Free Web NovelChapter 61: Chapter 61 Source of Everything
Bella’s POV
After some quiet bonding time, the children pitched in to help me tidy up the disheveled hotel room. I refused to burden the housekeeping staff with such chaos. Since we had time to spare anyway, I tackled the worst of the mess while the kids gathered scattered items and straightened furniture.
Chloe’s arrival brought immediate relief. The children adored her gentle nature, and I knew she could maintain their calm energy while I handled more pressing matters.
I made my way to the hotel lobby to meet Derek. We needed to dissect every detail of our encounter with that mysterious elderly man. Too many questions remained unanswered, and we couldn’t afford to miss any crucial information that might explain what had transpired.
Initially, Derek had proposed meeting in my suite, but I firmly insisted on the lobby instead. The last thing I wanted was another confrontation with Serena or any unnecessary drama that might overshadow our investigation.
The moment I settled into the plush lobby seating across from Derek, I noticed his restless fidgeting. His usual composed demeanor had cracked, revealing an underlying tension.
"I owe you an apology for yesterday’s scene. Serena’s behavior was completely out of line, and I had no idea she would show up like that," he said, leaning forward with his forearms resting on his knees, fingers interlaced tightly.
"Anyone would react similarly after discovering online footage of their spouse with an ex-best friend," I replied, maintaining a neutral tone while keeping my attention fixed on the documents spread before me.
I forced myself to appear absorbed in reading, though yesterday’s chaotic events still churned in my mind. The uncomfortable truth was that I had been the catalyst for that entire mess.
"This situation exists because we haven’t been honest with her about our history," he continued, his voice carrying a note of frustration.
There it was again, that persistent we that kept creeping into his conversations. I released a slow breath and finally met his gaze directly.
He occupied the opposite section of the L-shaped sofa arrangement, a polished coffee table creating physical distance between us. Our investigation files lay neatly stacked on its surface.
"Derek, nothing can develop between us. My marriage is a reality," I stated firmly, feeling like a broken record repeating this boundary.
"Bella, you know exactly why I had to distance myself from you years ago. I never showed you disrespect, and I never harbored hatred toward you. Don’t group me with the others who genuinely betrayed your trust. Their actions were deliberate choices. I was cornered into walking away, specifically to protect you," he explained with quiet intensity.
His words carried weight, and I couldn’t entirely dismiss their validity. Deep down, I recognized the distinction he was drawing, even if I couldn’t allow myself to fully acknowledge it.
"We share a mate bond, Bella. That connection has to carry some significance," he pressed.
My gaze dropped to the carpet as conflicting thoughts battled in my mind. The mate bond’s presence with Derek, despite our complicated past, created a confusing paradox I couldn’t unravel. freēwēbnovel.com
Perhaps this confusion offered an escape route from his persistent romantic implications.
"Why do I experience the mate bond with two different people?" I asked, lifting my eyes to study his expression.
"Has such a phenomenon ever been documented?" I pressed, noticing how his intense stare had lingered on my face.
"Not in any records I’m familiar with. If you’re genuinely curious about this anomaly, there’s a comprehensive royal library just down the street. I could escort you there," he offered, already reaching for his jacket and preparing to stand.
"That’s unnecessary. I can manage the research independently."
The moment those words left my mouth, his head tilted downward, and he regarded me through lowered brows with obvious disappointment.
"Is Serena’s reaction influencing your decision?" he questioned, his posture growing rigid as he retrieved sunglasses from his jacket pocket.
"Derek, maintaining appropriate boundaries is important. I refuse to be responsible for causing another woman distress," I said, rising from my seat with determination.
"For the record, marrying her was never my choice."
His admission stopped me mid-stride, and I turned back to face him completely.
"That’s the truth. When I found myself in an impossible situation, I reached out to her desperately. I explained that her refusal would at least spare me imprisonment, but she ignored my pleas. I actually begged her, Bella. Because I’m male, forcing me into marriage was considered acceptable. Had the genders been reversed, it would have caused a massive scandal."
Though his gender comparison seemed tangential, I understood the deeper meaning behind his words. He was desperately trying to convey the depth of his misery and powerlessness.
"Eventually, I fulfilled my conjugal duties to provide my father with an heir, believing I could then remove her from my life permanently. But fate had different plans. She never conceived, and I remained trapped in that arrangement. Now, however, the contracted period has finally concluded," he continued, referencing the contract that had bound him to his father’s demands.
"According to the contract’s terms, I’m now free to marry someone capable of providing him an heir, or anyone who has already borne my child is exempt from the original agreement."
His tone and the subtle smile playing at his lips made his implication crystal clear. He had discovered a loophole in his binding contract because we already shared a child together.
"All I’m requesting is—"
I raised my hand to silence him, glancing around at the bustling lobby. Too many warriors and hotel guests moved through the space, making this conversation too public for comfort.
"Let’s visit the library first. I need to understand this mate bond situation before anything else," I said.
Allowing him to walk beside me already represented more encouragement than I should have provided, but his confidence seemed to feed off even that small concession.
He nodded approvingly and gestured for nearby warriors to handle our investigation files. We had both documented our recollections of that strange day’s events, and one certainty had emerged someone had deliberately positioned that elderly man in our path.
At least we now had a shadowy lead on whoever was orchestrating these mysterious incidents, and we remained committed to exposing their identity.
But first, I needed to understand more about myself and these inexplicable abilities.
We walked down the street, and the library appeared exactly as Derek had described. The ancient building stretched skyward, its interior filled with towering shelves and countless volumes that seemed to belong in some mystical realm.
"This is incredible," I whispered, pressing a hand against my chest in awe.
I reminded myself that understanding my true nature had to begin here, among these ancient texts.
"Don’t worry, we won’t need to read everything. Those sections cover mating instincts. Over there, you’ll find information about heat cycles," Derek explained, guiding me through the labyrinthine layout while pointing toward various specialized areas. "There’s a dedicated section for wolf-specific research. That’s our starting point."
He led me toward the building’s far corner on the fifth floor.
"Why focus on my wolf specifically?" I asked, genuinely surprised by this direction.
I had expected our research to center on the unprecedented dual mate bond phenomenon.
"Because your wolf is the source of everything that makes you different, Bella," he replied seriously.
His words sent an electric chill racing down my spine, confirming that my uniqueness ran deeper than I had ever imagined.
