"Damien!" Rita exclaimed and pushing me away, she ran into his arms. Damien froze. His eyes met mine and I was sure mine reflected hurt. I couldn't fucking believe this. She had the audacity to come here after what she did. And she wasn't even ashamed about it. Damien pushed her away, and I sighed with relief.
She turned to me. "You can leave whore. As you can see, he no more needs you."
My eyes widened in surprise. Whore? What the fuck did she think of herself?
"I'm his wife," I replied, my voice cold and bitchy. "I think you should leave."
Rita's eyes widened and she looked at Damien. I felt tears pool into my eyes as I saw the indecision in his eyes. He didn't even say anything to her.
"Damien?" Rita screeched. "Is that bitch saying the truth? Is she your wife?"
Damien ignored her and looked at me. "Hanna." He didn't say it, but I knew. He wanted me gone. I narrowed my eyes at him, but didn't say anything. I couldn't believe this.
I turned around and ran out of the house. I wanted him to come behind me. Did I expect it? No. Did I hope for it? Hell yes. I shifted and ran into the forest.
My wolf was in pain and I was too. Damien still loved Rita. I could see it clear as day on his face. He didn't even say anything when she called me a whore and bitch. Instead, he asked me to go out. His mate and wife.
I don't know how long I ran for. I flopped down when I was too tired to even move my legs. I was still in my wolf form and I knew I was near my house. I hadn't gone there after what happened with Rennard.
I shifted into my human form and walked into the house. A shudder passed through me. I had already blocked my mind from Damien's, he wouldn't know that I was here. He could go fuck Rita for all I care.
That thought brought a wave of fresh tears. I fell down on the ground, naked as the day I was born as sobs wrecked my body.
Gavin's words came back to me. He seemed to know that I wouldn't last long with Damien. Was it because he knew that Damien was still in love with Rita? Gavin was in love with Rita too. He still is. What was it about her? Did she have some Love-Me magnet on her?
Shakily, I got off the floor and made my way to the bedroom. I put on the first robe I saw, crawling on the bed, under the covers. Questions plagued my mind. Was Damien still with Rita? It was almost lunch time. What were they doing right now? Did he even care that I had blocked him out? Had they been meeting before this?
Dread filled me. I hadn't had sex with him for more than one month. What if he sought Rita that time? No one knew that we were mates. He hadn't even formally introduced me. Bile rose to my throat, I ripped the covers off myself and ran to the bathroom, puking my guts out.
Ten minutes later, I found myself sitting on the couch with a glass of whiskey. Hard liquor. I needed to forget. I loved Damien with all my heart and I needed to forget his betrayal.
I didn't bother pouring myself another glass. I drank straight out of the bottle. By the time I was done, I was sobbing. Stupid Damien. For making me fall in love with him. For claiming me. For marking me.
The doorbell rang, making me frown. If it was Damien I would tell him to shove it up his stupid cheating arse! I wrenched the door open and my eyes widened. What I did next caught me and him by surprise.
I threw myself in his arms.
"Rick!"
Hanna?" Rick asked, stunned. I held him tighter, seeking his comfort, his warmth. I didn't even realize how much Damien had hurt me until now. I was hurt, but his betrayal cut me. I didn't know if the cuts would ever heal.
"What happened?" He asked, pulling me back and looking at me. I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything. Sobs wrecked my body, and I couldn't speak, even if I wanted to.
"I thought you were mated to the Alpha," Rick stated, making me sob harder.
Rick took my hand in his and walked into the house. We sat on the couch and he waited until I had stopped sobbing.
"What happened Hanna?" Rick asked softly.
"Damien..." Another fresh wave of tears, "He... His ex... She..."
"His ex?"
I gulped, "She came home. She called me... a... whore and... Damien didn't even say anything. He never even acknowledged that I was his wife."
A hurt look crossed Rick's face when I said wife, but he quickly covered it up. He gave me a small smile which told me to continue.
"And I ran out." I finished, "He still loves her! How could he do this to me?!"
"Was he happy to see her?" Rick asked, making me frown.
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Just answer me Hanna, was he?" Rick prompted.
"He was... stunned. Like he couldn't believe that she was there." I said slowly. Rick gave me small smile.
"Did you eat?"
