"No!" I yelled at Damien, hating the blank mask on his face. He didn't say anything, making me glare at him. I walked towards him and stopped when there was only an inch between us.
I knew what I was going to do. I had to do anything to make Damien happy. If he didn't forgive me, I didn't care. This wasn't about me. For the first time, it was about Damien. And I wanted it to be about Damien.
"Fine," I whispered, "If that's what makes you happy, I'm ready to do it."
"This isn't just for me Hanna," Damien said, the sadness in his voice nearly killing me. "This is for us. Maybe we're better off this way."
I swallowed back my tears, taking his hand and pulling him down on the couch. He looked puzzled, but let me do whatever.
"I have always been protected," I said, thinking about Sophie and Ty, even Rick. "Someone always guided me towards the right direction. I didn't have to think about anything. I knew that if anything happened to, I wouldn't be harmed, because of the people with me. Because someone always had my back. And because of this, I have always taken people for granted."
"Hanna."
I shook my head. "This isn't an excuse for my behavior and the way I've been with you, I know that. But you have to believe me, you are the first guy that I have ever cared about. And it scared the hell out of me. I want to have your back. I want to make you happy, but I haven't even succeeded so far."
"You have made me happy Hanna," Damien whispered, "More than anything or anyone else in the world."
I shook my head. "I know I haven't Damien. Don't sugarcoat it for me. I've been difficult, stubborn and a downright bitch. I don't deserve you. Ever since this relationship started, it’s been me with all the problems and you're the one who has to solve them. All the fucking time!"
"Don't say that," Damien pleaded.
Tears flowed down my face. "How could I not? I've always been throwing tantrums, making you angry for no reason. I keep doubting us."
Damien took a deep breath as I said the last sentence.
I looked into his dark, stormy eyes. "It isn't you who isn't a good mate. It’s me, it has always been me. I don't want to reject you, I cannot reject you. And you don't have to reject me if I---"
Before I could finish, Damien pulled me dangerously close to him. "Don't even fucking thing if saying 'I die' or something stupid like that. That is a very reckless idea."
"And to say that you would die is the smartest thing on the planet!" I cut him off with a glare. "I wasn't going to say die. I was going to say disappear for one year. The bond will die and you can choose someone who really deserves you. Who will make you happy. Not someone who doubts you and makes you want to die."
I don't think I've ever seen Damien so stunned in my life. I quickly got up, pressing my lips against his quickly and whispered the words which broke my heart. The words which broke me.
"Goodbye Damien."
Alpha Females had all the power in a mating. That's why the Alphas had to choose someone they trusted completely. They had to choose someone who would be able to handle everything. A girl who would stand by their side.
That's why, they really couldn't reject the mate. They wouldn't. It would kill them to do so. The only way for both the male and female to live was if the Alpha Female left the Alpha. For good.
The bond would completely die in a year or more, depending upon how strong it was. I ran the expanse of the forest in my wolf form, my limbs aching, my stomach growling. I was hungry, thirsty and tired.
I was running towards Sophie's territory. Her mate was the Alpha and I knew I would be safe there. A soft growl escaped my lips as my legs gave away. I fell against the soft, missed filled ground, eyes closed.
I wasn't used to staying in my wolf form for so long. I had been running for about four hours now, and I had no energy left. I could feel Damien's emotions through the bond, even thought I had cut myself from it. His emotions were running strong. I felt the anger, sadness, the desperation.
Despite everything, I knew that I did the right thing. This was to make Damien happy. I couldn't stay without Damien being happy. I had caused him so much trouble, that I was sure he would be happy that I was gone after his wolf had calmed down.
I got up slowly and started running again. There was only one more to sunrise and I wanted to get to Sophie's before that. I recognized her house in the distance, and belatedly realized that I couldn't shift back unless Sophie gave me some clothes.
I ran to the door and scratched my knuckled against the door. I heard some shuffling and then a curse. That would be Kyle. Sophie's mate.
"Go open the door!" I heard Sophie yell, her voice sleepy. I used our mind link to tell her that I was outside. I heard someone fall down, then a shuffle of footsteps running before the door was wrenched open.
Sophie stared at my wolf form in surprise. I was tattered. Even in my wolf form.
"I'll get clothes," Sophie said. "Kyle! Get the bath running. Hanna need a bath."
