Tasting All My Mates by Alexis Dee

405-Cursed Feelings.

Christina and I spoke for hours before we finally went to bed. I had to sleep on the couch because Lazio was

occupying the entire bed. The instant I closed my eyes, my story in the dream world began.

Every night when I go to bed, I see my mate in my dreams. I see my Thiago!

He would only smile at me and never approach. I would be standing beside him, staring at him with hope-filled

eyes.

I woke up before everyone and headed straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I had a lot of dishes to prepare

now that we had guests.

I was busy preparing the sandwiches when I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched. Upon turning around, I

found Maynard standing at the door. Time seemed to have passed for a minute before I gave him a smile and

looked ahead instantly.

"Morning!" he said, walking into the kitchen and standing beside me. He was towering over me, wearing a black

shirt and black shorts.

"Morning! How are you?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"I am good. What about you?" he asked in return. "You have been very silent. This is not the Enya I remember," his

voice sounded playful when reminding me how I have changed in the course of only two years.

"People change," I shrugged as I continued to cook for them.

"I noticed something. I know you will not be comfortable talking about it with me---," he said, leaning his back

against the counter and not breaking the stare from my face.

"Then don't talk about it," I interrupted him, but in return, he only let out a scoff.

"You and Lazio! you two are not happy?" He went ahead and asked me the question, anyway. I slowed down while

chopping the carrot and zoned out for a minute. Everybody was able to notice the dullness of our relationship

except for Lazio.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, and when he didn't answer me, I turned to look at him.

"It is obvious. When you left the restaurant and he didn't even blink an eye, I knew instantly that you are being

mistreated," he uttered, hunching over and tilting his head when his face was merely a few inches away from mine.

"Why didn't you tell me he had been hanging around with Valerie?" I asked him, not turning to him or letting our

eyes connect.

"I didn't know he was hiding it from you. All I know is that they are friends," he mumbled, bringing his face even

closer to my cheek.

"I know; I shouldn't be asking you that. You two are friends. Even if there is something going on, you will have his

back," I taunted when pulling away from him. I just didn’t feel like talking to them like I used to before. My so-called

friends had built up these tall walls between us.

As for Lazio, he showed a drastic change in his behavior after our marriage. I don't understand why he even offered

to marry me when he didn't feel the same for me anymore? I used to bring it up in the beginning, but he said it was

only because he had grown up now and that grown up relationships are different.

"You think I will lie to you?" He sounded genuine, but I don't know anymore. I gulped, but then I didn't say a word in

response to him.

"Things are not well between you and Christina?" I asked, changing the subject, bringing her up, and his mood

changed.

"Hm! You knew that would happen. I told you right before my mating ceremony with her," Maynard said, sounding a

little defensive this time.

It was a memory in a haze for me, but from the looks of it, he seemed to have lived that day every moment of his

life for the past two years.

"You should have backed down if you truly didn't mean to spend your life with her, regardless of whether I would

accept you or not. The sad part is that it's not like you two were never in love. You loved her, but then suddenly—," I

was trying to make him understand he should not let it all go down the drain over nothing.

"Not suddenly! I never stopped loving you. I just stopped showing it because, after you found me cheating on you, I

just didn't know how to approach you again. I knew my image was ruined in your eyes and that you had moved on.

But then, as the mating ceremony started approaching, I had to be honest with myself. I had to tell you the truth."

He started talking with emotion this time.

Although I have been deprived of attention and affection for the past two years, his attention didn't seem right to

me.

"It's too late to talk about it all now," I said as I moved away from him when he tried to get close to me. I would not

let him do this to her.

"Enya! I knew it was you that night," he murmured as he turned to leave.

"What?" I asked, a frown appearing on my face.

"The night in the cabin when I expressed my feelings. I knew it was you. Those words were never meant for her.

But because you didn't respond, I had to back away and lie to her. That's when I made a stupid mistake and spoke

about taking a step further with her in this relationship," he confessed to everything and then out of the kitchen.

I was once again left in bewilderment. Was he really never over me?

But why does it matter now? We both parted ways years ago. It is better that it stays that way. I forced myself to

focus on the food when I heard him walk into the kitchen once again.

"Please! There is nothing left to say. She is waiting for you in her room. Go be with her," I whispered, and when he

didn't say anything, I turned around and realized it wasn't even Maynard.