Chapter 23-The Almost Reveal

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Chapter 23-The Almost Reveal

Sydney Carrington's POV

"You're serious? I can go?"

Kingston shot me a dry look, "Technically, you were always welcomed but this time, it would matter considering you'll be in charge of some of the communities."

I rolled my eyes at his tone and crossed my arms. You would think Kingston would be acting differently around me after he had confessed his love for me. That was about a week ago and I was still stunned by that declaration. I hadn't said those words back. And well, I didn't know when I would, even though I wanted to.

"Alright. I'll go for the meeting with you tomorrow." I smiled as I sorted through another set of paperwork. Apparently, Kingston was swarmed with too much work and meetings and spending time with me to sort out paperwork and as a result, his office was a mess. Thus, I took it upon myself to help him out with it.

"I have to head out to grab something from the pack house and see the North leader. I'll be back in an hour or so and then we can go for lunch?"

I nodded and beamed at him. "Of course, I'll see you later." Kingston pressed a kiss to my forehead before leaving and my heart fluttered at how loving he was with me.

Once Kingston was gone, I was back to sorting out the paperwork but my head went back to those very words he had said again.

Sydney, I love you. It's okay if you don't feel the same way. You won't even look at me straight in the eye for long. But its alright, I'll wait for you, however long it may take.

As the words echoed in my brain, I sighed deeply. I knew Kingston meant every single word spoken that day even the part about waiting for me and I guess that me not returning the words must definitely hurt. But I knew I wouldn't say those words until I was truly sure about the feelings of my heart.

Now? I was still slightly unsure. I cared deeply for Kingston but declaring to him that I loved him when I myself wasn't a hundred percent sure? No. I looked down at my wrist where Kingston's name was scrawled on and my heart ached from how Kingston must be feeling.

Now that we were comfortable around each other, neither Kingston or I used the mate bond to feel each other's feelings and I stopped blocking him out. Why read emotions when you could see it for yourself?

I used to think that Kingston was a very closed off person, not showing anyone his true emotions and thoughts. That was until I knew the real him. The one that was so full of hurt and raw emotions that he could barely express himself without flying into a rage.

Sighing once again, I sorted the papers before stopping when a picture caught my eyes. The picture was decades old and it was probably misplaced as it was among papers for land expansion and whatnot.

Curiosity picked at me and I lifted it up to get a closer look. What was on the photograph made my heart stop. There were two couples in the photo, one of them was Kingston's parents and the other was...mine.

There wasn't a doubt about it. It was clear that it was Kingston's parents considering he was the spitting image of his father. Confusion swarmed through me as I stared at the photograph with shaky fingers. How could my parents know the late Alpha and Luna of the European pack?

As far as I knew, my parents had met each other in the North American pack despite being from another pack, and thus, they had decided to build a home there.

Warring thoughts battled each other and millions of questions were buzzing in my head. How the bloody hell could my parents know Kingston's parents?

I studied the picture closely and noticed a pretty blonde standing beside Kingston's father with a smile, but her eyes were sad and hollow as if she was faking the happy exterior. Kingston's father was fearfully frightening, his eyes were hard and his face was set into a perpetual scowl. Scars littered his face and whatever parts of the body that was exposed in the picture.

My parents on the other hand were smiling. My mom never looked more beautiful even though younger while my dad looked like a proud man as he held onto my mom gently and lovingly.

And if I wasn't wrong, my mother seemed to be pregnant with her slightly rounded belly. I didn't why but I teared up a little as I looked at the picture. I missed my parents and seeing this photo was bittersweet. Seeing them so happy and in love was achingly beautiful but the secrets behind this photo seem to be frightening.

The doorbell ringing broke me out of my confused thoughts and I quickly shoved the picture carefully into my pockets before going to greet whoever was at the door. Opening the door, I was met with Kelsey holding onto a pie with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Hi Luna, I-oh crap, I'm just here to pass you this. I'm really sorry for bringing up the Alpha's uh past with you. It was really inappropriate and well the pie is for you as an apology."

I couldn't help but let a slow smile cross my face at that and I gave her a broad grin. "It's fine, come on in. You can put the pie here." I said as I led her into the kitchen.

"You have a lovely home." Kelsey said thoughtfully as she glanced around before meeting my gaze. I shrugged, "Thank you, would you like a slice right now? It looks really delicious." I asked and took out a small knife to slice the pie into eight equal pieces.

"Thank you, it's my mother's recipe. Apple pie. I would have made chocolate seeing as you liked it but we were out of chocolate." Kelsey said as she looked around the kitchen.

