Chapter 102
Camila POV
I heard her exhale, slow and careful like she was trying not to cry.
“You don’t have to lie to me,” she mumbled, her voice small now. “You know that, right? I’ve been your friend since forever, Cam. If something’s hurting you… let me help. Please.”
My throat burned. God, I wanted to tell her. I wanted to just pour everything out. Tell her the way I sometimes felt like a prisoner inside my own skin.
I finally turned to face her. “I know,” I whispered. “I know you would. But right now… you just have to trust me, okay?”
She stared at me for a long second, and then nodded. “Fine,” she muttered, brushing a tear off her cheek like she was mad at herself for letting it fall. “But I’m not going anywhere. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here.”
I managed a small smile. “I know. And I love you for that.”
We hugged, and for a brief moment, I felt like maybe things could be okay. But as we pulled apart and she walked away, something in my gut twisted again.
The music swirled softly in the air as I walked back into the reception hall, heels clicking against the marble floor, the chaos in my head louder than the chatter around me.
I spotted them instantly–my mom in the middle of the dance floor, her face flushed with laughter as she twirled with some family friend, her dress flowing like a whisper around her legs. And Greg–he stood near the back, alone, one hand lazily holding a glass of champagne while the other rested in his pocket. But he wasn’t watching the dancers. His eyes were fixed on her, soft and completely enthralled, like she was the only thing in this room.
For a second, I froze. I don’t know why. Maybe because that look on his face didn’t feel like a lie.
But lies were all I’d gotten from him.
I started walking toward him, slow and deliberate. My jaw was tight, and I felt that familiar heat rising in my chest, crawling up the back of my neck. He noticed me halfway across the room and casually placed his drink on the table next to him. His gaze didn’t shift away from my mother, not even for a second.
“You must really love my mom,” I said, my voice low, words sharpened like a blade.
He smiled, soft and slow, “Yes,” he agreed simply. “I do.”
I let out a bitter laugh, folding my arms across my chest. “Then when do you plan on telling her the truth?”
His smile faltered, just a blink, but I caught it.
“What truth?” he asked way too calm.
I gave him a side glance, watching the way his jaw locked up like someone had pressed a knife under it. “Don’t play dumb,” I hissed. “You know exactly what I mean. Or are you seriously gonna keep lying to her? The least you can do is let her know she just married a fucking werewolf.”
He finally turned to face me fully, and for a second, there was nothing but silence between us. The air felt heavier here. The noise of the reception dulled as my heart pounded in my chest, the rage simmering just below the surface.
“As much as I want to tell her every last detail about myself,” he said slowly, voice dipped in something unreadable, “some things are better off being a secret,‘
1/2
Chapter 102
I scoffed. “Spoken like a true coward,”
“I’m not hiding it to protect myself,” he said, his gaze cutting into me. “I’m protecting her. You think she could handle it, Camila? but i promise to keep her safe, even at the cost of mine.”
That caught me off guard.
“I’m quite sure you would rather she stays in the dark. I mean, you haven’t mentioned anything even before the wedding.”
We stood there, eyes locked, tension crackling like static between us. I hated him in this moment. But more than that, I hated that he might have a point.
“Camila!”
My mom’s voice sliced through the moment like a knife. She grinned brightly, gliding toward me, her arms slightly outstretched as if she hadn’t just walked into a brewing storm.
“Where have you been?” she beamed, her cheeks flushed with wine and happiness. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”
I quickly pasted on a smile, the one that didn’t reach my eyes. “Just needed some air,” I said, my tone light but distant.
She leaned in and kissed my cheek, pulling me into a warm hug before turning to Greg. “And you two are finally getting along!” she teased, completely oblivious to the tension that was thick enough to choke on.
Greg chuckled and slid his arm around her waist. “We’re figuring it out,” he said, eyes not leaving mine.
Yeah, I bet we were.
I smiled again, this one tighter, forced. “Congrats again,” I said, my voice wobbling despite how hard I was trying to sound normal. “You look… beautiful, mum.”
Her face softened even more, if that was possible, and she reached up to fix a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Thank you, baby.”
I nodded, pulling away gently. “I’m gonna go get a drink.”
Before either of them could say anything else, I turned and walked away, the heels that once clicked confidently now dragging slightly
behind me.
The pit in my stomach was back.
I had a stepfather who kept secrets. A mother in the dark. A stepbrother who’s obsessed with me. A house that didn’t feel like mine. And a whole lot of questions no one wanted to answer.
Worst part? I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to know them anymore.
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