I Moved On, Why Don't You

Starting Over

Joel's pov

I'm about to start a new journey and I couldn't be more excited . . . just kidding, the truth is I'm terrified. I know I agreed to mate with Devlin, but I didn't really think about what would happen next. Now spending the last day with my pack, doubts have begun to creep in. Will his pack accept me? Will I be able to move on from everything I've been through to be a true mate to him . . . will I even be able to let him touch me without thinking about what Jason or Kyle did to me? And what about mom? I know she has Dr Williams now, but we've never been apart from the minute I was born . . . and Joey, I know he did a lot of messed up things to me, but that doesn't change the fact that he's my other half and it's going to be like leaving a part of my soul behind when I go. Maybe I should . . .

"You're not ready are you?"

I turn from where I sat watching the stars through our living room window to smile up at the person standing behind me.

"Mom, what are you still doing up?" 

Mom returned my smile with a sad one of her own,  pulling up a seat to sit beside me and taking my hands in hers.

"Probably the same as you, every time I close my eyes, I see you leaving and I can't sleep."

"Mom, I___________."

"But I want you to go."

"I don't___________."

Mom released one of my hands, pressing her fingers to my lips.

"Hear me out, Joel. I know that you Joey and I, well we've been like the three musketeers since you guys were five and I never thought the day would come so soon that I'd see the two of you with pups of your own, let alone mated and starting lives where you have someone else to protect you. As much as I want to snatch you away from your mate . . . Devlin and tell him that he can't take my baby away from me, I know that I can't be selfish. I want you to let your mate help you recover and heal and we both know that'll never happen if you stay here."

"Mom, I'm sorry . . . about dad."

"Oh, honey___________."

"That's why you stopped talking to me, right? Why you shut me out?"

"I . . . I didn't . . . I was trying to come to terms with everything, I didn't mean to push you away . . . the truth is I blame myself that it was even allowed to get that far, I should have reported him the first time he hit me, but I was so in love with him that I didn't want to do anything to make him leave me . . . I'm a terrible mother."

"Please don't ever say that again. Mom, you raised Joey and me by yourself after our sire ran off. Other pups would have been abandoned by their mothers in that situation. You're the best mom I could have asked for and . . . and I'm going to miss you."

Mom nodded, pulling me into a hug.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"I know you're angry at him, but I want you to watch out for Joey."

"I don't know if I can do that."

"He's your son and my brother no matter what he did and . . . I think Kyle is going to hurt him."

She didn't say anything and I had a sinking feeling that my family had already been shattered and when I left the two people I loved the most in this world would end up becoming little more than strangers.

Joey's pov

"I bet you thought that was funny, didn't you? Announcing to the whole pack that my mate was a slut."

I wiped the blood from my split lip away with trembling fingers as I cringed away from Kyle's cruel words and heavy fists. He hadn't touched me after he'd made the threat at the mating ceremony and even drove me to the hospital to pick up our pup. I realize now it was a trick to get me to let our guard down. Taking a breath, I forced myself to show courage I really didn't feel.

"E-Everyone deserved to know the truth . . . Joel . . . Joel didn't do anything and he shouldn't have to suffer anymore."

"But that's not why you did it, is it? You did it to make me look bad."

I clutched our daughter tighter, wishing I had another set of hands to protect her from her sire's anger.

"I-It's not all about you Kyle."

Kyle's eyes glowed angrily as he stared down at me and I took another cautious step back.

"Isn't it? The former Alpha has stepped down and will be escorted to the Silver Moon Pack tomorrow and after that, I will be in control. Everyone will have to do what I say and my word will be law, so tell me, why isn't it all about me?"

I stood stunned by his words for several seconds, before shaking my head in terrible comprehension.

"You're going to run this pack into the ground and take us all down with you."

Instead of being angry like I expected, Kyle let out an amused chuckle.

"If anyone was out to destroy this pack, it would be you my pathetic slut of a mate. You're the reason that everything happened the way it did."

"What do_______?"

I cut myself off, hearing crying from somewhere in the house. I was so focused on what I was hearing that I was caught off guard by a blow to my temple.

"Pay attention to me!"

"S-Stop it."

"What?"

"Stop it! Stop hitting me, I'm holding our pup!"

"Is it our pup, Joel? You've been with so many wolves in this pack, maybe I should kill the little mongrel and save myself the worry."

"You're not touching my baby! I'll kill you first!"

"Oh no, I'm so scared."

Striking out, Kyle knocked one of my legs out from under me, causing me to stumble, but I managed to stay on my feet. But of course it wasn't over, to my horror before I was steady, he grabbed my neck and started squeezing with all of his strength.

"You stole him from me . . . you stole my pups from me and you think I care about that mongrel in your arms? I want both of you dead."

I could feel my head getting cloudy and my vision growing dark and I did the only thing I could think of, I brought my knee up and slammed it into his groin as hard as I could. As soon as he let go of my neck, I ran past him and up the stairs, looking for a place to hide, before slipping into a linen closet

"Come out here now, Joey!"

I shivered as I bundled myself deeper into the sheets and blankets surrounding me, praying to the Moon Goddess that he wouldn't find me. I could hear him walking up and down the hall and I knew it was only a matter of time before he found us.

"Don't make things harder on yourself, come out and I'll forgive you."

I pressed myself further back against the wall, holding my baby to my trembling chest, when the door suddenly flew open and he dragged me out.

"I really am going to kill you."

Kyle stalked over to the balcony, and lifted me over the railing with one hand. I clawed at his hand, but he didn't loosen his grip and the more I fought him, the further I've he forced me over.

"Give me one good reason to let you live."

"A heir . . . if you kill us, you won't have an heir!"

A cold smirk crossed his lips and he suddenly let me go. I let out a scream as I tumbled over the railing and towards the floor below, knowing that even if I lived, my baby wouldn't survive the fall.