Chapter 23: Calm and Restrained Love _ 1
[Margaret’s POV]
I half lay on the bed to calm my breathing. My black T-shirt had just been pushed aside by Donald and was resting on my stomach, exposing it. The zipper of my shorts was undone. With my shorts hanging on my thighs, my legs were still in the same position they had been—resting on him, opened in his direction.
And Donald was standing in front of me, looking at me with an inscrutable expression.
His sudden stop made me feel uneasy. It seemed as if I was always the one who desperately wanted him, and he was always calm and elegant. It was as if we were worlds apart and I’d never entered his world.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I have something to do.”
I saw the apology in Donald’s eyes, but I couldn’t believe he was leaving at this moment.
I looked at him, trying to make him stay. “Stay. Please.”
I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was struggling too. He got down on one knee and took my hand to kiss it.
I looked at the back of my hand where his lips had touched and couldn’t help wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing his lips. Donald didn’t reject me. He put his arms around my waist. I thought we had reached an agreement to continue what we were doing.
Then Donald put on my jeans for me and ended the kiss.
I looked into his eyes and saw only determination.
“Put on your clothes and wait for me in the room tonight, alright?”
I knew there was no room for negotiation, and I couldn’t hide the disappointment on my face.
“Must you leave?” I asked.
Donald had already taken out his phone and was looking at the screen solemnly.
I fingered the patterns on the bedspread, once again questioning our relationship.
I was completely obsessed with Donald, and I’d told him truthfully how I felt about him. We still had a strong attraction to each other as mates. Couldn’t I have made Donald stay for me?
I loved how calm and restrained he was, but if he loved me, could he still be so calm and restrained?
I hated myself for being such a bore to him.
After Donald left in a hurry, I went downstairs for lunch.
I didn’t want to say anything in response to Elizabeth’s questions and Anthony’s sympathetic gaze.
All afternoon, I excused myself from planning the ceremony for Elizabeth and sat listlessly in my room.
From the window, I saw Elizabeth and Anthony go out together. I sensed that there was something going on between them, but I didn’t want to think about Elizabeth at all.
It was almost evening. I thought I should go to Donald’s place. He had asked me to wait for him there.
I changed into my dress anyway. I hoped this would arouse Donald’s interest in me so that he would not be called away by a phone call during our intimate moments. After cleaning myself up again, I left the house with two werewolf guards. I was starting to get used to the two of them.
On the way, I met Armstrong.
“Margaret?” He looked surprised to see me. “It has been a while.”
This was true. I’d been avoiding meeting him since he and Elizabeth became mates.
“Would you like to have a chat with me?” Armstrong invited.
I hesitated a little. I didn’t know if it was appropriate to have a private conversation given the current situation. But if I refused, it would look like I cared about what happened between us.
“Sure,” I agreed.
“Then let’s go to my office.”
I followed him to the Alpha’s office. This was not my first time here. After Armstrong took over as Alpha, I would always come here to help him with things. In fact, I was the one who talked to him about many of the big things in the tribe. Armstrong always said I was his most capable assistant. I wondered if Elizabeth had ever been here.
“Would you like something to drink?” Armstrong asked.
“No, thanks,” I refused.
“A caramel macchiato? You used to love it. We even bought a good coffee machine.”
I frowned, not understanding why Armstrong was deliberately bringing up the past. What happened between him and me was over.
We did have some beautiful, sweet times. I couldn’t forget them before, and that was my fault. Now that we’d both found our respective mates, we had our own responsibilities. Reminiscing the past would only affect the present and the future.
“Okay, thanks.”
I answered politely.
“I heard about the reception. You’re as capable as ever, unlike Elizabeth.”
Armstrong sat behind the table as he spoke to me.
I didn’t know what he meant. Did he want to thank me on behalf of Elizabeth? But I left with Donald in the middle of it and didn’t do the job well.
And there was a hint of slander in his words about Elizabeth. Although I was also unhappy with my sister, I was not happy to hear Armstrong judge her like that.
“Elizabeth is my sister. It’s only right that I help her,” I replied cautiously.