I haven't had time to look through the whole thing so please pardon my mistakes. Let me know what you think! xx
4 years ago
"Truth," I chose.
"What do you think you will do if in the future Adri found his mate and you haven't?" Dar asked, slowly, as if I have never thought about it.
"What do you mean what will I do? Of course I will be happy for him." I gave Adri a smile, in which he returned.
"But... won't you get jealous?" Dar asked.
"Jealous, why?" I laughed. "He's my best friend."
Chase cut in to offer his opinion, "what Dar means is that you guys seem closer than how best friends are supposed to be."
"For example, you guys share the same bed." Dar pointed out.
"Heck, Adri calls you his 'Bella' all the time as if you guys are boyfriend and girlfriend." Chase joined in.
"And not to mention, you guys are each others' first kiss." Dar continued.
"Woah woah, slow down." Adri said, "first of all, the reason why we are each others' first kiss is really because of you, wasn't it? We didn't do it on our own. Because we have always and will always treat each other as best friends. And, in response to Chase, I call her 'my Bella' only to tease her but it just kind of stuck with me. It holds no other meaning. You guys know I'm only teasing her." He reached out to ruffle my hair but I was able to dodge him.
"Actually," I started, "they have a point Adri. Though it's not that much about me, but about your mate. If we continue to act like this, your mate might misunderstand. After all, we do hang around each other a lot."
"Well then, she will have to learn to be okay with it. No one, not even her, is going to replace you." He shrugged.
"That's what you say now, Adri." Darlene didn't back down.
"We are just concerned about you guys." Chase added.
"Not to worry, everything's fine right, my Bella?" Adri continued to not get the point.
Dar was visibly annoyed from the way she rolled her eyes. Chase looked as if he already knew Adri would react this way. While I was stuck between feeling reassured and worried. It was nice to know that he would never neglect me even when he finds his mate but I could also understand Dar's point of view.
Besides, Adrian was seriously hanging around me way too much. Even the humans in school all thought we were together. Maybe it was time I learnt to be independent and stopped relying on him so much.
//
Present
Still feeling tired from the fit I had yesterday, I forced myself to sit up on my bed. I had been here for way too long. I was a werewolf, I needed social interaction and the nature. Cooping myself up was not going to make me feel more energised.
There was a party again tonight, celebrating a newborn baby called Gabriel. I haven't had to chance to see him yet but I was beyond excited. I loved children.
With that as motivation, I made myself shower and change into a nice floral dress before going down to meet the pack. I still had yet to come to a conclusion what to do with Adri. I avoided thinking about him as much as possible. It was too tiring and energy-draining. I decided it was best to let things flow in its course.
However, I knew deep down I was going to forgive him. I was going to accept him. It was just a matter of time. We were meant to be together. We were made to be together.
If only I could turn back in time and tell him straight to his face that I was his mate, even under those circumstances. Maybe, just maybe, things wouldn't have been so complicated.
Oh who was I kidding?
My ears instantly perked up at the sound of baby cries. Rushing down, I was greeted by Dar trying to console the baby in her arms. Not giving much thought to it, I went ahead to carry the newborn baby into my arms.
"Here let me help you with it," I told her briefly before focusing on Gabriel.
He was a small little guy, smaller than most werewolves, that was probably due to the fact that his mother was a human. Nonetheless, I could tell he was a strong fighter.
Cooing at him, I supported his little head gently and started to rock him at a slow pace. I was delighted to see him smile back at me.
"Aren't you the most adorable darling?" I cooed at him, smiling gently.
It felt good to smile again. My hair fell from my shoulders, covering my face and little Gabriel, almost like a protective shield, shielding us from the big bad world.
It was only when his fingers accidentally brushed my face while he swiped my hair away did I notice his presence. My body stiffened, suddenly not sure what to do.
The first thought that came into my mind was: ignore him. And that was just what I did.
Looking up, I passed little Gabriel back to his mum and smiled, "he is so cute."
"Hopefully, he won't grow up to be a heart breaker like his dad." She laughed and I joined in her laughter.
Heart breaker... like the man standing beside me... I thought bitterly. It was then that I was reminded of the promise I made to myself to speak to Dar about Daryl.
I excused myself, continuing to ignore my mate, and followed her scent to find her at the kitchen.
Dar was wearing a tight fitting dark blue dress which emphasised her curves well. However, she had a annoyed look on her face.
"Hey, what's got you in the blues?" I managed a smile as I walked towards her.
She rolled her eyes the way she always did whenever she was annoyed but remained quiet.
Before I could forget, I quickly asked her about Daryl. "Hey Dar, I was meaning to ask you about Daryl. Are you guys... close?"
immediately, her eyes lit up. "I guess we are, what do you think about him?"
"That's the thing Dar, I don't think he looks as innocent as he seems. I think you should be careful about him."
