Chapter 39: Truce
“Wow!” Sander exclaimed. His eyes were growing big as soon as we arrived at the cotton field.
“These cotton are about to be harvested soon,” I said when I touched one of the cotton flowers and saw that they could be ready to be harvested soon.
“Mama, can I run through the fields in my wolf form?” Sander asked excitedly.
I chuckled. “Yes, little man. You may do that. But be careful since you might sneeze when you smell them,” I said softly.
“I will!” Sander transformed into his wolf form and started running through the fields.
I immediately distanced myself from Desmond when I was left alone with him again. But I felt ticklish as soon as I found out that he was following me.
“Desmond.” I halted, glaring at him when I turned around.
“What?” He looked at me, feigning ignorance.
“Leave me alone,” I said and glanced at Sander who was barking and howling in joy before I returned the gaze to him. My wolf quickly squirmed when our gazes met before I averted my gaze.
“I want us to talk, seraphim.” His pleading tone was lingering on his voice.
“We will talk only if this is going to be related to our son. If your other goal is to fix our mate bond, then don’t be delusional. I am not going to mend it with you.” I almost picked the cotton and destroyed it to my annoyance.
I heard his sigh. I could tell that he didn’t want to drop the topic but then, I was glaring at him.
“I will help you to get along with him,” I said, causing his eyes to widen.
“R-Really?” His voice sounded hopeful.
I nodded, facing him. “I realize that we both had a hard time in our childhood. We both grew up having no parents by our side.” I watched how his eyes turned melancholy as he stretched out a small smile and nodded. The way his eyes were twitching meant that he didn’t want to talk about it but he knew that I wouldn’t drop it so easily.
Desmond became Declan’s parents when their parents died. He told me before that he had so much struggle with running a pack and at the same time, taking care of Declan. He already had training before on how to run a pack but he didn’t expect that he would experience it at the age of 16.
I admired him for his dedication. He was a lovable man that I adored so much. If only he did not do those things… we would have been a happy family already.
“We must not let our son experience that. Let’s make a truce,” I announced.
“Truce?” He creased his forehead before I nodded. “What condition do you want me to do for this?”
“We will get along like mother and father to Sander, not as lovers. I want us to provide the love you and I did not receive from our parents. Our son deserves it.”
Desmond smiled and nodded. “Then, it shall be a truce.” He offered his hand to me.
Shocked, I was bewildered a little. “Y-You easily accept it?” I glanced at his hand handed out to me.
“Why not? I have been longing to be more reactive as Sander’s father. I don’t want to watch him from afar anymore. I want to take action,” he said meaningfully. My heart felt ticklish when he took my hand and covered it with his hands. His touch sent tingles down my spine. “Perhaps, I can do the same thing as repairing our mate bond soon, hmm?”
I frowned, ignoring the shivers I felt as I yanked my hand back. “I told you. Don’t be delusional.” This man… He better not do what he was planning. I am going to kill him if that happens.
Desmond chuckled. His chuckle was deep and reverberating. My wolf was reacting to that. “Well, if it is alright with you, shall we dine together as a family from now on?”
I inhaled slowly, castigating my heart for reacting rapidly to his male scent and the perfume he was wearing. They were complimented as they smelled alluring to me. “I shall inform Sander about that.” I looked away when I couldn’t stare back at him.
His intense gaze was making me uncomfortable yet it made my wolf and I squirm somehow. That was not good for me.
I must distance myself away from Desmond before I would regret it later.
After we spent our time in the cotton field, Desmond brought us to the Oriental River. That time was the most precious moment Sander ever got to enjoy after strolling around. He had been wanting to take a bath but I did not allow him since the water current of the river wasn’t stable.
In the end, all he could do was paddle his feet while sitting on the ground, frowning. But he yawned afterward and slept on my thighs when I sat beside him. I smiled seeing how cute he was when he was sleeping right now.
“He got tired,” Desmond said.
“Indeed.” My smile grew wider because Sander really looked so adorable right now.
“He really likes rivers, isn’t he?” He sat beside me and feasted his eyes on our son’s sleeping state.
I nodded. “Any bodies of water. He likes to go there and he would even catch some salmon,” I uttered. “He is a fast learner as well.”
“He told me before that whenever you came home late, he was cooking for you.”
I glanced at him as I released a sigh. Of course, he got to know it before because he was not introducing himself as Sander’s father, but as a stranger. “Indeed, he was. He knew how to cook. He can even sew. He is smart like you.”
Desmond’s eyes widened. His ears were already crimson red which was fascinating to see. “Y-You praise me highly, Seraphina.”
I scoffed. “Where would Sander inherit those traits if they weren’t from your genes?” I felt envious somehow.
“You sound like you are envious,” he teased.
