The Alpha Prince And His Bride
Book 2 The Alpha’s Forbidden Bride – Episode 24

~EDEN~

“Eden!”

I kept on walking towards the Jeep ignoring his calls. I’d totally forgotten about that woman.

Were they together? How did she even know that we were here? I couldn’t get her words out of my head and no matter how much I wanted to turn and demand an answer from James, I still kept on walking.

He’d broken my trust and now I didn’t know who or what to believe. I should have never trusted my heart.

Look where it got me.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder as James spun me around to face him once more. I couldn’t keep it together, I couldn’t even look him in his eyes. I was hurt and angry and all of my negative emotions were directed straight at him.

“Please.” He begged. “Just listen to what I have to say.”

I crossed my arms and glared at him. Something about the way he was looking at me and the desperation in his voice made me stop despite my mind telling me to keep going. At least he couldn’t say that I didn’t give him a chance to explain himself.

“Clara and I are not together. She’s just part of my pack.”

His words caught me off guard.

I stared at him. “Pack?”

What on earth was that supposed to mean?

“It’s—,” he g*****d and buried his face in his hands. “That’s not important. What is important is that you know that Clara and I aren’t together and never were.”

He wasn’t making any sense whatsoever. I’d clearly heard her say that they were together, was he trying to say that it was all just a lie?

“So then why did you show up to the club with her holding onto you like that?” I demanded. “And why did she call you her boyfriend? I don’t think someone is that insane to do something like that without it actually being true.”

His eyes looked sad and broken as he faced me. “I never meant to hurt you. I never wanted that. All I wanted was to keep you safe.”

“You said that already.” I pointed out. “But yet you wouldn’t tell me what I’m supposed to be kept safe from!”

“Eden,” he whispered. “Before you lost your memory. . . We were together. Not in a relationship but we were here, right next to the Jeep. I knew that our lives were in danger every single time we were in each other’s presence but I totally ignored that fact. I wanted you so badly that all I wanted was to hold you in my arms and keep you there. But I was given a rude awakening when you were harmed right here because of me. Because of my selfishness, you were hurt and this is exactly where you lost your memories. You’re in this mess just because of me.”

My brows furrowed. “I lost my memory here?” I asked. “I don’t understand why us being together would put my life in danger.”

“I don’t know how to tell you the truth. I don’t want to overwhelm you. That’s the reason why I asked Clara to pretend to be in a relationship with me. That was the only way to stop you from asking me any questions and I thought that I was doing the right thing in order to protect you.”

I frowned.

I felt more anger flow into my body at his confession.

He did this purposely?

PURPOSELY?

All of this time he was hurting me and he knew that he was doing it all along? I couldn’t believe this. I’d been in so much pain emotionally thinking that he wanted nothing to do with me and everything to do with her. Now I was being told that it was all intentional.

“Even if any of this is true, why did you think that it was a good idea to be with another woman in front of me?” I demanded. “According to you, we both have strong feelings for each other and this was all before I lost my memory. Then why after knowing that I feel something for you will you do something so horrible to me? After everything you could have done for me after I lost my memory, you chose to pretend to be in a relationship with another woman and you did all of that right in front of me knowing fully well that it would only hurt me?”

“Eden—,”

“How could you?” I demanded. “How could you possibly think that seeing you with her would be the best thing for me? Do you even know how difficult it was for me to see that? You made me think that I was crazy for feeling like I knew you and now you’re telling me that it was all intentional!”

I didn’t think it was possible that someone could look as devastated as he looked after hearing what I had to say.

Good.

He needed to feel what I felt and it still wouldn’t be the same.

It was hard to see him like this however. I didn’t understand any of this. Why did it hurt me so much to see him in so much pain?

I barely knew anything about him. I couldn’t remember much, all I knew was that we were definitely here already. The memories were broken but they were definitely still there.

“I’m so sorry Eden,” he apologized. “So sorry.”

“It’s too late James.” I snapped. “Just please take me home, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I don’t want to be next to you. It hurts too much.”

He looked conflicted as he slowly nodded his head and opened the door for me. I was glad that he finally decided to let me go. I couldn’t be near him right now; it just reminded me of what he’d done.

I needed to speak to my sisters . . . it was time I knew the whole truth.

. . . . . . . .

~JAMES~

I roared as I slammed my fist against a tree. I couldn’t get the hurt on her face out of my head. I grabbed a handful of hair and pulled hard.

What had I done?

I’d just gotten Eden home and needed to get out in order to clear my head. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. I’d already caused enough trouble for everyone in my life, including the person that meant the world to me.

I never hated myself more than I did right now.

What did I do?

How in the hell did I manage to hurt the one woman I wanted to protect more than anything in this entire world?

HOW?

I didn’t think words could hurt as much as it did today. I wanted to take her in my arms so badly; there was so much I wanted to say.

I wasn’t about to let her go like this.

I had to try again. I needed to tell her the whole truth, maybe then she would be willing to give me another chance.

I stormed back into the palace, passing my brothers on the way. Everyone was looking at me with a worried look on their face but I wasn’t concerned with any of that.

I needed to see Eden.

I knocked on her door as soon as I reached her room. From the moment she saw me standing in front of her, she moved to shut the door once more.

I pushed it open and stood in front of her.

“We need to talk.”

“What more do you want to say?” she demanded.

I winced at the look on her face.

“You’re the only one for me Eden. You’re made just for me. I can’t function without you by my side—,”

“You seemed to function pretty well with Clara.”

“Eden.” I said. “Listen to me, she means nothing to me. Not in that way at least. I made a wrong decision. Believe me, I know that I did and I regret it so much. But please, don’t separate us because of it.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared pointedly at me. “I want to know why you keep saying that my life is in danger because we are together.”

I sighed. I didn’t want to tell her this. I didn’t want her to worry, not like this.

“You’re clearly not ready to tell me the truth.” She snapped. “So please, get out of my room.”

“You are engaged to someone else . . . The council, it’s where you’re from. They’re forcing you to marry him. Your life is in danger and it’s because of me.”

Her eyes widened and I wasn’t sure whether she believed me or not. After what I’d done, I didn’t think she would listen to a single word I told her.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “If there is a man that’s supposedly causing all of this trouble for us then where is he? If he’s the reason why we can’t stay together, then where the hell is he?”

“Right here.”

I stiffened.

I knew that voice.

Hunter. . .