Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 33

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

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Hard enough.

Leilani.

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1

“We all know you wouldn’t dare call security on us…” Caelum’s voice trailed off as he stepped closer, invading my personal space. The rich, musky scent of his cologne enveloped me, flooding my senses with a wave of nostalgia that I both craved and loathed.

The aroma stirred memories I had buried deep, but it also brought forth a wave of revulsion. It was the very same scent he wore that day four years ago…

That day I had been branded a whore.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively recoiled. “Stay back,” I warned, my voice steadier than I felt.

“You actually enjoy the attention, don’t you?” he taunted, his fingers trailing over my exposed arm, igniting goosebumps that spread like wildfire across my skin.

I quickly glanced at Zevran, hoping to find a glimmer of support in his expression. Instead, I found him observing our interaction with a mix of confusion and concern, yet he remained paralyzed, silent and still.

-Not that I was surprised.

He had always been the type to stand by, caught in the throes of the bystander effect.

Suddenly, my knees threatened to buckle beneath me, but Caelum’s quick reflexes caught me just in time. If I didn’t know better, I might have mistaken his grip for something resembling kindness… or maybe even empathy. But I knew better.

He flashed me a triumphant grin, his eyes glinting with malice as he hissed, “Just like now… you like that I am holding you. You like that your body is this close to mine. You enjoyed it when I kissed you four years ago, didn’t you?”

Heat flared in the spots where our skin touched, but there was no pleasure accompanying it, only a deep sense of violation. I recoiled further, shuddering as I met his icy gaze.

“Caelum…” Zevran growled, his voice low and dangerous, a warning hanging in the air. But Caelum ignored him, continuing his verbal assault.

“You pretend to be some saint, high up on your moral pedestal, but you’re rotten to the core. You’re a bitch, just like everyone says you are, Leilani…”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over at his cruel words. I blinked furiously, refusing to let them fall for someone as foolish as Caelum… or for anyone from my past, for that matter. “Stop!”

Fury bubbled within me, and I clenched my fists tightly, swallowing the remnants of my dignity as I slowly pushed away from him, standing tall despite the turmoil inside.

Ice coursed through my veins, and I felt a bitter chill on my tongue as I spat, “Get out.”

But instead of retreating, Caelum merely smirked, his expression one of twisted satisfaction.

Zevran shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting between us, but he remained mute, a mere spectator to this unfolding nightmare. I sighed, turning my back to them and reaching for the telephone.

“I’ll call secur—”

But before I could finish my sentence, Caelum snatched the cold metal from my fingers, his movements swift and predatory. He leaned in close, so close that his breath brushed against my cheek, a sensation I found utterly repulsive. The warmth of his body seeped into mine, and I could see the small freckles scattered across his nose, each one an irritation I wanted to pluck off one by one—without any anesthesia.

I gulped as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, but my confusion quickly morphed into a boiling rage as his smirk returned. “Do you see your face?” he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. “You think… wait, you really wanted me to touch you?”

“Get out, Caelum!” I shouted, my voice rising in desperation.

“You leaned into my touch…!” He scoffed, turning to his brother, who immediately shook his head in disapproval. “You wanted it! Guess you’re a whore after all!”

Jarek’s expression hardened as he pressed a button on the elevator, forcing the doors to slide back open. He turned to me, his fury barely contained. “You’re flushed. You can’t even look me in the eyes. Something’s wrong… and you’re lying to me. Who touched you?”

His voice, filled with concern and anger, made my heart race, and I felt the weight of my emotions crashing down. I tried to sidestep his question, but when I saw the unwavering determination in his gaze, I leaned against him, surrendering to the urge to confide in him.

My breath hitched as he brushed his thumb over my bottom lip, his gaze softening as he traced the outline of my lips, then my face, and finally my neck, as if he were wiping away invisible tears. I swallowed hard, feeling vulnerable yet safe in his presence.

“I’ll make them pay,” he declared suddenly, his tone so casual one might think he was discussing the weather.

But I knew better; he was seething beneath the surface.

Without a backward glance, he started toward my office. However, we barely made it a few steps when we spotted Caelum and Zevran emerging from my office, looking as though they were fleeing from some unseen terror.

Their faces flushed with embarrassment when they saw Jarek and me approaching.

Zevran extended his hand for a handshake, “Alpha Frostclaw—” but Jarek ignored him entirely, his focus locked on Caelum, who forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

“I was told you went on a trip. Seems like the bitch was lying about that as we—”

*BAM!*

A loud cracking sound echoed through the hallway. It took me a moment to process what had just happened, but when I saw Caelum clutching his now bleeding nose, cursing under his breath as he glared at Jarek and me, a smile crept onto my face.

Jarek had struck him. He had punched him hard across the face—hard enough to break his nose. Hard enough to make him bleed.

And hard enough to remind him of his place.

I smiled again, a sense of satisfaction washing over me.