Chapter 224

The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn Chapter 224 Book 3 Chapter 60 ~DANTE~

The thought of someone being after Willow makes me sick. I would never stand back and let someone hurt her.

But why would anyone want to hurt her? I can’t help but steal a glance at her and that’s when I notice something I’ve seen multiple times in the past.

“It’s happening again,” I shout as Willow begins to faint right before me.

I grab her just before she can hit the ground and rush into the house with her in my arms. The last time this happened, I took too long to get her in front of the fire. Not today.

I moved as fast as I could.

I held her close to my chest as I waited for her body to return to its normal temperature.

“Why does this keep happening to her?” I demanded from Damon even though I knew he couldn’t answer me. None of us knew what this was.

“We can’t keep letting this happen,” Clarissa says. “We need to find answers. If the doctors can’t help us, we must find someone else. There’s something wrong with her, and we must find out what it is before it worsens.”

I agreed. I knew it was serious, but now the real fear was kicking in. I’d never been this terrified of seeing her like this.

“Do you think those people were really after her?” Clarissa asks. The fear in her voice mirrored the fear that I felt in my heart.

“I can’t say for sure, but if they are, they will have to go through me before they can even think about getting to her,” I answer her.

“Her color is returning,” I whisper. I could feel the warmth coming back into her body. I take her into our room and place her on the bed as her eyes open.

“D-Dante?” She whispers.

I gently cradle her face, “I’m right here.”

“I’m scared.” She cries.

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you,” I promise her. “And I’m also going to find someone to help you with this illness. Nothing will happen to you. Not when I’m alive.”

She shook her head, “that’s not what scares me.”

I frown, “then what does?”

Whatever it was, I would do everything I could to protect her from it.

Her eyes are almost filled with tears as she says, “I’m scared that one day you’ll realize you can never love me. I’m scared that one day you’ll realize you can’t move on from my sister. I’m scared that one day you will leave me.”

Her words shock me to my core. Not once did I ever think about leaving Willow. I’ve been so lost in my grief of losing Anya that I didn’t think of much, but I at least knew all along that I would always stay by Willow’s side because of my promise.

Now I realized that she was the reason I wouldn’t be leaving. It no longer had anything to do with my promise to Anya. I didn’t want to leave her, ever.

I lean forward and kiss her forehead, “I’ll do everything I can to not hurt you anymore, Willow. I’m sorry that I hurt you in the past.

Now that I know how you feel, I’ll take away all the pain I gave to you in the first place.”

do anything for me.”

I still loved Anya. However, feelings were growing inside of me, and they were all directed toward Willow. All I needed was some time to understand those feelings before I could admit to Willow that there was a possibility that I could love her.

I take both of her hands in one of mine, “You’re not forcing me to do anything for you. From now on, everything I do for you will be of my own free will.”

I’ve done so much to hurt Willow. I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt her again. I didn’t f*****g care that I didn’t love her; I would treat her like she was the only f*****g woman in this universe from now on. I would act like I was in love with her if I had to do it. I would not let her ever worry about me leaving her.

“You need to rest,” I tell her. “I’ll be back soon to check on you.”

I wait until she closes her eyes before storming out of the room.

I found the people I was looking for in the kitchen.

Damon turns to look at me, and he quirks a brow at the deadly glare I was giving him.

“Why the f**k did you let her hang out with Ares?” I demand as I grab his shirt. “She’s my wife. You know the reputation that those assholes have. I will never do something like that to you.”

Damon clenches his jaw and shoves me backward, “we were there the entire time. Nothing happened.”

“Why did you pretend that you were drunk?” I demand. “You wanted me there. Is that what you three are resorting to now?

Games? Playing with my feelings? Have I not been hurt enough by the person I loved the most? Now my own family is playing games with me.”

“That’s not it, Dante!” Clarissa tries to defend their actions. “We’re only doing this for you. I swear, we weren’t ever trying to hurt you. We thought this could help you open your eyes and finally accept Willow as your wife.”

“I accepted her as my wife the day I walked down the aisle with her. I accepted her as my wife the second I said, ‘I do.’ I don’t need your help for that.” I roar.

“We didn’t think you would react this badly,” Autumn whispers. “We’re sorry, Dante. We shouldn’t have taken things so far.”

“Did any of you even once think about Willow and the rumors all of this could have caused? She would have been seriously bullied over something like that. She already gets bullied because of me; if anyone had seen her with Ares, she would have had to deal with a new group of bullies.”

“Thankfully, no one saw them talking to each other,” Damon assured me. “We were there to make sure none of that happened.”

“I would like all of you to stop interfering with my life with Willow,” I ask of them. “From now on, stay out of our personal lives.”

“Why do you keep pushing your family away?” Clarissa demands. “We’re only trying to help you.”

“I think we should all stay calm.” Autumn cuts in. “Someone may be after Willow. We can’t be reckless with her. From now on, someone must always be by her side, including you, Dante. We must protect her.”

The problem with staying by Willow’s side more than usual was the fact that she tempted me, unlike any other.

Her scent was still on me, and f**k me; I wanted her all now. Why did I crave her to the point that I felt I would f*****g lose my mind if I didn’t have her soon?