Chapter 78
Nicole POV
So many doubts crept in my mind that it was maddening. Why should I feel this attached to Eric? It made no sense because I had only known him for a few days. My body said something as my mind said something else. No logic seemed to convince my heart, but I knew I had to listen fo my mind. After daddy’s death, i didn’t want to get attached to anyone. And then Ethan came. I got over him, and decided I won’t get involved with anyone, but then Éric happened.
My thoughts were interrupted by Brie sitting down next to me, her expression concerned.
“Hey, I’ve been looking for you. Are you okay?”
I nod, even though I was clearly not. “I just needed a moment.”
“You saw them, didn’t you?” she asked gently. I knew she was talking about Eric and Lexi because she must have gone to the cafeteria as well.
I nodded again, my throat tight. “Why does it hurt so much, Brie? He’s just my fake boyfriend. This shouldn’t matter.”
“But it does matter, doesn’t it?” she said softly. “Because it’s not fake for you anymore.”
Her words hit me like a slap, the truth of them settling in my chest. She was right. Somewhere along the way, I had started to care about him. And now, seeing him with Lexi, I realized just how deep my feelings went. It scared me because I didn’t know what to do with this realization. I thought I could handle this, keep it strictly business, but my heart clearly had other ideas.
I took a deep breath, trying to push down the rising tide of emotions. “I don’t even know if I should keep tutoring him in sociology. Maybe this is my cue to walk away?”
Brie frowned. “Why? You promised to help him.”
“What’s the point?” I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. “If he’s just going to run back to Lexi every time, she snaps her fingers…”
“Nicole, stop,” Brie interrupted. “You don’t know the full story. Maybe you should talk to him before you decide anything.”
I shook my head, the fear of rejection making me hesitate. “I don’t think I can. Not right now.”
She gave me a sympathetic look, her eyes softening. “Take your time, but don’t shut him out completely. You owe it to yourself to get some answers, even if they aren’t the ones you want. Even if he has crossed the line of being a fake boyfriend in your heart.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I knew she was right, but right now, I needed space to figure out what I was feeling and what I was going to do about it. For now, I’ll just keep my distance and try to protect my heart from breaking any more than it already has.
Eric POV
I turned my head for just a second to look at Nicole and Brie walking towards their dorm. Nicole’s smile was small, but it made my heart do a funny flip. I didn’t know why it felt this way, but seeing her happy, even for a moment, felt good. I raised my hand to wave at her one last time before I zipped my car.
And then it happened. A loud thud, like something or someone hitting my car. My stomach dropped.
“What the hell?” I muttered, slamming my foot on the brakes.
My mind raced as I shoved open the car door. I rushed to the front of the car, my heart pounding like it’s trying to escape my chest. The crowd that formed around me felt suffocating. I pushed through, and then I saw her–Lexi, lying on the ground, clutching her hand. Blood was dripping from a cut on her forearm.
“Lexi?” I gasped. How did she get here? She wasn’t anywhere near when I pulled in. I could have sworn I didn’t see anyone.
She looked up at me, her face twisted in pain. “Eric… it hurts.”
1/2
Chapter 78
I was frozen for a second. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Did I really hit her? I didn’t see her at all. I was only looking at helle second, and then this happened.
Without thinking. I scooped Lexi up in my arms. She cried in pain, and it made the guilt inside me grow tenfold. I put her in the passenger tear trying to be as gentle as possible.
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” I said, my voice shaky.
The drive there was hazy. All I could think about was how she ended up in front of my car. I know I didn’t see her. Did she run out from somewhere? | don’t get it. And why now, of all times? My mind was spinning with questions I couldn’t answer.
At the hospital, the nurse wrapped a bandage around Lexi’s injured hand. I stood there, feeling like a complete idiot. The guilt was eating me alive. should have been more careful. I shouldn’t have been distracted. This was my fault.
“I’m so sorry, Lexi,” I said, staring at the blood–stained gauze. “I didn’t see you. I don’t know how this happened.”
Lexi looked up at me, her eyes watery but sharp. “It’s okay, Eric. I know it wasn’t on purpose,” she breathed, but there was something in her tone! couldn’t quite place.
After the nurse finished, I stepped outside the room for a minute to clear my head. I needed to call Nicole and explain. I didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. So I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. It rang twice before Lexi suddenly appeared in front of me, snatching the phone out of my hand.
“What the–Lexi, what are you doing?” I asked, reaching for my phone, but she held it out of my reach.
She stared at me coldly, her eyes hard as stone. “If you call her, I’ll file a police report against you.”
“What?” I blink, confused. “Lexi, what are you talking about?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice low and menacing. “I could say you hit me on purpose. You weren’t paying attention, Eric. I could sue you for this. Do you know how much trouble you’d be in?”
My blood ran cold. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. “You can’t be serious. It was an accident!” Going to the police meant they would discover that I was a werewolf.
Lexi’s lips curled into a smirk. “Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. But that’s not how I’ll spin it. So if you don’t want me to press charges, you’ll stay with me. You won’t go back to her.”
It felt like I’d been punched in the gut. I had never seen this side of Lexi. I didn’t recognize this person standing in front of me, threatening me like this.
“What do you want from me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Her smile widened. “You’ll see, Eric. You just have to do what I say.”
