After leaving the confrontation with Isabella, I went home and laid in my bed for hours. I vaguely remember my mom checking in, leaving food near my bed and later on coming to retrieve a plate still full of food. I had lost my appetite. I guess that could be a side effect of rejecting your mate. My mate.
I took a deep breath and breathed in her scent, lavender and vanilla as I pulled her shirt closer to my chest. I stole it. Not intentionally. It just happened to be in my box. Rae sniffed it out when I got home and I couldn’t bring myself to return it. It was all I had left of her. I watched the night fade as the sun peeked through my windows.
How long have I been laying here? I took another deep breath and welcomed the pain as my chest tightens with each inhale. Fresh tears dampen the side of my pillow. Was this my punishment? Rejecting the gift of the Moon Goddess. Even though I wasn’t the one who initiated it. Why should I be punished? Why should I be affected by her scent? She should be feeling all this pain. This was all her fault.
We should go back to mate. We should help her, my wolf Rae, keeps growling at me.
How could she want to go back? It was obvious Isabella didn’t want us or she would have fought for us. Instead she pushed us aside to please her mother.
Help her with what I snapped back. We can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves.
Our mate is lost, V, and we have to show we will fight for her.
Why? She didn’t fight for us I yelled back, watching Rae shrink in fear.
I remembered what happened at breakfast two weeks ago. We sat there as her mother decided to give her away to another man. Isabella basically did nothing. How could she sit there watching tears fall down my face and do nothing at all? I screamed and threw her shirt across the room in frustration. I refused to be bogged down because of her decision, but that didn’t stop the pain. Tears burst from my eyes as I crawled over to her shirt. Stupid mate’s bond was still there. Why is it still there? I wondered as I buried my face in her shirt, her scent. I just want this pain to be over.
Seconds later a pair of warm arms embrace me. I didn’t even hear her come in.
“Tell me what I can do, sweetie,” my mom asked while rocking me back and forth.
“I don’t know Mom. I don’t know if there’s anything to be done,” I cried. “I just want it to stop hurting.”
We stayed that way for a few minutes until my mother stood up. I watched her walk over to my closet and pulled out a suitcase. She started to pack clothes from my dressers in the suitcase.
“Mom-” I panicked thinking that we were leaving. Again.
“Don’t worry, sweetie. We’re not leaving. You are,” she said as she closed my suitcase. “Time to go visit your aunt. A little vacation away might do some good.” She helped me from the floor. “Go get washed up. Hurry Alpha Zack will be leaving soon. Let’s go, let’s go.” She pushed me towards the bathroom.
Although I was a bit confused by her sudden suggestion, I quickly washed my face and got ready to go. Just the thought of leaving made me feel a bit better, aside from Rae. She didn’t want to leave her mate, but she was not in control. So suck it up, Rae.
After getting ready, I was about to walk out my room to meet my parents by the front door when Isabella’s scent hit me again. Her shirt was laying in the same spot and I just stared at it for a moment. I could feel Rae’s emotion bubbling inside me.
We have to be strong, Rae. She didn’t respond but I didn’t need her to. I could feel what she was feeling.
After a quick goodbye, I set off to find Alpha Zack before he left. I made it to the pack house in record time. As I was walking towards the front porch a jeep pulled out of the driveway. It was Luna Bella and Alaia in the front, two other girls sitting next to Isabella. Isabella didn’t look too happy with her arms folded, glaring at her mother.
I froze hoping they would drive by without seeing me. Honestly it would be a miracle seeing that I was the only person around. I couldn’t help but watch as her auburn hair whipped in the wind. The sun was hitting the highlights in her hair just right, making it look as if there were mini fires coursing through it. Yup, completely just imagine my hands being entangled in her curls. Stop it, V. Don’t do this to yourself. I thought I was home free until our eyes met.
My heart leaped in my throat at the sight of her blue-grayish eyes taking me in. Time seemed to slow down as her eyes moved from me to my bags and back to me. A hoist of emotions flashed across her face from confusion to shock, but only for those few seconds as the jeep flew down the street.
I let go of the breath I didn’t know I was holding. My chest ached but I didn’t have time to console it. I had to get out of there. Why? Why? Why did she still have this effect on me? I needed to get out of there and fast. I pushed through the pain and rushed inside the pack house to find Alpha Zack. They were having a conversation about a rogue attack last night. The first I ever heard of since moving here.
I spotted Alpha Zack through the archway. Relieved that I caught him before leaving and scored a ride back to Blue Moon. I bid goodbye to Isaiah and noticed the bracelet on his wrist. Why did it look so familiar? Since the room felt a bit tense I left the boys to their conversation and decided to wait for Alpha Zack on the porch. Of course running up to me was none other than my ex-mate with a smile on her face. Oh boy.