False Expectations - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Adelina's pov:
The man standing before me was none other than my beloved father.
-"Father!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with excitement.
-"My beautiful daughter!" he replied warmly, his face lighting up with a toothy smile as he opened his arms wide.
I didn't hesitate. I rushed into his embrace like a bird returning to its nest, hugging him tightly. The familiar scent of him, the warmth of his arms, the joy of hearing his voice—all of it flooded me with emotion. Goddess, how I'd missed him. I'd missed everything about him: his laugh, his jokes, even his occasional scoldings.
-"I missed you, Dad," I said, my voice soft yet overflowing with happiness.
-"And I missed you too, pumpkin," he replied, gently caressing my cheek with a fatherly tenderness. He kissed my forehead, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. We simply looked at each other, savoring the reunion as though the rest of the world had melted away.
Then, as if on cue, the music shifted, and he took my hand, guiding me into a dance.
-"I thought you wouldn't come," I said, a hint of reproach in my tone.
-"How could I miss this?" he asked, his chest puffing with pride. "My beautiful daughter, becoming the Luna of the most powerful pack in the world!"
His words filled my heart with warmth.
-"Have the others come as well?" I asked, glancing around the tables in search of familiar faces.
-"Only Jake managed to make it. Stella wasn't feeling very well," he explained.
My brows furrowed with concern. "Is she ill?"
-"No," he assured me with a chuckle. "She's been dealing with morning sickness that seems to ruin the rest of her day."
-"Morning sickness? ....Wait... you mean she's pregnant?" I asked, my voice rising with excitement.
He nodded, his eyes twinkling.
-"Wow! That's wonderful!" I exclaimed, practically bouncing on the spot. But then a thought struck me, and I pouted. "How did that happen? When did she find her mate? She didn't mention anything on the phone!"
My father laughed, clearly amused by my reaction.
-"We'll have time to talk about Stella later," my father said, his tone shifting to one of gentle concern. "Now, tell me about you. How are you? How is life here? Are you happy with Maximus? Does he treat you well? I want to hear everything! You've been awfully quiet about it on the phone."
His sharp gaze pierced through me, and I quickly averted my eyes. I knew that if I looked directly at him, I wouldn't be able to keep up my façade. Instead, I gave him a small smile, directing my gaze elsewhere.
-"I'm very good, Dad. Everyone here treats me well. I have a promising job, I've made new friends, and I've even started picking up my hobbies again!"
He nodded slowly, a small smile forming. "I'm glad to hear that. But once again, you haven't said much about Maximus. How are things between you two?"
-"Very well," I replied hastily, the words spilling out too quickly to sound natural.
My father's expression hardened, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied me. "Adelina," he began in that tone that always made me feel like a child caught red-handed, "you know there have never been any secrets between us. I hope it stays that way."
-"I know, Father," I muttered, lowering my gaze, guilt twisting in my chest.
His words struck a chord, making my earlier lies feel even heavier. But how could I tell him the truth about my life here? If he knew how complicated things were, he'd be furious—likely furious enough to confront Maximus, or worse, take action against him. That would only lead to disaster for everyone involved. Before I could spiral further into my thoughts, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
-"May I interrupt?" Maximus asked, placing a hand on my father's shoulder.
My father turned, his stern expression softening. "Of course, Maximus. It seems you can't stay too far from her," he remarked with a knowing smirk before stepping aside. "Take care of her," he added before walking away, leaving me alone with Maximus.
-"Yes," Maximus replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Just like that, I was saved by the bell. Maximus had appeared out of nowhere, intervening at the most opportune moment to rescue me from the difficult questions my father had cornered me with.
-"You seemed to be in a bit of a pickle there," Maximus said with a sly smile, motioning toward our table. "Shall we?"
-"Yes, I'm feeling a little tired," I admitted, grateful for the escape.
We made our way back to our table, stopping briefly to greet a few members of the party. Once we were seated, I tried to shake off the lingering tension from my conversation with my father. But I couldn't ignore the burning question in my mind: How did Maximus know I needed saving?
He had been too far away to hear our conversation, and yet he'd shown up at precisely the right moment. The thought nagged at me, clouding my ability to fully enjoy the evening. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, I turned to him.
-"How did you know?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
-"Know what?" he replied, tilting his head in mild confusion.
-"How did you know to step in at the perfect time? Is the bond working? Can you... feel my emotions?" I fired off the questions in quick succession, barely pausing for breath.
Maximus raised an amused brow, a sly smile playing on his lips. "No, I can't feel anything. How could I? We haven't marked each other yet."
-"Then how did you do it?" I pressed, my confusion growing.
-"I just heard you talking, that's all," he replied nonchalantly.
His response was so simple that it left me momentarily speechless. Could it really have been that straightforward?
-"You just heard us? How? Even for a werewolf, you were way too far to overhear," I said, still puzzled.
-"You forget that I'm not just any werewolf, but an Alpha Lycan," Maximus explained, a teasing glint in his eyes. "My senses are far more acute than those of ordinary wolves."
-"Oh, right. I totally forgot," I muttered, feeling a little embarrassed for not remembering.
He smirked, clearly amused. "Don't worry. Soon, you'll be able to do it too."
