Chapter 16

Matthew’s POV

I had been stewing in my anger all night. From the moment I saw Gabrielle with that Mike—whatever his real name was—at the mall, to the moment I stormed out of the office, I could barely contain myself. But no matter how much I tried to cool off, the frustration just kept bubbling up like a kettle left on high.

I wasn’t sure what angered me more: Gabrielle running off without saying a word or that damn smile on Mike’s face. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way—he was too smooth, too confident for my liking. I didn’t trust him, and as far as I was concerned, he had no business being around my wife.

When we got home, I slammed the door shut behind me and tossed my jacket onto the couch. Gabrielle had retreated into the bedroom, probably to cry or sulk—either way, I couldn’t blame her. I had been harsh, and it pained me, but at the same time, I knew I had a right to be upset. She’d embarrassed me in front of the entire meeting, and I had a reputation to uphold.

I paced back and forth in the living room, my fangs aching, a constant reminder of my frustration. It had been a long time since I felt this angry. And the truth was, it wasn’t just about the meeting. It was about the way Gabrielle made me feel vulnerable. She had this strange ability to get under my skin, to turn me into a man I didn’t fully recognize.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there before I finally sighed. I couldn’t stay cooped up inside any longer, not with the anger still seething inside me. I needed to clear my head.

I grabbed my coat and headed for the door. I didn’t know where I was going, but I couldn’t stay here, not with my thoughts spiraling.

...****************...

I walked briskly through the streets, my mind consumed by everything. Gabrielle’s sweet smile. Her soft laughter. Her ability to disarm me so effortlessly. And yet, at the same time, I was furious. She was careless, and I didn’t know how to handle it anymore.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Julian’s number.

"Julian, I need you," I said when he answered. There was no time for pleasantries.

“What’s up?” he replied, sounding unusually chipper.

“I need to talk to someone who isn’t going to lecture me on how to deal with my feelings.”

There was a pause, then Julian let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, I see. Sounds like someone’s been holding back their emotions.”

I rolled my eyes, despite the fact that he couldn’t see me. “I’m not in the mood for jokes, Julian.”

“Sure, sure,” he said, still amused. “You want me to meet you? I’m free.”

I stopped walking and took a deep breath. “Yeah. Let’s meet at Kyrre’s place.”

Julian let out a soft sigh. “Kyrre, huh? Well, this should be interesting.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. Julian’s distaste for Kyrre was almost as old as their friendship. But Kyrre had been my closest friend for centuries, and despite our differences, I trusted him in a way I couldn’t trust anyone else.

“I’ll be there soon,” I said, hanging up the phone.

...****************...

Kyrre’s house wasn’t far from where I was, so I made my way there quickly. I could feel the tension between my shoulder blades the one that had been there since the meeting and I had no idea how I was going to handle it. I could already hear Julian’s voice in my head, making fun of me for the way I was acting.

When I arrived at Kyrre’s, the door opened before I could knock.

“Ah, the prodigal son returns,” Kyrre said with his usual smirk. He was lounging against the doorframe, a glass of wine in hand. He was older than me, but he looked like he was in his late twenties. His dark, messy hair and sharp features made him look like the kind of guy who would charm the pants off anyone, and I hated it.

“I’m not in the mood for your games, Kyrre,” I muttered, stepping inside.

“Of course not,” Kyrre said with a grin. “You’re a mess. And I thought it was because of a meeting. Looks like someone has wife issues.”

I shot him a glare, but he didn’t seem fazed. Julian followed me inside, his usual grin plastered on his face as he greeted Kyrre.

“So, Matthew,” Julian began, “you know I’m usually the last to lecture, but it’s a little funny to see you so wound up. You were never this… emotional.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, sitting down on one of the plush chairs in the living room.

Kyrre raised an eyebrow and sat across from me. “So, what’s the deal? Something going on with you and the wife?”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I think I messed up. I yelled at her today, and now she’s… well, she’s probably hating me.”

Kyrre and Julian exchanged a look, and I knew they were both mentally tagging me as “delusional.”

“You know,” Kyrre started, swirling his wine glass, “you could always try not being a vampire for once and just...”

“Not this again.” I interrupted, rubbing my temples. “I’m not the problem, okay? It’s just… sometimes, she makes me feel… I don’t know. Human.”

Julian snorted. “God, you’re really going through it, huh? Being all lovey-dovey.”

“Shut up, Julian.”

I didn’t want to admit it out loud, but the truth was, I didn’t know how to balance being a centuries-old vampire and being a husband. Gabrielle was different from everyone I’d ever known different in a way I couldn’t explain.

“Well,” Kyrre said, finishing his wine, “here’s the thing. You’re a vampire. She’s a human. There’s bound to be… friction.”

“I don’t need a lecture, Kyrre.”

“Fine,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying, you have to stop treating her like a fragile little human. She’s your wife. Wife. You don’t get to yell at her like that and expect everything to be fine.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t yell at her because of that,” I said, my frustration mounting again. “I just... I don’t know how to handle it. She does things that drive me insane. And I can’t just tell her because she’ll think I’m crazy!”

Julian tilted his head. “You need to calm down, Matthew. You’re not acting like yourself.”

“I’m not sure who I am anymore,” I muttered under my breath.

Kyrre and Julian exchanged another look.

“So, what do you want from us, Matthew?” Kyrre asked, now leaning forward, his tone more serious.

“I want her to be okay with us, with this… marriage. I don’t know how to make her feel the way I feel.”

Kyrre raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking for advice?”

I groaned. “Yeah, I am. You’re both my friends, so give me something useful.”

“Alright,” Julian said, stepping in, “first off, you need to stop pushing her away. You’ve done that enough. Let her in.”

“Easy for you to say,” I grumbled. “You don’t have a wife to deal with.”

Kyrre laughed. “Actually, he’s right. You’re in this, whether you like it or not. So deal with it.”

I was about to fire back when my phone buzzed. I checked it quickly, expecting it to be Gabrielle.

It was a message from her.

“I’m sorry, Matthew,” it read. “I didn’t mean to make things worse. I messed up, too.”

I let out a deep breath, the tension in my chest easing just slightly.

“Well, I think I should go home,” I said, glancing at Julian and Kyrre. “Thanks for the advice, I guess.”

“No problem,” Julian said with a grin. “Just don’t come crying to me when you’re still in the doghouse.”

Kyrre simply waved me off. “Go fix your mess. And for God’s sake, stop looking like you’re about to burst into flames.”

I didn’t respond. I was too busy looking at the message from Gabrielle, hoping that maybe...just maybe things were going to work out after all.

...****************...

I made my way back home with my thoughts still swirling, but I knew one thing for sure: I had a lot of work to do.

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