"Why? He's really nice to me. I think I like him. And listen listen! Daryl and Darlene - it has a nice ring to it doesn't it?" Excitement was evident in her voice.
But it was as if ice coursed through my veins. What was she thinking? Didn't she know just how much Chase loved her?
"What... what about Chase? He loves you, Dar. For goodness sake, he's your mate!" My voice raising slightly.
"Daryl has nothing to do with Chase." She looked away from my face.
"It has EVERYTHING to do with him!" I told her firmly. I couldn't control my temper when it came to this matter. Dar and Chase were both my best friends. I wanted to them to be happy together, because they were meant to be together.
"Just a few days ago, Daryl came up to me and told me he liked me and tried to force himself on me." The words came flying out of my lips. "If it wasn't for Adri -"
"ENOUGH!" She screamed, cutting me off halfway. That silenced me.
"I get it now." Her voice went from annoyed to calm in a span of a second. It sent a shiver down my spine. "I get it now. You like him, don't you?"
"What?" I asked in pure disbelief. "Of course not!"
She wasn't listening. "You like him, that's why you don't want me to like him. You're scared that he is going to like me and not you. That's why you're don't want me to like him. You're probably making things up. What's so good about you anyway? What would he ever see in you? You're just a spoiled bitch who wants everyone to love you. You act all nice and pretty and everyone comes running after you. Adri, Chase and now even Daryl. You already have everything! What more do you want? Can't you just leave something for you? Why do you always have to snatch the things I have from me? Can't you just be satisfied with your own?"
I felt as if my heart had stopped. Am I... like that?
"That's enough," Adri's alpha voice reverberated from the four walls of the kitchen.
Both Dar and I dropped out heads in submission.
Chase was here too, my heart clenched in pain for him at the realisation that he probably heard what Dar had said.
Silently, without a word, he led Dar away from the scene. I just hoped Dar won't take it out on him.
It was silent in the kitchen. Tears threatened to fall but I kept them in. Rubbing my temples, I gave a huge sigh.
"Belle," Adri started, clearing his throat to cut the silence. "I just wanted you to know that whatever Dar said was not true. You are nothing like that. If it was anyone, it's her."
"You were eavesdropping on me!" My head snapped up.
"I was just worried," he tried to explain.
"And who are you to judge! Dar is nothing like that. She is just feeling overwhelmed," I said. "That's all"
"Who am I?" His eyes narrowed and I could see it turning lighter. That was the sign that showed him fighting control with his wolf.
I should have known better than to ask that question. It was playing with fire. It was doubting his authority.
"I... am your Alpha, your mate and you best friend."
Growling in annoyance, I decided it was best for me to leave him alone. Tipping my head down, I turned on my back and walked away. I was tired of facing him.
"Belle wait," He called out, his arm shot around mine and in a split second, I was pulled into his arms.
His arms were tight around me and his face at the crook of my neck. "I'm sorry, you know I love you. I was just angry that someone could say such horrible and untrue things about you."
I was stuck frozen in surprise. However, the warmth and buzz from the contact I made with him hit me straight to the core. It was easy for me to give in but part of me hated how easy it was for me to forgive him. The ironic feelings of resentment and reassurance was painful for me. A tear rolled down my cheek.
"I hate you," I whispered and sniffed.
Realising that I had teared, Adrian quickly untangled his arms around me to look into my eyes. Softly and gently, he wiped the lone tear away.
Frowning, he said, "Please don't cry, you have no idea how much it pains me to see you cry. Tell me what you need me to do to take away all your sadness."
I just stared blankly into his eyes. It was so easy to see the raw emotions of love and care he had for me. What took me so long to realise? Or maybe it was him who only just realised.
"If you need me to stay away from you, I'd do it. Even if it kills me." He whispered, as if not believing that he had actually said it.
"No!" I blurted out before i could stop myself.
His eyes twinkled with disbelief and happiness once he registered what I said.
I felt myself flush red and hot from my obvious attachment and attraction to him. Groaning in frustration and embarrassment, I hid my face against his chest and he instinctively wrapped his arms around me, making me feel warm and protected.
"I really want to hate you but I just can't! Why do you have to be my best friend! Why do you have to know me so well? Why do you keep making me want to leave you yet stay in your arms like this forever? Why is everything so hard with you? Why do you have to be my Alpha? Why do you have to be Adrian? And why do I have to love you so much?" Everything inside me burst from within me as I started hitting him on his chest in frustration, until the last question my wolf had been entirely won over again. Another tear rolled down my cheek, this time in resignation.
"Why?" The transparency of that one word revealed all my vulnerabilities and insecurities.
There was silence as we stood there in each others' arms.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, pain evident in his voice. "I never wanted to hurt you. It hurts me to see you hurt, even more that I was the one who caused it."
There was a pause before he continued, "Please give me another chance. Let me make things right between us, because let's face it, we need each other."
