Chapter 21: What Am I to You?

Jordan swiftly lifted me off the ground and carefully tilted my head slightly backward. As he carried me in his arms, his gaze locked with Rachel's, and he spoke to her telepathically.

"Alright, Your Grace," Rachel bowed and immediately sprang into action.

Once we arrived in Jordan's office, he gently set me down on his examination bed. The room fell silent as Jordan's irritation filled the air. With his hands still infused with the scent of disinfectant, he gingerly touched my forehead and removed the handkerchief I had pressed against my nose. Dismissing it without a second thought, he focused on controlling the nosebleed.

As I tried to avoid his angry gaze, my eyes wandered down to his open lab coat, granting me a tantalizing glimpse of his well-toned physique. I found myself fixated on his perfectly chiseled body, accentuated by the strain on his shirt. With each controlled breath he took to manage the nosebleed, his chest rose and fell before me, seemingly magnifying the intensity of the moment.

"I told you to go with bodyguards, didn't I?" Jordan questioned, attempting to contain his anger, although his frustration still seeped into his words. I threw my sad face away.

"This is all my fault. I shouldn't have allowed you to go there," Jordan murmured softly, while I continued to look away. Despite my efforts, I couldn't deny the comfort I felt from his gentle touches.

After Jordan finished attending to the bleeding, he meticulously removed his lab coat. He carefully hung it on the hook and then made his way towards the expansive window, his hands nonchalantly tucked into his pockets. His eyes were fixed on the world outside, and I found myself fixated on him, wondering if he harbored any resentment towards me for not allowing the bodyguards to accompany me to White Fangs or towards Kayla for assaulting me.

A few minutes later, Rachel entered the room, carrying a shopping bag. She dropped it on the table and made her way towards me, settling herself on the edge of the bed and placing her palm on mine.

"Thalia, how do you feel now?" Rachel inquired, genuine concern evident in her voice.

"I'm... I'm fine," I managed to whimper, my voice still shaken from the recent events.

"What did you do to Kayla?" Rachel probed further.

"Jenna wrote a letter to Jordan on my behalf yesterday. Unfortunately, Kayla somehow got her hands on it," I explained and Rachel released a long sigh.

"She showed me the letter this morning and I told her you did not write it!"

"How did you know I didn't write the letter?" I asked.

"Because I know you are with Jordan," Rachel murmured. "I'm going back there," she declared, anger etched on her face as she stood up from the bed.

"Please, talk to Kayla and convince her to release Jenna," I pleaded.

"I will," Rachel said and left with annoyance.

Jordan turned away from the window and made his way towards the table. With a deliberate movement, he picked up the bag that Rachel had left behind. As soon as he did, the glass door and all the curtains in the office began to slowly close, making the office look a bit dark. The only source of light emanated from the slightly open curtain near the window closest to me, casting a dim glow.

Jordan carefully placed the bag next to the examination bed and turned me slightly so that he could reach the zipper of my gown. With a gentle touch, he began to slowly pull my gown off, his face no longer displaying annoyance but there was still a hint of it in his eyes.

"Jordan, are you mad at me?" I asked softly, slurring my words with my tiny voice and interrupting him in the process of removing my gown.

"Baby, relax. We're going home now, and you need to change," Jordan said with his usual calm tone, and his narrowed eyes focused on mine. His voice had a seductive quality to it, but I knew it was just his natural way of speaking since I knew him so well.

"I can help myself," I insisted, still holding onto his hand.

"I know," Jordan responded and gently removed my hand.

As he removed my gown and unhooked my bra, he began to clean me up. My mouth felt dry, causing my drool to hang in my throat. If it had been nighttime, I may have felt more at ease, but the afternoon sun cast golden shadows through the slightly open window, illuminating my exposed body. I shivered involuntarily, feeling vulnerable and exposed, and instinctively crossed my arms over my chest. My gaze fixed upon the slightly open curtain, seeking some form of distraction.

"I'm not angry with you," Jordan said, his voice carrying a tinge of sorrow as he breathed out. I slowly turned my face towards him and our eyes met and locked.

"I'm angry with myself. I shouldn't have let you go there in the first place," Jordan added, his voice filled with regret as he buttoned the new gown onto me.

He gently sat me upright and I examined the beautiful gown and was quite grateful for his care. He then lifted me up and guided me towards a chair beside his table.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"You are welcome," Jordan murmured, taking a moment to arrange my messy hair.

"Jordan, I have a question for you, and I want you to be honest with me," I said. Jordan removed his hands from my hair, walked in front of me, and sat on the table, his gaze locked onto mine as he folded his arms across his chest.

"You know, you need Kayla more. So why did you marry me? Did you marry me just to fulfill the promise you made to me?" I asked, my voice filled with hurt and confusion. Jordan lifted his right foot and placed it on the chair I was sitting on.

Leaning closer, his gaze fixed on me as if searching for the right words to answer my question. With his broad chest fully on display, he made me feel incredibly intimidated and I lowered my gaze. He cupped my chin and lifted my face, forced me to look into his eyes as he talked.

"Baby, I understand why you might think that, but the truth is I didn't marry you just to fulfill the promise I made to you," Jordan replied gently. "That promise meant everything to me at the time, and I genuinely looked forward to fulfilling it."

"Why are you proceeding with marrying Kayla then? You also promised me you would reject your mate for me," I said, my eyes welling up with tears once again as I remembered how much he needed Kayla Damien and not me.

"I am not the same person I was when I made the promise that I would reject my mate. I was just a child who didn't know the great task that awaited him," Jordan whispered, staring deeply into my eyes.

"Baby, please understand that marrying Kayla was not an easy decision for me. The Moon Goddess has influenced my choice too. As the Alpha Prince, my responsibilities extend beyond my personal desires. I have a duty to my kind, and a strong mate is crucial in fulfilling that role. Kayla is strong and she fits that description. She also has the ability to withstand the power of the Lunar Relic - our object of worship, without being overwhelmed or consumed by it," Jordan explained, and his words felt like a thousand daggers pierced my heart.

As tears streamed down my cheeks, I couldn't help but ask, "So, what am I to you then? Just a fulfillment of a meaningless promise, right?" I gently removed Jordan's hand as he attempted to wipe away my tears. He pulled me into his arms instead and held my head firmly on his chest as he tried to offer comfort and reassurance. However, I couldn't stop sobbing.

"Lia, you are so much more to me than just a mere fulfillment of a promise. We have been best friends, confidants, and pillars for each other ever since our childhood. Baby, you understand me better than anyone else. You are the only comfortable space where I feel safe and accepted as just Jordan, without judgment. Marrying you without the consent of anyone, even the moon goddess, was the bravest decision I have ever made, even if it couldn't be in the way we once dreamed," Jordan confessed sincerely.

With tears still streaming down my face, I looked up at Jordan, my voice quivering with uncertainty.

"One… last question," I said. Jordan's soft gaze met mine, his eyes searching mine for an answer to the question I was about to ask.

"Will you mate and mark Kayla Damien after the wedding?"