He did care, Anna thought. Zach cared about her too much. She couldn’t imagine how he must have felt grieving his own father’s death. How he must have felt guilty about the death of John’s father and about Lola’s death.
She trembled slightly. Really, she did.
Certainly, she did lose her mind when her Grandmother died. And now she couldn’t help but want to console Zach now for everything he had been through. He had suffered enough. He shouldn’t suffer anymore.
Whilst she had stayed in John’s pack, she had cried herself to sleep feeling the guilt of her Grandmother’s death weighing in her chest. Her heart had ached too much and when Zach had come inside her room that one night, to visit her, almost immediately, her heart was healed by his kisses and the pain she had felt was mended by his words.
How could she ever forgive herself? She should have been the one mending Zach’s wounds after everything. She should have been the stitches. She should have been the one consoling him through his sorrow. She should have been there when he was alone.
But she didn’t do any of that.
The guilt she felt was weighing in her chest and almost instantly, her heart ached for him. Ached to kiss him – touch him – hold him – pleasure him. She needed him right now. See him and tell him she cares for him, too. That she loves him more than anyone or anything – even chocolate.
“Anna?” a voice called, bringing her out of her misery.
She blinked her eyes and she looked at John in confusion.
“Are you alright?” he was asking.
“Yes,” she murmured, breathless for somehow. “Yes… Yes, I am.”
Missing him and aching for him at the same time was making her dizzy, she realized.
She touched her forehead with her hands and realized she and John had already stopped dancing. Although, people around them still moved in rhythm like a river going on and on around them.
Before she knew it, John was already dragging her out of the moving people. “Look, I know this is all sudden information,” he said. “Maybe you should rest for now.”
Rest? Rest then fall asleep?
“No,” she said, feeling determined. She took a deep breath and grabbed a glass of wine from a waiter that walked past them. She took a sip tasting the liquid then drunk down the whole glass much to John’s surprise.
“Anna, you shouldn’t – ”
“Don’t,” she halted him. “I’m eighteen already, remember? I’m a big girl now. You don’t have to tell me what to do.”
He looked surprised and she had to admit she was surprised, too.
But the man who came behind John surprised her the most.
“Oh, my God, Jake!” she gushed, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck.
She heard his deep chuckle and he hugged her back. She pulled back and smiled widely. He looked beautiful in a suit and she couldn’t help but wonder who was the gorgeous woman beside him.
He brought a girl? She mentally slapped herself. She was embarrassed. She was still in Jake’s arms and his hands were now touching her bare arms. She gently pulled away from him and blushed.
“Hi,” she greeted the pretty girl beside Jake. The lady wore a beautiful emerald dress ending mid thigh. Her hair was auburn like fire and her eyes were blue like the sky upon daylight.
“Oh.” Jake took a step beside the girl and wrapped his arm around her waist. “This is Sabrina*,” he introduced and Anna noticed the way he said her name.
Sabrina.
Sabrina Elener.
Jake’s mate.
Oh, my God.
“Hello,” Sabrina greeted her, stretching out a hand.
Anna smiled warmly and shook her hand. “Call me Anna. I’m so glad to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Sabrina smiled and Anna realized just then how beautiful the woman was when she smiled like that. “Anyway, happy birthday,” she added.
“Thank you.”
The lights dimmed suddenly. The music began to play a different tune. This time it was slower and heavier. Anna felt the music’s melody crawling under her skin. Everyone began dancing again but slower this time.
“May I have this dance?”
Anna turned her head and looked down at Jake’s hand. She looked up at him and gazed around noticing that John was already dancing with Sabrina. Having no choice, she accepted Jake’s hand and somewhere at the middle of the dance floor they began to dance in a slow rhythm.
“I’m really glad you came, Jake,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t come.”
Her brows knitted together in a frown as she looked at him. “But – But that – kiss,” she murmured, looking down and blushing.
“The kiss?” he echoed.
“I thought – I thought it meant goodbye.”
He tilted her chin upward and it made her eyes look at him. “I hope you didn’t think it meant I was leaving,” he said. “Because I’m not.”
“Then… why did you kiss me?” she asked.
He smirked and simply shrugged. “Because something told me it would be the last time… I guess it meant I’m letting you go… and you weren’t even mine.”
By the time he had ended his sentence, she wasn’t looking at him anymore. She couldn’t. Then it took her off guard when she heard his low chuckle. She looked at him and frowned in confusion. This time, he was grinning like a fool.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
He didn’t say anything. He just grinned then he leaned down. She was about to take a step back thinking he would kiss her again.
But surprisingly, he didn’t. She relaxed when she realized this. He just leaned down, not too close, and whispered in her ear, “I guess this time this really is goodbye.”
He pulled back and she was flustered. He grinned again and looked behind her. Confused, she turned around and her heart almost dropped on the floor.
Zach.