I was in the midst of cutting the pie when what she said made me stop. How could Kelsey know that I liked chocolate? No one knew that except for my family and Kington or Cara. My blood froze and I took a quick glance at Kelsey to see her looking at me with a blank expression on her face.

"You seem to be really nice and I'm sorry, it's nothing personal. Please don't take it that way."

At her words, I froze in fear and watched with horror as she whipped out a knife and ran towards me. With my eyes wide, I managed to avoid her slashes in the air and I scrambled quickly to the kitchen counter for some weapon of sorts.

"I mean you really tore my throat the other time in the woods and injured me badly but I'm alright now and I've learned from that." She said calmly as she continued trying to slice at me.

My heart was racing and I scowled angrily as my hands couldn't seem to find a weapon. I was in a bloody kitchen and my hands couldn't seem to grab a knife? What the bloody fucking hell! I cursed inwardly as I ducked just as the dagger whipped above my head.

Tissue box, napkins, plates, mugs, a rolling pin. I threw them all at Kelsey to hinder her. Where the hell was anything sharp that could be of use?!

Finally, my hands touched something smooth. Wine bottle! My fingers curled around the neck of it and I smashed it against Kelsey's head just as the blade of her dagger missed my neck by an inch.

Glass shattered and dark red liquid splashed onto the floor. Right now, I was pretty sure the kitchen was a huge mess. Shards of glass were littered all over the floor, red wine was everywhere and things I had thrown at Kelsey were lying around the kitchen.

As she was distracted, I turned around and a glint of a sharp blade caught my eye and I lunged forward and shoved it into Kelsey's stomach just as she was about to stab me once again with the dagger.

I watched in shock as Kelsey shrieked in pain and aimed to throw the dagger in my direction when the kitchen window broke and a light brown wolf I didn't recognise entered and lunged itself at Kelsey while dagger in her hand dropped and clattered onto the ground.

I gasped in shock as the light brown wolf pinned Kelsey down and gave deep scratches onto her body until Kelsey wasn't moving. The light brown wolf got off and shifted into a young man who bowed at me respectfully. "Luna are you alright?"

I watched him with wide eyes and shook my head to clear my thoughts, "Who the hell are you?"

"Your bodyguard, Owen." He answered and I averted my eyes realising that he was naked. "Right. Get the medics!" I ordered as I looked down at Kelsey who was gasping for breath as blood pooled around her body.

"Why are you trying to kill me?" I questioned and Kelsey shook her head. "I-I had no choice. If I didn't, he w-would have killed my mother." She gasped out in pain and I frowned and bent towards her.

"Who?" I demanded and Kelsey opened her mouth to reply, "Preston. K-" Before Kelsey could finish, a gunshot sounded and Kelsey died immediately.

I screamed in shock and arms pulled me away from Kelsey and the window. "Sydney! Are you alright?!"

I was too stunned to reply as my eyes remained on Kelsey's dead body. Her eyes were wide open and blood was everywhere. "Answer me! Are you alright?!"

Mutely, I nodded and buried my head into the familiar body and scent as tears rolled down my cheeks. Arms circled around me as Kingston hugged me tightly while murmuring soothing things in my ear.

"Calm down, you're alright. I love you Sydney, I'm not letting anything happen to you." He rubs the mark on my left wrist and I shudder, feeling a sense of sadness and comfort run through my body.

Sadness for the loss of a young life. In fact Kelsey barely looked like she was twenty-five years old. I sniffled and turned my head away from Kelsey's body into Kingston's chest.

Once I was relaxed, I pulled away from Kingston's embrace and he studied me quickly before pressing a kiss on my forehead. "You're alright." He breathed out in relief and I nodded.

It was at this moment that Owen entered the kitchen, this time fully dressed. His demeanour was in defeat and he shook his head. "Alpha. The shooter is gone. No sign of him."

At this, Kingston cursed and glared menacingly at Owen. "You haven't done your job right! I put my chosen, my mate, your Luna in yours and Sam's hands and you can't even protect her properly from a girl?!"

I tuned out the conversation, still too stunned and in shock to say anything. Sadness filled my heart as I looked down at Kelsey before leaning down to close her eyes shut.

"Sydney! Watch out!" Kingston roared and pushed me down onto the ground and the sound of a bullet hitting flesh sounded out and I looked up to see Kingston's face scrunched up in agony.

Horrified, I quickly scrambled off the ground and shook Kingston. "Oh fuck, Kingston!" I screamed and behind me, I could hear Owen calling for the medics and for Sam to find the shooter.

