Once you dislike a person, you will dislike her no matter what she does. “Look at that bitch eating cookies as if she owns the fucking place.”
Lancelot
Jolene opened the door and pulled me into the room before closing and locking the door. I sat on the bed, so I wouldn’t be towering over her. She didn’t sit down on the couch like last time, instead, she stood in front of me watching me with an unreadable expression.
“Jolene, sorry is not enough to explain how I feel for not being there for you, for not saving you. I am your mate, I should have-”
She put her open hand in front of my face. “Don’t.”
“What?”
She lowered her hand and looked at me with soft eyes. “Don’t apologize for things that aren’t your fault. I thought that you had never tried to look for me. I didn’t know that you had called my pack. My father took my cellphone away and never told me anything, but I can imagine what he told you. Also, there was no way you could know that I needed saving.”
“But I promised you that you would never be hurt and I failed that promise.”
“You did, but not because you didn’t save me. I don’t blame you for not being a fortune teller. You failed that promise because you didn’t give me a chance to explain things and outright rejected me as if being soul-mates meant nothing to you. Look, I know I am not a sweet person.”
What? “Jolene. That isn’t –”
“Let me talk, please… I know I am not a sweet person. I can be moody, childish, petty and sometimes a straight-out bitch. Most of the time, if not always, I am not a likable girl.”
“Jolene.” I reached for her hand but she pushed my hand away.
“Please, let me finish. I feel that I make more wrongs than rights. I try to be strong and treat everyone right, but I make many mistakes. However, not even once, after everything you did for me -all the flowers, the love notes, just how you looked at me, I believed for one second that you would reject me like that, without even listening to my version of the story.”
“I am sorry.”
She looked at me with an annoyed expression. Then, she scoffed and began pacing back and for with her arms swinging wildly as she talked. “You are sorry. I don’t need you to be sorry! I need to know that I can trust you! I was dying that day! you know? It wasn’t just that I was weak. I had internal bleeding, my organs weren’t functioning correctly and my body couldn’t heal because I had been poisoned with wolfsbane.”
I reached for her again and got a hold of her waist. I gazed into her beautiful dark eyes as I pulled her closer until I could feel her warmness against my body. “I didn’t know that.” I kept my arms wrapped around her waist.
She averted her gaze. Her previously angry voice was now more like a murmur. “It wasn’t your fault anyway. I just wish you had listened to me. Right after you rejected me, I went to the hospital. The human doctor told me I was a living dead and that I should go home to spend the rest of my time with my loved ones.”
“I made terrible mistakes that day. I am not that person anymore.” I tightened the hug and she hugged me back, but then pulled away. I let go of her and she took some steps back.
My wolf whimpered at the increasing distance between us and the look on my mate’s face.
“My brother wanted to bring me to our pack’s hospital, but you know what I did instead? I went to talk to you because I couldn’t leave like that. But, you… You were about to fuck another girl.” Her lower lip was quivering and I could see the betrayal in her expression. “So much for being my faithful soul-mate. I lived through the pain of rejection once and don’t intend to go through it again. After you shattered our bond and my heart, it felt like I had been thrown into an abyss of pain.” I was feeling dizzy. She isn’t going to give me another shot.
Jolene’s voice cracked every two words. “Somehow, I managed to pull myself out from there and keep living my life with the help of my loved ones. I can say that I am happy now. Honestly, I don’t care anymore if I am unlovable. I don’t ask for anyone to like me. Of course, I still love you with all my heart, but not enough to allow myself to fall in love again only to get my heart broken again.”
No… No, please. I stood up and closed the distance between us. “You don’t want to be with me anymore?” I caressed her cheek, the tingles now more noticeable as the bond slowly repaired itself.
She hugged herself and looked at her feet, her voice back to a whisper. “More than once, I have felt that tomorrow would never arrive. But, the sun comes out every day. It doesn’t matter if I am happy with my family or if I’m more dead than alive; The world keeps spinning.” She sighed and took my hands in hers. “But my world is more beautiful when you are in it. Even if I am happy now, I can never be as happy as I was with you. I do love you enough to fall in love with again and stay with you forever. So, tell me what do you want?”
“What?”
She smiled keeping eye contact.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I want to fix our bond. You are the only one for me. I want- no, I need you as my mate and Luna. I will get your trust back and always listen to and believe you.”
“I would like that as well, but before that, we should get to know each other again. A lot have changed since the last time we talked.”
I looked at her for a moment. “You… forgive me?”
