Dating

Chapter 77

I couldn’t shake the conversation with Monica. Her words echoed in my head, mingling with my fears and doubts. Maybe she was right. Maybe Liam’s determination meant something more than I could see right now.

Maybe it was that determination that I should lean on and not my fears about what could happen. I hadn’t even ever stepped foot in Royal Imperial University. Maybe I was blowing things out of proportion and jeopardizing my relationship with Liam for no reason,

The next morning. I woke up

with

a strange sense of clarity. I needed to talk to Liam again, but this time, I would tell him what I had realized. I would tell him that despite my fears, I believed in us. I believed in him.

I found Liam after his morning practice. He was alone, stretching on the sidelines. God, he really looked so good. I stood there just staring at him for a minute. Even though we had been together for a while, sometimes. I still couldn’t believe that he was all mine.

When he saw me approaching, he stood up, his expression cautious.

“Hey, Ella,” he said, his voice a mix of relief and uncertainty. “What’s going on?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. What if he didn’t understand! What if he dismissed my concerns again! I had to push through my nerves “Liam, I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said. About us, about Royal Imperial University. And I realized something important.”

He frowned slightly, but nodded for me to continue.

“I realized that, despite my fears and doubts, I believe in you. I believe in us,” I said, my voice gaining strength. “I’m scared, yes. But I trust you, Liam. I trust that you’ll protect me, and I want to be with you, no matter what.”

Liam’s eyes softened, and a slow smile spread across his face. “You really mean that, Ella?”

I nodded, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “Yes, I do. As crazy as it seems, I believe that you care for me. That we’re mates, even if it’s so unlikely.”

And it really was crazy to think that me, a human, could be fated mates with Liam. I knew that there were people on campus that still didn’t believe that this was true. People that thought we were making it all up

Sure your relationship had started off as a fake relationship but everything about it now was so real. I cared deeply for Liam and I knew that he cared for me. I was his fated mate. I really could see that now. And the thought of this made me so damn happy.

Liam’s smile widened, and he pulled me into a hug. I could feel the tension melting away from both of us. T’m glad you finally figured it out,” he said with a laugh. “You’re my mate, Ella. We’re already bound together, and nothing will change that,”

Bhishing. I hugged him back, feeling more at ease than I had in days. We stood there for a moment, wrapped in each other’s arms, before reluctantly pulling apart.

The rest of the day felt like a dream. I floated through my classes, still on cloud nine from our reconciliation. I was even looking forward to grabbing ice cream with Liam after his practice. For the first time in a while, everything felt right.

As I headed towards the rink to meet him, I hummed a little tune, feeling light and hopeful. But as I turned the corner, I almost collided with Anthur.

“Ella,” he said, his voice gentle. I had never heard Arthur speak to me like this before. Usually there was so much antagonism and hate in his voice.

1 froze, my heart skipping a beat. “Arthur, what do you want?”

“I need to talk to you,” he said, glancing around as if to make sure we were alone. “It’s important.”

Nervously, I took a step back. “What is it?”

He sighed, his expression serious. “You need to be careful. Liam he’s not being honest with you?

My stomach twisted in knots. “What are you talking about?“

Arthur looked genuinely concerned, which threw me off. He wasn’t being his usual arrogant self. “Liam can’t be your mate, Ella. It’s impossible.” “Why do you say that?” I asked, my voice shaking

He hesitated, as if weighing his words. “Because your true mate is someone else.”

1/2

10:24 AM

Chapter 77

Shock and confusion flooded my mind. “How do you know that?”

Arthur’s jaw tightened. “I can’t tell you how I know, but I’m certain. You have to

me on this.”

I stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. “Arthur, this doesn’t make any sense. Why should I believe you?” How the hell did he think that I was going to ever trust him?

“Because I’m trying to protect you,” he said, his voice almost pleading “Liam can’t be trusted. Stay away from him, Ella. Please.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my mind spinning. What was I supposed to do with this information? Arthur’s warning echoed in my ears as I continued towards the rink, feeling more confused than ever.

Every step I took felt heavier, like I was walking through mud. My thoughts raced, jumping from Arthur’s serious warning to Liam’s unwavering assurance. Who was I supposed to believe? Arthur had never shown this side of himself before, this genuine concem. Was it possible he was right? Could he really know something about my true mate that I didn’t?

As I walked, I replayed my earlier conversation with Liam in my head. His confidence, his warmth, the way he had pulled me into his arms like he never wanted to let me go. It all felt so real, so genuine

But then Arthur’s words would cut through the warmth, sowing seeds of doubt. What if Liam was wrong? What if our bond wasn’t as unbreakable as we thought?

I reached the rink and saw Liam through the glass, still practicing with his team. He looked so focused, so determined. I wanted to believe in him, to trust that we were meant to be together despite the odds. But Arthur’s warning kept replaying in my mind, making it impossible to feel secure.

I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment. What was I going to say to Liam? How could I bring up Arthur’s accusations without sounding like I didn’t trust him? The last thing I wanted was to hurt him or make him feel like I doubted his love for me.

But I couldn’t just ignore what Arthur had said. It felt too important, too significant to dismiss

Opening my eyes, I watched Liam laugh with his teammates, his carefree demeanor a huge contrast to the turmoil inside me. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I had to talk to him, to tell him about my encounter with Arthur, no matter how difficult it might be.

I needed to hear his side, to understand why Arthur would say something like this if it wasn’t true. I pushed open the door and stepped inside the rink. The cool air hit me, making me shiver, but I pressed on. Liam looked up as I approached, his smile fading as he saw the worry etched on my face.

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