Anna:
"This place is so freaking beautiful" Kate drawled at the 'so' to emphasize her point as she walked beside me jumping and hopping all the way.
"You will behave, won't you Kat?" I half-pleaded half-warned her.
Kate and I are on our way to meet Aunt Eva. Mom and Alex's mom stayed back at our place. Alex's not back from office. Aunt Eva came by the yesterday and invited Kate to taste her fried chicken which by the way is one to die for, I can swear on that. Kate and Aunt Eva had an instant chemistry when they met at our wedding and nothing changed in the last two years. They already made a list of things to do together and that's when Kate has been here for less than twenty-four hours.
"I always behave" She looked at me, confused at my accusation.
I rolled my eyes "Just stay close to me" I said as we walked into the house.
Everyone other than Alpha Liam, Uncle Evan, Dan, Ethan and Luc were present. Eric and Ethan's family also gathered at the mansion in the evening.
Sitting next to me, Kate was an unstoppable force. I think the reason the oldest Alpha couple decided to take a walk an hour after we arrived was because they couldn't take Kate's constant chattering anymore. Kate doesn't really pay attention to who wants to talk to her, she goes on anyways. She even forced the otherwise silent Aunt Emma to talk for fifteen straight minutes. She even tried to drift away from me four times. I had to discretely hold her back and the only reason I was successful was because she's a human.
I was busy tackling Kat when Sapphire jumped up suddenly grabbing everyone's attention.
"They are back" she announced grinning.
"Is he bringing her with him?" Aunt Eva asked fidgeting nervously.
"No, it's just them" Sapphire replied.
"Dan and Ethan went to Lakefound today" Aunt Emma explained when she realized I wasn't getting their excitement "Ethan just informed Sapphire that they are on their way here"
"Oh" I forced a smile out.
"Are they the ones I didn't meet at your wedding?" Kate asked from next to me.
"Yeah" I nodded.
"What if it's all just a speculation? Jane spoke up "We never got a confirmation you know. Maybe they just went there for work"
"Oh don't worry about that" Sapphire replied excitedly "I heard Ethan ask Dan this morning if he knew her address"
"He said her?" Aunt Eva asked curiously.
"You guys should stop talking now if you don't want Dan to hear you" Eric supplied. Everyone shut up immediately.
"Is the one they are talking about that scary?" Kate whispered.
I nodded again.
I knew I had to face Dan one of these days and I've been preparing myself. I just hope I can postpone talking to him alone for another week. I don't want Alex's family to get dragged into it if things go extremely wrong.
I knew the exact moment he walked in but I refused to look at him. It was exhausting to channel all my energy into avoiding him when nature dictates I give him all my attention. All those years of wondering why I only looked at him has been finally answered and I can only wish someone would tell me that its one huge prank they are playing on me.
"F*ck he's hot" I jumped as Kate whispered a little too close to my ears.
I looked up instinctively and was immediately held captive in Dan's furious gaze. He was staring straight at me as he walked towards us. I turned away instantly and looked around to check if someone caught up to us.
"I'm starving" Ethan announced as he slumped down on the couch next to Sapphire.
"You'll have to wait until dinner" Aunt Emma told her son "There's leftover fried chicken that Eva made for Kate here" she nodded at Kate.
"Hey Kate" I smiled as Ethan greeted Kate cheerfully.
When Kate didn't respond back, I turned to her and found her staring open-mouthed at Dan who was still standing, one foot towards the staircase and the other towards the couch opposite to me.
I elbowed Kate a little harder than what was probably necessary. She jumped a little at my interruption and turned to me with an annoyed expression.
I raised a brow pointedly "Ethan says hello" I informed her. She frowned and turned to the direction I pointed.
"Oh! Hey Ethan" She smiled as she stretched her hand for Ethan to take "It's nice to meet you"
"Same here" Ethan smiled and shook hands with her.
As soon as she was done shaking hands with Ethan she stood up at lightning speed and walked towards Dan and forwarded her hand.
"I'm Kate" She told him with an eager grin that looked comical. Eric snickered.
Dan frowned and took a step back as he carefully took her hand "Daniel Wood" he replied politely
Kate's grin widened "Oh my God! I knew your voice would be this husky"
"What?" Dan asked dumbfounded as he tried to politely pull his hand from her grip.
Everyone was watching them with amusement now.
"Nothing" Kate grasped his hand harder now "Anna told me that you are the mayor of this magical town" she flirted, the nerves of the little girl.
"Kate" I called her, hoping to take her out of here before Dan kills her "Remember what we talked about..."
"Really?" Dan cut me off "What else did 'Anna' say?" he was suddenly smiling back at her.
"Certainly not what you look like," Kate replied "I thought mayors are supposed to be fifty year old pervs but you are so hot and...."
"That's enough" I declared standing up "We will take your leave now" I said looking at Aunt Eva who herself was barely holding back her laugh.
I walked to Kate and pulled at her free hand "Let's go"
"What? No" she tried to snatch her hand back "Let me at least take a selfie with the hot mayor"
Dan chuckled "Sure you can take a selfie"
"Really?" Kate jumped and pulled out her phone as I stared at a smirking Dan in bewilderment. I'm sure my expressions aren't much different from the rest of the people in the room.
I glared at Dan as he smiled for Kate's camera.
"Another one" Kate said after the first click.
