When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 111

Artemisia

"This is amazing," I gush as I turn myself in front of my mirror.

The skirt of my long gown dances over the floor as I halt, and flows back into place smoothingly. "It's like brand new! Thank you, Alberta!"

Alberta laughs as she stands up to pick at the dress to adjust it.

"It looks so beautiful on you that it would have broken my heart not to fix it for you to wear it to the ball."

"Oh, she is right. You look marvellous," Lisa says as she enters the room with three cups of coffee. She hands Alberta one before she puts down our two cups on a small table and lets herself slump into one of the armchairs sitting in my walk-in wardrobe. Since she learned about the monstrosity that was in me, and had to puke out, she made it her job to watch over me.

I felt happy about her caring so much for me but Corvina's words kept playing in my mind, leaving a sour taste of her being this overprotective.

Be wary about who you let close to you.

Shaking myself, I force my smile back up as I thank her for the compliment and Alberta sips at her coffee happily.

I know that Corvina has gone through all my spices, and none of them contained something dangerous. I even took a small sample to test it in the labs without anyone noticing but they all came back clean.

But still, something was bugging me, and I had promised Fynn to be extra careful.

Thinking of Fynn, my smile grows.

'Oh, he will struggle to not devour you right on the dance floor in front of all the other people,' Cassy snickers, making me giggle.

'You are exaggerating!' I say to my wolf while blushing, earning a pair of curious looks.

I have been getting those looks quite often the last few days and I honestly am as amazed as they are.

My wolf has been amazingly funny and sassy these last few days. While she was gushing over our mates, beaming every time one of them was near, or commenting on everything that I was doing, but always in a nice and genuinely interested way, I was trying not to react too awkwardly to her new, or better, real personality.

She was doing her best to reestablish our bond, and I was doing my best not to be mean to her. And even if I was naturally sceptical every time she would say something, I managed to hold myself back to actually make our bond slowly mend again. "You look stunning."

We turn around in unison, looking at Logan who just stepped into my walk-in wardrobe.

"Thank you," I say, crossing my hands.

"Could you leave us alone?" he asks, not losing his smile as he keeps his eyes on me.

Alberta and Lisa stand up and with a small curtsy they scurry out of the room, leaving us alone.

I hate the fact that I have a bad feeling every time I'm left alone with him, and I decided long ago that I should talk it out with him, but it never seems to be the right time or place.

'Oh, hello, gorgeous,' Cassy purrs, and I can practically see her roll onto her back before my inner eye.

Logan's smile brightens as he watches me shake my head with a giggle. "Your wolf?"

"Yeah, sorry. She is being a bit distracting lately," I say apologetically as I sit down on one of the lovechairs.

He walks over to stand right next to me as he chuckles. "I guess she is as happy to have you back as you are."

"Is Ethan happy as well?" I ask, trying to push away my bad feeling.

His eyes light up as he sits down on the footstool in front of my chair. "More than happy. He keeps jumping around and is very distracting as well."

"This is cute." I laugh as he takes my legs to put them over his lap as he scoots closer.

"Do you think we could talk? I would like to get this elephant out of the room before the ball. As we have something special in mind for you, I would hate to make it awkard."

It's not the first time I got a hint about something that is going to happen at the ball from them and my curiosity is killing me, but I have to keep my cool. I nod, relaxing under his touch, "If it's because of your bite..."

"I know, I know. You say that you have forgiven me. But you might forget that I can feel your emotions through my mark," he says lowly, and my hand shoots up to touch his mark automatically.

He smiles sadly, caressing my leg as he chuckles bitterly. "Yeah. I feel how you are pushing yourself to act normally towards me, but as soon Finnegan enters the room, your body just melts away."

"I'm so sorry," I lean forward, touching his knee as he shakes his head.

"This is exactly it. You don't need to be sorry. I attacked you and forced my mark on you. It is only natural that you feel uncomfortable around me."

'Such a good mate,' Cassy gushes, making me want to roll my eyes.

"That's very considerate of you, Logan. Thank you," I say lowly.

Scooting closer, he grabs my legs tighter, causing the sparks to go crazy on my skin. "I just want it to be like it was in the beginning. It is. already heartbreaking for me that everyone will call you Luna instead

of Beta Female."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about that. I know how happy you were about everyone calling me that," I pout my lips, and he grins at me.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you are my mate, I'll be happy. We will get over everything else, right?"

I nod, smiling at him. "Sure. Nothing has changed between us, Logan. I still love you and my subconscious will soon feel safe around you as it did before." "That is great to hear," he breathes out, lowering his gaze.

Reaching out, I cup his chin to make him look back at me. "And you have to stop competing with your brothers. This is ridiculous."

"I'll do my best." He grins, turning his head to kiss my hand. "Maybe a little getaway, just you and me, after the ball would do us some good. What do you think?"

"Oh, I'd love that," I answer elatedly, pushing down the rising dread in my chest.

He distorts his face, leaning back to get out of his hold. "See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. You don't have to force yourself if you don't want to."

"But I want to, Logan. Stop telling me how I have to feel about you. If I am forcing myself to be with you to make it feel like it was in the beginning, you should be happy about it." Lowering his gaze, he lets his hand glide over my leg pensively.

I keep myself from fighting the silence that falls upon us until the nagging question risks falling from my lips. "Can I ask you something?"

He lifts his head to look at me as I add, "And please be truthful, you don't have to fear hurting my feelings or something like this."

"I would never lie to you, babe," he answers, making me gulp down the lump in my throat.

I nod, clearing my throat as I play with the fabric of my dress. "It's about Lisa."

My heart already skips a beat as I see him distort his face.

'This is not good,' Cassy murmurs.

"I have the feeling that you were closer than she tells me, and I don't want to be left between something and also don't like to be left in the dark while everyone around me knows about it," I fight to get my voice out as I try not to crumple my dress.

He clears his throat, scooting closer as he leans into my line of sight. "I'm sorry that you had a bad feeling because of this. It is true, we had something going in the past. But it was rather short and awkward swear on everything that is dear to me that she already meant nothing to me before. And after I got my eyes on you, she got even more insignificant to me."

My breath hitches in my throat as something in his eyes just tells me he is not being completely honest with me.

But maybe I'm just exaggerating.

Maybe she meant something more to him but not anymore.

Maybe I'm just acting difficult without any reason because I still haven't forgiven him fully.

I'm just about to open my mouth to tell him that it's alright as I see blue and silver flecks resurface in his eyes shortly before disappearing without any trace.

'Lie,' Cassy says snarly, making my heart jump.

Logan tilts his head, looking at me with a confused expression as my heart sinks at all the information I'm getting from my wolf, and I suddenly crave the time when she wasn't on my side. "What about the kiss you two shared yesterday then?"