He released me from his arms and held my face in his hands. "What do you say?"
When he had me right next to him like that, everything else disappeared - the past and the future. Only the present mattered. Only he mattered. Only us mattered.
When he said it as if all that mattered was that we were together, I could only see his eyes which held so much love for me. Everything that happened before - all the tears, the hurt, the pain, the sadness, the resignation, the exhaustion, the anger - everything fell away.
All that mattered was here and now. Everything blurred to the background and my heart blossomed into love and happiness.
It felt stupid and senseless but I couldn't care less at that moment. At the moment, everything seemed perfect.
We were perfect. Together.
Until all hell broke loose.
The ringtone of my phone broke the silence between us. I hadn't even had to chance to answer his question.
Sighing, I wondered who would call me at this time. The only people who would call me are those not in my pack since they could easily connect to me through the pack link. Releasing my arms from around my mate (which I did not even remember putting them there), I picked up my phone to see who was calling.
Daryl.
"Ignore him," Adri growled in possessiveness, his arms even tighter around me than before. Shivers went down my spine as I busked in his care for me, even though I knew full well that it wasn't healthy.
Deciding that no words I said would be able to persuade him to let me answer the call, I stood on my tippy toes to press my lips against his for a short peck. Before he had time to react, I quickly answered the call.
Scowling when he realised what happened, he decided to punish me by nuzzling my neck - the most exposed and vulnerable area for us unmarked werewolves. Sizzles of electricity shot through my body and rested in my lower abdomen. It was hard to focus on what Daryl was saying.
"Hello, my sweet sweet Belle," Daryl greeted, to which Adri grazed my skin in response, causing the nerves under my skin to explode. It was evident that his hearing was still as sharp as ever.
"What do you want Daryl?" I sighed, trying my best to fight the hormones attacking me. My wolf already had plans of taking my mate right where we were since he arrived. I was glad I was in such a sullen mood or I might just have considered that idea.
"That's a very good question, sweetie." Goosebumps were sticking out of my body just hearing his overly sugar-coated words. All I wanted to do was to hang up, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.
"You see, there's a lot I want. I'm a tough man to satisfy. For one, I want you."
I quickly covered Adri's mouth before he could say anything. I had to finish hearing what he was saying.
"And then, I also want your pack."
What? My eyes widened in shock. Did I hear him correctly? Adri's eyes were beginning to turn gold.
Something's wrong. Let's hear what he else he has to say, don't do anything rash now. I warned Adrian though my mind link.
"What - what do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaky.
"Oh you don't know what I mean?" He chuckled, "let me clarify for you. But before that, I have something for you, no pardon me, I have something you might want to listen to. Here you go."
"Belle, don't listen to what he's saying! Ignore him! I'm sor-" It was Dar.
"DAR!" I screamed.
I was so caught up with it, it took me a second to realise Adri was walking away, no doubt to see that bastard.
Fortunately, I grabbed hold of his arm to stop him before he could do anything rash. I pled with him with my eyes to stay. His jaws were protruding, I knew he was doing his best to keep his wolf under control. Pulling him into my arms, I was able to calm both of our wolves down, if only for that moment.
"What do you want?" I repeated myself, doing my best to keep my voice down.
"I've already told you what I want. But let me tell you what you might want to do instead." He laughed maliciously.
"You, little Belle, is going to do what I'm about to tell you to. First, you're going to keep all this to yourself by keeping you small little mouth shut. Next, you're going to find that little mate of yours and get him alone. And then you are going to kill him. Yes, you heard me, kill him."
My blood ran cold. I felt as if my heart had stopped.
"Finally, you're going to give yourself to me. That means you AND your pack are going to be mine. Simple."
Adri's whole body is shaking in anger.
"What makes you think I'm going to do what you say?" I asked, not believing what he was saying. I knew he was up to no good the very first time I met him, but never in my mind did I expect something like this.
"Easy, because you want your friend AND your parents to be alive, don't you?" He asked, humour laced in his words. "Or would you rather choose your mate over them? In that case, I'll just have to go and kill your mate yourself, don't I? I just don't want to make you sad, you see. If you do what I say, you'll lose 3 less people you love. Oh what am I saying, you don't even love him do you? You can't fool me, I'm actually giving you a way out, aren't I kind?"
He laughed again. "Anyway, do it fast or I just may have to lay my hands on your beloved best friend. It's so easy to trick her, she's basically throwing herself at me. Maybe I can play with her for a bit before taking her, what do you say? Don't worry, even then you are still first in my heart. When you're mine, I'm going to -"
"Alright, I'll do it," the words came out of my mouth before I could stop it. Any more of his disgusting words are going to make me vomit.
"Good girl, you have until midnight. And don't you dare try to play any funny tricks, I have eyes watching you. In less than three hours, you're going to be mine, don't forget that."
And the call ended.