CHAPTER 11

Harley reached over to Hope's shoulders, bringing her closer to him as he hugged her to his chest. She resisted for a moment before giving into the hug, allowing her warm tears to drip onto his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his waist, burying herself further into his chest as she sobbed. "What did I do wrong?" She whimpered a she kept her face in his chest. "What's wrong with me?" "Nothing's wrong, Hope." He patted her head slowly as he gazed up at the sky, clenching his jaw as he had to say something, anything. "You know," he started as he cleared his throat, his heart picking up pace for a moment as his face flushed slightly. "I admire you a lot, Hope." He whispered and she remained quiet, still sobbing. "But there's still something wrong with me." She whined to which he sighed to. "Everyone had something wrong with them even if they don't want to believe it. That just makes us a little more normal, don't you think?" He asked softly to which she didn't respond to. "But just because Ronan cheated on you doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. There's something wrong with him. You're almost flawless, Hope. You're really beautiful, you have these large brown eyes, just like your father... You have really long lashed too that are like soft curtains, makes you look really pretty when you have to look up at me." He chuckled only to flush his own face and clear his throat uncomfortably. "Um... Where was I again?" He chuckled to himself before realizing he was supposed to be telling her that she wasn't the problem. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're strong, I mean... You can easily take me down whenever we're sparing. I remember that one point you managed to dislocate my shoulder and cried all day whilst they tried to put it back. Gosh that was even a month ago and I felt so embarrassed." He whined as he softly pulled onto her ear to which she chuckled weakly to, still having her face buried in his chest. "Your father kept yelling at me while twisting my shoulder that I was being a woman. Maybe you should do him a favor and dislocate his instead, maybe then would he know how it felt for me to feel that much pain." He chuckled, getting her to chuckle as well, this time, her tears slowly dried up. "Then there was that one time, when we were training and I bit at your shoulder, then you had to toss me over and I accidentally sunk my teeth in your shoulder. Your father didn't take it so lightly even though you weren't crying. He yelled at me for being too much of a man and that I was being jealous of you." He laughed out getting her to laugh in muffles through his shirt. "First he yells at me for being a woman and then yells at me for being too much a man. What will I be in the end?" He asked with a laugh as he patted her head softly to which she laughed out and leaned from him. "Just be both." She smiled slightly as she stared into his eyes whilst rubbing her fingers against her eyes to wipe off the tears. "You're no gender. You don't fit in either part." He smiled as he watched her slowly calm herself down. He reached a hand to her cheeks, catching a tear with his thumb before it could fall off her cheeks. She glanced towards the ground in embarrassment and began playing with her fingers as he continued to wipe the remaining tears. "Why didn't you find a mate yet?" She asked as she glanced back up at him. "I bet she'd love having you around. You're really someone anyone could easily trust, you know." "I'm just waiting for someone." He smiled would softly, pinching her cheek slightly as a small frown made itself to his lips. "Is she away?" She asked leaning into her hand and shutting her eyes as he watched her with an even more frown on his face. "Yeah." He whispered out, staring at her. "I'd really love to see her one day. You really sound in love with her, almost making me jealous. She might take you from me when she comes back. Who else will I train with?" She chuckled out. "Who will I cry on?" "I'm not going anywhere." He said, stroking his thumb against her cheek. "She won't be able to take me from you." "I love you, Harley." She smiled and reached out to hug him, wrapping her arms about his neck. But even he knew she just meant friendly love. Hope had never seen Harley as a man before. Just as her best friend. Nothing more. "I still love Ronan...." She suddenly said, getting his shoulders to tense uncomfortably. "Maybe I should talk to him, we can sort things. It doesn't have to end like this-" "Just listen to yourself!" Harley hissed ad he forced her from him but careful enough not to hit her back against the tree as he held her shoulders. "Y-You sound so stupid right now! He's been cheating and it's so clear to see that and you still want to go back to him!?" "Maybe he only cheated this one time and he probably has a good reason... Maybe I wasn't being a good wife to him-" "Just listen to yourself!" He hissed as he removed his arms from her shoulders and glared at her. "I've seen him cheat, Hope. He's been cheating since the day you became his mate. I didn't want to tell you because you were so in love with him that I didn't want to hurt you. But Ronan isn't someone you want to live the rest of your life with, Hope. Please don't do this." "Hope and I were meant to be together. Why can't you just leave it!?" Ronan yelled from the door as he stepped into the garden, finally finding Hope after long searches and asking around. He hardly knew that the garden was her place of comfort like Harley knew. "You don't deserve her." Harley clenched his jaw as he got to his knees, glaring at Ronan who glared back at him. "I won't let you try to persuade her, not again. Not after what you did to her." "I want to apologize to her." Ronan frowned and glanced at the ground. "Please Hope... I'm sorry." "Hope don't listen to him... Please. He's just lying to you." Harley whispered to her as she stood up from inside the tree and stepped into the outside. "Hope..." She glanced towards Harley's sorrowful eyes and sighed out shakily. "Ronan," she started and glanced from Harley to Ronan who stood hopefully. "Let's talk about it." "Hope, really?" Harley dropped his shoulders in dismay as Hope walked towards Ronan who smiled down at her. "I'm leaving. If you're going to be like this then I'm leaving. Next time he does the same damn thing again I'm not going to be there. Even as your best friend. I won't." Harley warned but Hope remained with Ronan, getting him to clench his jaw and furrow his brows angrily. "Fine." He hissed as he brushed past Ronan, forcedly hitting onto his shoulder as he made his way into the mansion. Ronan could only chuckle out.