chapter 11
1107 Words
Anna pov
I'm no longer interested in us and what the future holds for us both.
Gosshhh!!! You've got to be kidding me. I still can't believe Alvarez had said those mean and unfathomable words to me. I clenched and unclenched my fist as I searched for my father.
He has some explanation to do as well for this madness.
"Anna!" Someone yelled my name as I got outside.
"Anna, I've been searching for you all over the pack house." Jake, my best friend since childhood, said as he closed the gap between us, panting and grinning.
I growled at him, disgusted by his presence.
"Heyyy! Calm down. I think you need to cool off. You look like you could eat me whole."
I exhaled and rolled my eyes. "I wish I could."
He folded his arms around his body. "What got you so pissed off like this?"
The question made everything that had occurred in the past minute more real. For a second, I thought I was daydreaming. The rage I felt slowly gave way to hurt and pain. Tears streamed down my eyes and I wiped it off immediately with rage. I wasn't supposed to show weakness. I was the second in command of the warriors for a reason.
What will wolves say if they see me shedding tears? After training warriors to wear a tough skin, I'm not going to shed crocodiles in the public for a passerby to see.
"Let's go somewhere private." My voice didn't match my inner turmoil and the emotions I was trying so hard to suppress.
We walked back into the pack house with Jake's hand on my back, rubbing it slowly.
"You'll be fine." He kept muttering.
I held his hand tightly, grateful for his assurance and comfort. I was so lucky to have someone like Jake in my life, who has always had my back since Adam.
"Tell me what happened. What made you so mad and hurt?" He asked, the moment we were in the confines of one of the sitting rooms.
I sniffed, not knowing how to break the news. "I don't think I'm ready to talk about it." I made my way to a couch plopped down on it.
Jake stood before me. I stared into his brown eyes that held so much concern and worry. "And I'm not going to stop asking you till you tell me what made the bravest soldier of the Blackstone pack shed tears. I'm ready to kill whatever is making you cry, to see that bright smile you always wear back on your face."
There was no getting away when it came to Jake. One thing I knew for sure was that he wasn't going to let me out of this room till I'd said all that had to be said. Also, when he said he was going to kill whatever made me cry, he meant it. My mind flashed back to the duel Jake had when we were pups with wolves twice his size because they had picked on me. It was his first duel and it was only a miracle that he survived after being beaten up badly. He would have died that day if the elders hadn't intervened. There were countless other instances where Jake fought for me, but this time around, there was nothing to be done.
The wolf that had broken my heart was Alvarez and Jake couldn't fight him unless he wanted a chance for the throne.
"It's Alvarez." I said and watched his reaction change from concern to curiosity.
"What did he do to you?" He still maintained the 'I've got your back, and I'll fight for you' tone. I would have laughed if not for my heart literally bleeding. Did he think he stood a chance against the Alpha?
"Let's forget about it." I put up a nonchalant face and tried to act like I was fine.
"No. We are not doing that. And stop with the pretense."
It was difficult to hide from Jake. While it wowed me most times, it annoyed me as well.
"Fine!" I yelled out, getting both irritated and annoyed. "You want to know what it is?" For a second he looked like he wanted no part of it any longer. "It's not a mild lovers quarrel as you may assume. Alvarez is breaking up with me. His calling off our betrothal and upcoming mating ceremony."
"What! How's that possible?" Doubt clouded his eyes and it got me thinking how everyone else would react when they found out.
I can't allow this news to spread. I won't even let it happen. Alvarez and I would get mated as it's been said many years ago. Our fathers signed into our betrothal so it wasn't going to end when we were so close to getting the deal done.
"I don't know. I went to his chamber to discuss plans for our mating ceremony, but instead he shocked me with the news by calling everything off." The rage and anger I had felt earlier began creeping back in. I sniffed and wiped my eyes dry from tears.
"This isn't a prank, Anna?" Jake sat carefully beside me while staring into my eyes with scrutiny.
"I've been crying, Jake! How would you assume this is a prank? I'm hurt!"
He drifted closer to me and wrapped one hand around my shoulder. "We would fix this. You'll be alright, Ann."
"How? He sounded damn serious when he said this to me. It seems like it has been on his mind for a while now. I also noticed he was distant from me since he returned and I wanted to talk about it with me."
"Hmmm…" Jake hummed and said nothing again. I was expecting defense or a plan. His silence wasn't helping me.
"Do you think there's someone else?" He finally said, breaking the silence.
"Exactly what I think." I leaned on his shoulders for comfort. "I asked him but he was silent. That only confirmed my fears."
"That's something, Anna. It's either he found his mate or has fallen in love with another wolf."
I groaned. "Saying it out loud makes it worse."
"You have to face your fears if you want to conquer it."
I sat up and faced him partially. "Conquer it? You believe there's a way out of this?"
He gave me a disappointed look. "You seriously think there were none? Come on, there may be none but that's why we've got to find our way through it."
This was beginning to sound more interesting. "What do you suggest?"
"First, we find out who she is."
- Writer
