice. "I thought sleeping in the armchair made you grumpy. I guess it wasn't so bad after all. Or are you telling me those chairs are more comfortable than the one inside?"
-"Please, Adelina, spare me the sarcasm," he sighed, clearly not in the mood. "Is he awake?"
-"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Beta, but no, he isn't. Your expectations were a bit too high," I said softly, feeling the weight of the situation.
-"But... but why? You're mates! The bond should have had some effect on him. You stayed by his side all night. It should've made a difference. He should've woken up by now—or at least shown some improvement," he said, his confusion and frustration clear.
-"Everything you've said is just speculation, not reality," I replied, trying to remain calm. "I'm really sorry to disappoint you, but as I said before, your expectations were too high from the start."
-"But... but the bond... the mate connection... you know... it... it can do anything. It can work wonders!" he exclaimed, disappointment heavy in his voice.
-"Maybe... if both of them had fully accepted it," I replied sadly. "But as you know, that was never the case for us." I paused before continuing, "I'm sorry, Chris. I really did my best, but please, have faith in our Goddess. I truly believe Maximus will recover soon. He's a strong man. He won't disappoint us. Don't forget—our doctors are the most skilled and trained in all of North America! Don't lose hope. I know I won't," I reassured him, placing my hand gently on his.
-"Yes... yes... I suppose you're right," he said, frustration evident in his voice.
I pulled my hand away when I glanced at my watch. It was already 8:55. My shift started in about five minutes.
-"I'm sorry, but I'm late for work. I have to go. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me," I said quickly. "Goodbye!"
-"Thanks. Have a good day, and take care of yourself," he said, his voice defeated. He was clearly struggling with the reality of the situation, his hopes already shattered.