The voices were getting louder, my head was hurting. I wanted to roll up into a ball and disappear from the world. Instead, I closed my eyes and tried to drown it all out, trying to ignore everyone. I wasn’t ready to deal with it.
“She’s in shock…”
“She’s confused…”
“Enough!”
A door slammed and footsteps paddled quickly towards me. Soft frail arms wrapped around me. Tears soaked my cheeks and my neck as Mavy cried. Did she know? She had to know.
“Are you okay?” Mavy sobbed.
I wrapped my arms around her and nodded. The tears started up again and streamed down my cheeks. Her t-shirt bunched in my fingers as I held her close. We cried and held each other.
She inhaled deeply and froze. Slowly, she lifted her nose into the air and took another deep breath. Turning from me, she tried to follow the scent. She stopped, her gaze locked on someone, I turned and followed her gaze.
I should have known, expected it but I’d been so caught up in my feelings that I didn’t think. I don’t know how it was possible for me to forget who her mate was. Maybe I just didn’t want to see it. Maybe I hoped it wouldn’t happen if I didn’t tell her.
Mavy was staring at Ethan. Her breath caught and I could feel her heart rate speed up as her arms fell from around me. A sharp inhale of breath was followed by her jumping to her feet. She ran for him, a whine falling from her lips, her arms wrapped around his waist.
“MATE,” she whined as she buried her nose into his chest.
I was stuck between being happy for her and wanting to tell her to get away from him. I watched as Ethan stared down at her. His gaze searched her face. I was forgotten as he tracked her movements, and his breathing picked up.
I saw the look in his eyes, It was as plain as day, lust. He was lusting after Mavy. I recognized it because that’s how he used to look at me. I should be jealous, I should be upset but I had no right to feel any of those things.
Hell, I didn’t even deserve Ethan at this point. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. Even my heart didn’t have the audacity to sink at the thought of them together. Everything will go back to normal now, won’t it? It will all go back to the way it was supposed to be.
He couldn’t stop looking at her, his hands were on her back and she arched into his touch. My mouth went dry. She was panting as she looked up into his eyes. Ready, needy, willing. She purred like a cat as she pressed her breasts into him.
Would it go back to how it was in our first life? Will he keep the both of us? Did I want them? Ethan gasped as his hand brushed over her skin and she moaned. I swallowed painfully. I knew what that meant. The bond was there. Mavy and Ethan were mates. They’d found each other after years of being separated. They could finally be together.
This was the part where he lifted her up and took her to bed. This was the part where he forgot me and moved on with his life. This was the part where they claimed each other. His hands dipped low and I dropped my gaze to the floor.
There was a flash of movement and I lifted my chin, my eyes widened as my gaze found Gabe by their side. I watched as he pulled Mavy off of Ethan and I watched as he stood his ground and returned Ethan’s glare. Ethan blinked as Gabe pointed at me. Instantly, he turned from Gabe and followed the direction his finger was pointing until his gaze landed on me.
Shock. Pain. Pity. All three took turns etching into his features as his gaze darted between me and his mate. He lowered his head and stared at his hands. He shook his head and closed his eyes. The choice was clear. He shouldn’t be struggling as much as he was.
“I would suggest you keep your distance, Mavy,” Gabe growled.
His stance was protective and I love how he didn’t bat an eye at the fact that he was talking back to someone we had been taught to respect and obey. Mavy didn’t look at Gabe right away.
Her canines were extended, her gaze on Ethan. She whined, it sounded hurt, as if being separated from him physically pained her. Her gaze dropped to Gabe’s hands on her. The whine turned into a growl as she glared up at Gabe, as she glared at the obstacle that was keeping her from her mate.
“Don’t touch me,” Mavy hissed.
“What’s gotten into you?” Gabe asked. “Ethan is Adea’s mate. They are Luna and Alpha of Desert Moon. Remember that the next time you throw yourself at him.”
He stared at her canines and claws. Mavy swallowed and turned back to look at me. Guilt and confusion riddled her features as she remembered, as she saw me, as she put the pieces together. She’d been at Desert Moon, she’d been there during the ball, the trial. She knew but all she could think about when she was him was the fact that he was her mate. Everything else disappeared.
Now, I watched as realization dawned on her and her heart sank. I could see it in the way her shoulders slumped and quivered. When he lifted his chin, the look in his eyes was absolute.
He’d made a choice and I was ready for him to reject me. I didn’t have a sliver of hope that he’d choose me over his Goddess-given mate. My heart was already broken, I couldn’t even think about wanting forgiveness, I wasn’t going to be that low, I wasn’t going to cling to him. I didn’t deserve to think about being happy.
“I’m mated,” Ethan growled.