ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 33: Chapter 33

It takes everything in me not to march up our room and yank Marisa by her precious golden white locks. She has not been honest with me.
Maddox and Marisa never mentioned an engagement. They never told me the truth about the Ambroses and how big of a threat they were. To think, this could have been avoided to some extent by their honesty.
Had I known Marisa was engaged to a pureblood, I would have fought harder to convince Maddox the engagement and treaty with Zain was a bad fucking idea.
For whatever reason, they did not trust me with the truth and here we are. I start to doubt those in my life.
Zain got me in his territory with the hope of finding his mate, me. Then, when he confirmed it, didn't give me a chance to save those I love by denying me the courtesy of coming clean with his dealings with the Ambroses.
Maddox and Marisa knew all along they had beef with the Ambroses and never told me anything of their past with them, even though my life and Jason's were still tied to theirs.
Both parties have screwed me over, and I have no idea who is supposed to have my loyalty. One thing is clear. I need to rescue Jason and get the hell out of reach from both.
It has become obvious to me that we have been used time and time again. Everyone counts on fidelity but no one gives it in return.
I will protect my brother, the only one in this whole situation who has not utterly betrayed me in some form.
"Can I ease some of your tension," Zain eyes me from across his office.
We have been in here since Marisa decided she needs precious time.
I give him a death stare. I am not in the mood. I grunt in frustration and walk to his desk.
"Walk me through again how they approached you," I lean on the desk, locking eyes with him.
He gets up from his chair and walks to me. "I have told you my encounter with them about five times since we've been in here."
"I don't get it. The Ambroses wanted to stop the treaty with the wolves. It's a pretty big risk to give you my name knowing I was tied to the Malfattos. Even if their end goal was to punish Maddox and they didn't think Marisa was going to go through with it, they risked not getting a hold of them. They had to know the Malfattos and I would be surrounded and protected nonstop by your pack."
Zain gets in front of me and I reluctantly turn my body towards him. "Is there a question?"
I lean back against the desk, my butt resting on it. "Is there anything else you aren't telling me? I will not forgive any more indiscretions."
"I have told you everything, Helena. Ask me what's really on your mind." He leans closer to me.
"It's an inside job. Who do you suspect?" I give him a quizzical look.
"I trust my pack."
"They came into your territory and kidnapped my brother and your sister. They knew of my charms. They knew of Jerry's cabin. They also knew me and you were not together. You mean to tell me you have not started to suspect that someone has double-crossed you."
He looks at me with such thought. "Yes, the thought has crossed my mind. I am not ignorant but I cannot pinpoint who. This is my pack. I trust them. You should be asking your bloodsucker for answers. Seems to me like this has a lot more to do with them. They were the goal. We were the tools."
I push him slightly away from me. I need some air. Marisa does owe me answers and I think it's been long enough. I get up and walk around him to the door.
He grips my wrist and I give him my attention.
"I fucked up Helena. But I love you. We are one now. I know you feel it. We cannot separate. Promise me that whatever Marisa says, you will be just as harsh on her as you were on me. Simply because she has known you the longest does not mean she loves you the most."
"You had your reasons. Now it's time to hear hers." I want to say more but rule against it.
He wants me objective but when it comes to either party, I have a feeling I cannot be. I give him a peck on the cheek before leaving and making my way upstairs.
I don't knock on the door. I know she is alone.
Adam has spent the last hour in the same spot she left him. He is not getting closer to her but will not leave much distance between them. He is a sprint away.
When I open the door, I find her on the bed under the sheets. She does not lift her head but she knows it's me.
I walk to the other side of the bed and climb up. Keeping some distance. I lift the covers to get a good look at her. "Spill."
Her eyes were closed but popped open. She grunts loudly as she sits up.
"You want to know why I didn't tell you about Emmett?" She says lowly.
"For starters."
"It was years ago. I turned 16 and as you know the lines threw me a gathering in my honor."
"I recall. I didn't attend because like all their dumb gatherings, only vamps are allowed to go. What I can't remember is you ever telling me of any engagement. Boring, you said. Uneventful was the word you used ."
"We didn't want to worry you. We had everything under control."
I laugh, "clearly."
She rolls her eyes. "Look, I thought it was a party. Turns out it was a proposition. The Ambroses were officially asking for my hand in marriage with Emmett."
"Why not Charles?"
"I didn't bother to ask."
"Because you liked the candidate," I raised an eyebrow.
"I suppose out of all the options, he was the lesser evil."
I scoff, "I saw the way you looked at him. It's more than him being the better option, little bird," I mock.
She palms her face, a slight smile crossing her lips. "I hadn't heard that in years. It's been years since we have seen each other, truly. I hate those events. You know that. When Maddox would look for me or anyone for that matter, I would seem to disappear. No one could find me, except him. He always knew where I would be. Little for my stature and bird because I would roam free he would say."
I look at the lightness in her tone and face. "You like him."
She shakes her head no, and starts to get up from the bed. "I respect him. I trust him. We have a friendship. He made those gatherings tolerable. So, if I had to marry someone, then no I wasn't one hundred percent displeased it was him. There are worse options. My choices are limited."
"Maddox never cared to agree before to any marriage prospects. Why marry you off before himself?"
