It's been over one hundred and sixty eight hours since I last saw Isabella. My aunt came in to check a few times before leaving for work. Coming home didn’t really improve my mood. I just laid here in this bed for hours on end. I thought by rejecting her, the pain would disappear but now it feels worse. Why do I still want her?
The rejection was fake. You never wanted to leave her Rae reminded me.
Still, I shouldn’t be the one in pain. She’s the one who didn’t want to fight for us I snapped back.
Then we should have stayed and fought for her. Maybe it could’ve made her stronger Rae countered.
I don’t want to fight for her I cried.
Then why are you still holding on to her shirt Rae snapped at me.
I looked down at the shirt clutched to my chest. This was my pastime. Sitting on my bed breathing in her scent brought both pain and pleasure.
Rae, I don’t know what to do.
Yes you do. Go get our mate back Rae said without any explanation as to how.
Why are you always the voice of reason? Rae huffed at me.
I got up and started packing my bags. I gave her shirt one more sniff before placing it inside my bag. I wrote my aunt a note and left it on the fridge. I started to leave when I heard something moving around upstairs. I grabbed a knife and slowly moved towards the room. It was James' room. There was a loud thump and I heard a familiar voice whispered, “Fuck.” I knew that voice but it couldn’t be. I opened the door to find James packing a bag.
“Oh hey cuz,” he said smiling before noticing the knife in my hand. “Why do you have a knife?”
I dropped the knife and tried to move to him but my body refused to move. I haven’t seen my cousin since the day he was banished. Banished? Right, how could he be here? He was declared a rogue so the moment he entered Blue Moon Pack the guards would’ve known
“How? Why? You,” I stuttered. I couldn’t get a full sentence out to save my life.
“I know you have a lot of questions but I don’t have time to answer all of them. So you get two,” he said, smiling while sitting on his bag.
I stood in place still trying to wrap my head around the fact my cousin was here and alive. He was ok and wasn’t driven mad by losing his mate. He was sitting in front of me like everything that happened didn’t change my life. Maybe I was dreaming? He noticed I wasn’t moving and came over to check on me. Before I knew it, I slapped him.
“You asshole.” It was all I could manage before breaking down and hugging him. “All this time I was worried. I figured you went mad after everything and died out there all alone as a rogue.” He couldn’t understand how much I missed him. How much I needed his strength when I felt weak.
“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay, Vi,” he said, holding me up. It took a few minutes to get me to calm down. “Just so you know, that slap counts as one of your questions.”
I couldn’t believe he was here. Wait, why was he here? He could be caught and sent to the dungeons. Even worse, killed for trespassing.
“Should you even be here,” I panicked. “What if they find you here? You have to go.”
I got up and helped him with his bag. James moved to grab my hands.
“First you’re definitely out of questions and second don’t worry cuz,” James pulled out a strange necklace, “This protects me. No one can smell my scent. Besides, Zack would be fine if he knew I was here. It’s not like Alaia is here.”
“But everyone thinks you’re a rogue. Aren’t you?” I must have looked so confused because James continued.
“I was when Zack banished me. We had to make it look real or Alaia would’ve never stopped her insane infatuation. Zack had to make it seem like he would murder me to get her to confess her crimes. I just wish we had done it before-” James stopped and I could see his hands turn into fists.
I touched his shoulders because I knew what he couldn’t say. “How are you still sane? I thought losing your mate is like ripping out half your soul. Most people can’t survive that.”
James sat back on the bed and motioned me to do the same. “It wasn’t easy. The first few months were dark. I even thought of taking my own life but I met a group of people who were lost like me once and they took me in. They showed me that I had a purpose. Something the Moon Goddess needs me to do before I can reunite Maria.”
“Reunite with Maria? Wait, what are you talking about,” I asked. What else did he have to do? What did he mean about reuniting with Maria?
“That’s a need-to-know case, cuz, and you don't need to know. Anyway shouldn’t you be at the Black Moon Pack with your mate? Moms told me all about her. She sounds feisty.”
I couldn’t help but smile thinking of Isabella and the night we spent together. “She is one of a kind.”
“Then she’s worth fighting for, don’t you think?” James cocked an eyebrow. I shook my head. I guess Aunt Vera did tell him everything. “Look, sometimes we have to fight for the people who don’t know how to fight for themselves. Who knows? You might spark something in them they didn’t know they had.”
“I rejected her, James. I doubt I could just go back and apologize,” I said, looking away from him. Rejection was a sore topic for us. It’s a long story but Alaia wasn’t the only person infatuated with someone they couldn’t have.
“Hey, if she truly wants to be your mate, she will give you another chance. You would be surprised how much a mate is willing to forgive. Might be the bond, who knows. All I know is that you deserve this.”
I sighed. It’s just like James to try to cheer me up. "I wish you could come with me. Be my moral support.”
“No can do. I'm a member of the Ancient Walkers and I have people counting on me for this,” he says as he points to several bags near the window.
“James, how are you going to get past the guards with all this,” I asked, looking at all the bags of clothes and food.
Just then I heard the door open and Aunt Vera leaned in the door frame. “Especially when you’re terrible at hiding, James.”
“Hey when I don’t want to be found, I can truly disappear,” James smiled while putting on a cloak. “But we do have to go.”
James picked up the bags and headed down the stairs. I was still reeling from the fact my aunt never told us about any of this. We could’ve helped. I followed them down to her car in the garage.
“Why didn’t you let us know, Aunt Vera? We could’ve helped,” I said, stopping by the car while they were getting in.
“James in the back, you know the drill,” Aunt Vera said.
