ANNABELLA’S POV
” How long have you and Roman been together?” Juliet suddenly asked. ” Months,” I replied, shoving food into my mouth. I was happy that she was finally coming around. I didn’t know what she went through in the green mountains but I hoped she could forget and start living her life here again. I knew green mountains even though I wasn’t familiar with them.
It was quite a place if you ask me, I wouldn’t dream of being a free wolf.” That isn’t a long time.” She murmured under her breath and I lifted my eyes to look at her with a frown.
It wasn’t much time like she said, but it was enough for me to know what I know now. Roman was simply the best and I wouldn’t trade him for anything in this world.” But it’s enough to know him, right?” She lifted her eyes to meet mine. ” I will assume you know him well enough.” She added in a doubtful tone.” I want to make something nice for him, what do you think he would like to eat?” She asked, and I turned my head to look at Madeline, who was standing beside me. ” Sorry, I think Vincent is the right person to answer my questions.” She said, standing on her feet as the realization of me not knowing anything about my mate drowned me in.
” I will leave first, nice to meet you, Kelly.” I didn’t miss the funny look she gave me. Was she happy that I couldn’t answer her question?
A lot of thoughts ran through my head but none of them was making me feel better. Something in me didn’t feel comfortable with her appearance, while a side of me was willing to cope with her presence in Roman’s life.
Was I exaggerating things?
” Do you want to eat something else?” Madeline’s cheerful voice broke through my thoughts and I glared up at her smiling face before shaking my head.” Breakfast was great.” Kelly said from my side and Madeline murmured a small thank you to her.
Aside from Juliet, who almost ruined my mood, I had the day coming, especially with Kell, y, who didn’t want to leave the lakeside. She was supposed to be a mermaid because werewolves and swimming weren’t a thing. She was everything that didn’t represent werewolves. Werewolves love to run and hunt, but this girl was a total turn-off when it came to the real game.
I was currently sitting on a rock with my feet sunk in the clear waters while I watched my best friend swim herself to exhaustion. ” What is this thing between you and Juliet?” She suddenly asked and I shrugged. ” She is Roman’s step-sister,” I replied and she hemmed before diving under the water.
” I don’t think she likes you.” She pulled out of the bottom of the lake as she pushed her wet short hair from her face. ” I know a real bitch when I see one, trust me.” She added with a raised brow but I was afraid the feeling was mutual.
” What do you want to do, it’s Saturday?” I asked and she shrugged, like she was doing better than yesterday. ” Mind coming with me for a run?”
” A Saturday late morning run, I think it will be fun.” She said and I smiled before pulling my feet out of the water.
Hiding behind the tree, I pulled off my dress and shifted into my golden wolf, a gasp left Kelly’s mouth the moment I stepped forward.” Bella?” She asked with wide eyes, ” Goodness, you are beautiful.” She exclaimed and Eve chuckled.
With our clothes in our mouths, we made our way through the thick woods that belonged to the Turner pack, our growls filling the air as our paws collided with the cold floor.
The chirping of the birds was all over the place aside from the rattling bushes.
As I ran on my four toes with Kelly’s wolf at my side, I could hear the rattling sound of smaller animals trying to hide. I could feel myself enjoying the run at every second that passed especially with the cold air running through my golden fur.
The weather was in its best state, warm and peaceful. The running was kind of fun because not many pack members ran at that time of the day, especially on Saturdays.
We both stopped on the mountain and stared at each other before turning our faces to the direction of the sunrise.
It was beautiful up there, the flying birds were additional beauty in the sky. I wondered what it would be like to fly in the sky, was it as good as I thought?
Maybe it was but I didn’t want to fly away from this pack.
” What are you thinking?” I turned my head to see Kelly in her human form. She was almost in her dress.
I turned away and shifted to my human form as well.
With our fully clothed bodies, we sat at the edge of the tall mountain. ” Are you thinking of flying far away from this place?” Kelly asked and I turned my head to look at her for a short period of time before nodding my head.
“Me too.” She whispered.
” No matter how much I want to fly, I wouldn’t want to fly away from Roman,” I told her and she smiled.
” Fair enough, ” she said after a few seconds of silence, and I smiled. ” Fair enough, I guess” I repeated her words.
” I lost my mate to another female, can you imagine?.” She said, feeling her gaze. ” I was patient but he wasn’t truthful.” She added and I licked the corner of my lips.” He got her pregnant and promised me he would divorce her once she put to bed but guess what, he didn’t.” She smiled bitterly, but there were no tears in her eyes; I guess she had cried enough.
” It turned out he was only with me because his wolf needed me, his true mate. He kept me as his other woman for months and I stupidly believed he would choose me over his chosen one.” She sighed heavily, and I placed my hand on hers on the rock and gave it a little squeeze.
” He played me and I let him. He never intended to give me what I rightfully deserved but wasn’t ready to let me go.” I parted my lips but closed it back seeing the hurtful look in her eyes.
” Do you know what it’s like to be abandoned by your fated mate?” She smiled before looking down.
” I guess not, ” she whispered. I didn’t blame her because she didn’t know how I became Roman’s forced bride and then dated my mate.
If she thinks I didn’t understand her feelings, then she was wrong.
The only difference was that I had no one to rely on during that time.
” it feels as if there is nothing more to live for.” I could relate to her pain; I once felt it, too, and worse. ” I’m happy you are happy.” She said and I turned my head to look at her now red eyes.
Being rejected by your fated was a pain on its own and to watch him choose another over you was also a pain on its own. I knew what was going on in her mind, I was familiar with the feeling she was having.
The stupid thoughts that crossed your mind, the urge to end it all, and the feeling of loneliness.
” You have me, Kelly,” I assured her, and she sniffed, nodding her head. ” I know.”
We spent a few more minutes on the mountain before shifting back into our wolves and running down toward the pack.
It took us a few minutes to get to the lake and change into our clothes.
As we headed to the pack house, we noticed the two cars that were driving out of the pack. Roman was standing at the side with his hands caged in his pocket with both his beta and gamma at each side.
Roman suddenly turned towards us with his gaze fixed on me.
His eyes never left me until I stopped right in front of him.” Roman.” I whispered his name and he immediately pulled me into his chest, his hands wrapped around my waist possessively.” Is everything okay?” I asked, shifting my gaze to look at Zack and then Vincent, who didn’t look to spare me a glare.
” You went into the lake.” He blushed his nose against my neck as he sniffed my scent and let out a loud sigh afterward as if trying to calm himself.
” Who was that?” I asked but received no response from him. His face was buried in my neck, his hand holding onto my tiny waist.
” No one you should worry about.” He whispered as he stuck his tongue out to lick my neck.