Chapter 117
TERESA’S P.O.V.
I couldn’t believe I was doing this. Following Lucian—no, not Lucian—Ares upstairs after he just spoke inside my head, my head! This was ridiculous but my life was already turning into a fever dream. My mind reeled, and my heart pounded against my chest. Who in their right mind believes their ex can suddenly “switch bodies” with his inner wolf? Yet, here I was, captured by Lucian’s—sorry, Ares’s—strange yet oddly endearing behavior.
Earlier ~
“What… what is this p>
” It’s me, Ares. The other part of Lucian. And I need you to listen p>
Lucian’s voice echoed in my mind, clear as day. He wasn’t lying when he said he could do this. Telepathy? Seriously? So that meant his whole switching personalities story was real, too?
Wait. Hold on.
Did that mean I’d slept with… someone else entirely? Someone I didn’t even know?
What the hell was happening p>
“Moonflower,” Ares’s voice, low and rich like a storm rolling in, pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts. Moonflower? Since when did Lucian call me that? “Please, just give me a chance to explain. Come upstairs with me p>
I hesitated, glancing at Juliette and Adrian for some kind of signal. Juliette gave me a smirk, as if this was all some elaborate game she was enjoying far too much. “Go on,” she said, folding her arms. “You’ll want to hear this, trust me p>
Adrian nodded, his serene gaze steady and unshakable. “You’re safe with him. He’s…your mate even though he’s different today p>
“Different?” I hissed, lowering my voice. “This is Lucian we’re talking about p>
Adrian tilted his head, his smile faint but knowing. “Is it p>
I wanted to scream. Scream at their absurdity. Scream at Lucian—or Ares—or whatever he wanted to call himself for dragging me into this madness. But more than that, I wanted answers. Fine. If this was the only way to get them, then so be it.
“Fine,” I said, my voice clipped as I marched past Ares. “But if this turns into some weird werewolf intervention, I’m leaving p>
Ares chuckled softly, his voice lighter than Lucian’s usual sarcastic tone. “Fair enough, Moonflower. Fair enough p>
The climb upstairs felt like the longest walk of my life. My anger simmered beneath the surface, my hands clenching and unclenching as I tried to make sense of everything. Ares—if that’s who he really was—moved with an ease that made me question his blindness. He navigated each step with care but confidence, as if his senses were sharper than any sighted person’s.
When we reached my bedroom, he stopped at the door, his posture relaxed but purposeful. “May I come in p>
The politeness caught me off guard. Lucian—at least the Lucian I knew—would’ve sauntered in without a second thought, his arrogance leading the way. I opened the door and stepped aside, nodding stiffly. “Sure p>
Once inside, I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall, watching as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. He tilted his head toward me, his unseeing eyes unsettlingly focused, as if he could still see right into my soul.
“I know this is a lot,” Ares began, his voice softer now, almost gentle. “And I know you don’t trust me—us—right now. But you deserve the truth, Teresa. All of it p>
“Good,” I snapped. “Because I’ve had enough of the half-truths and cryptic nonsense p>
He let out a breath, his lips curling into a faint smile. “I caused all of this. The tension between you and Lucian. The pain. The confusion. It’s my fault p>
I blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. “What are you talking about p>
Ares clasped his hands, his fingers twitching slightly. “Lucian…he’s been through a lot. More than I can explain in one night. Our father, our past—it broke him in ways I couldn’t fix. When we met you, I pushed him. Hard. Too hard p>
“What does that even mean?” I asked, my voice rising despite myself.
“It means,” Ares said, leaning forward slightly, “that while Lucian wanted to love you, he was terrified. Terrified of losing you. Of hurting himself. Of becoming our father. And I… I was selfish. I wanted you so badly that I didn’t care about his fears p>
I opened my mouth to respond but stopped short. His words felt raw, unfiltered, and they hit me in ways I wasn’t prepared for.
“The night everything changed,” Ares continued, his tone somber, “was a full moon. Full moons affect us, Teresa. They’re like a drug, amplifying everything—the good, the bad, the primal. Lucian fought against our bond. He thought he was protecting you, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I forced my way forward. I claimed you when he wouldn’t p>
“Claimed me?” I repeated, my stomach twisting.
Ares nodded, his expression unreadable. “I bit you on your neck that night. It’s how we mark our mates and strengthen the mate bond p>
“Mate bond?” The word felt foreign, strange. “What does that even mean p>
“It’s a bond,” Ares explained. “A connection given by the goddess. It’s rare, sacred. Some of us never find our mates. Some die before we get the chance. But when we do… it’s everything. There is an invincible bond between mates that is stronger than anything you can imagine p>
I touched my neck absentmindedly, remembering the night he was talking about. The way I’d felt—like I was drowning and flying all at once. I’d thought I was hallucinating when I felt the bite. Now, hearing him describe it so matter-of-factly, heat rose to my cheeks.
“You’re blushing,” Ares teased, his tone lightening for the first time. “Didn’t think you’d be so shy about it, Moonflower p>
“Shut up,” I muttered, crossing my arms tighter. “How the hell do you even know that? I thought you’re blind p>
He laughed—a deep, genuine sound that caught me off guard. “I’m serious, though. That night… I made mistakes. Big ones. I didn’t think about the consequences, about how it would affect you. And for that, I’m sorry p>
I stared at him, my emotions a tangled mess. Anger, confusion, disbelief—they all swirled within me, but there was something else, too. Something I didn’t want to name.
“This is all too much,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “I need time to process everything p>
Ares stood, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. “Take all the time you need, moonflower. I’m not going anywhere. Neither is Lucian. We’ll wait as long as it takes p>
His sincerity caught me off guard, and I found myself nodding despite my turmoil. “Fine. But for now, I need space. From… both of you p>
He stepped aside, giving me a clear path to the door. “Understood p>
I paused, glancing back at him. “And stop calling me moonflower,” I snapped, though the heat in my cheeks probably ruined the effect.
Ares smirked again, his blind eyes somehow still managing to convey amusement. “As you wish p>