Ever Lasting

XXII

Chapter XXII

Atlas and I spent the day around the house until Artemis gave us the okay to come see her. It was midafternoon so most of the pack was out and about. I received many hellos and glares as I traveled with my hand in my mates.

The glares were all from women, as you could guess. I did not let it bother me, though. They don't know me and I did not need their approval to be Atlas' mate.

Atlas allowed me into his sister's room first, and I slowly walked inside. It looked exactly like it did yesterday besides her messy bed. She was sitting in a chair in the corner with her phone in her hands.

"Artemis," I softly spoke, sitting on her bed. Atlas copied me but kept quiet.

"I'm fine." She spoke in a bored tone.

My fingers fidgeted together on my lap. I knew she was not fine. "You know you can talk to us,"

"Goddess!" She slammed her phone onto the arm of the chair. "Yes, Everly! I know! But why can anyone not get through their skull that I am fine! I am not some fragile doll! Nothing happened!" She yelled.

Atlas bit back a growl at her for yelling at me, but we all heard it.

She scoffed at him and pulled her arms to her stomach.

"Something happened, and you need all the support that you are willing to have. You have ours. Do not push us away because you are hurting." Atlas said, trying to get through to her.

She laughed at him. Not her normal, airy laugh. It was dry and full of anything but humor. "Right, Atlas. I should take advice from you. This would be a good time for Helix to whisk you away for a while. I might actually get some peace from you and your mindlinks."

That was cold.

Atlas' face showed a bit of hurt, but he flashed it away to a neutral expression, averting his eyes somewhere else.

Celeste was upset that someone had offended her mate, but I pushed her back from making the situation worse. "Just come over if you want to talk, Artemis." I say, standing.

"Oh, I will put it at the top of the list. Talk to the Beta's daughter. That has everything so easy." She shot at me, but I knew better than to buy it. She was trying to push us away, so she did not have to deal with the events of last night.

Atlas did not even try to hide this growl from his throat, but I quickly tugged him out of the room before he added to her pain.

"I can't fucking believe her. She was fine with us coming over when I asked." Atlas gritted out as we went down the stairs.

Hitting the last step, I turned to him. "She is hurt, Atlas. I really think there is something else going on with her. I'm going to go find Ellie and talk to her."

"Okay, I am going to go see if Declan needs help with his reports." He kissed my forehead. "Stay with Ellie, she is an official member, so it shouldn't be a problem for you two to walk around."

"When did that happen?" I questioned, looking up at him.

He pushed my hair over my shoulder, revealing my neck. His eyes stayed there for a moment and then answered. "A couple of days ago. The process of becoming a member is quick once the paperwork is done."

Feeling flushed at his gaze, I leaned up, giving him a quick peck. "I'll see you later?"

He blinked at me and just nodded his head.

Grinning at him, I ascended up the stairs to the Beta's suite of the house.

Ellie was coming towards me when I hit their hall. "Hey, Ev." She smiled.