A Wolf's Tear

eighteen - clarity

With Nathaniel, his kind and understanding glance made everything easier and understandable. She managed to convince herself that Nathaniel was enough and that his mere presence was enough to quell the emptiness in her and to forget her past.

‘Nate,’ She whispered as she looked at him across the room. He was standing on the balcony, gazing up at the Moon, a look of contemplation plaguing the ocean of his eyes.

His reserved gray eyes looked somber as he looked at her with a trained and tight smile.

‘What is it?’ He walks to her. He was still very well naked after making love. But instead of cuddling or staying to be in her side, he resumed working like he always does.

Though there was probably another reason as to why he preferred to look away from her every time they made love but she was much of a coward to face the truth that maybe Nathaniel thought she wasn’t enough.

‘I love you, Nathaniel.’ She offered him a smile after the half-truth words slipped from her tongue.

He nods and kisses her forehead.

‘Okay.’ He simply murmurs. ‘Good night, Kayla.’

By now, she was used to feeling this way. How his hollow response always made her quiver.

Though his brief answers made her worry, she looked back at one memory and all of her insecurities somehow faded momentarily. The moment when Nathaniel had vowed to never leave her side.

It was the same day when her brother’s mate had returned. Katie had spent all day under the maple tree, still mourning her brother’s death even though Lukas has been buried for more than a week.

She decided to go home when the sky had turned into a musky tone of gray, a burgeoning storm bringing with it a brigade of thunderous clouds. In the packhouse, her heartbeat skyrocketed as the sight of Alpha Nathaniel comforting his brother caught her attention.

Nathaniel was embracing Jacob, holding him tightly as his younger brother sobbed and cried against his chest.

Over the years of watching the Alpha, she had begun to consider him like an older brother. Always so caring to the point of impatience when she would not answer him. Though she understood where his concern was from. Her parents had died years ago during an attack and both Alpha Jacob and Nathaniel vowed to repay their actions by looking after Katie and Lukas.

With Nathaniel, she knew she was safe and valued. If her brother felt the same way with his mate, would he still be alive?

She gulped, walking towards the two brothers. The first one to spot her was Nathaniel. His gaze was overflowing with pity. The look in his eyes made her shrink.

“Why did it have to be him, Nate?” Jacob murmured softly. “I don’t want to be alone.”

His gray eyes darken with unspoken sadness as he ran his hand up and down Jacob’s back, trying his best to comfort him.

“I’m always here for you Jacob, you know that. How could I ever leave you?” He asked.

“You always say that Nate but at the end of the day, I end up alone.”

He grimaced. “I won’t let that happen. You are my brother and I will always love you.”

Katie was engulfed in an overwhelming emotion of jealousy. She was jealous because no one was left to treat her that way. To handle her delicately the way Nathaniel kisses his brother’s forehead with love and to have someone look at her with admiration and love.