ANNABELLA’S POV
Hush breathing, violet eyes, and heavy toes colliding with the cold ground.
Running in the woods like an astray dog, moving in circles like I had nowhere to go.
Eve was silent and I was hurting.
Did I have anywhere to go?
I was so lost in the good feelings and the comfort of the mate bond that I didn’t realize how alone I was in this life.
I stopped to look back at the pack; the Turners pack was the only place I could call home because I had nowhere to go and no one to run to.
I have never had a real home aside from this place. Was I going to lose this place, too?
A tear slipped from my wolf’s eyes, the pain was too much for her to bear alone. The familiar feeling was back in my stomach; my chest was clenching, and my eyes were heavy.
We could have killed Juliet back there and left the pack in an unknown place so no one would find us and punish us.
Eve wanted to do exactly that but I didn’t want to stain my hands with her blood because she wasn’t worth it.
Was I nothing to him throughout all this time? Did he lie to me when he told me he loved me?
The thought of being rejected by Roman leaves me breathless.
Was I going to go through this again?
Several questions ran into my head at once and I could feel my head hurting. Eve let out a small cry before proceeding to run; the fresh, chilled air sank into her skin through her golden fur as she ran.
The words she spoke were the only thing I could remember. First, it was Summer, and now Roman, whom I have come to love and trust.
Maybe I wasn’t meant to have a mate or love by anyone, including my fated mate.
I felt Eve whimper in sadness as her feet took her far into the woods, not minding where she was going.
She let out a sob but that didn’t stop her from running.
After running for hours in the woods and trying to calm down, we finally came back to the pack as we had no other place to go.
Turners pack was the one place we knew as home, and as much as it hurt to stay around, we had to stay for now until Roman decided to reject us.
My heart sinks deep in my chest whenever I think of the word rejection. Perhaps I need to accept my fate and embrace my life the way it was.
Eve didn’t like the idea of being rejected but it would eventually happen. No wolf deserves to be rejected but reality was the case.
Not everyone gets what they deserve.
” Where have you been, dear?” Madeline opened the door for me, she looked me up and down with a frown. I was sure I was in a mess; it was almost three in the evening, and I left the pack early in the morning.
” Come, you look…..”
” Horrible?” I murmured, looking down at my feet. ” Oh, you don’t look that bad.” she shut the door behind me and I heard her chuckle.
‘ What else is Roman hiding?’ Eve said and I frowned. ‘ What do you mean?’
‘ Her, ‘ she pointed out, and I stared back at Madeline who was standing at my side, wondering what she meant.
‘ A demon.’ she says and I narrowed my eyes without any other reaction.
Madeline too?
” You need to shower.” she interrupted and I started towards the stairs. My hair was messy, my body was sweaty, and my feet were covered in mud, but I didn’t have the time to look out for all this as I stormed into the bedroom staining the clean floor with my feet.
My gaze landed on Roman’s closet, and the scene of Juliet smelling his clothes crossed my mind, the words she spoke, and the reaction she made.
She called him hers.
And that was because they were betrothed, a voice at the back of my head stated and my eyes burned with tears.
Was I going to lose Roman, too, like I lost Summer?
The fear, the sadness, and the will to not give up all came at me, but it wasn’t up to me to decide.
It would be a matter of time before Roman rejects me.
Tears streamed down my eyes as my hand fisted beside me.
With my eyes shut, I leaned my back against the door and allowed myself to take a slow breath.
Roman was betrothed to his step-sister. What about me, did I mean something to him?
The answer remains the same. A prize. Someone he purchased with money to bear him an heir.
That was what I was, my hand rubbed my stomach as tears continued to stain my face.
I managed to get myself under the shower; after spending almost an hour under the shower, I found Roman standing by the window with his hands caged in his pocket. His broad back facing me but he turned the second I stepped out of the bathroom.
Meeting his dark blue eyes, there was nothing I wanted than to throw myself into his arm but I stopped myself.
What was the point?
” Madeline told me you went for a run.” He started towards me and when he was about to touch me, I unconsciously stepped back.
A frown that lasted barely a second appeared in his eyes as he spoke.” Get dressed, I will wait for you downstairs.” He said and I nodded, holding the towel around my chest.
I didn’t take much time dressing up. In black jeans and a blue t-shirt, I headed out.
I didn’t know where he was taking me but I didn’t ask until we got to a mini restaurant down the pack.” Where is this place?” I asked as he held the door for me.
I noticed the look in his eyes when I didn’t take his hand.” You haven’t eaten anything.” he explained.
We took our seats by the window where the outside view was accessible. I didn’t hate the place and besides, there were not many people inside.
” Alpha Roman.” A man in his middle twenties came to us and when his eyes landed on me, he frowned.
” Today you didn’t come here with the Luna.” He says, and per his tone, he didn’t seem scared of Roman like he first portrayed to be.
” I hope she knows you are here.” His eyes didn’t leave me while he spoke. I didn’t expect this but it seems I was the only one who didn’t know Roman had a mate.
It was obvious I was the only person left in the dark to rot in my thinking.
Would he have told me?
How long were you planning to keep it from me? ” Will you shut up and get her something to eat?” Roman said, and the man chuckled slightly but didn’t move; instead turned to me.” I’m Zane and I’m at your service.” He placed a manu book in front of me.
I didn’t have the appetite but I chose something on the menu.
I sighed when the man left to bring our order. I could feel tears burning my eyes, but it wasn’t the right place to cry, so I did my best to hold it together.
That was how it was meant to be. I comforted myself and said those words several times until our order arrived.
” You didn’t introduce us.” The man said, but Roman let out a small growl that almost sounded as if he was being possessive; I would have thought if I didn’t know.
” I hope Luna Juliet knows you are here with her?” I could feel his gaze on me as he spoke to Roman, who had turned deaf ears to him.
No matter how uncomfortable I felt, I tried to concentrate on the plate of food before me. It wasn’t surprising that the food was tasteless in my mouth but I swallowed it anyway.
” Are you mated to two?” Zane suddenly asked and I choked on my food.
I stared up at Roman as I wondered if that was what he planned to do, have two women.
As much as I hated that he lied to me, I didn’t want to leave him.
” Are you fucking crazy or something?” He growled and Zane stepped back.” I didn’t catch your name.” Zane shifted his gaze to me but Roman growled at him, attracting the attention of the other customers.
” Sorry, alpha.” he held both his hands up before turning to leave.
” Eat.” He said this word as if what just happened was nothing.
Didn’t he think I deserved some explanation?
” Did you bring Juliet here?” It felt a bit awkward asking but I wanted to know, my eyes staring at him as I slowly chewed the food in my mouth.
When we first met, I mistook him for the devil even though he was better looking and handsome than the devil could ever be.
I hated him because I thought I lost everything because of him, but little did I know that I didn’t have anything.
” You don’t have to answer, I will go to the bathroom.” I left my seat and walked to the counter where I was directed to the bathroom.