I let the cool water from the shower wash away all of the substances on my skin from last night.
I winced as a subtle pain erupted in my lower region.
It would take a couple of days until my heat was all over.
I lathered shampoo into my hair as I thought about everything that happened with Eric last night.
*last night*
"Let's do this"
I pushed Eric against the wall with everything I had in me.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up and pushed me against the wall of the shower.
He took slow and steady breaths as he put his forehead against mine.
Just as he was moving forward to kiss me, I turned my head to the side and turned the cold water on.
Startled, Eric dropped me.
I let out a loud groan as the heat burned through me and my butt ached.
"How do you know about Ruby?" I groaned out as he slid down the other wall in the shower. Keeping away from the cold water that fell on me.
He locked eyes with me for a brief moment but looked away quickly and ignored my question.
"Eric" I sternly called out "I need to know what you know" I begged as I reach over and placed my hand on his leg.
He looked from my hand to my eyes a few times before sighing and adjusting his position.
"Well it's an incredibly long story," he said as he rubbed his temples slowly "and now that I know you're connected to the Storm brothers, I don't think you want to know" he added with a sigh.
We both sat there in silence, thinking about the new things we had just figured out.
At the same time, we both abruptly sat up and said similar things in shock.
"Oh gosh, you're not his mate are you?"
"Is Ruby your mate?!"
Again, a few seconds of silence as we waited for each other to speak.
"Wait, did you just ask me if Ruby is my mate?" He asked with a disgusted expression.
"Yeah, I did"I replied as I placed my back against the cold wall to let the water cool me off a bit.
"F*ck no!" He groaned out with a screwed up face, "she's my cousin, well she's like my sister because my parents raised her after..." he paused, thinking about his words.
I winced as pained aired through my body again and before I could ask Eric to continue, he took the opportunity to change the subject.
"What can I do to ease your pain a Sophia, I want to help," he said as he crawled towards my curled up form.
He crawled over me, placing one hand on my cheek and one hand on the wall next to my head.
I could see the list in his eyes, my scent must be driving him crazy.
I wanted a release... I needed a release...
"I'm not having sex with you Eric, don't even try" I warned as he brought his face close to mine.
I wouldn't give in to the heat.
"I'm sorry" he whispered as he pushed himself back against the other wall.
"Your scent is just so... you know" he added while smacking his cheek slightly as if he was trying to distract himself from the thought of my scent.
I did know. My scent would be in its peak of lustful, primal and bloody pheromones. The perfect combination to a male wolf.
"So, are you his mate?" He asked after a few moments of silence.
His gaze was intense.
He searched every inch of my face to see me react.
"If by him you mean Caleb then well... I don't know... I think so like I feel so connected to him and I crave his scent and touch and voice and well everything... but he has Ruby... he wants Ruby" I reached up above my head and turned off the cold water.
My hands had started to prune and I needed to take a break from the water for a moment.
Eric looked confused for a second. His eyebrows bunched together and he looked to the floor. His eyes flicked from me to the window, to the floor as his expression changed from confused to scared to regret.
"Oh, Sophia... I'm so f*cking sorry" he looked at me with sadness in his eyes.
"It's not your fault" I forced out as I tried to stand up.
I walked over to the towel rack and tried my best to get all of the dripping water off my clothes.
I could hear Eric pacing behind me but the pain inside me made it impossible to stand.
My legs buckled from beneath me as I fell to the floor in a groaning mess.
Loud growls could be heard from outside and I realised that Caleb must have heard me groan.
"Sophia let me help you," Eric said softly as he picked me up from my fetal position.
He carried me into the bedroom and placed me on the bed, kneeling on the floor next to me.
"Sophia I need to tell you something..." the look in his eyes held nothing but guilt as he stared at me.
"What's wrong Eric?" I asked confused as I tried to sit up so that I could face him properly.
He hesitated for a moment as he looked anywhere but my eyes.
"Well, and I don't know how to say this without sounding like a lunatic but... I helped Ruby trick Caleb into thinking they were mates..."
I could feel all of my emotions hit me in one go.
I felt the burning pain of my heat, I felt the rage bubble within me as my confusion melted into anger. I felt hot tears prick my eyes. I felt relief wash over me as I realised I wasn't crazy and I wasn't in the wrong.
"What the f*ck did you just say?!" My voice was low, a whisper almost.
Before he could say anything I pounced.
I trapped his throat between my fingers as he fell back, startled.
I was growling uncontrollably and I could feel my canines pricking my lip.
I had never been this consumed with rage in my life.
"Soph... let me explain... please" Eric didn't try to fight back.
He let me choke him. He let me growl. He let me stare at him with pure rage as I pinned him to the floor.
I looked at the guilt pooling in his eyes as he begged me to let go with them.
Hesitantly and slowly, I released his neck and let him stand up.
He coughed a few times as he took a seat in the chair next to my bed, rubbing his throat.
"Let me start by saying I didn't know!" His voice was hoarse as he spoke: "I didn't know about you and if I had met you two years ago, I wouldn't have done it!" He reached out to grab my hand but I flinched away and took a seat on the bed.
He looked down ashamed and continued to speak.
"Ruby and I are from the Ryder Pack, my dad being the Alpha and me, his second-born son. My brother, Lucas, was always the favourite and of coarse next in line to be Alpha and as I said, Ruby is our cousin. We were all close, especially Ruby and I. We did everything together after..." he paused and threw his head back, rubbing his face roughly "After Ruby's parents disappeared." he finished with a sigh as he looked at me to gauge my reaction.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, taking in all of this new information.
"What does Caleb have to do with the disappearance of Ruby's parents?" I asked confused.
