Free Web NovelChapter 47: Chapter 47 I Don’t Believe You
Bella’s POV
Consciousness returned slowly, accompanied by waves of pain that crashed through my body like a relentless tide. My limbs felt heavy, disconnected, as if they belonged to someone else entirely.
A gentle pressure on my hand drew my attention. Warm fingers traced circles across my knuckles, the touch soothing enough to momentarily quiet the ache that seemed to radiate from every nerve ending.
The simple gesture provided comfort I desperately needed, helping me fight through the fog that clouded my thoughts. When I finally managed to pry my eyes open, Derek’s familiar face came into focus.
Relief flooded through me instantly. My muscles, which had been coiled with tension, began to relax despite the lingering pain.
"Where are we?" The words came out broken, each syllable requiring tremendous effort as I struggled to catch my breath.
"We’re in a cabin in the woods," Derek answered, his voice carrying an oddly theatrical tone that stirred something in the depths of my memory.
A flash of recognition hit me. That horror movie we’d watched together, the one that left me clutching his arm throughout the entire film. I never understood my fascination with scary movies when they consistently reduced me to a trembling mess.
"Cabin? Why would we be here?" I attempted to push myself upright, but fire shot through every muscle in my body. "Hold on, what exactly happened? Weren’t we supposed to be on some kind of mission?"
Pieces of memory began surfacing like fragments of a shattered mirror. Disconnected images, voices, emotions, but nothing that formed a complete picture. Derek observed me carefully, then allowed a small smile to curve his lips.
"What are you smiling about?" Confusion colored my voice.
"Don’t stress about it. Everything will come back to you," he said gently.
Following his gaze, I glanced down and slowly pulled back the blanket covering me. A sharp intake of breath escaped my lips as I pressed the fabric against my chest.
"Why am I wearing your clothes?" The question came out strangled with shock. The oversized black shorts and gray shirt were unmistakably masculine, definitely his.
"You went through your transition, and I couldn’t leave you exposed like that," he explained, his voice cracking slightly with emotion.
The word ’transition’ hit me like a physical blow.
"That’s right. You shifted and fought that old man. You actually ripped his head clean off."
He paused when he noticed my eyes growing wide, tears beginning to pool at the corners.
"I actually did that?" Disbelief made my voice barely audible. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"You were absolutely fierce," Derek confirmed with a slight nod.
He remained kneeling on the bed, his fists planted firmly in the mattress for support, while I pressed myself against the headboard, clutching the blanket like armor.
"Oh no." One hand flew to cover my mouth as my gaze drifted away from his intense stare.
Then it all came flooding back at once. Leah’s determination to pursue the man in the cave, our decision to take control of the mission, discovering the man wasn’t what he appeared to be, my violent transformation, the sudden overwhelming awareness of the mate bond with Derek, the desperate need to protect him when his agony felt like my own.
The memories crashed into me like a avalanche, leaving me breathless and reeling.
"So which part of remembering is hitting you the hardest?" Derek asked, clearly reading the turmoil written across my face.
I met his eyes and struggled to swallow past the tightness in my throat.
"The mate bond," I whispered.
The satisfied grin that spread across his features completely blindsided me. Why wasn’t he panicking about this revelation?
Didn’t he have a wife waiting at home? To him, I’d always been nothing more than an omega, insignificant and forgettable.
Nothing about his reaction made any sense. And how could I possibly feel a mate bond with him when I’d already experienced one with Hugo?
Too many thoughts were spinning through my mind to focus on any single issue. I shifted onto my knees, positioning myself to face him directly.
He straightened his posture, matching my position as we knelt across from each other.
"Did you check on Leah? Please tell me she’s all right," I said, anxiety creeping into my voice. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"Of course. The first thing I did was make sure my daughter was safe," he replied.
His phrasing surprised me, but the news brought immediate relief.
"She’s perfectly fine. She regained consciousness the moment you killed that old man. His mind control broke completely, and you ended up saving countless other children in the process."
He encouraged me to breathe slowly and deeply while explaining that several other kids had been found unconscious in the cave.
"After I got you settled here, I contacted our warriors. They arrived quickly and managed to rescue all the remaining children," he continued.
His explanation was thorough, but one crucial question still burned in my mind.
"Why bring me here? Why not take me to the hospital or back home?" Bewilderment filled my voice.
He looked away, his focus shifting to something beyond my shoulder, as if he himself wasn’t entirely sure of his motivations.
"There was a severe hailstorm," he finally said. "And I suppose I just wanted to be the one taking care of you. Plus, you were talking in your sleep about the mate bond situation, about what you felt when you saw that old man attacking me. I didn’t want you waking up mortified, knowing everyone else had overheard those private thoughts."
His tone remained gentle, but his words left me completely stunned.
"Well, it doesn’t mean anything significant," I mumbled quickly. "It was just my body reacting to its mate instinctively. Nothing more than biology."
I forced myself to dismiss any deeper meaning behind what I might have revealed while unconscious. Those feelings couldn’t matter now.
"Sure, of course," he said quietly, lowering his eyes before climbing off the bed.
"Why did you risk everything to protect me?" The question burst out of me.
He moved toward the door as if planning to leave, but stopped and turned back to meet my gaze.
"Because watching you suffer was destroying me. The thought of him harming you terrified me more than anything I’ve ever faced," he said, his eyes burning into mine.
I pushed myself off the bed, crossing my arms defensively across my chest. "Why would that matter to you?" I demanded, staring at him in complete disbelief.
"Because a world where you don’t exist would be impossible for me to survive in." He held my stare steadily, then added, "Because I love you, Bella. I’ve loved you this entire time."
His confession sent heat racing through my entire body. Those words might have been beautiful coming from a true mate.
They could have changed everything. But to me, they sounded like an old, worn-out melody that I had no desire to hear again.
"I don’t believe you," I said, my voice sharp as a blade.
Deep lines creased his forehead as he frowned.
