For once, can’t things be simple for me? My chest restricts as he hugs me. It would be easy with Jonah. Kora is just as upset. She was also secretly hoping he would be our mate, too.
But who am I kidding? Nothing good could ever be mine. And Jonah is too good. He is perfect in every way. And deep down, I feel jealous of whoever will be his mate.
“We will find him. He will be ours, and he’ll love us,” Kora tries to reassure me.
Jonah lets me go as my mother walks around the car and gives him a hug. And I feel cold again, missing his closeness, the moment he leaves me. I can’t even remember the last time I wanted to hug someone, and now that I have hugged Jonah, I wish I didn’t have to let go.
“Hey sweetie,” my mother says, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Mom has always loved Jonah.
“You really gotta stop calling me that. I look older than you,” Jonah mutters, blushing at her words. I chuckle, shaking my head.
“You didn’t tell me you were bringing Mara,” he says in surprise but looks happy with that gorgeous smile of his.
“Wanted to get her out of the house, been moping as usual,” my mother says, as she steps away from him.
Why doesn’t she just tell the entire world? Can nothing be kept private? “Ah, great Kyan is here,” I mutter to Jonah sarcastically when I spot his black sports car. Now more than ever, I wish I was back at home.
“What! He never shows up to the smaller ones!” my mother shrieks.
“His car, it’s right there,” I tell her, pointing in the direction of it, rolling my eyes at her dramatics. I move closer to mom, hoping we aren’t going to be sitting close to him.
“He isn’t that bad. Besides, he stayed at home last night,” Jonah says in his defense, before shrugging. He is always defending Kyan; I guess I can’t blame him, although sometimes I wonder how they are even friends. They are nothing alike.
“I just forgot, Marabella. We should head back. I left my paperwork back at home,” my mother grips my hand as she speaks. She looks unusually panicked now. My eyes take her in. Something is off about mom, because she’s now frowning and fiddles with her car keys.
It’s so unlikely of her that I grow suspicious. I look in the window, and I see her folder on the backseat. “No, it is right here,” I tell her, opening the back door and retrieving it.
I want to spend time with Jonah. God only knows when I will get to see him next.
“We need to leave!” she snaps, and I am taken aback and so is Jonah. What the hell is wrong with her? First she drags me out here, and now she’s demanding that we leave right away. She is giving me whiplash with her change in moods.
“Kat?” Jonah asks, looking at her, startled, but she doesn’t have time to answer when she is approached by another Alpha.
“What’s wrong with her?” Jonah mouths to me.
I am just as clueless at her abrupt change in behavior. But I’m honestly wondering the same thing. She is acting strange. My mother curses before looking at me, “This won’t take long. How about you stay out here and wait in the car? I will be back as quickly as possible.” Her eyes are big, holding a warning in them.
Her unease is visible on her face. Kora is nervous inside me, and I peer at the building. Is she now embarrassed to be seen with me? Is there too many people turning up for her to hide me away?
“What? By herself?” Jonah asks.
The Alpha calls out to my mother and she looks at the double doors. She seems to be conflicted about something as she keeps glancing back at the car. What is going on with her?
“Fates fuck up everything,” she mutters.
My brows pinch together. What is she going on about? She shakes her head, lifts her chin and squares her shoulders before turning her attention back to the Alpha next to her, who also has a questioning look on his face as he looks at her.
“Let’s get this shit show over with,” she sighs, walking toward the doors.
It sounds odd hearing my mother curse. She rarely curses around Eziah and myself. Jonah shrugs, grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door. My mother stalks through the place and her aura slips out violently. Everyone is now aware of her presence if they weren’t already. The woman is a queen in every way. I feel proud of her, and how she owns the attention in a room. If only I could have even a sliver of her confidence, maybe then I wouldn’t be so socially awkward.
The moment I step through the doors, it is like walking into a brick wall. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla is so strong that my senses explode. My mouth waters, and I find myself paralyzed as I stare out at the crowd of people seated. My mother walks up to the podium, Alphas cringing away at the intensity of her aura as she passes them.
Jonah stops glancing down at me, my heart races, and I swallow. He leans down toward me, giving my fingers a gentle squeeze “You ok?” he asks, concerned.
I shake my head, and he squeezes my hand once more in encouragement. Kora is stirring excitedly, pacing back and forth in my mind, and impatiently urging me to find the scent.
“What is it?” Jonah asks, cupping my cheek with his huge hand. Still, I love the feel of his hand against my skin, and I lean into it needing his comfort. A wave of sadness hits me.
“Why couldn’t it have been you?” I whisper before I can stop myself. Fear grips me as I blink back tears.
“What do you mean?” he asks, his brows now set in a deep frown. I blink, shaking my head, trying to regather myself. “What’s wrong?” Jonah repeats.
“It’s nothing; I’m just being silly.”
Jonah squeezes my hand again before looking over his shoulder. “Come on then,” he says, leading me down the aisle toward my mother.
No one stands up and acknowledges or reacts. The further I move down the aisle, the more dread fills me. My mind is running at a hundred miles an hour. Overthinking everything. Automatically going to the worse case scenario.