Oh, So Now You Want Me?

Chapter Three

Ray snorted, "Yeah, you said everything was going to be fine and look how it turned out Rainie. That ass treated you like trash." His body was beginning to shake, but the soothing touch from Emma calmed him down in seconds.

"He's right Rainie. You'll never be able to forget what happened today." Emma said before giving me a small smile. Jeez, sometimes I think those two have morphed into one person since finding each other. "Things aren't going to get any easier for you, but there are people everywhere who have their mates deny them for a little while. I know you're going through a tough time, but-"

"Do you?!" I tried not to yell, but I couldn't help it. Her 'tough time' crap was annoying. She didn't know how I felt, she had her mate. A mate who loved her and at this very minute stood next to her with his hands on her shoulders. "I think I missed the part where your mate rejected you. Oh, maybe that has something to do with the fact he didn't!"

Nicky took a step towards me. "Come on Rainie, she's only trying to help. None of us know what you're going through babe, but what Em's trying to say is that we're all here for you." Taking another step towards me, I noticed he was wary about getting closer. I would be too, I knew by now my eyes would be as black as coal.

My breathing was ragged and as I spoke it came out as nothing but an angry hiss. "And what's that gonna do Nicky? Is that going to make my mate want me? Is that going to take away the pain and shame of being rejected by the one person who is designed for you and you alone? No it's not, is it? So just back the hell off and stop trying to 'be there' for me. Just leave me alone, all of you!

Even once I'd finished speaking I couldn't believe I had said those words to my friends. I could feel the heat in my cheeks as my body starts to shake with anger. It wasn't even anger directed at Emma for what she said it was directed at him for being such a jerk.

My wolf was close to taking over and I knew if I didn't get out of there she would have. Pushing past Bella, who had stood silently with her mouth slightly ajar, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. My destination? The woods.

Feeling every bone morph into my wolf's form was exhilarating. As my limbs changed and my hands became paws, I couldn't help but smile. My ears pricked at the slightest sound and my vision instantly became even better than it usually is. My ash grey fur began to spout and cover my entire body. By the time I had reached the clearing in the forest, I had fully shifted. My wolf wanted to run and run until our paws ached and I had no objection.

Ever since I became a wolf the one thing I have enjoyed the most is the ability to run and keep going wherever I wanted, to be alone and be able to shift into my true self. Running always helped. I don't know why because I knew the problems would still be there when I went back, but for those hours I was alone with my wolf those said problems didn't exist.

I ran until I found the cabin. Even the sight of the large weeping willow that stood by the pond brought a wave of happiness to me. It was a place we all used to hang out when we were kids. The place where we all met up once we had shifted for the first time. The place where we used to have sleepovers and tell ghost stories. It was our home away from home and right now it was everything I needed.

Walking up to the dark wooden cabin, the scent of wild flowers hit my nose. It brought with it a familiarity that I had loved and missed. Giving one last look around to be sure I was alone, I shifted back into human form and unlocked the door. Even the echoing creek of the door hinges caused a smile to creep onto my lips.

To my relief there was still a pile of logs by the fire place so I wouldn't have to get them myself. That was something Ray always did. He and Nicky would fight their way through the overgrowth, axes mounted on their shoulders, looking for the thickest logs to cut. It made us laugh how they would always come back with the thinnest, most useless ones. The fire normally lasted half an hour before they would have to go out and get more.