Kingston winced in pain and I looked down at my hands to see that they were covered in warm fresh blood. Tears of frustration welled up in my eyes and I quickly hugged Kingston to my chest.

"Oh god. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I wept and Kingston shook his head. "Sydney, I'm fine. I love you." His voice was weak and his hand shakily reached up to touch my cheek gently.

"I love you Sydney. I'll be paying for my sins in hell but one thing I don't regret is meeting you."

His voice was hoarse and I looked down at his chest to see that he was shot in the lungs and the amount of blood was horrifying. Tears got choked in my throat as I wept furiously and shook my head. "Don't say that please. You're not going to die! You'll be fine!" I managed as more tears rolled down my cheeks.

Kingston let out a low chuckle before a small smile curved onto his face as his breaths got more shallow. "I love you Sydney." With that, his body went slack and my eyes widened in horror and I screamed as devastating pain hit me in the heart.

Kingston couldn't be gone, I wouldn't allow it!

"Brendon! Fucking wake up!" I begged and cried as I shook onto Kingston's limp body. I was barely aware that the medics had arrived and pulled me away from his body.

Everything was mute but I caught onto a few words that the medics were saying. Silver. Wolfsbane. Low chance of surviving. Nothing can be helped.

Each word from them brought such devastating pain into my soul and it was as this moment that Brendon's name on my wrist caught my attention.

With this sudden burst of clarity, I grabbed Kelsey's dagger from the ground and sliced it into my palm and pushed a medic away before letting my blood flow into Brendon's mouth. Once I was done, I quickly bit into his arm and drank a little of his blood before murmuring softly.

"My life for yours."

With that said, huge amounts of emotion crashed over me and I quickly took hold of his hand to see that my name was slowly appearing on his right wrist. I quickly looked up at Kingston to see that his weak and shallow breathes were slowly turning into regular ones. Soon, his breathing evened out but he was still unconscious.

Strong emotions of relief, fear, sorrow and worry coursed through me like a tidal wave. I sniffled and rubbed the tears away from my face. I didn't even realise that I was still crying. I felt so relieved that Brendon was going to be okay but I still feared for his life. What if there were side effects from the gunshot and his condition got worse?

I was barely aware of the background noises from the medics and my two body guards but I snapped at them as they tried to pull me away from Brendon. After the first few attempts, they eventually stopped but I knew they were ready to step in if things got worse.

Guilt hit my like a train wreck. This was all my fault that Kingston was on the brink of death. More tears rolled down my cheeks and I guessed that a tear had fallen onto Brendon's face. I gently wiped it away before pressing a kiss onto his lips

My body felt faint and this time, I didn't protest or fight back when the medics tugged me away from Kingston's still body as they carried him up to his room. I didn't say a word as Owen swept me up in his arms and carried me up behind Kingston.

I was so emotionally drained that I didn't care about anything now beside's Brendon's health. "No. To Brendon's room." I said quietly as Owen was about to leave me in my former room.

Owen nodded and helped me to Kingston's room. There I was met with the sight of the medics attending to my mate. Owen placed me onto the sofa and bowed his head in respect before leaving.

I was barely aware when Sarah burst into the room along with Sean as they fussed over me. I couldn't say a word or do anything. I was still stunned and shocked beyond belief.

Even as Sarah helped me out of my clothes and into the shower, my thoughts remained fixated on Kingston. And with crystal sharp clarity, everything stopped. Was this how being in love felt like?

That you would die if anything life-threatening happened to your significant other? Because that was what I felt. Tears pooled in my eyes and for that very breathtaking moment, I knew that I had fallen in love with Kingston.

And that I was too much of a coward to say that I loved him. Taking in my expression, Sarah sighed and quickly dressed me and hugging me tightly in relief before leaving.

Once everyone was gone and I was left alone with Kingston. I got off the sofa, my mind still barely processing anything with the exception of the man I loved.

I dragged a chair and set it beside Kingston and held onto his right hand as I admired the neat scrawl of my name on his wrist. Peering closely, I studied the name before more tears streamed down my face.

It wasn't Sydney Carrington that was on his wrist. It was Sydney Kingston.

More tears welled up in my eyes and stroked his wrist over my name, getting comfort from the steady pulse there. Looking at Kingston's face, his skin wasn't the tan golden shade anymore, it was pale and almost looked like wax. Leaning over to him, I pressed a kiss on his lips before murmuring softly.

"I love you Brendon."

I caressed his cheeks tenderly and lovingly before laying my head on his chest as I wept with deep regret and sorrow.