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Chapter 7

“Nina, wake up. Something is happening. Something doesn’t feel right!” Raven whispered urgently.

Sitting up in my wolf form, since I still didn’t have any clothes, I felt it. A very bad feeling. I assumed the bad feeling was Holly being Damian’s mate but now I wondered if it was more. Slowly we crept out of our cave and strained my ears. I heard growling and smelled blood.

“Dad, what’s going on?” I mind-linked my dad.

“Oh my god, Nina! Are you okay? Where are you? We are under attack! Get to the safe house NOW!”

Panic sank into me. I ran to our house, and under the kitchen island was a bunker. I could clearly hear the growls and cries of wolves. I sank into the mattress we had there and waited it out. It happened, I felt a snap. I screamed as loud as I can. I couldn’t believe it. My MOM was dead! I felt her life being cut from my mind. I heard my dad’s wails in the distance, and I knew he would not survive tonight either or would be dead within months. No one survived a mate dying. Your wolf eventually goes bad, and you turn rogue. I didn’t think I had anything left to cry, but I did. I cried for my mom, and when I finally felt my dad’s connection snap, I cried for him, too. I was now an orphan, and my best friend was mated to my childhood lover. I cried until I passed out again. Raven kept watch in case she needed to protect me while I mourned.

It was finally morning and I woke up. This wasn’t my bed, I thought, and last night came rushing back to me. I knew I shouldn’t stay down here, but I needed to find my parents’ bodies and say goodbye. I walked upstairs and looked at all the pictures my mom had hung on the wall, and I lost it. I smashed everything in sight. I was going to town when I felt strong arms around me holding me still. Tears were pouring out and I didn’t have energy to fight with anyone.

“I got you, Nina,” Trevor said, and I was thankful it wasn’t Holly or Damian. I was not ready to face them yet. I quickly realized that I was still naked, and so did Trevor as he let me go and turned around. I sprinted to my room and put on black joggers and a sports bra and crop top. I pulled on my Nike sneakers as Trevor walked in and sat down on my bed. He had been here before, but it just felt different now. His sister would be luna.

“I don’t know what to say, Nina. I am so sorry about your parents. I am sure you already know. Holly had no idea what was going to happen. She feels like the worst person in the world. Damian is worse. He didn’t reject Holly but didn’t accept her either. Everyone assumed it would have been you…” his voice trailed off. We sat in uncomfortable silence for a while.

“Take me to my parents,” I said finally. Trevor just looked at me and nodded. He was always like a brother to me, and I let him put his arms around me and comfort me. We walked in silence, and I kept my head down. I could feel everyone staring and I couldn’t look into their eyes that I was sure were full of pity. The girl whose boyfriend was mated to her best friend and lost her parents. I was going to be the pack’s member that everyone felt sorry for.

It hit me right then that I wasn’t going to be able to take the beta position. How could I work under Damian and Holly and watch their love story grow? I was not that strong. I guessed Trevor was going to get a promotion. Finally, we made it to where they were preparing for the funerals. Pack life was different. Here at the Red Moon pack, we didn’t have funerals in these situations. If someone died of natural causes, then yes, but warriors that died on the battlefield got the honor funeral. Everyone gathered around. The alpha would say a few words, and then the dead would be set on fire—their ashes fertilizing the ground in belief that we gave back to the Moon Goddess by keeping her creations alive. Circle of life. Trevor was sent to come get me for the ceremony, I realized in that moment, as we approached the whole pack. He guided me over to where my parents were.

“Nina,” I heard softly. I turned and saw Holly with a tear-stained face and Damian looking at me from behind her. Next to him were his parents, the alpha and luna, with sorrowful expressions on their faces. I couldn’t do this now, so I turned around and walked away to my parents. We lost twenty-seven warriors altogether. I grabbed my parents’ wedding rings and my mom’s necklace that she had on. I had given it to her for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was a simple, single princess emerald on a white-gold chain. I put their rings on the necklace, and I had Trevor put the necklace on me.

I heard the alpha speak, but honestly I was done being here. Zoning out, I couldn’t help but think, what will I do now? Do I stay in the same house? Where do I work? I knew mom and dad had saved up, so I was not hurting for money, but I couldn’t rely on it. I was planning on going to college anyway, so maybe I would go to one outside of this state. I couldn’t stay here was all I knew. Finally, they started to bring fire to the bodies, and I watched my parents become ash. Well, I knew one thing for sure now. My mate was not in this pack. I would have smelled him today. I didn’t know if I should be happy about that or not. Happy I was not going to be stuck here looking at Damian and Holly for the rest of my life, but sad I would have to leave into the unknown to find him.

Trevor started guiding me back home since I didn’t want to go to the meal afterward. I couldn’t eat. Walking through the front door, I found the couch and laid down. I heard a door shut and glass moving, and I realized Trevor was cleaning up my mess. Working on autopilot, I stood up to help him.

“Nina, don’t. I can handle it. You need to eat and relax.”

Looking down, I whispered, “I can’t sit still, I need to keep moving.”

“Okay, well, why don’t you make us some lunch since we missed the meal,” he suggested.

I nodded and went to work. I wasn’t really thinking, and I just made everything. I started by boiling the noodles and cutting the chicken and adding it to the pan. While that was cooking, I made the dough for chocolate chip cookies and had them in the oven by the time the noodles were done. My chicken was cooked, and I added the alfredo sauce and added the noodles. It was my staple meal and apparently everyone would say how amazing it tasted. It was another comfort food for me.

“Nina, we need to talk.” I heard a high, squeaky voice from the door.

Straightening my back, I prepared myself. I was not ready for this but here we go. Time to be the daughter my parents raised. And since Raven had been absent from my mind all morning, I was on my own. She stayed up all night to make sure we were protected, so she needed to sleep today.

Turning to look at Holly, I could tell she had been crying. Her cheeks, nose, and eyes were swollen and red. She was wearing leggings and a t-shirt, and her hair was in a ponytail. Standing behind her was Damian. His eyes reflected the pain and turmoil he was in. He wore black gym shorts and a white wifebeater, looking sexy as ever. Trevor had his head showing from the doorway with a nervous look about him, like... was she going to go all crazy? I had to smile internally because that is exactly what I would do. I was a born fighter, trained and at the top of my class. I wouldn’t be able to kill Damian or Holly, but I could get a few hits in before I was pulled off. And they knew it. They were standing tense and waiting to see what I would do, glancing nervously between them both.

Sighing, I said, “Nothing to talk about. You guys are mates. You will not reject each other. Damian, our fairytale of love has come to an end. Holly, our friendship is done, and I will be leaving here soon once I get everything in order. I can’t stay here and watch you two in a mate bond being in love and running the pack as alpha and luna, even if I am not made beta. Being beta would be worse, having to work closely with you guys and seeing it every day. Trevor can be beta. Zach can be gamma. I won’t be the pathetic ex-girlfriend you can’t get away from. I have more pride than that. I might eventually feel different about things, but right now I need to not see you guys ever again.”

I finished my speech and Holly had a shocked and hurt expression on her face. She bursted into tears and ran outside through the front door. Damian looked back at her and turned to look at me, opening his mouth to say something, but I stopped him before he did.

“Just leave.”

I felt a mind-link from Damian. I allowed it through. “I am so sorry, I will forever love you, please forgive me.”

I shut it off and didn’t reply. Looking out the window, I saw him bring Holly into a hug. He tilted his head and saw me watching through the window, and got a pained look in his eyes. All I could do was turn away before I headed to bed and cried myself to sleep, leaving Trevor to clean the kitchen.

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