Gabrielle and Ava followed Calvin to the pack house. As they rounded the corner to the study, they saw a cloaked figure move away from the Alpha’s office that Adrian was currently working out of. As she moved, Ava saw a streak of white hair with smooth unlined skin and flinched back. She was… the rumours were true.
As she moved past them, a wave of dominance almost bowled Ava over for a second so she couldn’t even look at the woman’s face to confirm the rumours.
“Who was that?” Gabrielle asked, sounding more than a little pissed off.
“Anya.” Calvin said then opened the door to the Alpha’s study.
The moment they stepped in, the door shut behind them and Ava could hear Calvin’s retreating steps. Adrian looked up from the papers he was going through. Ava noticed he now had a sexy five o’clock shadow as though he’d forgotten to shave.
“Take a seat, both of you.” Adrian’s voice was unbearably formal.
Gabrielle must have felt the same because the moment they were seated she turned on Adrian.
“Adrian, what is all this about? You don’t call me back or pick up my call for days only for you to summon me here with my sister, not even alone. We need to talk about us. Our future.”
Adrian pushed back on his chair and regarded both of them. “Gabrielle, there is no more us. At least for now.”
Ava blinked rapidly. What was Adrian saying?
“What?” Gabrielle’s voice sounded broken.
“In this time of need, the pack needs strong leadership. At least until my father regains consciousness. People have begun to rally to you as my future Luna however, I do not think you are ready for that responsibility. You are still childish in many ways as evidenced by the way you whored yourself out based on a hearsay tale.”
“Adrian! I apologised. I said I was sorry.” Gabrielle shouted, her voice cracking towards the end.
“And I forgave you but it still counts against you. I also heard the mini jealousy tantrum you threw in the hallway because of Anya.” Adrian arched an eyebrow.
“You have a lot of growing up to do before you can soldier the responsibility of this pack. That is why as of today, you Gabrielle Coonor will become an omega on this pack. Forfeiting all privileges afforded by being a beta’s daughter.”
“Adrian, please, you can’t do this to me. I made just one mistake Adrian. Please.” Gabrielle sobbed trying to hold onto Adrian’s hand. He pulled away from her.
“Get your act together Gabrielle. Being an omega isn’t the end of the world. It will afford you a unique insight into our pack members’ troubles.” Adrian very nearly rolled his eyes at Gabrielle’s theatrics.
Gabrielle’s chest shook and she wiped at her tears. She stood up so abruptly that Ava thought she wanted to hit Adrian.
“Fuck you, Adrian and your stupid insight.” With that Gabrielle walked out of the room slamming the door leaving just Ava and Adrian.
Ava looked at Adrian. “I’m assuming you didn’t call me here to witness all of that. Why am I here?”
Adrian opened a drawer and brought out an envelope and passed it to her. Ava took it with shaky hands and opened it. It contained a visa, passport and plane ticket.
“Adrian, what…” Ava was confused.
“I’m sending you away from this pack to join your brother Alexander in Spain. You leave tomorrow.”
Ava fought for composure. “What?”
Adrian’s face remained impassive.
“I… I understand your dad’s sick and you just had a truckload of responsibility dropped on you. No one could have anticipated this would happen and I’m sorry. I truly am. But you don’t have the right to send me away.”
Adrian stapled his fingers together and leaned back slightly in his chair.
“I am your Alpha Ava. I can send you wherever I please.”
“I call bull. My parents would never stand for this. I am the daughter of the Beta of this pack. So unless you give me a really good reason, I will stay here exactly where I want to.”
Ava barely held back a growl. The nerve on this guy.
Adrian gave a bone-weary sigh. “Of course, you would make even this difficult.”
He leaned in, his green eyes looking darker in the lighting. His gaze caught hers.
“Aren’t you feeling it?” Adrian tapped his chest. “The draw is increasing. Very soon, it won’t be a choice but inevitable.”
Ava swallowed. Yes, she had noticed. She had just tried to keep it out of her mind. The threadlike bond between her and Adrian that she had once used to track him down felt more like a tightly braided rope than a thread now.
She didn’t know when or how it started but somehow despite all their efforts to fight it, it was becoming even stronger. “And how does sending me all the way to freaking Spain eliminate that? We are still mates. That won’t change.”
“I made some discreet inquiries and I found out that the bond will be inactivated with a large distance between us and after I mate with Gabrielle, it will be severed completely. Then finally we can stop feeling this way about ourselves when we don’t even like each other.”
Ava was surprised at the pang of pain she felt. She should have been ecstatic. Adrian had finally found a way to rid them of the pesky bond that had caused so much pain and betrayal.
No, she was happy, euphoric in fact. She was just shocked and processing the information that was all.
“Oh.” Ava couldn’t bring herself to say more.
“Now you understand the urgency of the matter. It is best you leave immediately. You do want to be free of this bond, right?” Adrian was watching her every expression intently like he could pry her mind open like a book and read all her waking thoughts.
“Of course.” Ava retorted holding on to the anger. Anger, yes, that was a good emotion. “I’d probably leave town right away if I didn’t need to say my goodbyes first. I am delighted we can finally solve this problem.” So delighted.
“I’m glad.” Adrian sighed in relief. “For a moment I thought…”
“Thought I would refuse? I don’t want this any more than you do. I will be happy to finally put this chapter of my life behind me. You are sure this will work?”
“I am. Once I have mated with Gabrielle then you can return.”
“I’ll leave tomorrow.”
This was for the best.
Ava nodded sharply. Then she stood up. She walked to the door, the envelope clenched tightly in her fist. She fought the urge to turn back and tell him goodbye.
She grasped the knob and then she was outside the room.
To Ava’s surprise, her cheeks were wet and her eyes stung. She wiped the tears from her cheeks but more just followed. She took a step towards the staircase downstairs, her heart strangely heavy yet numb.
Her wish has come to pass. The bond between them would dissolve and she would finally be free. Free of the overwhelming guilt she felt anytime she saw her sister, the unnatural attraction she felt towards Adrian, everything.
She was happy.
*****
“You are making a mistake you know?”
Adrian looked up from the report he had been analyzing for the past hour.
Calvin stood by the doorway that Ava had just exited from. His blond hair was still slicked back but some strands had escaped already, somewhat framing his face.
“A mistake?”
“A mate bond is a sacred gift from the goddess. Breaking one…” Calvin broke off and shuddered.
“Will keep me sane.” Adrian completed. “I’m doing this for her. She deserves the freedom to live her life without being shackled to me. To all my baggage.”
“I thought you were doing this for Gabrielle? Because you can’t stand Ava?”
Adrian sighed rubbing his hand down his face. “It was. Initially. Now I just want her out of this place because I will hurt her if she stays. I am already hurting her. I can’t stay away from her. I can’t stay with her. Gabby… Gabby has her flaws but she has been with me for years. I love her. I can’t hurt her.”
Calvin looked at him and Adrian got a distinct feeling that he had a lot to say. Calvin merely bowed and spoke. “I hope you know what you are doing, Alpha.”
Did he know what he was doing?
His dad was unresponsive. He could wake up any day now or never again. Although he wasn’t officially Alpha yet, it was just a technicality.
Anya had shown up at his side and told him it was time to grow up. She had taken over his Alpha training. She was a hard taskmaster but Adrian needed it. He needed the routine like a liferaft to forget that he was once again losing a parent.
To forget Ava with her beautiful face, acerbic tongue and her passionate kisses. To forget her sister his betrothed, the woman he was steadily falling out of love with.
Adrian closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
“I do.”