I glared at him. “Of course, I do.” I rolled my eyes. “I was the one who conceived Sander in my stomach for three months yet the only feature he inherited from me was my golden lock hair.” I huffed, shaking my head when Desmond grinned. “But at least, he inherited something from me. It was much better than having nothing.”
Desmond bit his lower lip. “I remembered what we talked about having a pup before. Do you still remember that when we get to have a pup, I would want them to inherit your hair?”
My heart leaped for that nostalgic past. I also felt intoxicated now that he drew closer so he could caress Sander’s hair and got to smell his masculine scent which made me feel tingle right now.
Desmond and I looked at each other when he realized that he was so near to me. I could feel his warmth as well even though we were inches away from each other. My breath became uneven when he slowly lowered his head.
I couldn’t help myself drawing my head closer to him as I let myself have succumbed to his amber eyes. His eyes would forever be a soul sucker that would always make me feel breathless.
However, those eyes were sinful as well. A literal one.
Those eyes that had seen another woman’s naked body brought me to the abyss.
That moment, I had thrown back to those days I caught him sleeping with a courtesan. My wolf suddenly felt rage.
I turned my head away when Desmond’s lips were a few inches away from mine. I even exerted a little force to halt him.
Desmond froze and looked at me, bewildered. He must have seen that I didn’t want to kiss him so he drew back.
“I’m sorry…” he said and coerced a smile, looking at me apologetically.
My stomach somersaulted for that. I only nodded as a response before I turned at Sander who was sleeping soundly. I looked at the sky when I noticed the orange hue color of the sun.
“We must head back now,” I murmured. I was about to wake up Sander when Desmond halted me.
“I’ll carry him,” he volunteered.
“Alright…” It was good enough that this was the first step that he and Sander would be this close. I must allow it even though I felt ticklish having him so close to me.
Desmond carefully carried our son in his arms before I stood up. Sighing, I kissed his forehead.
We walked in silence as we headed back to his manor. Along the way, some of his pack members greeted him. They also greeted me.
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Because I was with Desmond.
“Can you halt threatening them?” I asked, ignoring the greetings.
“I don’t.”
I shook my head. “I am not their Luna here anymore.”
“You are. You are still married to me. What you should call a woman who is married to an Alpha? Isn’t it Luna?” There was a slight teasing in his tone.
I frowned at his statement. “I don’t consider myself as the Luna of this pack if I did not attend any Luna ceremony. Also, I rejected you. It also nullified my position here.” If he thought that I didn’t know how everything worked here before, then he was wrong.
Desmond silently scoffed. But he didn’t say anything anymore and remained silent throughout the whole walk.
As we arrived at his manor, he commanded his maidservants to prepare supper.
“What is his favorite food?” Desmond asked after he placed Sander on his bed.
“Shouldn’t you know that already?” I arched my eyebrow as I gestured to my head that we must go out. I didn’t want to disturb Sander’s nap. I could just wake him up when supper was ready.
Desmond scratched the back of his head. It meant that he already knew. I just shook my head and gestured to him that he should leave.
“But…”
“Don’t prolong our conversation and start acting rationally, Desmond.” I walked past him but he halted me. I felt shivers as I sighed. “Desmond.” I turned my head, glancing at his hand on my elbow. My heart leaped out of my ribcage when his amber orbs pierced into me.
“Is peach honey grilled lamb still your favorite meal?”
My eyes widened. “Huh?” I parroted.
His eyes stirred in nervousness. It was somehow bizarre to me because he looked really nervous right now. This was not the Desmond I knew before. Yes, he could be soft and still be confident but… he was nervous around me this time?
“Your favorite meal…” I slowly breathed when his thumb grazed my forearm, causing more shivers down my spine. “I want to know if peach honey grilled lamb is still your favorite meal.”
I licked my lips and looked into his eyes. “Yes…” I said, breathless.
Desmond released a sigh. He even smiled. “Alright. Glad to know that.” He licked his lips as well when his eyes landed on my lips.
I gently yanked my arm back when my wolf and I were feeling something from Desmond’s touch. Desmond cleared his throat and stepped backward.
“I… must head now,” he bid.
“Hmm.” Nodding, I watched Desmond turning his back.
Desmond glanced at me one more time before he finally walked away. I breathed in relief when he was out of my sight. I even placed my hand on my chest, feeling my heart pounding so fast.
“This is not good…” I murmured, castigating my wolf because I knew she wanted me to do something when I got to have Desmond so close to me.
I must halt being delusional. I must not fall for his tricks so I wouldn’t end up on his bed.
Again.
I’d rather want to be on celibate than not… um… Should I really want to be celibate again?
I tapped my cheeks. “Get yourself together, Seraphina!” I scolded myself.