DANE'S POV.
I drew my arms back, the bowstring taut, my gaze steady as I aimed directly at Edmond’s head.
I could see the terror in his eyes, his heart pounding so loudly that it seemed almost audible.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, tracing down his temples in glistening droplets.
Edmond’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his expression a mixture of fear and regret.
The atmosphere was thick with tension, each second stretching out painfully. I could almost feel the weight of his dread pressing down on both of us.
Finally, Edmond shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for what he feared might come next. I released the arrow with a swift, controlled motion.
It flew through the air with a sharp whoosh, slicing through the space between us.
The arrow struck the apple with pinpoint accuracy, splitting it cleanly in half. The two halves fell to the ground, the pieces rolling slightly before coming to rest.
Edmond’s eyes snapped open, his face ashen as he looked at the split apple before him.
The relief and shock were evident as he sank to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His hands went to his chest, as if to steady his racing heart.
He stared at the apple, his chest heaving with each breath, clearly shaken by the near miss. The reality of the situation had set in, and his earlier bravado was nowhere to be found.
I looked at him, the anger inside me finally beginning to cool.
My intention from the beginning was to teach him a lesson, and I believed I had succeeded.
The fear in his eyes and his trembling form spoke volumes about the impact of what had just occurred.
I dropped the bow with a clatter and walked over to where Edmond was still kneeling, visibly shaken and struggling to regain his composure.
His face was an unhealthy shade of white, and he seemed disoriented from the close call.
“You look awfully pale,” I said, letting a smug grin spread across my face as I looked down at him. “I didn’t miss, did I?”
I took in the sight of him, still reeling from the adrenaline and fear. “So much for taking shots with arrows like men,” I continued, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Let this be a fair warning to you, Edmond. If you get in my way again or annoy me when I’m angry, you might not be so lucky next time. I didn’t miss this time, but who knows? Next time, I could make a mistake and aim for your eyes or even your heart.”
My words were delivered in a low, menacing tone, each syllable carefully spoken to ensure he understood the threat.
His silence spoke volumes; he clearly grasped the seriousness of what I had just conveyed.
I turned sharply on my heel and started toward the door, eager to leave the oppressive atmosphere behind me.
As I reached the doorway, Edmond’s voice cut through the silence, startling me. “I am aware the full moon will come up tomorrow.”
I paused, my breath catching slightly. The mention of the full moon was unexpected, and I could feel a knot of unease forming in my stomach.
I turned back to face him, maintaining a stern expression despite the sudden spike in tension.
“Stay away from me, Edmond,” I said firmly, my voice laced with a sense of finality.
“Do not provoke me again. This is your final warning, not just for you but for any of your associates as well.”
With that, I turned my back on him and made my way out, my mind racing with thoughts of the approaching full moon and the implications it might hold.
I walked to my car, feeling the weight of the evening's events pressing down on me.
As I started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, my thoughts were consumed by Edmond’s cryptic comment about the full moon.
What did he know about the recent attacks on the pack? Was he trying to provoke me, or was there something more to his warning?
His timing and choice of words were unsettling, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something important he wasn’t telling me.
I yawned lazily and sank back into the driver’s seat, trying to clear my mind of the confusion and frustration Edmond had stirred up.
The absurdity of Edmond positioning himself as a target, following my orders so obediently, made me almost smirk.
I had expected him to challenge me, not to stand there like a lamb ready for slaughter.
I rolled my eyes and pressed harder on the accelerator, the car speeding up as I headed back to the pack house.
When I finally arrived, I parked in the garage and stepped out of the car, feeling a mix of irritation and exhaustion. As I walked toward the main entrance, my mood darkened further when I saw Astrid approaching.
Her appearance was a mess: her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her cheeks were streaked with tears, and her nose was slightly swollen.
It was clear she had been sobbing for a while. Despite the sight of her distress, my anger remained steadfast. I had no sympathy left for her; her deceit had caused this rift between us.
“Dane, I’m sorry. Please, just listen to me,” she pleaded, reaching out for my arms. I quickly pulled away, not wanting her touch.
“Please, Dane, just listen to me. I need to explain everything. I know I lied, but I didn’t do it out of malice.”
“I hoped to figure things out and tell you the truth when the time was right. I never expected things to unravel like this,” she continued, her voice choked with emotion.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked at me with a mix of desperation and regret.
“Stop causing a scene,” I said coldly, my voice devoid of warmth. I turned on my heel and walked away, heading toward my study.
“No, please… just… listen to me. We need to sort this out. You can’t just walk away like this, Dane,” she called after me, her voice breaking with each word.
Her cries grew more intense, and I could hear her gasping for breath as she tried to keep up with me.
I hurried to my feet, slamming the door to my study shut with a decisive thud. I quickly locked it, the metallic click echoing through the room as I bolted the door.
The sound of Astrid’s desperate attempts to turn the knob and push against the door reached my ears.
Her muffled cries and the persistent rattling of the handle only served to heighten my turmoil.
“It's best you leave, Astrid. I'm not in the mood to listen to you,” I called out sternly, my voice firm and resolute. Her sobs grew louder, more anguished, as if my words were a knife twisting in her heart.
Despite the chaos of my emotions and the betrayal that had shattered our bond, her tears pierced through my defences.
It was maddening how, even after everything, I still felt a pang of sympathy for her.
“Dane, please, I need you to forgive me. I need you to understand me. It was a mistake. I didn't know you then. I had no idea we would fall in love. Please trust me,” she begged, her voice a raw, emotional plea.
Her wails resonated through the door, each cry a reminder of the pain I was feeling.
I rested my forehead against the door, my hands gripping the knob as if it could offer me some sense of control.
I was torn apart by the realisation that had she come to me first, with honesty and vulnerability, perhaps things might have unfolded differently.
But the betrayal had cut too deep, and the manner in which I had discovered her deception made it nearly impossible to untangle my emotions.
The thought that she might have genuinely wanted to make amends did cross my mind.
Maybe she was right; maybe we needed to address this and try to understand each other.
But the more I thought about it, the more I struggled to reconcile with her claims.
The fact that she didn’t even know the identity of the father of her child was a glaring betrayal I couldn’t overlook. How could I trust her when she was so entangled in lies and half-truths?
I turned away from the door, my heart heavy with the weight of my decision. I was trying to protect myself from further hurt, but the agony of this situation was gnawing at me.
My emotions were a whirlwind of pain, betrayal, and unresolved feelings.
I knew I needed to distance myself from her for now, to clear my mind and find a way to process the storm of emotions threatening to consume me.
As I paced around the room, the echo of her sobs continued to haunt me. I had no answers, only questions and a heart still bruised from the fallout of her lies.