Soul Mate

Soul Mate part 6

SOUL MATE

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-Part 6-

Okay, I'm really excited about how popular this story is getting, so I decided to write another chapter tonight. Here goes.

-Recap: She turned around and gasped-

I looked down, and sighed. Not the worst I've had by a long shot, but still pretty bad. The bruises cover most of my torso, making the pale white of my skin seem alien against the violent purples, and blues ranging over my stomach and stretching to reach across my back.

'What happened?" Sherry asked softly, snapping out of it, gently pressing against my ribs, looking for bruising and fractures.

I just looked away, as tears rolled down my face.

Sherry just smiled at me, so kindly it almost broke my heart. I wanted to trust her, and tell her, but the story of my life wasn't for people like her to hear. People who would only worry about me, and take on some of my sadness. I wouldn't do that to her.

I looked down, staying silent.

'It's all right dear, you don't have to tell me' she gently reassured me.

I just nodded. The tears continuing to roll down my cheeks, brought from he pain of the pressure of my ribs. But as always, I never made a sound.

After learning about my ribs- one break, several small fractures, and obviously loads of bruising- she decided to do a full check up, in case I was just downplaying my pain.

'No, really, I'm fi-'.

'No.' She firmly. 'You are not fine, and you're getting a check up.' She spoke firmly, using what I'd come to call her business voice.

By the time I'd managed to escape, we'd been there for at the least, two hours.

I had my rib injuries, followed by my sore arm, my wrist wore a tenser bandage, and I had a slim bandage on the largest cut, close to my temple. I was sore everywhere. Sherry had told me that I would heal fast, another werewolf thing, but my ribs would hurt like crazy for at least a week.

It was just growing dark, when Beth and I stepped outside the cottages little red door. We worked our way up to the pack house, asking all of the questions that had been building up for years. For the first time in a long time, I laughed.

Apparently, Beth's mom had pulled the same stunt as mine, but made it alive, and was now happily married. I did a double take when I heard the news, and Beth giggled at my expression.

She told me that her mother would be at the pack house for dinner, only she called it the big house.

I told her about our escape, and my mother. She told me that she'd heard the news while I was out in my room. Apparently, I had been asleep for over 12 hours. She also told me that my mother's body had been buried in the pack graveyard. It was beautiful there, she told me. Big, so each grave had lots of space, and surrounded by trees and flowers.

A single tear rolled down my check before I pulled myself back together. She would have loved it.

By the time we reached the big house, we could hear laughter and conversation floating from the house.

I was getting more and unsure by the minute. I felt like an intruder, I didn't belong in this world.

Before we went inside, Beth pulled me aside.

'Honey, I know you're scared of the guys, and pretty much everyone else, but I need you to trust me, okay?'

I looked at her, biting my lip. Would Beth ever lie to you? My wolf asked. Well, no... Than what are you waiting for? I took a breath, and nodded.

'Don't be afraid of them.' Had she gone mad, I almost laughed.

I opened my mouth to say so, but she started talking again before I could get a word in edge wise.

'They are good, honest people. Not just the women, all of them. They don't hurt anyone, except people who try to hurt them first. Here, women and men are equals. Here, you get to choose your husband, if you want one at all. No one will force you into anything.' She said in a rush.

My mind was racing. I didn't have to get married? Women and men, equals? I've never heard of it, anywhere.

I sat on the porch bench. I had to choose, and whatever I choose, I want to make my mom proud. She wouldn't have wanted me to be afraid. I don't need to trust them, or be with any man at all, but I won't fear them. I stood up to face Beth, my head held high.

'I'm ready.' I said, smiling.

She smiled back excitedly, and opened the door, gesturing for me to go ahead.

I walked in, and the conversation stopped.

Nick and his father approached me slowly, as if I would run.

Not fearing them anymore, the way they walked made me want to laugh, but I bit my cheek. It really was very good of them to understand.

When they saw I was going to run or back away, they exchanged a confused look.

'Thank you for having me to dinner, Harry.' I said, speaking louder than I usually would have dared.

The room let out a collective breath; I hadn't realized they'd been holding in anticipation of my reaction.

Nick and Harry smiled back.' Our pleasure' Harry said warmly.

I looked around the room, taking in a few of the guys from earlier today, and yesterday.

I looked over another familiar face, and continued. My smile dropped, and I felt my eyes widen.

I looked back, and he met my eyes, smirking. He walked forward, and I felt myself walking back, and hit a wall.

'Hello, Annabelle. It has been awhile.' His eyes scanning my body made me feel sick.

'What do you want, Mark?' I asked warily.

'You.' He said simply, but his anger was evident in his voice.

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face.

'Never' I growled, venom in my words, wishing that they could cut. Mark, one person I wouldn't mind to see bleeding.

He took angry steps towards me, and the rest of the room faded away, I began to hyperventilate. There was nowhere to go, I was trapped.

He raised his hand, and I flinched closing my eyes, waiting for the familiar blow.

That never came.

I looked up to see him and Nick wrestling on the ground.

I pulled my knees to my chest, and started sobbing.

I couldn't do this anymore.

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Okay, what do you think? Wondering who the hell Mark is?

-Paige