We followed the other mourners back to the house where they were holding the wake. Today was the first time that I was seeing it and the general disrepair and state of the place was awful. You could tell that the, practically falling down, townhouse on the edge of the city was decorated as a home, but it certainly wasn’t good enough for my mate to be living in. Is this how she has lived for her whole life? We entered the home with my father insisting that I keep a low profile while we were there. I just wanted to watch my beautiful mate as she nervously made her way through the crowd.
About two hours later everyone began to make their way outside for the last run. I was excited to finally see my mate shift into her wolf. I knew then that when she saw my wolf that she would understand that we were made for each other. But it wasn’t until I went in search that I found her talking with my father. She had another woman that looked like an older version of her friend with her and from what I could pick up from the conversation I could tell that my mate was tired. I watched as the two women walked back into the house and approached my father.
“You met her?” I asked with a grin, “She is amazing isn’t she?” My father smiled at me and nodded.
“She truly is something, he replied.
“I can’t wait to see her wolf,” I said and my wolf yipped in my head in agreement. My father frowned a little and looked towards the house.
“I am afraid that won’t be tonight,” he said and my heart dropped.
“What? Why not?” I asked. For someone to miss the last run of an Alpha was considered rude, for a member of their own pack to miss it was a sign of disrespect.
“Her Luna said that she had been excused due to emotional stress,” my father said, although I could tell that he wasn’t all that convinced. He shook his head and smiled at me. He waved to the group of people disappearing into the woods behind the house.
“Shall we?” he asked. “This old wolf could do with a good leg stretch.”
“You go ahead,” I said looking back at the house. “I’ll follow in a moment.”
“Liam,” my father warned, and I forced a smile on my face.
“I promise I will be good.” Again he didn’t look convinced, but he nodded anyway.
I headed into the house as my father headed towards the woods. The house was practically empty now, with all the werewolves out for a run, and the other supernaturals and humans outside to pay tribute as well. I could smell my mate’s scent all over the house. There were other smells, but they all paled in comparison to her intoxicating aroma. I explored the downstairs, looking at pictures of the family. My mate was in a few of the pictures and she was always smiling, but it never seemed to reach her eyes.
Finally, I found myself at the bottom of the staircase and hesitated briefly before making my way up them. I unconsciously followed the scent of citrus to a closed door where the scent seemed to be the strongest. I deliberated over knocking but decided against it. I quietly opened the door and my senses were instantly flooded with the most delicious citrus. It was so strong I could practically taste the juices.
The first thing I saw was my mate standing with her back to me. Her room was a whirlwind of activity, clothes and personal belongings strewn haphazardly across the floor. Then I noticed she was pushing things into a bag on her bed, and the realisation hit me like a sledgehammer. She was packing clothes. She was running away. She was leaving…me.
I growled before I could help myself and I saw Erica whirl around to face me. The look of pure fear on her face.
“What the hell are you doing?” I snarled and stepped forward into the room. Erica froze in place for a moment, only her eyes darted around the room like she was looking for a weapon, or to escape. Then her features flooded with anger.
“I could ask you the same thing,” she snapped, and I growled again. “Who do you think you are coming into my house like that?”
“I am your goddess damn mate,” I snarled and stepped forward again. I could see the hesitation in her face and smell the fear from her. My logical self tried to reason with me and calm down, but my irrational side was stronger and I couldn’t let my mate leave me. Not when it took me so long to find her.
"Erica, please," I pleaded, feeling the weight of her past trauma in her eyes. "I know it's difficult, and I know you have been through a lot."
“You don’t know anything about me and what I have been through,” she snapped at me. “You come here and just assume that some magic bond will make everything better, well the world doesn’t work like that.”
“It does if you let it,” I whispered. “I swear on my life that I will protect you from anything, any Alpha that tries to hurt you.” I saw her flinch at the words and her eyes widen slightly. Then the bitterness flooded back in.
"Will you protect me from yourself?" she asked bitterly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "You're an Alpha too. How do I not know you aren’t just like all the others? All I have seen so far is anger and demanding from you."
"Erica..." I began, my voice cracking at the raw truth in her words. But she didn't give me a chance to respond.
"It's best if I leave," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I need a fresh start, somewhere away from all of this. A safer place for me and my family."
"Please, don't go," I whispered, my desperation mounting as I watched her methodically pack her life away. The room seemed to shrink around me, suffocating me with the realisation that I was messing everything up and I was losing her.
"I know I'm an Alpha, and that terrifies you. But I swear, I will do everything in my power to show you who I really am, to show you how much you mean to me.” She hesitated for a moment, I could tell that the mate bond was warring with the trauma inside of her. Finally, she let out a shaky breath and tears flooded down her cheeks.
"I can't, Liam. I just can't. I’m sorry."
The room seemed to close in around me, smothering me with the weight of my own helplessness. A torrent of frustration and anger surged through my veins, like molten lava threatening to erupt. My fists clenched, knuckles turning white as I fought to contain the tempest within.
"Damn it, Erica!" I exploded, my voice cracking under the strain of my emotions. "I need you! I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, and the thought of losing you is tearing me apart!" Her body stiffened, and she took a step back, visibly flinching at my outburst. The sight of her fear sent ice-cold shame flooding through me, dousing the flames of my anger. "Erica, I'm sorry," I choked out, horrified at my own inability to control my emotions.