-"Do what?" I asked, intrigued.
-"When I mark you, you'll gain some of my Lycan abilities," he explained with a knowing wink.
-"Mark me?" My eyes widened in disbelief.
-"Yes. Why the look? Do you really think we won't mark each other eventually?" he asked, his voice teasing but serious.
-"To be honest, I hadn't even considered that possibility," I admitted, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the thought.
-"You should," he said firmly. "We're mates. It's expected that we'll mark each other."
-"I don't want to mark you," I said quickly, feeling a twinge of resistance. "Let alone let you mark me."
He raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but you won't have a choice."
-"Oh, I do have a choice. And besides, there's nothing in our agreement about this," I said, my voice steady but firm.
-"Well then, we'll just need to redefine the terms," he said with a self-assured grin.
-"No," I responded firmly. "We won't redefine anything. I won't allow myself to be marked by someone who doesn't even know how to be a mate."
He chuckled softly, though there was a slight edge to his amusement. "I'm afraid you will. But this isn't the time or place for such discussions." He looked around the room, his eyes scanning the crowd. Then, with a sudden motion, he stood up abruptly and left the table.
I sat there in silence, the weight of our conversation hanging in the air. Things were getting more complicated by the minute. My mind raced with thoughts of how I could avoid marking him, but then a hand appeared in front of me, breaking my train of thought.
I looked up, surprised to see Nicolas standing there, a wide smile on his face. He looked especially handsome in his white shirt and navy blue pants.
-"May I have this dance, my lady?" Nicolas asked, his smile infectious.
-"Nicolas! When did you get here?" I said, standing up in excitement.
-"With your folks," he replied casually.
-"Really? Father forgot to mention it," I said, laughing a little.
-"I'm sure he was so happy to see you that he didn't remember to mention me," he replied with a playful grin.
-"Well, I'm glad you're here. How are you?" I asked, genuinely happy to see him.
-"I'm alright," he said, his eyes sparkling with humor.
-"I haven't seen you in at least a month. You completely disappeared that night," I said, raising an eyebrow.
Nicolas's expression shifted to one of playful accusation. "Don't play that card, young lady. You disappeared too that night! But, to answer your question, something came up, and I had to leave immediately. And you?" He leaned in slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What's your excuse, young lady?"
-"Something came up for me too," I said, giving him a teasing smile.
Yes, I know. You became the Luna of the most powerful pack in the world!" Nicolas said, his voice incredulous. "I can't say I'm happy about it. I was hoping I'd have a chance with you."
-"But we aren't mates!" I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You knew that! Why hope for something with me when your mate is out there, waiting for you? Wouldn't you want to meet her?"
-"I have already met her," he said, his voice falling.
-"That's... really something. When? How?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
-"My mate died a long time ago," he said quietly, a shadow falling over his expression.
I blinked, my heart sinking. "I... I'm so sorry to hear that. I... I really don't know what to say," I muttered, feeling an awkward lump form in my throat.
It's okay," he replied softly, his voice tinged with sadness. "You don't have to say anything. Some people aren't as lucky as others. When I met you, I thought fortune had finally smiled on me again... but I was wrong," he said, his words heavy with regret.
The pain in his eyes cut deeper than I expected. I didn't know how to respond, because there was nothing I could say to make this better. His sorrow felt so palpable that it almost consumed the space between us. I could feel the weight of his unspoken grief—the kind of loss that didn't just fade with time but stayed, etched into the very fabric of who he was.
And as I looked at him, my mind struggled to make sense of what he was going through. How do you even begin to measure pain like that? To find your mate, only to lose them before you could really know them. How do you move on from that kind of heartbreak?
I thought of my own situation—how Maximus and I had come together, not by chance, but by an agreement, and the bond that was supposed to make us one felt... suffocating at times. How could it be that some people yearn so deeply for a connection, while others, like Nicolas, have it and lose it so tragically?
It was impossible to say which fate was worse: to never meet your mate at all, or to find them and lose them far too soon.
-"How did this happen, though?" Nicolas asked, his voice lighter, perhaps sensing the somber mood. "I mean, you and Maximus knew each other before his accident, right? Didn't you know you were mates before, or did you only find out then?"
I hesitated, my stomach twisting. It was a complicated, tangled story, one I wasn't ready to dive into.
-"It's a long story," I said quickly, trying to steer us away from the topic. "It's better we just go dance instead."
We shifted the conversation to lighter topics, reminiscing about how we'd met at the club, the unlikely friendship between Jake and Nicolas, and how satisfied everyone was with the financial agreements they'd made. I kept the conversation away from Maximus and me, unsure of what to even say. Did I tell him that Maximus had treated me terribly at the start? Or that we had an agreement—one where he would become King and I would gain my freedom?
I tried looking around for Jake, but I couldn't spot him in the crowd. I turned to Nicolas. "Could you take me to the table where my brother's sitting? Maybe I'll finally see him."
Nicolas led me through the room, his arm slipping around my waist as we walked. His touch was bold, but I didn't say anything, unsure of how to respond. We were moving through the tables when a loud growl suddenly echoed from behind us.
-"Where exactly are you going, Adelina?" Maximus's voice was low, furious. "And why is this man touching you?"