KAMILA'S POV
I let out a sigh of exhaustion as I step into the room, shutting the door quietly behind me.
The weight of this whole Morgan situation bears down on me, reminding me that I've got to find a way to keep things from spiraling further out of control.
I pause for a moment, leaning against the door to catch my breath and gather my thoughts.
"What was that about?" His voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.
I turn to see him sitting beside Artemis, who's still unconscious. With a comic book in hand, he shoots me that insufferably brooding look he seems to have trademarked.
"Has he woken up yet?" I counter, sidestepping his question as I approach Artemis to assess his condition closely.
His color appears to be returning, a good sign that the treatment is working. A sigh of relief escapes my lips, and for the fifth time since hearing about the incident, I run my hands through my hair.
"That's not what I asked," Ace retorts, deliberately closing his book and putting it aside.
I finally look up, locking eyes with him. His gaze is intense, almost as if he's dissecting me, layer by layer. It irritates me whenever he does that.
"What are you talking about?" I deflect, avoiding his probing eyes. I hate how well he knows me.
"Drop the act, Kamila. We both know you could've let her see Artemis, at least to confirm he's okay. Why didn't you?"
"We know how this song and dance goes, don't we?" I counter, bitterness seeping into my voice. "Some girl complicates my relationship with Artemis. He gets distracted, and I end up cleaning up the mess to protect his image. I've been down this road before."
I continue.
"This time, it's different though - and I think everyone knows it. I find something relatable in this human girl, and I'd rather not drag either of us down that nasty road later on. This is for her own good. She'll get over it in time," I rationalize, shifting my focus back to Artemis.
There he lies, his unconscious form still magnetic to me.
His presence is like the sun-undeniably compelling. I can feel the pull of our bond, the serious concern from my wolf.
As much as I long for him to wake, a bitter realization weighs heavily on me: he's in this vulnerable state for someone else's sake, and the sting is unbearable.
I keep telling myself that she can't possibly be any different from the others.
But yet...
"So, what? You think this time it's different for Artemis? That she's not like every other girl he's been with?" Ace asks, cutting deeper into territory I'd rather avoid.
Silence becomes my shield.
There's no point in explaining.
Every single girl thinks she'll be the exception, that she won't be just another epilogue in the tragic tale of Artemis's never-ending scandals.
They all feel special, like they could be the ones to tame the playboy and possibly prove that I'm truly the failure, like my Father has always said.
But time has a way of exposing the truth; they all vanish, as swiftly as they come.
Just like Zoya, my arch enemy who fought tooth and nail to take my place, but she too passed like the wind.
"I've pieced together a plan for our Morgan problem," I say instead, changing the subject entirely. "Originally, I wanted to erase him quietly, but the human girl has requested a more dramatic downfall. So, I'm considering something theatrical, a public warning, a spectacle for anyone else foolish enough to mess with us. And for that, I need your help."
"I'm all ears, my lady," Ace says, gracing me with a cheeky bow.
Without answering, I rise to soak a small towel in cold water, preparing to dab his forehead as I notice beads of sweat forming there. My role as his caretaker, it seems, is hardwired into me, and it takes priority over all else.
I hear the creak of Ace's chair as he stands and moves closer.
Then, suddenly, he's behind me, so close that his masculine cologne is all I can breathe. The subtle rise and fall of his chest presses hard against my back, his warm breath teasing down my neck.
My hands come to an abrupt halt, suspended in the chilling water.
"What are you doing?" I ask, each word a struggle against the raw emotions sparking every nerve in my body.
I have to stay calm. I can't wake Artemis up.
He gives no answer, his strong arms wrapping around me in a silent, unanswered plea. For a split second, I wonder: Is this how he feels when he's wrapped around other girls? How it feels to be in another's arm?
However, my body is already sired to him, geared to draw pleasure only from his touch - my mate's touch. I'm like Frankenstein's creature, bound to its master.
Even in Ace's hold, all I feel is a longing for Artemis' touch, just as firm as this one.
"You're doing it again," he observes, his words tinged with a concern that grates on me.
"Doing what?"
"Making that face-the one that screams you aren't happy."
"Happiness is for fools," I mutter back. "And I'd advise you let me go before I make a scene, before Artemis sees this and misunderstands."
He scoffs, a chuckle slipping out, tinged with a barely hidden layer of envy.
"I doubt he'd think differently."
Abruptly, he pulls away, spinning me to face him. Our faces are inches apart now, our lips so close they could almost touch.
"I don't even care if you never look at me. Just reject him. Be happy. It's evident neither of you brings out the best in the other."
"You're wrong," I snap, my voice tinged with irritation. "My life, my purpose, my very existence is for Artemis. Without him, I'd-"
Be what?
Without him, my life would be a thorny path paved with the disappointment of my family. I'd become the stain on a well-bred legacy nurtured for generations.
Without him, I'm nothing.
"I love him," I whisper, each word seeped in desperation-as if trying to convince not just him, but myself as well.
His eyes meet mine, filled with doubt-maybe even questioning my sanity.
But before I can understand that look, a groan comes from the left, pulling my focus back to Artemis.
Everything else suddenly blurs into the background.
"Arty?" My voice tinged with a sense of urgency, I rush to his side.
Gently, I press the cold cloth against his fevered forehead just as his radiant blue eyes flicker open, locking onto mine.
A surge of joy bursts through my chest.
I'm the first thing he sees; it's a small win, a textbook example of what a good mate should be. It's a little triumph that, I hope, could speed up the marking process, just like father emphasized on our last family call.
'Do better, Kamila. Your best is clearly not good enough.' He had said.
"Ugh... fuck," he swears, grimacing as he tries to move, his wound probably biting down harder.
"What happened?" His voice is husky, clouded with confusion.
"You were stabbed," I explain softly, choosing my words carefully. "A silver blade came dangerously close to your heart. You've been healing, but you still need rest."
"And Sera? Where is she? How is she?" His voice latches onto the name like a lifeline, making the mask on my face fracture for just a second.
"She's fine. Unharmed," I say, deliberately leaving out the fact that she's been vigilantly waiting just outside for over nine hours.
I watch as Artemis's shoulders drop, relief flooding his features. The subtle change heightens the dull ache in my chest, making it harder to breathe.
"I guess I'll leave you two alone," Ace announces, snapping me back to reality. He doesn't wait for a response and starts walking away.
A gust of relief washes over me as he leaves, sweeping away the repressed guilt that his presence always invokes.
Ace has a knack for stirring up my worst emotions.
The further he stays from Artemis and me, the better for my sanity.