Chapter 48

• Chapter 48
• Orion's POV
• That bastard I gritted my teeth as I watched my stepbrother go and wondered if I had made a mistake by letting him walk freely without bending his nose to the side. He has no right to nutt into my affairs. I was Ciara's husband and she was my wife. He wasn't the marriage police so he couldn't dictate what was right and wrong besides I wasn't with Sophie in a room or something. This was a bar with so many people around. What course could grow wrong? “He hasn't changed much since the last time I saw him,” Sophie commented and I whipped my head around to look at her. I hummed but didn't reply. Bryan's presence has put a damper on my mood and now all I wanted to do was go back to my hotel room and sleep with Ciara wrapped in my arms, my nose buried in her hair so I could sniff her sweet coconut shampoo. “You got married?” Sophie asked, her tone accusatory and I glared at her wondering why she thought she had a right to question me. “Excuse me?” I could feel my wolf rising to the surface preparing to take over but I held him back for three reasons. One, this was a public place with several eyes watching every move even though they pretended they weren't. Two, Sophie was a woman and I'd never hit a woman unless I had no choice in that case she'd have to be a rogue or criminal. In either case, I would be justified. The third was that it was Sophie and I couldn't do that to her which was a little weird considering the fact that no-one deserved it as much as she did after she abandoned me. “Bryan said you married Ciara. You married my cousin? Orion how…?” I didn't let her finish before I stopped her, my eyes bright red because my wolf was seething. Was she really blaming me for getting married when she had bailed on me? “Are you being serious right now? Did you really ask me that?” Her face flushed just then and she looked away avoiding my eyes. I scoffed and continued to glare at her. “You left me for another man and eloped with him before I got back from the states.” “Orion I..” she tried to speak but once again I cut her off. “You know the laws, you understand how difficult it is for an Alpha to be given his respect without a Luna by his side. But you still ran off with your lover,” I spat on the ground, my body shaking with fury. The nerve of this woman. Sophie sighed and shook her head. “I didn't have a choice. He was my mate.” I let out a bitter laugh, my anger reaching it's boiling point. She didn't have a choice? What a sick joke. “Remember when we agreed to reject our mates for each other?” She continued when I remained silent and I narrowed my eyes at her. “Why are you bringing that up now?” She huffed. “Because I tried but I couldn't. The mate bond was just too strong for me. I really wanted to wait for you Orion. In fact I had been doing such a good job of it until I met him.” I shook my head tired of hearing her sob story. “I don't care what reasons you had, you should have waited. At least until I came back and given me a proper goodbye.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and I looked away hating how my heart clenched at the pain in her eyes. “I'm sorry Orion. I wish I could change things but…” I scoffed and took a step back. I couldn't take any more of this. “This is not a lover's reunion, Sophie Heartfield.” I used her full name so I could explain how much things had changed. She flinched at my harsh tone and her eyes welled up. “I only needed answers but I realize I was better off without them.” I shook my head and ran my hands through my hair. “Just stay away from me and have a nice life.” “Wait..” she called and I turned to face her, keeping my face expressionless. “Are you…?” She started to ask and then paused. “Are you happy with her? I mean my cousin.” I grinned at the mention of Ciara and nodded instantly. “Very. Marrying her was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Thank you for running off the way you did or I wouldn't have met her.” She flinched at my words but no by now I was spent. I was already imagining curling up in Ciara's arms. With that thought in mind I brought out my purse from my bag, dropped a bill on the table and turned to walk away. For a split second I thought she would stop me but she didn't. I simply matched to the elevator, the exhaustion of the day plus disappointment at the fact that she didn't seem angrier weighing me down. I rested against the walls and almost fell asleep when the elevator doors opened and my room door was staring at me. I dragged myself there and let myself in with the spare key card. I didn't stop to check the living room and simply walked back to the room. I found Ciara sleeping soundly with her mouth hanging open. I was even too tired to appreciate the sight of her like that. I simply crawled into the bed beside her and wrapped my arms around her. She made some funny noise in her sleep haze and buried herself into my chest. I sighed in contentment and drifted off to sleep, Ciara's warmth and scent enveloping and calming my frazzled nerves. But no matter how much I tried, my mind refused to shut off. It kept replaying the encounter with Sophie like a cassette. I still couldn't believe she had the audacity to question my marriage to Ciara, after walking out the way she did. The nerve of her to ask me if I was happy. If I had said no then what? I have come very far since Sophie left me. I had grown and changed as a person, as a man and as an Alpha. I wasn't the same man she left behind. I have found a new sense of purpose with Ciara, and our bond keeps getting stronger everyday. I loved Ciara and I was happy and grateful she was in my life. But after that meeting with Sophie today, a part of me still wondered what could have been if only she had stayed. Ciara stirred in my arms, her eyes fluttering open and I smiled at her. “Hey,” There was a cute frown on her face as she leaned up. "Hey, you're back," she whispered, her voice husky with sleep. My smile grew wider and my heart soared with love for this woman who had brought light into my life. "Yeah, I'm back," I replied, pulling her closer. “Go back to sleep dear.” I placed a light kiss on her forehead. She sent me a sleepy smile and closed her eyes, drifting off again. I held Ciara tight, willing my mind to settle down so I could fall asleep. But I laid there dwelling on the what it's. “Damn you Sophie,” I cursed after a few minutes of no luck and got out of bed, giving up on getting any sleep tonight.