Darkness Sheds into Light {Watty 2012}

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Marc knew the moment he laid eyes on Ariana he lost her again for good. It was a bittersweet feeling, something he expected to happen but still hurt nonetheless. In the mix of emotions he was happy to see she and Jax was back home safe. He had made plans with Andrew to go back to the warehouse and retrace their steps in another hour if they hadn’t shown up by then.

Marc saw how comfortable she was with Jax now, she probably remembered some more of their past and let him back into her heart. That was a feat because this Ariana kept everyone at a distance. He also noticed she was on edge as she went and spoke to Kid, showing him some file she found in the warehouse.

“Project I?” Kid asked with a frown over his young features, he was trying to be brave but he was scared and that worried Marc as he focused on the conversation. “These files are recent. We thought Project I failed and they moved on to you; project II.”

Ariana shook her head. “We were wrong, they still have project I whoever that is. This is a risk we have to factor in because we don’t know how strong this thing they created is and how under their thumb they are.”

Kid nodded. “I can try and see what I find in their databases. I know to be careful.” He quickly added before she could say the words.

Jax motioned for Christina to follow him as he slipped away from the kitchen where everyone was catching up. He was hesitant as he stepped into his room and waited for her to take a seat. He didn’t want to hurt her but he knew this had to be done. He needed to be fair to both Ariana and Christina and this was the only way by being honest.

“What is it?” she asked, seated on the bed while he stood back near the door. “You have that serious pensive look.” Her smile was nervous and a bit sad as she looked at him. “You’re still in love with her.” All traces of her smile melted away.

It wasn’t a question but he nodded anyway. “I’ve never been able to stop.” That was the honest to god’s truth, he was pretty sure he fell in love with Ariana that first day their parents introduced them and every day since it hadn’t changed.

“I know that and I knew that when we got together and I just never thought she’d come back and I’ve been terrified since that I’d lose you. This is it huh?” her sad voice took on a sarcastic edge as the truth settled in the air.

“I’m sorry, I never wanted to hurt you.” He didn’t know how to put that across properly. He saw the hurt in her eyes and he was the jerk that put it there.

“I was just a replacement until your true love came back but she’s not your true mate. I’ve never heard of a true mate bond being denied before but you and she seem to have it figured out like Mr. Know it all.” She spat each word.

“I don’t know how mates are chosen but I know how I chose her and how she chose me. I wanted to be fair to you and I tried to push you away for so long because I knew I could never stop loving Ariana but you wiggled into my heart and I do love you but we don’t belong together.” He and Christina had only been dating the last four months and had been friends since she arrived at the cabin two years ago.  He managed to deny their bond for a year and a half because everything he felt for Ariana burned just as strong. He didn’t know what fate picked true mates but they got it wrong with him and Ariana, they belonged together and with no one else.

Christina’s jaw was set tight as she tried to fight back the emotions straining against her eyes. “I want to hate you but I’m the idiot here. I knew how you felt about her and I stupidly thought what we had could survive.” She was quick to wipe the tears that fell free. “But you know what? You’re going to regret this. There’s a reason so much as happened to keep you apart. You’re fooling yourself in thinking you belong together when the damn universe is trying to tell you different and when you figure that out I’m going to be long gone.” She stood from the bed. “I’m going to my parents to stay with them.”

“Chris---”

“Just shut up! You said it all already so just get out and leave me alone!”

There was nothing he could do as she stood there and cried because of him. He wished there was something he could to fix it, to take away her tears but at the same time he wasn’t willing to give up Ariana even if it meant breaking a few hearts.  With a defeated sigh he turned around and left the room.

Ariana was pacing inside Marc’s office when he stepped inside. She had been waiting several minutes to catch him alone. “We need to talk.” She announced, her feet continuing to eat up the carpet.

“No we don’t.” he leaned back against the desk. “I already told you and Jax that if you decided to get back together I’d step back and that’s what I’m going to do.”

She stopped and stared at the alpha like he was insane. She didn’t believe people like him existed, he was selfless and it was killing her that while he was so good every fiber of her being called for Jax. She wished she could’ve been fair to Marc, he was beautiful inside and out and deserved a proper mate. “I wish you’d get angry or something. I could deal with that better.”

“I know you don’t remember but I’ve always just wanted you and Jax to be happy. I’ll admit I wished you and I could’ve had a real chance but I’m not surprised either. I’ve been in the front row for a lot of your relationship together and I’ve seen the way you love each other. I hate myself for getting in the middle of it because I’m too weak to say no to you and I always will be.” His smile was lopsided as he tried to deflect from all the raw feelings lining his eyes.

Ariana shook her head, her heart tightened in protest of his words. “You can’t linger in the background waiting for any affection I can’t give. You need to get out there and find her.”

“Her?”

“The real mate you deserve. She’s out there and she’s waiting and let me tell you she will count her lucky stars for landing you because you’re amazing, sweet, gorgeous, and….so damn selfless it makes me want to cry.” Jax was imbedded in her system but so was Marc in his own special way, she felt him beating in her heart.

Marc moved away from the desk and gripped her shoulders. “You don’t have to feel guilty for letting Jax back in and giving him the chance you both deserve. I’ll always be here for the both of you and while I’ll probably sulk in the background I need you to promise me something.” In the strange turn of events he was trying to comfort her when no one would blame him for being angry.

“What?” her voice grew hoarse with everything he brought to the surface.

“Don’t let your hate for the hunters take away the future waiting for you. Don’t let anything break you and Jax up again because I don’t know how many more times I can give you up.”

She chuckled at the joke wrapped in honest to god truth. “I promise.” She wiped a hand a cross her face to dry her tears. “I’m sorry for any pain I’ve caused. I should’ve never came on to you in my motel room and let things get this far when I knew I could never be what you needed.” The last thing she wanted was to cause him any pain but she also knew life didn’t work that way.

“No, don’t say that. I don’t regret the days we got to spend together because at least I got that chance to have you in my arms.”

She chuckled softly as she avoided looking at him, she didn’t want him to see her crying. “You’re making me wish I could just have the both of you and we run away to some farm where a girl could have two guys to call her own. But,” she sighed heavily and let the small dream fly away. “that wouldn’t be fair because I know deep down you can do better than me. When she comes along don’t scare her off because you’re scared of getting hurt again.  She’s going to be worth it.” Ariana needed to believe the perfect mate was out there waiting for Marc.

“Are you psychic all of a sudden now? Can you tell me exactly who this woman is?” he used the joke to break some of the tension surrounding them.

“I wish I knew. I wish I knew a lot of things starting with where the hell Hal and Bradley are.”

“With everyone on alert it won’t take long for them to slip up.”