THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 07- MARIA'S DECISION

MARIA

I looked at him and he dared to also hold his breath! He should be honored to even smell my scent! I tried to speak but I was almost out of oxygen. I just stared at him until he started coughing for oxygen. I tried to laugh but instead, I coughed just like him. He laughed and that was it.

    -Why are you laughing?

    -You are trying too hard.

His voice accelerated my heartbeat, my body was… I felt as if fireworks were all over me. “MATE! MATE!” Nova was coming all over the place! She must be the one causing all of the emotions I was filling, but that delicious scent was making my mouth thirsty?... I hate it!

    -I HATE THIS!

His voice was so loud I took some steps back. Did he read my mind?

    -I DON’T WANT TO BE YOUR MATE!

That statement, hurt like a knife in my heart and for the first time, I felt as if my body was completely made of anger.

    -WELL I DIDN'T WANT TO BE YOUR MATE EITHER!

    -YOU? WHAT ABOUT ME? YOU ARE THE WORST COOKER ON EARTH!

    -YOU PIG! YOU ONLY THINK ABOUT FOOD!

I saw him, and his scent was getting stronger. I covered my nose, so the delicious scent wouldn’t distract me, and he did the same thing with that small mind!

    -You see! You can’t even have your own ideas!

My voice sounded strange, but I didn’t care…

    -I did it first, you are the copycat!

I was so angry I stopped covering my nose.

    -YOU DIDN’T!

    -I DID!

He took a step forward and the air got electrified, I felt… I hated this! I didn’t like him and there was no way I would stay the rest of my life with him! He was as annoying as Sam but he wasn’t even my brother! He kept staring at me with those beautiful green eyes… Do they have kind of yellow in the middle? I shook my head… I needed to concentrate on the important stuff, like the ungrateful man that I… his hair is just like uncle Randy’s… I hadn’t noticed his eyes were lighter than Randy’s but the hair was practically the same. I saw him taking another step forward, his eyes were looking directly at me and I could see the wolf trying to take over. I was in a trance I couldn’t move… I was even holding my breath, my body was not responding. Then suddenly a loud noise… breaking glasses? Lucas jumped and covered me, he slightly brushed my arm with his hand, and sparks… more like electricity fly directly into my body. I wanted to cry… Why is this happening to me? I then saw the source of the noise, Sam and Gabe were fully shifted and fighting each other. I wanted to be out. I just extended my arms at Gabe who was far away and used all the rest of my forces to scream.

    -GABRIEL!

He turned and saw me then he  ran at me. He pushed Lucas and I jumped at his back. he entered running into the house and didn’t stop until we were out of my room.

    -” I will stay near him, so you can have all of the time you need to think. I love you, little sister.”    

I hugged Zeus’ head and cried… Zeus sat and licked my face. The feeling was rouge, the cat’s tongue was not as soft as the wolves, but I got the point, he was there to support me, finally, I kissed his head.

    -I love you too brother.

I entered my room and closed the door. Nova was screaming like crazy, she was hurt by the words we exchanged and she was crying because her mate was not with us… But I don’t want him with us! I hated him! He had to be a pain in my shoe since he appeared in my life and hit my brother. Nova kept screaming and crying in my head, it was causing me an extreme migraine. Instantly pain filled my body and I crawled into bed, the touch of the sheets was burning my skin. I started crying and saw I heard my door opening. The sparks in the touch of my skin… I knew who it was. I turned and hugged her, all I wanted was her in my bed. I hugged her and she hugged me back.

    -I know baby, everything is going to be alright. We are with you, you are not alone.   

I cried until I fell asleep. When I woke up I was alone in my room.

    -You are awake, how do you feel?

At the sound of Sam’s voice, I turned around and saw him in the coach.

    -You? Why…

I tried to adjust my sight, but everything was kind of blurry, I felt like I was underwater. I tried to stand up but almost fell, Sam caught me and helped me to get back on the bed, I sat and looked at him. He immediately put his hand on my forehead and looked at me.

    -Do you feel bad? Are you all alright?

Is Sam worried? I’m dying… I started panicking and then I saw Gabe in my room. Was he here in the room the whole time? Did he just enter? Then I saw a plate with scrambled eggs and some bread. Why didn’t I smell the scent? I was so confused… Gabe sat next to me, I was about to cry, I felt empty. I just wanted to cry and sleep and wake up and feel better. Gabe hugged me and I hugged him back, I cried and cried. I wasn’t able to do anything else… The emptiness was engulfing me, and I had nowhere to grab. I lightly pushed Gabe and looked him in the eyes and he had glassy eyes, did he cry? That’s it, I was right I’m dying, by his look, there is no other explanation. I gulped and tried to find the courage to ask it.

    -Gabe am I dying?

He looked at me with pain in his eyes. OMG, I’m really dying!

    -Does it hurt somewhere? Are you in pain?

I was confused, why is everyone saying that.

