A Wolf's Claim

CHAPTER 21

*Stella*

Jace is making this so freaking difficult for me, it's killing me on the inside! I can't tell it to his face, that's why I did it to his pack and then disappeared... or tried to. Seeing his face, feeling his emotions, I can't! My knees buckle beneath me, and he catches my fall. I sigh when his arms are around me again, the feeling of security and love soon vanished when he let me go. His eyes were darker than usual, as he searched my eyes for an answer. One he wouldn't find.

"Why are you leaving, Stella?" He asked, pain was evident in his words.

"I have to, Jace. I don't have a choice." I grumbled, feeling more tears pricking the back of my eyes.

"You can tell me what the hell is going on!" Jace roared, and I stopped pulling away, staring at him in shock. "Yesterday you were going to accept me as your mate, and today you've announced that you're rejecting me? What changed your mind?"

"Nothing..." I lied, turning my head away from his gaze.

"Stella..." Jace lightly pleaded.

"I have to go, Jace." I grunted, turning away from him.

"Do you really reject me as your mate? Or is it because someone threatened you?" He asked, and I stopped walking.

I didn't turn around to face him, but I stopped dead in my tracks. Does he know? If so, does he know the person that threatened me? Would he even believe me if I told him? I mean, it's his mother, the woman that gave birth to him and raised him! Do I really stand a chance of battling against her? I could tell Jace the truth, but what would happen then? Zara would really want to kill me, it would tear apart their pack, or worse, tear apart Jace.

"Goodbye, Jace." I lightly remarked, continuing to walk through the forest.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Jace growled, sprinting in front of me.

"I'll figure it out." I grumbled, shoving past him, hearing a growl as I passed.

"If you're that set on leaving, at least let me take you home. I don't want to worry about you stumbling around in the forest by yourself." Jace growled, grabbing my forearm and dragging me back towards the house.

He grabbed a set of keys and hopped in the driver's seat, while I climbed into the passenger seat next to him. He turned over the engine and began driving through the forest, silently. His eyes are focused on driving, while mine are focused on him. I don't want to reject him, I don't want to leave him, but I have to...

I glanced out the window, watching the trees pass us by. It's an awkward silence, one where we both want to say something, but we don't know what to say. I can feel the pain he's feeling, somehow, and I know he can feel mine too. It's too deep to try and hide, it hurts too badly to completely conceal from him. Both of us are hurting, but there isn't much he can do either, because I won't tell him what's going on.

Soon, we pulled up in front of my apartment complex and Jace shuts off the engine. He turns slowly to look at me, and when he does, I'm flooded with an astronomical amount of despair. My heart aches inside, knowing I'll never see him again after tonight, and I want to scream at the top of my lungs. Instead, I gnaw away at the bottom of my lip.

"This isn't goodbye, yet, Stella." Jace confidently remarked, studying my face.

"Jace..." I muttered softly, until I was silenced by the soft touch of his lips against mine.

When he pulled away, he took a current of electricity with him, and I felt empty. Staring at his lips, all I wanted was to kiss him again, and I could see the same look on his face. I leaned in once more, pecking his lips gently, and pulled away with a grim smile. This is harder than I wanted it to be, and I have to end it here. Before I'm unable to say no, because it's getting awfully close.

"Goodbye." I whispered, ducking out of the truck and scurrying into the apartment building.

The main doors shut behind me, and I ran up the stairs, into my apartment. My living room window faced the front of the building, and I found myself peeking from behind the blinds. I watched as Jace started the truck back up and drove away. My heart was heavy, and soon I was consumed with a downpour of tears.

I crumbled to the floor in front of the window, drowning in tears and regret. I released loud screams, losing care for anything else in this world, other than Jace. He is gone now, and he believes I don't want to be his mate. The thought alone tears me to pieces, as if my body were separated from the rest of my limbs. I allowed myself to be devoured by misery, because the feeling was too strong to combat.

My chest was burning, the sensation digging down to my stomach, and all I could do was wail. My throat felt raw after a few ragged screams, and soon my voice became a light whimper. As I rocked back and forth on the floor, trying my best to console myself, I realized something; I'd never felt anything like this before in my life. This pain was unlike anything else I've ever experienced, it was suffocating. Soon, sleep took hold of me, and I curled up on the linoleum floor.

When I woke up, my entire body ached from head to toe. I groaned, rolling over onto my side, staring at the front door that I left open all night. I felt a slight tremor in my heart, but it wasn't even enough to lift myself from the floor. My body was heavy, too heavy for me to move, so instead I stared at the open door. My breathing was labored, as tears trickled from my eyes and down the side of my face. All I could do was focus on breathing, even though that felt like a chore.

I didn't know what was happening to me, but I could barely tolerate it. The pain was almost insufferable, and soon I felt myself choking for air. It felt as though I was dying, deprived of oxygen and the sensation of my limbs becoming numb. No one even knows I'm here, not that there's anyone that would care any more anyway. Jace is gone, and Tex has lost his damn mind. I'm alone again, only this time I'm left with a broken heart. Something I don't know how to fix.