~YULIA
“What are my choices?”
I hated it. I hated this moment. I hated the world. I hated fate for playing this sick game on me.
My wold danced restlessly in mind and it was taking a lot from me just sitting here in the same room with him and pretended everything was fine.
In reality, I wanted to scream. I wanted to roar. I wanted to cry, but I could not do any of those things. I could only hold myself together until this meeting was over and hope that I come out triumphant.
Issa turned his green eyes to him. “You can either agree to come with me and I’ll give you all the protection you need, pending the time it will take until I find all the people after you. . .” He trailed. “Then you can come back home.”
I sat up instantly as I shot him wide eyes. “How long is it going to take until you find them?”
My heart began to race as I waited for an answer. This arrangement was not so bad. If it was something that would take just one or two months, then I could swallow my pride and accept it.
“That, I can’t say. It could take a week or years, depending on how good and sneaky your enemies are,” he answered with that amusement he always wore.
“Years?” I screamed. He shrugged at me. “What is my other option?”
“Very simple actually, you stay here and wait for your enemies to catch you as they already planned and I will have absolutely nothing to do with your welfare,” he concluded.
“So, basically, you’re abandoning me to my fate?” I asked.
He shrugged again. “You said it yourself. You’re old enough to handle yourself. And you mentioned you had some friends earlier, they could help you out. I’m sure you’ll be perfectly fine. Was this not your initial plan?” He asked.
My wolf came to a stop as I smelled the mockery in his voice. Was this his way of getting back at me for the way I treated him? Was this his revenge?
I watched as Issa rose to his feet and my heart skipped with alarm. As much as I wanted him gone, I also wanted him to stay.
Yes, my thoughts were conflicted.
“Where are you going?” I demanded as I stood up with him.
He looked at me as if I was asking him a stupid question. “I’m leaving,” he announced.
“Hello, I have not made my decision. You can’t just leave!” I yelled.
“Yes, I can, Yulia. I don’t have time for indecisive eighteen years olds,” he stated.
I gasped at his harsh words. Did he just insult me?
“Fine! Leave and my death will be on you!” I spat back.
“Yulia!” Rogers snapped. “You forget that before being your uncle, he is also a Lycan! Show some respect!”
“You’re not my father to scold me!” I retorted at him.
“Enough!” Issa suddenly roared and I felt the atmosphere in the room go cold and rigid.
My wolf suddenly shrunk away in fear and I had to ball my hands into fists to stop myself from trembling visibly.
Issa turned to face me with glowing green eyes and he suddenly looked very terrifying. So much so that my heart was almost in my mouth.
“You have until sunset to make your decision,” he stated. “If you decide to come with me, meet me at the park at the edge of your pack. I’ll be waiting by my car. If you don’t show up, I’ll respect your decision and be on my way,” he concluded before storming out of the house.
It was only after he was gone that I release a breath I did not know I had been holding. But I suddenly felt empty and vulnerable.
It was almost as if all the warmth and protection had left the house with him.
Rogers tisked at me as he came to a stop beside me. “At this rate, your stubbornness is going to land you in trouble,” he muttered. “I hope you make the right decision.”
With that, he left the house the same way that Issa had gone.
An involuntary shiver seized me and I slowly went to sink on the couch before breaking into quiet sobs.
I felt a warm pat on my back and I looked up to see Madelaine. She gave me a big smile. “I know how you feel. It’s hard to part with tye things or places where we have a deep connection with someone.”
“What should I do?” I asked.
“Right now, your life is much more important. This house will always be here and even if it’s one day gone, your greatest connection with Mariana is here,” she stopped and pointed at my heart. “No matter where you go, you’ll always have her.”
More tears started to flow out of my eyes and I hugged her. “Thank you.”
“I’ll keep this place safe for you,” she assured me.
“I better start packing then,” I whispered.
“I kinda did that already,” Lana’s voice called from behind us.
I turned to see her carrying my luggage. A suitcase and a backpack.
“You can make him buy you the rest of your stuffs as revenge when you get there. That’s for yelling at you,” she stated.
I rose to my feet and ran into her embrace. “What am I going to do without you?” I cried.
“What are phones for, silly?” She said but I saw the tears filling up her eyes.
“I don’t want to go,” I said in a squeaky voice.
“Me neither. . . But you need to be safe and a Lycan is more than capable of protecting you,” Lana said.
I exhaled sharply. “Fine, I’ll go to him now but I’m surely going to make his life hell.”
A small smile formed on my face as I started thinking up silly pranks that I could pull on him. He tried to lure me into his charm, then gave me an ultimatum that would work in his favor.
Two can play this game.