Chapter 278 - All that was left unsaid (2/2)

Jos laughed awkwardly, ”Tell me you're in a room full of supernatural freaks without saying it...”

Rin chuckled again. ”Exactly!”

”Have you named him yet?” Jos asked as she stroked the soft hairs of his head with the back of her finger.

Shelly leaned back in the bed. ”We were thinking either Rasmin or Cameron... or Cameron Rasmin...”

Jos smiled down at that baby. ”Cam... After your mom...”

Shelly sighed fondly. ”Yeah... reading the diaries over the past few weeks has made me think about her more... and, I don't know... miss her... Can you miss someone you don't even remember?”

Jos nodded. ”Yes, it makes perfect sense to me. Reading them has me missing her a lot more as well.” She carried the baby over and set next to Shelly and Poseidon, letting the sea god admire the baby as well. ”I really like Rasmin too though... What do you think?” She asked Poseidon.

He shrugged as he slipped his finger into one chubby fist. ”Either would suit him well.”

The friendly banter and coddling of the baby continued with Russ and Arei staying on opposite sides of the room not speaking unless spoken to.

”I'm going to go grab a drink, anyone else want anything from the vending machines?” Russ asked as he moved toward the door. When everyone declined, he muttered. ”Suit yourselves...” as he pulled it closed behind him.

Jos's gaze shot to Arei's, and he gave her a slight nod. She handed the baby to Shelly as she leaned in and whispered. ”I need to have a word with him... I'll be right back... probably...”

Shelly gave her hand a squeeze. ”Be careful and stop worrying so much about hurting him that you let him hurt you!”

Jos chewed nervously on her bottom lip. ”Trust me, I'm not the one who'll be getting hurt with this conversation... but I have to close that chapter of my life completely... you understand that...”

Shelly nodded as her gaze moved to Arei then back to Jos. She wiggled the ring on Jos's hand. ”I understand fully, I've been with you guys nearly every second of the past months. You have something you and Russ could never have no matter how hard you worked toward it.” She nodded toward the door. ”Do what you have to do, he'll understand with time.” She shrugged, ”plus it may help him move on as well.”

Jos nodded as she released Shelly and stood. Her nervous eyes found Arei instantly. ”You'll be fine. We're all here if you need us.” He said as she walked over to him and pressed her forehead against his broad ċhėst. He stroked her hair. ”If you're not back in twenty minutes, I'll come find you.”

”You sure you don't want to follow her now?” Ry asked the second the door closed.

Arei's eyes moved around the many worried faces in the room. ”She can take care of herself if she has to. My presence will only piss him off more.”

Ry nodded. ”You're right there...”

***

”Russ...” Jos murmured his name as she found him bent over the soda machine in the hallway leading from the waiting room.

”What?” He huffed out in bȧrėly concealed frustration. ”Here to gloat?”

Jos shook her head as she tugged the ring free of her pocket. ”No, only to give this back to you...” She held it out to him as he turned to face her.

Russ's eyes moved from her down to the ring then back to her. He shrugged. ”Keep it, throw it away... I don't give a fuċk. I have no use for it anymore.”

She took another step closer to him. ”You don't mean that. Sooner or later you're going to meet a wolf and settle down. You're going to be the king your kingdom needs desperately right now and give them the heir they deserve.” She shook her head. ”You knew all along I could never be that for you or your people.”

He gave a sarcastic huff of laughter. ”Yeah, apparently my heart didn't get that memo.”

She took another step forward and pressed the ring against his ċhėst. ”It was given the memo, Russ, you were just too stubborn to accept it. Just like I can't accept this... in any capacity.”

He closed his hand over hers, pressing her hand tighter against his ċhėst. ”Was there ever a time you even considered the possibility or was it all a lie? Was everything we had just your way of appeasing me?”

She frowned up at him. ”You know the answer to that... It doesn't matter how much I ever loved you, Russ. I'm a cursed monster and you're a prince. Our worlds were never meant to cross in the first place, let alone become what it did.”

His eyes searched hers. ”I can't help what I feel for you...”

”It's not real... You're in the same trap most other men fall into...” She sighed as she looked away, tears beginning to burn the backs of her eyes.

”Your curse never affected my father, what makes you think it does me?” He argued, tightening his hold on her hand.

She frowned as she moved her attention to his painful grip on her hand. ”Because you behave like this...” She replied as she tugged her hand free. ”Ales was either too in love with Cam to give in to the curse or it simply didn't affect him because he was more in touch with his wolf and alpha side. You've only just discovered your alpha form.” She grabbed his hand and turned his palm up to face her then dropped the ring into it and closed his fingers around it. ”Take it, one day you may change your mind. I hope that one day you do...” She released him and began to turn away when his painful grip grabbed hold of her shoulder.

”Jos...” Desperation was heavy in his tone.

Arei stepped out from around the corner, arms crossed over his ċhėst. ”I think she's said all she wants to on this matter. It's time you accept it and move on.” He nodded toward the room behind him. ”We will be in each other's lives for a very long time. I don't like it, but Jos does. If you can't do it for the Jos now, do it for the one who saved you and raised you...” He held his hand out to her.

Jos quickly took his hand and stepped behind him, putting his large frame between her and Russ.

Russ let out an irritated sigh. ”How am I supposed to get past this if she'd rather hide behind you than face me?”

Jos rested her head against Arei's arm, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. ”I'm only behind him to ensure your safety not my own.”

He gave a disbelieving laugh. ”Yeah, sure... whatever you have to tell yourself.” With that, he turned and stormed down the hall.

Jos let out a long breath. ”I hate it has to be like this... Do you think he'll go off and do something stupid?”

Ry chuckled from behind them. ”Oh, I bet money he will...” He shook his head as he patted Jos and Arei's back before stepping past them and after Russ. ”I'll catch you guys later.” He said as he tossed up a hand.