“I had already forgiven you long ago.” She shrugged her shoulders and went sit on the couch.
I sat next to her. “So, tell me what have you been doing?”
“Well, as you might know, I am part of the council now.” She smiled and moved her hands in the air as she talked. “I had to spend almost a year training with Tony, which was somewhat boring, but after that, we have been working non-stop and travelling everywhere. It has been so much fun.”
“Tony, as in former Alpha Maddox?”
“The one and only. Sorry, he asked me to introduce him like that if someone ever asked.” She chuckled.
“You two seem really close. Some people think that something is going on between the two of you.”
Jolene snorted and doubled down in laughter. “Don’t ever say that out loud again. Kevin would kill me!”
“Kevin?” After everything she said, could she be dating someone?
She gasped for air and took deep breaths. “Yeah. Kevin as in Anthony’s mate. I swear they don’t even try to keep their relationship a secret but people just ignore it. Kevin gets so annoyed when someone even doubts their relationship.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I’m not surprised. But, yeah. I’m really close to both of them. Tony is the best mentor ever and Kevin is nice and fun to talk to. Sometimes he travels with us and helps us. What about you? What have you been up to?”
I sighed. “My life is not nearly as interesting as yours, council member Amores-Lobo. I spend almost all of my waking hours working in the pack.”
“I have heard. Your pack is the most technologically advanced one now. I love the work you have done in the limits to prevent rogue’s attacks. The three packs don’t like to admit it. Still, with everything you have done to protect the territory and the excellent training your warriors receive, your pack is as strong as them and could surpass them soon.”
I stared at her with my mouth open. “How do you know all that?” I leaned toward her. “Maybe, you have been checking on me and my pack?”
She scoffed and looked away, her arms crossed on her chest. However, a subtly crimson color adorned her cheeks. “Don’t flatter yourself. I just heard people talking about your pack.” She turned her head toward me and leaned until the tips of our noses were almost touching. “Or maybe, I am really interested in the love of my life.”
She is so close. My wolf and I were in awe. I leaned down and just as my lips grazed hers, there was a knock on the door. She rolled her eyes and bit her lower lip. Instead of standing up, she pulled me by my jacket and crashed her lips against mine. Her kiss was impatient and hungry. I ran my hands through her hair and settled them on her hips. She put her hands on each side of my face and softly bit my lower lip. I pulled her on top of me so she was straddling me.
The banging on the door just got worst. Jolene pulled away and groaned. She stomped her way to the door and swung it open.
“What do you want Tony?”
Former Alpha Maddox walked into the room but completely ignored my presence. “You blocked me out of the mindlink!”
“I told you I was busy.”
Maddox put a hand on his chest. “I am so offended. How can I advise you if you block me out?”
“I don’t need your advice right now.”
He gasped and clutched his shirt. “Right in my heart. It hurts so bad.”
“Get to the point, Tony.”
I stifled back a chuckle. She looked so annoyed.
“I’m leaving with Kevin to the headquarters in half an hour. These arrived for you and your mate.”
“Is that what I think it is?” Her tone has higher and she bounced on her feet
“You are welcome!” Anthony opened her arms for a hug but Jolene put her hand on his chest and pushed him away without tearing her eyes from the letters in her other hand.
He snickered and patted her head. “Enjoy your break. I know it will be hard, but please don’t spend the whole time missing me.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“That is the attitude!” Maddox turned and narrowed his eyes to me. “Hurt her and the next time I find you, you will wish for death.” He winked at me, but my blood ran cold from his tone.
Jolene smacked his arm. Just how brave is my mate? “Don’t threaten my little Alpha!”
She still calls me that? And in front of other people? I am so happy and embarrassed at the same time. I guess I will have to get used to it.
“Ouch! Sorry! I won’t do it again. Sorry Lancelot. I was joking.” He smiled at me but mindlinked me. ‘I trust you won’t be stupid and hurt her.’
Jolene stood on her tiptoes and pulled his ear as she dragged him out of the room. “I know you are still intimidating him through the mindlink. Leave my mate alone. Goodbye! Have a safe trip.” She slammed the door shut.
She sighed and smiled at me. “He actually likes you and supports our relationship. Don’t mind him too much.” She again gazed at the two letters in her hand before sitting next to me.
“If you say so.”
She gave me one of the letters, which was addressed to me. I opened it and read it.
I almost jumped from joy. “The council requests my pack to house you for your break!”
She nodded. “I guess that was the surprise Anthony talked so much about. Are you okay with that?”
I stared at her. “Okay? I couldn’t be happier!”