Elena's P.O.V
The healer, Nathaniel, sat beside the bed, examining my wounds with a concerned expression. His words echoed through the room as I held my breath, wanting to know the extremities of my
"Your physical wounds are on the mend," he said after putting away his equipments. "But your energy had been drained significantly from the encounter with the vampires. What you need right now is a lot of bed rest. Doing as little physical labor as possible. At least for the next couple weeks."
Vincent, standing nearby, nodded in agreement with the healer's advice.
"Don't worry, Nathaniel," Vincent spoke with a smirk. "I'll make sure she gets plenty of…rest."
"You do that." Nathaniel got up from his chair and gave me a pat on the shoulder before finally leaving the room and now, it was only me and Vincent once again, and I gripped the comforters with my hands tightly, a sudden flutter in my heart at the thought of being alone with Vincent once again.
His suggestive remark earlier, about ensuring I got plenty of rest made my heart skip a beat. Especially with that smirk playing on his lips…I knew he was up to no good. Now, I watched as Vincent took a seat at the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed on me.
The intensity of his stare, his golden eyes searching mine as if he could pierce right through my soul…it made me nervous, but at the same time, I could feel my heart beating erratically, the memory of our shared kiss still lingering on my lips.
"Look, Vincent," I started, trying to muster up the courage to address the elephant in the room. "The kiss... it was a mistake. It's not happening again. Ever."
I thought that he would understand; that he would keep his distance and respect my boundaries. But what happened instead left me completely baffled.
I sat there, my heart racing with a mix of anxiety and uncertainty, as Vincent's laughter filled the room. His response to my statement that the kiss was a mistake was unexpected, to say the very least.
"Come on, Elena," he chuckled, shaking his head as if I'd cracked the joke of the century. "You can't fight off something as inevitable as a mating bond."
He shifted closer to me, just a little bit, but it was enough to send my heart into a frenzy as I shifted away, my back all but squashed against the headboard of the humongous bed, that seemed to grow smaller by the presence of Vincent's larger form.
"It's useless, Elena." He smirked. "This little war you're trying to fight with yourself…you won't be able to resist our fate any more than I can. Our bond has been sealed by the Goddesses above. It can't be broken that easily."
His words sent shivers down my spine, and I felt a surge of panic rising within me. "Vincent, I can't," I protested, my voice trembling slightly. "A hunter and a Lycan can never be together."
But he seemed resolute, his expression unwavering. "The gods have paired us for a reason, Elena. I can't be the one to defy their will."
I looked at him, a mix of fear and determination clouding my thoughts. I knew the tales, the legends of the forbidden unions between our kinds. The complications associated with such an unique paring- it was a rough road that led to heartache and despair. I couldn't let myself fall into that trap.
Why? Why would the gods put me through this when they knew that hunters weren't supposed to mate with anyone other than humans? Why would I be put through this when the rules had been passed down for generations and were supposedly put into place because of the gods will?
"Let's put that aside for now, shall we?" His words lingered in the air, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions within me. "Instead, let's get back to the most crucial question that will determine your fate from here on out. And I think you already know what that question is, Elena."
I found myself in a precarious position, facing Vincent's piercing stare as he posed the most critical question of all – why did I want to assassinate him? My mind raced, thoughts spinning in frantic circles as I grappled for an answer. But I remained silent, unsure of how to navigate this treacherous territory.
"I..." My voice faltered, and I hesitated, scrambling to piece together a plausible explanation. But how could I tell him the truth? How could I admit that it was never my intention to harm him, that I was manipulated into a situation beyond my control?
Vincent's patience seemed to wear thin, and I sensed his growing impatience. "Elena, I need to know the truth. And be careful of trying to fabricate lies, because I will know it immediately."
Vincent's warning about discerning lies only added to the weight of the moment. I could feel the intensity of his stare, a reminder that any falsehoods would land me in big trouble. Panic threatened to overwhelm me as I sought a way out of this predicament.
My mind raced, desperately seeking an escape route. I needed to buy time, to craft a story that would pacify him without revealing the intricate web of deceit spun around me. But in that moment, surrounded by his unwavering scrutiny, I felt trapped, like a hunted prey with nowhere to hide.
"I..." I began again, but my voice trailed off. Every possible excuse I conjured sounded feeble, flimsy against the weight of his scrutiny. How could I explain the inexplicable without revealing the tangled threads of manipulation that ensnared me?
Vincent's expression remained inscrutable, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made my heart race. I needed a diversion, a clever distraction to buy time, to gather my thoughts and weave a convincing tale that wouldn't crumble under his scrutiny.
His gaze narrowed, and I could sense his patience wearing thin. "Elena, I can see the struggle within you. But I need the truth. Why were you trying to assassinate me?"
I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my temple, the pressure of his questioning weighing heavily on my shoulders. I needed a way out, a clever strategy to divert his attention long enough to gather my wits.
"Vincent, please," I implored, desperation creeping into my voice. "I need time to explain. It's complicated, and I fear the truth might not be what you expect."
His expression remained harsh and this time, I knew that lying wasn't even an option anymore.
"Remember well, Elena." He commented. "You and I are connected by the threads of fate. And your future hangs in the balance of your answer."
As the silence stretched between us, I knew I had to act fast. My mind raced through possible explanations, but none seemed convincing enough to withstand his scrutiny. I needed a plan, a strategic maneuver that could buy me enough time to figure a way out of this perilous situation.