“But it’s cramped back there. No one is going to even see me if I let the seat down,” James whined.
“James Edward Magus!”
James immediately jumped to the back with all the bags. I smile knowing that she still had power over him. “Look, Victoria. The more people that knew, the more dangerous it would’ve become,” she said. “I did this to protect my son. No one other than the Alpha knows about this. So let’s keep it that way.”
“Wait, where are you going? Can I come,” I asked.
"Not this time Vi," James rustled my hair. "Besides, don't you have a mate to claim?"
"Stop that," I yelled, pushing his hand out the way before taking one of his hands in mine. “Will I see you again?”
“Only time will tell,” he said while covering himself under the bags to disappear. I watched them as Aunt Vera pulled out of the garage and disappeared down the street.
I thought about what James said about fighting for your mate and my mind instantly remembered Isabella. I had to go back and get her. I have to show her how much she means to me, but I had to do it right. I grabbed my things and headed to the packhouse. I knew Alpha Zack was heading there this weekend, so he shouldn’t mind the company.
Arriving at his door I could hear conversations inside and I didn't want to interrupt. I turned and stopped immediately. No, this is for Isabella. It’s now or nothing. I turned back to the door and knocked.
Alpha Zack opened the door and I could see a sigh of relief wash over his face before he quickly ushered me in.
“Oh Victoria it is so nice to see,” Zack said, gesturing to one of the chairs.
I saw Emily and Bronx standing in the corner watching me cautiously. I felt like I was interrupting something important.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Should I come back later.”
“Yes,” Bronx and Emily said simultaneously with Zack’s, “No.”
We all looked around at each other before Zack stepped in.
“It’s fine Victoria. We were just discussing my sister’s upcoming ceremony.”
“That’s great. I wanted to talk to you, Alpha, about riding along with you. I feel my time here has served its purpose. If that’s okay with you,” I asked.
“Of course, Victoria. You’re always welcome to travel with me.” Zack smiled as I heard a low growl from behind me. I looked to see Bronx holding his sister Emily in place as she glared at me. What the hell was going on?
“Emily, are you ok,” I asked, sincerely.
“Yes she is. She just thought she would be the one to accompany our Alpha to the ceremony,” Bronx offered.
Emily quickly composed herself and looked down at her feet. “If the Alpha desired I would love to accompany him. I haven’t seen Alaia for a while and would love to catch up.”
“Umm-well..”
I couldn’t tell if Zack was stalling because he liked Emily or something else but I felt I had to help. “Well I don’t see why we all couldn’t go, right Alpha Zack?”
“Well after the recent rogue attacks, I will need Bronx with me at all times,” Zack said, nodding his head as if he came up with a brilliant idea.
I turned to see Emily’s face drop and I kinda felt bad for her. “Well if that’s the case, Emily, if you really want to go you can be my plus one. I’m still a part of their pack and I have no one to go with.”
Emily’s face immediately lit up as she ran and gave me a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you Victoria. You have done me a great service.”
She gave me a kiss on the cheek before bolting out the door. Deep down I felt like I might have done something wrong as I turned to look at Zack who had his face covered by his hands.
“I bring in one girl and you leave with two. You are the luckiest-” Bronx was interrupted by a loud growl from Zack. “Okay, okay. Geez most guys would be happy,” Bronx said while running out the door.
“Did I miss something here,” I asked.
“It doesn’t even matter anymore. I have no control over my love life whatsoever.” Zack’s head hit his desk as he let out a long sigh.
I felt a bit uncomfortable sitting there so I slowly moved from my seat. I moved to the door to open it when I spotted a picture hanging on the wall. It was a picture of James, Maria, Zack, Bronx, and Alaia. I noticed the bracelet James was wearing was the same as Alpha Isaiah. I knew that bracelet looked familiar.
“What is it,” Zack asked, making me jump.
“It’s nothing.”
“Lies. Tell me,” Zack said with much authority. He wasn’t my Alpha but he still had a bit of power over me.
“I’ve seen this bracelet before,” I said, pointing at the picture. “Maria had on one similar when she-when she went crazy.” I hesitated saying the next part. “I’m not a hundred percent sure but I think I saw Alpha Isaiah sporting something similar.”
Alpha Zack looked at the picture and back at me. “Victoria, I need to know for sure if that’s what you saw.”
I glanced at the picture again and remembered the day Maria came to Aunt Vera’s house. I remembered the way the bracelet glowed when it was on the floor. I looked at Zack and nodded.
“It looks similar to what Maria wore. We all know what happened to Maria, so it makes me wonder-” I trailed off.
“If my sister is using her powers. Powers that were supposedly taken from her,” Zack said.
I panicked a little, knowing what Alpha Zack was thinking. “I’m not saying Alaia is up to something, Alpha. It’s just strange that Isaiah has a similar bracelet like Maria, that’s all.”
Zack grabbed the picture from the wall to examine it. “Yes, I vaguely remember him wearing something similar, but we can’t be sure it’s doing the same thing. I can’t implicate my sister with a picture.”
“Then we get proof. We can’t let this happen again,” I said. “If anything happens to Isaiah, Isabella would be devastated.”
“We have to be careful, Victoria. I don’t know how but if she does have her powers that means she was powerful enough to trick the elder witches. Who knows what she is capable of?”
As we said our goodbyes, I thought about what Zack said. Earlier I was only preparing to fight for my mate but now I have to watch out for an insane half witch soon-to-be Luna. I remembered what happened to Maria. How crazed and paranoid she was during her last days. How James seemed so helpless. I didn’t want to be in that position. I was itching to get back to Isabella. Keep her away from that monster.