Chapter 8
Axl turned like a ghost in my life, but that didn’t stop him from showing up alone at the café every day. Every time he opened the door, the mate bond pulled me, and instantly, I knew it was him. I thought leaving and staying away from him would sever the bond, but the moment I saw him again, it awakened.
Aiden had noticed the pattern before I did. One morning, Aiden stopped by to replace the flowers at the counter. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, “You okay, Lianna? He keeps coming here, huh?”
I knew he deeply cared, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask Axl to leave. To me, I needed to treat him like a patronized customer, and maybe it would give me closure.
“I’m fine,” I would always answer, but my heart screamed a different story.
Axl’s visits, though consistent, began to
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grow shorter. At first, I didn’t notice, but as the days went by, his time in the café dwindled. He seemed more resigned, defeated even. There was a heaviness in his eyes every time he watched Aiden, and I exchange small kisses or when Aiden‘ s hand rested on my back as he chatted with me at the counter. But no amount of regret in Axl‘ s expression could undo the past. I had fallen for him so hard before, but after Lia, it was just shattered.
The day before my mating ceremony with Aiden, I closed the café early to handle last- minute arrangements. As I turned the lock on the door, someone called me.
“Lianna.”
I froze. My fingers tightened around the keys, and my pulse quickened. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Axl stood there with a drawn and pale face. He looked like he was at the edge of his life and lost his grip.
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“I’d thought you never come,” I said without turning to face him. My voice was calm, but my heart was racing. “It’s late.”
“I know. But I needed to see you one last time,” Axl said with a sad voice.
I slowly turned and met his gaze. He looked broken and had lost his strong and confident aura. His shoulders slumped with dark circles in his eyes. And he was clutching a small velvet box.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Axl. Tomorrow’s my mating ceremony. You shouldn’t be here,” I said coldly.
“I can‘ t… I can’t let you go like this. You are my mate, and we are meant to be together,” he whispered, stepping closer with eyes pleading.
“Lianna, I made a mistake. The biggest mistake of my life. I let you walk away, and every day since I’ve regretted it. Please, just hear me out.”
I shook my head, already knowing where
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this conversation was headed. “It’s too
late now, Axl. You made your choice.”
“No,” he said, more forcefully now.
He opened the box, revealing the same ring he had once given me.
“I was wrong, Lianna. Lia was never… She wasn’t…”
“Don’t!” I cut him off, my voice sharp.
The memory of that night came flooding into my head. I couldn’t forget Lia’s smirk and how loving Axl proposed to her.
“You chose her, Axl. Don’t stand here and act like you didn‘ t.”
His face contorted in pain.
“I was drunk, Lianna. I didn’t know what I was doing. You have to believe me. It’s always been you.”
I closed my eyes, trying to control myself. But anger exploded from hearing the same thing, and I had to repeat myself as well.
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“You proposed to her. Right in front of me. How do you expect me to just forget that?”
“I wasn‘ t thinking clearly. I was lost and confused… Please, Lianna, you have to understand.” he said, his voice trembling.
“I understand perfectly… I understand that you decided to break our bond. You threw it all away for her. And now you want me to pretend like it didn’t happen? I can’t, Axl.”
Axl dropped to his knees, holding the ring out to me, his hands shaking. “Please. Just give me one more chance. One last chance and I promised I would make things better.”
Before I could respond, the door to the flower shop across the street opened, and Aiden stepped out. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw us. But his presence gave me a reason and courage to step away from Axl.
Aiden walked towards me, looked at me
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with a smile, and held my hand. He didn’t even look at Axl when he spoke,
“Everything okay here?”
I nodded, though my heart was pounding. Axl, still on his knees, looked up with a mix of despair and disbelief. He slowly rose to his feet but still looked at me.
“Lianna,” Axl whispered, his voice barely audible. “Don’t do this. Don’t throw us away.”
I squeezed Aiden‘ s hand, grounding myself in the warmth of his touch.
“I didn’t throw us away, Axl. You did, and I already have made my choice.”
Axl‘ s face fell, and his shoulder slumped. He took a step back with eyes filled with regret. And at that moment, I felt like it finally severed the mate bond. It stung, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t handle. His betrayal hurt so much that what I feel now is nothing comparable.
But as Axl walked away, I felt a strange mix
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of relief and sadness. My love for him had become a memory, and finally, the closure I longed for happened. Aiden pulled me into his arms, and his warmth eased what I felt inside.
“You, okay?” he asked softly, his lips brushing against my hair.
“Yeah. I am now,” I whispered.
As we walked home together, I couldn’t help but wonder if Axl would ever truly let me go. But it didn’t matter anymore. My future was with Aiden, and I am so excited and ready to start the next chapter of my
life without Axl.
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