Eric closed his eyes and explained further, "Ruby thought that her parents were locked up by Caleb's parents. When we went there to break them free, they weren't there, and on our way out of the pack lands she saw Caleb and well... her plan changed... she was infatuated by him. She thought he was the most gorgeous thing to walk the face of the earth and soon enough, he became her new mission. She thought that if she could get Caleb then she would be able to find her parents." he rose from his seat and began to pace around the room.
I winced at the cramping of my insides. Sweat had started to oos out of my pores but I refused to move from my spot until Eric had explained everything.
He sighed as he walked over to the bathroom.
I could hear water running for a moment and he came back in with a wet towel.
He silently handed it to me and I let the cool fabric slip around my neck.
He took his seat again and continued: "Our families had a rivalry because of what happened with Ruby's parents and because of what happened between my brother Lucas and Kai when they attended the Alpha Academy." he squeezed his eyes shut, as if he was trying to force a memory out of his head.
"What happened?" I asked quietly after a moment of silence.
After a few more silent moments and Eric deciding if he was going to tell me, he began to speak, "Long story short, Lucas and Kai had to spar, the rivalry between our families caused it to explode into a full-blown brawl and... well Kai won and Lucas returned home in a wheelchair" I gasped slightly.
I didn't think Kai was capable of such things. He seemed like he wouldn't hurt a fly.
"Our families had been at war for years and years, it was bound to happen sooner or later" he added with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I'm sorry about your brother" I replied softly as I tried to control my breathing as pain surged through me.
Eric smiled at me softly and continued "Soon enough it was myself and Caleb's turn to attend the Alpha Academy. As you would know all of the Alphas across the country have their offspring attend when we turn eighteen and we stay there until we are twenty... Well, Ruby was able to wiggle her way into it and tagged along with me so that's how she met Caleb..." he paused again to make sure I was keeping up with all of the information.
"Ruby wanted Caleb and she wanted him bad... She created her new identity of Ruby Lewis because she knew he wouldn't want anything to do with her if she told him she was a Ryder. She tried every day to make him fall for her but with every advance she made, he pushed her away. He made it clear that he wasn't interested... that he was waiting for his mate..." I locked eyes with him. Caleb was waiting for his mate... for me.
"Because of our families rivalry and what had happened between our brothers, Caleb and I hated each other. We still do. I wanted to beat him, I wanted to see him suffer, I wanted to win every challenge and every test... but of coarse, Golden Boy Caleb won everything. He was top of our class and everyone loved him, including the elders and my dearest cousin Ruby." he seemed to be getting angry with each word he spoke but I could see him trying to calm himself down.
"So that's why I did it... I helped Ruby trick him... I helped her contact the witch and get the ingredients... all because I wanted to beat him and to prove to my father I was strong enough to be Alpha..." I froze at his words.
"I am so incredibly sorry Sophia... I regret it so much because of what it's done to you... I was young and dumb and I should never have helped her..."
I should have been angry but I wasn't.
In a way, I understood why he did it. The pressure that Alphas put on their kids can be suffocating.
"Did it help you beat him?" I asked monotonously as I gazed out the window.
"He still bet me in every test and every challenge... hence the reason I am here with Aunty... My father was ashamed and I knew I would never live up to his expectations..." I looked over at him to see him looking at the ground, tears falling from his eyes.
I rose from my spot and limped my way over to him.
I sat down in his lap and wrapped my arms around him... He cried for hours.
*present*
I took a deep breath as I walked downstairs with Eric behind me.
I found Abi and Auntie in the kitchen sipping on mugs of coffee.
They both looked exhausted.
Considering I could hear Calebs growls all night, I am assuming they were watching him the entire time.
I walked up behind Abi and wrapped my arms around her waist.
She rested her hand on my arm and let her head fall into my shoulder.
"I will never be able to make it up to both of you... Thank you so much." My voice shook slightly as I fought back tears.
"We are just glad you are ok" Auntie replied from across the counter.
"Did you guys get much rest?" Eric asked from the entryway.
"We got a few hours" Abi replied happily "your scent softened at around two in the morning so Kai was able to control him on his own after that," she added with a smile.
Silence filled the room as eyes landed on me. I bot my lip softly "so... where is he?" I asked quietly, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.
"I believe they are at the lake" Auntie replied as she held up a container full of fresh pancakes and syrup.
I smiled at her warmly as I took a hold of the container and made my way to the lake to confront my mate.
A/N:
Hello, my lovelies!
Thank you all so much for the love and support, it means the world to me.
I just wanted to have a quick chat about a few things quickly...
Like I have explained in previous chapters, I recently ended a relationship and I am currently trying to create a new life. I'm moving out of a house I shared with someone for 3 years and it is taking up a lot of my time. We are having to make huge decisions in our lives and trying to make this separation as easy as possible for both of us and I would immensely appreciate some patience from you all.
I am beyond thrilled at the amount of love you all have for this book but please don't message me three times a day saying things like "I am going to stop reading if you aren't going to update more often" and "this book isn't worth the wait" - because it makes me feel like poop. :(
Also, I understand that you all have opinions on each character and the events that happen in this book (I LOVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM and I love reading all your inner thoughts on how much of an asshole someone is being or how much you want certain characters to do the dirty deed) but please don't post comments like "I'm not gonna read anymore because she is so stupid and weak" or "the characters in this story suck so bye" - I'd honestly prefer you to just stop reading and not make me feel horrible in the process.
Constructive criticism is 100% welcomed, rude comments are not.
Again, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE LOVE, SUPPORT AND PATIENCE.
B