    -No, but I can’t see properly, my senses are awful and Sam was worried, and asked me strange questions, and now you are even worse than Sam.

He looked at me with the same painful expression.

    -Can you recall something about last night?

I tried to remember and pain hit my chest. I applied some pressure on Gabe’s hand but he didn’t complain.

    -I remember, I found my mate… But why him?

I started crying again, Gabe hugged me again.

    -Please try to calm down a bit, I need to tell you something and you need to be calm and open-minded.

Is he about to confirm that I’m dying? I’m at my best years and I’m daying… and everything is because of that dumb man? I cried and cried... Until my body was out of water…

    -Are you in a better place?

He asked me, but in truth, I wanted to keep crying, but my body had no more water. I nodded. He took my hand between his hands.

    -Last night you had so much pain your heart was racing and your life was in danger… Mom had to use some serum so your life wouldn’t be at risk.

    -Serum?

Then his face changed as if he had realized something.

    -When we were kids, mom used a serum so Anri and the mate bond wouldn’t hurt… To avoid the pain you had last night… So she used some and you got better, but that has other consequences… You will lose your high senses, you are not going to be able to communicate on the mind link, and your communication with Nova will be… Paused and also your shifting.

    -So what am I like now? Like a normal human?

I said between laughs, I was joking...

    -Yes. just like that!

Gabe was smiling… Did he think that I was happy because of that? He has to be joking right? “Right Nova?” … She didn't respond. I closed my eyes and tried to reach her… but the fog was everywhere. I opened my eyes and so Gabe.

    -How do you know mom was on this?

    -I saw her injecting herself every night.    

    -EVERY NIGHT?

    -Yes, she did it every night, that’s why when we were growing up, she didn't shift or communicate by the mindlink…

    -I…

I remember and he was right, but at that time I didn’t think that was strange, she had always been like that, so I didn’t give it much thought.

    -So I’m on the same thing that my Mom was…

    -Yes.

    -But she was happy when we were kids right?

He looked at me.

    -I think so, she looked happy, right?

Memories of mom in the kitchen or with us reading, doing our homework, training us… She was always smiling.

    -Yes she was.

    -Would you like to speak with mom? She feels awful for using the serum without your consent.

    -But she did it to save my life…

    -You know how mom is, she still feels bad.

    -Yes, I can talk to her.

Gabe’s eyes turned clear and dull. I knew that he was calling mom by the link… I felt somehow jealous, I never appreciated it, but now I miss it. In seconds I heard a knock on the door, I turned and saw my mom opening it.

    -You wanted to speak with me?

    -Yes Mom come in…

As I was saying that, Gabe kissed my hand and stood up, he left the room and closed the door. My mom walked and took Gabe’s spot right next to me, she took my hand, just as Gabe was doing.

    -How are you feeling?

    -Fine, I was confused at first, but I think I’m getting a hold of things now.

Her eyes were getting glossy, she was about to cry, I touched lightly her face with my hand and the sparks where still there, I sighed in relief.

    -Don’t cry, Mom.

    -I’m a sorry princess but I don’t want you to feel the emptiness and sadness… of being away from your cat, I didn’t want that for you… But last night I didn’t have a choice and…

She started crying. I hugged her.

    -Mom I don’t blame you, I understand why you did that, and I’m grateful…

She pushed me back lightly and looked at my eyes.

    -No princess you should be with your mate and your cat, you shouldn’t need to give anything at all… You should have it all in your life! You should be able to feel complete! That’s my wish for you.

    -But mom I don’t want to follow that path… I don’t like him! He is so annoying…

    -That was when you were both kids, you should give him a chance now! Everything can change! Believe me, I hated your father, and look at us now!

    -I want to be able to choose my own path mom, and I don’t feel ready right now… I don’t want to.

My mom looked at me, like if she was seeing my soul.

    -Is this your final decision? is this what you think is best for you and would make you happy?

I closed my eyes and tried to feel my inside. It felt cold, I felt alone… but at least this was my decision and my feelings, not imposed feelings, not an imposed destiny.

    -Yes that’s what I want.

My mom had a troubled look… She kissed me on the forehead and stood up.

    -Then I will support you, through all the processes.

    -Thanks, Mom.

    -Would you want to see him, before he goes back?

Chills run through my body.

    -No Mom, I don’t want to see him.

    -Okey, princess.

She walked to the door. I saw the plate of food that Gabe had but I was not hungry at all. I just wanted to be on my bed, I couldn’t even sleep. The room was so silent… My head was so silent… It was so creepy… I felt alone, even the sound left me… I hugged my knees and tried to concentrate on my breathing. My mind felt empty, my heart… I stood up and opened the window, I saw a convoy of withe SUVs leaving the packhouse. He must be there. I keep looking. The second sub had my eye hypnotized, I felt myself crushing and then The convoy stopped, and so did my heart. The door from the second sub opened and I saw him, he was looking directly at me. The moment I felt my legs I ran inside my room and hid in the bathroom, tears started to come back and I cried, cried again in silence.