Page 74 of Losing My Siren Luna
"You're welcome," he tells me softly, and we just stand in that awkward silence again, neither of us knowing what else to say. I started to gnaw on my lip harder, feeling anxiety at the prolonged silence and not knowing how to proceed. What are we to do now?
“Lira,” he whispers, and I see his feet take a step closer to me.
I looked up at him through my lashes only to see a pained expression on his face and his hands flexing at his side, like he was restraining himself from touching me.
“About this morning, I was wrong in the way I reacted. I should have found out what was going on before I behaved so appallingly. Not to mention, before I said such harsh things and acted so violently towards you. I have a bit of a temper, I always have, but that is no excuse for my actions this morning. I am truly sorry for scaring you the way I did.”
I bit my lip even harder, unsure of what to say. Slowly, Lachlan raises his hand, making it very clear to me what his intentions are, before he cups my face, and uses his thumb to free my lip from my teeth. His thumb grazes over my bottom lip a few times, and then my chin, before he slowly lowers his hand back to his side. My skin is buzzing from the bond, and Valerina is mewling in my head, wanting more.
I don’t know if I can handle any more with all these confusing feelings and thoughts swirling in my head. No matter if this is a different Lachlan, I still need time to get over what feels like happened only yesterday.
I can apologize, though. He wasn’t the only one who reacted badly this morning.
“I’m sorry as well. I should never have hit you or insulted you in front of your pack in such a public way.”
His chest heaves, breathing deeply in excitement or relief, I do not know. Maybe both. A stunning smile lifts his whole face, making his usual scowl all but disappear.
“You never have to apologize to me, Lira. Never. I deserved far worse for my behavior.”
A small, nervous smile lifts the corners of my mouth, but then the question of my father and Lachlan’s knowledge of him comes to me again.
“Alpha?” I meekly murmured.
“Lachlan, Lira. I am your husband. Please just call me Lachlan. You never have to be formal with me.”
I bite my lip again, unsure if I am comfortable calling him by name out loud. Leona addressed him so familiarly, but it was ingrained in me in my last life that I was never to be familiar or take those liberties with him. It may take me some time to get over those habits.
“Okay,” I whispered, not ready to call him by name out loud while I was feeling so vulnerable. “Would you like to have tea with me? I have a question I want to ask you.”
He grins brightly. “Nothing would make me happier, Lira. Thank you.”
“Ela, I brought the, uh...,” Cherum stops mid-speech as he walks past the door to the parlor in my bedchambers to find Lachlan and I sitting at the cozy table at the center of the room. “Alpha? I didn’t expect to see you here,” he states, looking worriedly at me, as if he was gauging if I was okay with this situation I put myself in. Not that he knows that I was the one who invited Lachlan to stay. He probably assumed that I was being forced into this arrangement.
“I invited him for tea, Cherum,” I smiled reassuringly at him, “Thank you for bringing it.” Cherum sighs deeply, looking much relieved, then smiles as he continues walking towards the table and sets the tea tray down in front of me. There are two cups turned upside down on the tray, along with a covered teapot and a plate piled high with cookies and pastries. I know he had every intention of joining me, but with Lachlan here, he sets the extra tea cup in front of Lachlan instead.
“Good to see you here, Alpha. I was just about to call one of the other guards to come be with the Luna while I went to take care of some business. You’ve saved me the trouble.” Looking over at Lachlan, I could tell by the tension in his neck that he was nervous. What he has to be nervous about, I have no idea. I’m nervous. I’m about to ask the man about my father. I don’t want to fight with Val and I really don’t want to hurt her, but I’m still thinking the worst about Lachlan and the reasons he has to keep my father from me. I’m trying not to, but I just can’t think of any logical reason why he wouldn’t tell me my father was the one to give me the necklace.
“Thanks, Cherum,” Lachlan mumbles, taking one of the small plates from his hands before Cherum could set it down in front of him like he did for me. “I think we got it from here.”
“Sure you do, Alpha. Well,” he looks to me for confirmation to make sure I really am okay being left alone with my husband. I nodded once again and smiled. “Guess I’ll go take care of that, um, thing I had to do. You both have a good talk now. Call for me if you need me, lass.”
“I will. Thank you,” I waved at him, then looked at my lap, playing with my fingers nervously. What now? How do I bring up the issue of my father?
“Whatever you do or say, keep an open mind, Ela. Please,”Val begged me.
“For you,”I told her. I will keep my composure and try not to let my pessimism show, but only for her.
“Killian too,”she growls, being defensive of her mate, which makes me smile.
“Okay, Val. For Killian too.”Val's desperation for her mate has grown substantially over the last 24 hours. I really need to figure out how to work through my issues because of my past life for her sake. I don't know if I can keep them apart now.
“Lira?” Lachan’s deep voice caused me to look up at him. He is leaning over the table, reaching to take the cloth cover off the pot of tea and then picks it up by the handle. It’s an odd sight seeing this very brusqued, burly man holding a delicate china teapot. “Do you want some?”
Gosh, I should have been the one to serve. I was the one that invited him. Thankfully, he doesn’t look at all offended. He just looked at me expectantly while waiting for my answer.
“Yes, thank you,” I nodded, hurrying to turn my cup over.
He smiles while clumsily filling my cup, leaving no room for milk or sugar. I am sure he has never done this for anyone else before. After he finishes pouring his own, he sets the pot back on the tray and lifts a couple of sugar cubes with the tongs, offering them to me.
