Chapter Thirteen Xeraphina

XERAPHINA

Clutching some oven mitts, I open the oven, bend down and retrieve my plate. As I rise, I glance back to see the bewildered look on Cassius’s face. “Do you need something? Or can I eat in peace?” He blinks a few times before turning and leaving the kitchen with his shoulders slumped and his head hung low.

Do I feel any remorse for hurting Cassius's feelings and being harsh? Absolutely not. Should I feel guilty? Nope. He deserved the full force of my words. I should have gone even further than what I said before. I don’t believe I expressed myself enough. However, during that conversation, I was in unbearable pain, and the longer it went on, the worse the pain became. What he doesn’t realize is that the bond between us is now weak. His scent doesn’t affect me as strongly anymore, and I barely felt any tingles when he touched me or hugged me after not accepting the rejection. Thankfully, Cassius’ not accepting the rejection took away all the pain, so I’m grateful for that. The desire to be close to him has vanished, and I know I can live without him. As for him, I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see. I won’t make things easy for him. How long will we keep up this charade?

I set my plate down and reach up into a cabinet to grab a glass. I then get some orange juice from the refrigerator. With my plate of food and orange juice in hand, I head towards my room, thinking it would be better to eat there and have some alone time.

Before I reached the door, Tilly, one of our omegas that runs the kitchen staff, walks in with a huge grin on her face. “Cassius worked so hard to prepare that omelet for you. He even went as far as going out to retrieve the eggs himself. A few of us tried to help him, but he wouldn’t let us. He did everything on his own. That man loves you.”

Confusion etched across my face as Tilly’s words reached my ears. I had dismissed Cassius’ claim of making the omelet himself, but in my annoyance with him, I remained silent. I had assumed the omegas had prepared the omelet upon his request. Now, however, I realize that was not the case. He put in the effort and did all the work himself.

A wave of sadness washes over me as I look down at the enormous omelet packed with meat and veggies. He even went the extra mile by sprinkling cheese both inside and outside, just the way I like it. It will probably be the best omelet I’ve ever had, surpassing anything the omegas have ever made for me. I realize that he’s genuinely trying to make things right. However, it’s going to take more than just this omelet for me to trust him and give him a chance. I won’t allow myself to be so gullable.

Glancing at Tilly, a faint smile forms on my lips. But I feel more like crying. “I uh…” closing my eyes, I try to collect myself. Why am I so sad right now? Filled with confidence, I sneak a peek at Tilly, reassured that my emotions won’t spill over into tears. “I rejected him, but he didn’t accept the rejection. Maybe I should have waited. Rejecting him was an impulsive move on my part. But he wouldn’t shut up and I needed to be left alone,” I say, with a hitch to my words at the end. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, trying to calm the ache in my heart and eyes as tears collect and threaten to spill over.

Tilly rushed over to me, grabbed my plate and juice, and then placed them on the counter, enveloping me in a warm, comforting hug, which made me feel relieved. “The entire pack heard about what happened yesterday,” she says, pulling away from me and taking a couple of steps back. “I’m so sorry, Xeraphina. Just give Cassius some time and a chance to make things right. Most, if not all, men can be arrogant stupid jerks,” she says, shaking her head with annoyance cast on her face. “But Cassius is different. From what I’ve witnessed today - him risking it all by taking you outside during your first shift into your wolf, which was incredibly risky and foolish, and him making this omelet for you - I can tell he truly loves you.”

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion at her words. What was so risky about Cassius taking me outside when I was in the beginning phases of my transformation? I vaguely remember him telling me not to shift in his arms. Rage had consumed me, my thoughts clouded by the intensity of my anger. “Why was it unsafe for him to take me outside?”

Tilly shifts on her feet nervously, contemplating what she should disclose, and huffs a breath. “He should have kept you where you were, Xeraphina. That’s the usual course of action. Taking you outside was unnecessary. It seems like he must have had a death wish or something. If you had shifted in his arms, you would have torn him apart. There would have been bits of him scattered everywhere. It was incredibly risky for him to carry you outside. Please don’t ask me how I know this,” she says, glancing away.