"They didn't ask for his contribution yet. They asked for mine and I agreed. We made a deal. Emmett promised to give me time, to help protect Vales. He knows of you Helena. We would talk about you all the time. He was aware of my feelings for you. He promised I could still keep you at my side. He would wait till I allowed him to sleep with me. You know an heir would be expected. I thought I was helping us out."
"Then why would Maddox go betray his word? Why risk their wrath by approaching Zain? You guys had already peacefully negotiated with them. You were aware of the rumors. You knew their possible play in our parents' deaths. So why piss them off?" I stand up too.
Marisa rubs her arms. "Your guess is as good as mine. My brother is an idealist. I told him his plan was a bad idea. But he never trusted the Ambroses for reasons you just mentioned. Maybe for revenge. Maybe to continue our parent's legacy. He fucked up. Now we all got screwed over in return."
"Do you love Emmett?" I question her.
She laughs, "I am comfortable with him. I trust him but you are the only person I have ever loved, Helena. You know that. You have been in my mind."
"You would trust him with my life?" I question her.
"Yes, Helena. If he says we will be able to walk away, then I trust that we will."
I get closer to her. "He also says that if I don't meet the terms of the other lines, you would choose not to see me."
"That would never happen, Helena," she grabs my hand.
"If you and Maddox were forthcoming, then we could have prevented so many things," I look away from her.
"We had no way of knowing they knew of Maddox's plan or that they contacted the wolf."
"But I would have changed Maddox's mind in trying for the treaty had I known of your engagement."
She gives me a look, "You know better than I do that once he makes up his mind, there is no changing it."
I do know that. We stay in silence for a while.
"I guess we will see tomorrow," I give her a hesitant smile.
She grabs a hold of me. "You might be mated to that dog but I will protect you. Maddox and I will always look out for you and Jason. We might not be connected anymore but it's us against the world."
"There is no us without Zain. He is with me now. You must accept him."
"You truly are over Maddox? Your lifelong love has dissipated and you chose Zain as worthy. That's what you are telling me."
"I'm telling you that I have accepted this bond. But I will not destroy those I already formed. I would like Maddox and you to remain in my life. Don't make me choose."
"If the lines make you choose..."
I stay quiet. "As long as it's not you making me, we can move forward."
I can tell she dislikes my answer but she does not push.
I don't give her the same luxury. I walk back to the bed and sit. Motion her to do the same.
"What about Adam? You were pretty harsh with him."
She walks over and throws herself back against the bed. Her arms spread out in frustration. "Emmett cannot realize what Adam means to me."
"You said you trusted him."
She rolls on her belly. It brings me back to when we were in Vales and we would dish out our days' events.
"I do, but it's complicated. Emmett cares for me. I have always known of his true feelings for me. With you, he didn't feel concerned. You were obsessed with Maddox and don't threaten his line."
"Thanks, I guess."
She laughs, "I mean, even if one day you were to start miraculously liking me, a woman cannot have a child with another. No bastards. He would let me keep you. I cannot have a male at my side; too much of a risk. I need Emmett to think that Adam is a fling. It will keep him safe and possibly still at my side."
"Sounds like an asshole to me."
She rolls her eyes. "Emmett is an aristocrat. He is a pure blood. You know of our fate and what's expected of me. It's not different for him. The difference is that I only had Maddox. He never forced me or pressured me to complete my obligations. But for Emmett, he has been told from birth of his responsibilities. He will protect his line. He will be kind to me but he will not allow anyone to jeopardize our future."
I put my arms across my chest. I am not convinced of his character. "Don't you think you should explain this to Adam?"
"I think that until tomorrow, this is the smart move. I need to distance myself. I almost forgot about who I am. Things will not work out with Adam. I don't want to give him false hope. But..."
I continue, "But..."
"But I would selfishly like to keep him." She looks away from me.
With that, we hear the room door open. Both me and Marisa sit up straighter. It's like we've been caught.
There is a slight jiterness in us but it goes away when we see Adam walk through. "It is not selfish. I want nothing more than to remain at your side, even under these circumstances."
We both slightly gape our mouths open. Marisa gets up to walk toward him, "you were eavesdropping."
"I was checking on you." He shrugs innocently.
She gets in front of him. "You know we can't ever be a thing. I will have to be rude to you from time to time. Emmett will have certain rights over me. Can you handle that?"
"Before we got here, you have always drank from me and then disposed of me. I'm no stranger to your coldness. I know who you are my lady, and I have never deluded myself."
Marisa huffs, "You make me sound like a brat."
Adam smirks. She shoves him. I hope things won't end for them tomorrow too.
I get up from bed, "I think that's my cue to leave. Zain must be on edge to know how it went."
She gives me a dumbfounded look, "you are coming back tonight."
"I don't know yet."
"We haven't slept apart since the cabin... I don't want you away from me," she pleas.
Part of me does not want to leave her either but she needs time with Adam as I do with Zain.
I don't give her a straight answer. "I will let you know." I walk toward the door.
She calls out my name. "If I don't see you in this bedroom at night's end, then your wolf will get another bedmate for the night."
Adam places his hand on her shoulder.
She gives a nod, "Right, he will gain two bedmates."
I laugh but she doesn't.