I shook my head. I hadn't eaten since last night. I didn't want to. Food was the last thing on my mind. Rick frowned and picked up the phone. Before he could dial any number I snatched the phone from his hand.
"I'm not hungry!" I almost screamed, making him chuckle. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What are you doing here anyways?"
Rick looked away. "I've been sleeping here for one week. I'm surprised you didn't notice my scent."
I was pretty sure my jaw was on the floor. "You have been staying here?"
Rick smiled at me sheepishly. "I am looking for another place. I came here to get my stuff and when I realized that you probably wouldn't come back, I thought I'll stay here till I get a place. I was surprised to see the lights on, so I knocked."
I frowned at him. Was he with Rita? The timing would be perfect. It was as if Rick's thoughts were running along the same line, because he suddenly banged the table.
"And before you even ask, I don't know anything about your mate's ex."
I looked at him, pretty sure the way I was feeling right now showed on my face. I didn't want to think about Damien right now. He was probably doing the nasty--
A sob wrecked my body again and Rick looked at me with concern. He got up and walked into the kitchen. I watched him curiously as he put something in a glass and came back.
"Drink this."
"What is this?" I asked, scrunching up my nose.
Rick gave me a stern look. "It’s lemonade. Drink it up and go see Damien."
"Are you mental?!" I yelled at him, looking at him as if he grew four horns.
"Hanna, you need to see and know for yourself if something happened. You need to give your mate a chance to explain. How long are you going to stay hidden like this?" Rick reasoned and I stared at him in surprise.
"When did you get so smart?"
Rick laughed, but a small blush covered his cheeks. "Whatever Hanna. Now drink up and go."
"You are trying to chuck me out of my own house!" I accused him with amusement.
Rick didn't say anything, making me laugh. I drank the lemonade, wishing for something stronger. I don't think this would work. I wouldn't be able to face Damien. It would hurt too much.
"Go." Rick urged as he looked at me worriedly. I got up and hugged him.
"Thank you," I whispered. "I'm sorry, for what happened." I pulled back and Rick gave me a small sad smile.
"It's okay Hanna. Now go and call me if you want me to kick his ass." Rick grinned and I shook my head.
I walked out of the house, all ready to go to Damien's place, but doubts still haunted me. Would I really be able to face the truth? What if he rejected me? Did he even know that I was missing?
"Fuck." I whispered as I saw all of the warriors outside the house. One of their eyes snapped to me and instantly he ran into the house. Damien came out not a minute later.
Oh my god. Damien looked frazzled, completely out of it. He looked as if he had aged in a few hours. He walked up to me and picked me up in a tight, crushing hug.
I felt his desperation through the hug, and even though I wanted to push him away, I couldn't. After a few minutes, he finally put me down. His eyes travelled all over me.
"Are you okay? Where were you? I've been looking for you since this morning? Han--"
"We need to talk," I whispered and instantly his face changed. He went from a concerned man to a broken man. He nodded and looked at the warriors. They all bowed down to us and left. I walked inside, Damien following me.
"Hanna," Damien started to say, but I cut him off.
"Why would you do something like that? Do I even mean anything to you?"
Damien's face scrunched up. "You mean the world to me. I was stunned, I couldn't believe that Rita was here. I didn't want to hurt you baby."
I swallowed, "So you’re with Rita now?"
Horror filled his face. "If course not! I love you, not her. I haven't seen her since that night, I was shocked Hanna. That's all. I should have told her to back off, but..."
"What did you do?" I asked, knowing he would understand what I was hinting at.
Damien's face filled with shock. "I didn't do anything with her! She was here about Gavin. He is her mate."
I didn't know what to say. I didn't know whether to believe him or not. A major part of me wanted to believe him. He wouldn't cheat on me, would he? He knew what it felt like. Why would he do something like that?
Damien pulled me in his arms, and I didn't say anything. "I promise I didn't do anything Hanna. I don't know how to prove it to you. I will do anything to keep you with me. I love you so much, the thought of hurting you kills me."
I nodded. "Okay."
"Don't cut me out, please Hanna."
"I don't know what to say. She called me a whore Damien. And you didn't say anything. You didn't even blink an eyelid when I ran out."
"I'm sorry," Damien apologized, "Please forgive me Hanna."
Could I forgive him?
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