"Sure" he replied and then turned to me with an innocent smile "Hey kid, do you want to join us?" he asked.
"W...what?" I fumbled "No"
"She's not a kid anymore, Dan. Stop teasing her" Aunt Eva told him lightheartedly as she watched us with a smile "Go on Anna" she encouraged.
Before I could protest further, Kate pulled me towards her and I ended up standing between her and Dan. I stiffened as my back touched him slightly.
"Smile" he breathed into my ear.
"Yeah smile, Anna" Kate copied him "You look like you want to cry. The mayor isn't that scary"
"Fine" I gritted out a forced smile "Be quick"
Dan chuckled and I turned to glared at him. Kate took that unfortunate moment to click picture.
"Perfect" she grinned "You look so funny Anna" she tried to show me.
"Can we go now?" I took her hand again, this time with more determination.
Without sparing another glance at Dan, I bid the family goodbye and dragged Kate out.
.
"But I didn't get his number. How am I supposed to send these to him?" Kate was still arguing when we reached our temporary residence.
"He doesn't want them" I told her as I sat down on a couch and rested my feet
"What happened?" Suzanne, Alex's mom asked.
I was about to speak when my phone buzzed with a text notification. I pulled it out lazily. It was an unknown number. I was about to chuck it away when my eyes landed on the context of the text. I quickly clicked it open, my heart thudding loud in my chest.
'Be at your favorite place in five..... I really do need to speak to you right now. If you can't come, I will'
He has my number?
I abruptly stood up "I forgot I was supposed to meet Luc at six" I told them.
"Take me with you" Kate pouted.
"I'm sorry Kate" I smiled apologetically "It's work related" I smiled at Suzanne and dashed out of the house.
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He was smiling at me as I walked towards him. He was sitting at the same spot by the lake he always did when we were younger.
"Sit" he nodded to the spot next to him.
"I...."
"Sit, Reanna" His voice firmer this time "Don't you want to know what I found out about us?"
I sat down keeping a good two hand distance from him. He said nothing for a while. He was staring at the setting sun looking content as if he could do that for hours.
"Did you find the reason?" I initiated when I realized he had no interest in having a conversation.
He nodded "She said you were too young"
I frowned "But I was sixteen"
"Too young......physically" he said, still not looking at me.
"Wha......Oh!" It dawned on me suddenly and I fell silent.
It was my fault. My shortcomings made him lose his mate. Daniel was perfect and he definitely doesn't deserve to be punished at every step of his life like this.
"I'm sorry" I said softly.
He shook his head "It's okay. It's not your fault" he turned to look at me "You are here now. That's all that matters"
"No"
"What?" he frowned.
I took a deep breath and prepared myself. This is it.
"That's not all that matters" I told him "If you think so, then you are a fool"
"What else can be more important than our bond?" he asked, clearly trying to keep his anger in check.
"Love" I replied calmly.
He frowned again "You are my mate. Who else can love you more than I do?"
I shook my head "That's where you are wrong" I smiled "You don't love me, you love your mate"
"And that's not the same thing?" He gritted out "Which part of you are my mate didn't you understand?"
I chuckled humourlessly "Oh! I understood that very well. How can I not? There was a time when that would have made me the happiest woman in the world."
"It doesn't now because of that man?" he gritted out.
I took a deep breath and nodded "Yes, it doesn't because of that man"
"You are my mate" he repeated like that's the answer to everything.
"Beyond being your mate, I'm an individual Daniel. Do you see that? He loves me for who I am. You want me because your wolf wants me. Who do you think a logical person should chose"
"I want you"
"No you don't" my voice rose a notch "You have never seen me. You have only seen the kid who had a stupid crush on you. A kid you couldn't wait to get rid of. Do you know what makes me happy? Do you know what makes me sad? Have you spent days wiping away my tears? Have you ever seen me for who I am? I was always an unwanted addition to my dad for you and now you want me to leave the man I chose and go to you"
"You didn't chose him" he was angry "He was is and always will be a replacement. You have only ever loved me" there was conviction in his voice "He is just a replacement. He'll always be a replacement"
"Well then I chose that replacement"
"We'll see how long you chose to be with that replacement" he smiled "I'll wait right next to you. I'll wait until you're home"
"I'm home" I replied stubbornly
"He isn't your home Reanna. Your home is where your people are and Eric told me that you have always known who your people are. You are their Luna. They are waiting for you. I'm waiting for you. I've waited so long for you"
"I don't want to be someone's Luna. I don't want to be some wolf's mate. I want to be someone's love, Daniel. I want someone to love me, to actually want me for who I am. And I wouldn't ever get that from you"
"I can love you like that" his eyes softened.
"Yes you can" I nodded miserably "You can definitely train yourself to love the kid that your wolf chose because that's your only option. This pathetic little kid is your only option" I said pointing at myself "But I have a choice and I chose not to suffer every day in self-pity when I look at the man I have loved all my life and see how hard he's trying to love me back"
"So you have decided to kill me" his face was now devoid of any emotion. It broke something inside me.
"No, I've decided to set you free" I shakily took his hand in mine "I've decided to set you free from a mate who ruined you by not being there for you when you needed her and who will continue to ruin you if she chooses to be in your life. I'm finally giving you the life that you deserve. A life where you can love, live and laugh the way you have always wanted to. Trust me," I smiled at him "it's a beautiful life"
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