Two minutes later, Sophie came back with the clothes and I took them from her and ran out, quickly shifting and pulling on the shorts and tee shirt. I walked back to see a confused looking Kyle and a grinning Sophie.
The grin on her face made me break down. Sophie had been there through all my boy troubles. She had been with me through the Rennard incident. I threw myself in her arms as sobs wrecked my body.
"Hanna?" the concern in her voice only made me cry harder. "What happened? Did Damien do anything?"
I shook my head as much as I could with my head buried in her shoulder. Sophie let me cry for some time, before pushing me back and giving me a stern look.
"What happened?"
I swallowed the tears. Just as I was about to answer, Kyle spoke. "I'll go get us some hot chocolate. You can tell us then Hanna."
I gave him a grateful smile. Sophie dragged me towards the couch and unceremoniously pushed me onto it. We waited in silence as Kyle made the cocoa. He came back five minutes later, a glass of hot chocolate in his hand.
I sipped the burning drink, thankful for its sting. It made me momentarily forget about the problems.
"Hanna." Sophie said, her voice stern as ever.
I gulped and started telling then everything that happened. Right from when Rita came, to last night. By the time I was done, tears flowed down my face, the cocoa long forgotten. Just as Sophie was about to say something, their house phone rang. Kyle answered it, motioning for us to keep quiet.
"Alpha Black." He greeted in a cool tone, and my heart stopped beating. I froze as I looked at him in fear. Kyle saw the look on my face and gave me a reassuring smile.
"What?" Kyle sounded so stunned, even I would believe him. "No, she didn't... Of course I won't tell Sophie... Yes... I understand... I will ask my guards to be on the lookout for Hanna..." Suddenly his eyes snapped to mine. "I know you do... Take care Damien."
"How...?" I managed to choke out.
Kyle gave me a sad smile. "He's called every Alpha Hanna. And he's done something that he would never do. He begged me to tell him if you came across."
Another round of fresh tears fell down my face. "Oh my god..."
"Kyle!" Sophie snapped, "Seriously? Do you have to say stuff like that to her?"
"It’s the truth!" Kyle sighed, exasperated. Before he could get another word out, the phone rang again. He looked at the caller ID and passed the phone to Sophie.
"Hey Ty," Sophie said, and confusion swirled in my mind. Do we tell him or not? He is our brother. Sophie glanced at me, asking for approval. In a sudden decision, I nodded.
"I know Hanna left Damien. She's here," Sophie spoke in an even tone, not even flinching when he screamed at her. I could hear it all the way where I was sitting. "One minute."
She handed the phone to me. "Hey," I whispered.
"Hanna!" he yelled. "What in the fucking world is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how crazy Damien is going?"
"But I did it for him."
"He's been searching everywhere for you Hanna! He's really close to tearing out territory apart. You better fucking set this straight Hanna." He spoke as if he hadn't heard me, and before I could say one word, he hung up on me.
"Let's get you cleaned up," Sophie murmured, taking my hand and leading me somewhere. I was numb. I couldn't believe my own brother was on Damien's side. And he believed that it was my fault. And so did everyone else.
"Will you please eat Hanna?" Sophie stared at me, worry evident in her eyes.
"Not hungry," I mumbled.
"It’s been three days since you have eaten anything." She glared at me.
"Hmm," I muttered, staring distractedly at the television.
"Hanna!" Sophie yelled at me, making me look at her in surprise. "You better fucking eat this food right now, or I will call Damien."
I narrowed my eyes at her, thinking of saying something guilty that would make her go away. Before I could though, I heard his voice. The same dark and deep voice that made my knees go weak.
"Where the fuck is Hanna?" he yelled.
I looked at Sophie with eyes as wide as saucers. Her expression reciprocated mine.
"I know she is here!" his voice boomed. I heard footsteps and the door to the guest room was wrenched open. Relief filled his features when he saw me, but a dangerous glint soon replaced it. Damien glared at me.
"D-Damien?" I stuttered, gulping.
He narrowed his eyes and walked towards me. I cowered back, trying to put as much distance as I could between us.
"Time to get punished bunny," Damien whispered, low enough for me to here. My eyes widened. My pulse quickened. My core trembled with anticipation. Damien lifted me up, put me over his shoulder and stormed out of Sophie's house.
Holy fuck.
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