That’s just your desire
18: 18.
That’s just your desire Ivy’s POV
Theodore looks at my neck.
“No mark.
Your boyfriend must not be very serious about the relationship if he hasn’t marked you.”
“Did you mark me?” I ask, I know why he was reluctant to mark me and so does he— he wasn’t sure if he was going to keep me.
He ignores my words and instead touches my neck, running his finger gently down my neck then along the top of my gown and over my breast.
A surge of desire pulses through my body.
I shift back so his hand falls off of my body.
He looks at me.
“Why do you want to deny what we both feel?”
“I admit the desire is there, but at what cost to me? You bring only pain and sadness into my life,” I say.
If I’ve learned nothing, I’ve learned that desire is not love, it is not commitment, and it is not loyalty.
It can also be a liar that leads you far away from what is good for you.
“For five years I’ve been happy and loved, for the first time in my life. My desire for you would cost me far too much and I’m not willing to pay that price again.”
I stand.
“We need to go.
Shall we meet tomorrow?”
“Let me walk you out to your car,” Theodore says standing and reaching for my hand.
I pull my hand away from his reach.
“No.
I have Ryder.
I’ll be fine.
What about the meeting?
If we’re not meeting tomorrow, I must go home.
We can schedule another time for business.”
“No, don’t go home.
We’ll meet tomorrow.
At our house.”
“At your house,” I correct him.
“Maybe when you’re back home, you’ll remember where you truly belong. Maybe you’ll feel how happy we could be together and decide to come back to me,” Theodore says.
“Do you hear anything that I say? Do you listen? Theodore, I don’t love you any more and that is never going to change. I have my family and my life with Ice Moon Pack, not here. This was never where I belonged.”
I indicate to Ryder that it’s time to leave but Theodore stops me.
“Wait, let me say one more thing before you go. It’s weighing on me.”
I look at him and wait.
“Go ahead, speak.”
“I know now that you were pregnant and that you lost our pups in the car accident. I behaved terribly by not believing you. Those were our children, and they died in that terrible crash.”
Despite my scepticism, I can see he is moved by what he’s saying.
“I should have believed you and I should have mourned their death with you.
Instead I made everything worse by thinking you were lying.
I’m deeply sorry about that.
I hope one day you can forgive me.”
“Yes you should have believed me,” I say.
“Do you also accept now that Tiffany was driving the sport car that crashed me?”
Theodore looks away as if annoyed.
“Why must you bring that up now?
That’s a different issue entirely.
It has never been proven and, honestly, it seems very unlikely.”
“I believe Tiffany.
What I think is you hate her so much you wanted to blame her and your mind convinced you she was the driver.
But I don’t believe that she was.”
I’m fed up with the man!
“I thought as much. Theodore! Why do you think anything has changed or could change between us when you still think like this?”
I turn to leave and he grabs my arm.
I yank my arm free and in seconds Ryder is next to me. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“She told you that we’re going,” he says.
“Step away.”
Theodore looks at both of us for a moment and then heads back to the party in the hall.
“Are you alright?” Ryder asks.
“I’m fine. He just needs to accept the truth. He and I are done. That is not going to change.”
***
In the car my phone rings and I’m happy to see it’s Thomas.
“Good evening, my sexy man,” I say, suddenly missing him more than I thought I was.
“Hi babe.
How’s everything going?”
“We’ve left the reception and we’re on our way to the hotel.
It’s been a mixed bag.
Pretty hectic and all I want to do it to come home.
I miss you guys.” I’m seconds from telling Ryder to head the car towards home.
“We’re missing you too. Will you be home tomorrow?” he asks hopefully.
“No.
The day after if it goes well.
We need to finish some business tomorrow.
How are you guys?”
“Funny you ask,” he says.
“Some people refused to go to bed tonight saying they would only sleep if they could talk to you. I’m being blackmailed by highly trained extortionists.”
I laugh.
“Put the criminals on.”
“Mummy? Mummy when are you coming home?” I nearly burst into tears when I hear my daughter Sophia, the last born of the quadruplets.
My sweet little baby girl.
“Hi Sophy, I’ll be home soon.
I miss you guys so much.
But you mustn’t give Thomas a hard time.
As soon as we hang up, I want all four of you to go to bed.
And you must fall asleep straight away!”
“We will.
I promise Mummy.” I can hear a scuffle for the phone.
“I love you.
The twins are fighting me for the phone.
Goodnight!”
“Goodnight sweetheart.”
The twins, Olivia and Noah, the second born who came out together and have never parted since, take the phone.
“Mummy, you need to come home quickly. Elijah is bossing us all over the place. He didn’t let us make a fort in the house for the rabbits.”
Elijah is the oldest for the quadruplets, born ten minutes before the others.
He takes his position as the oldest seriously, always keeping an eye on his siblings nearly like a second parent.
“Elijah’s right.
No rabbits in the house, fort or not.”
“But Mummy!” Olivia complains.
Noah finishes her argument as is usually the case with the twins.
“It’s raining outside.
The rabbits are cold.”
“The rabbits live in a hutch inside of a cosy barn.
They’re happy there and we’re happy in the house with no rabbits.
That’s how the world works, my darlings.
Stop troubling your older brother.
Now let me talk to him.”
“Hello Mother, are you well?” Elijah even tries to take care of me.
Such a responsible boy.
“Yes I am, thank you, my darling.
I’m sorry the children are giving you so much stress.”
“It’s fine.
Everything is fine despite what they tell you.”
“That’s good to hear.
I’ll be home soon.” I feel the tears building behind my eyes again.
Oh how I miss them!
Thomas comes back on the phone.
“Despite what you’ve heard, things are under control here.
The rabbits and their fort have been reassembled in the barn as a compromise.”
“You don’t need to stay with the kids, babe.
The nannies are there.”
“Ivy, don’t be silly.
I love this gang of yours as much as I love their mother.”
“That’s sweet, Thomas.
You really are special.”
“Just the truth.
I can hear exhaustion in your voice, my love.
Ryder must get you to the hotel quickly and you must get some sleep, Ivy my darling.
Dream about me?” he asks.
“I think I just might.” I lean back in the car seat.
“I love you.”
Thomas hesitates, he doesn’t mention it’s the first time I’ve ever said that to him.
“I love you too. Come home soon. And keep safe! We all need you this side.”
I hang up and I notice Ryder looking at me.
“Are you fine?”
“I am.
Just missing the kids.
I want to be home where people love me.
Not in this place where no one does.
Where they all think I’m the enemy.
I hate Silver Claw!”
“This is hard, harder than I thought it would be,” Ryder says.
“I’m the one who insisted you come.
I take full responsibility.
I’ll make sure you get back home soon.
I promise.
I know this has been difficult but may it solved some of your problems too.”
“Oh Ryder!” Does he read my mind?
“Yes. I finally have some solid answers that can set me free from all of this. That’s good. I’m glad we came. Don’t feel bad about bringing me here.”
He knows something has changed in me as much as I do.
This trip has been worthwhile on many fronts.
Now I appreciate the kind, simple loyalty and love Thomas gives me more than ever.
We may not be fated, but what we have is more important than that, no matter what others might think.
My children— yes my children— will never be known by Theodore.
I am more resolved about this than ever before.
They are not his.
He disowned them when he said they were not there, that I was lying about the pregnancy.
When he supported the woman who tried to kill them.
He gave away all rights to his fatherhood by his actions then.
My wolf saved them, and my wolf will keep them safe and away from all harm.
Theodore is the biggest danger to the quadruplets, and he will never know of their existence.
Never.