Thorns Of The Past.

Love And 'War'.

If you don't express yourself and avoid the conflict to keep the peace for those you love, you start a war inside yourself, or not?

~next day, morning, airport~

Gabriel’s pov

“Come sweetheart!” I say as I wrap one arm around Hayley and we start walking to the airport.

We parked the car and we are just in time as Kaitlyn’s flight is going to land too soon! It had no delay and it is about 9 o’clock in the morning, it’s quite early and we are going to have all the time we want to make some necessary things after we talk to my parents and closest friends.

I thought about it more last night and I decided to tell them all together, I can’t repeat the same things twice and I feel better as I won’t be alone… As you know, Kaitlyn is going to be on my side and help me, but we are going to have Hayley as well!

Yes, it looks like we made a pretty good start with Hayley yesterday and I am more relieved and happier than ever!

Not only 24 hours after our talk and our bond is way too strong and I find it completely logical, because we have too many things in common and it was a huge surprise for me, I wasn’t expecting anything like this! It’s like Hayley is my biological daughter for real, there is no other explanation I can give for what is happening between us!

To be more specific, let me tell you what we had been doing and talking about since yesterday after she accepted to give me a chance.

First of all, I am proud to say I managed to explain to her everything that happened between Becky, Michelle and me and about what happened at Evan’s, about Claire and Ryker and my offer to him to become the pack’s next alpha! I don’t know why or how I was so calm and I had the courage to tell her everything, but I did and I realized how mature Hayley is! I mean, this kid has nothing to do with her mother, she has a completely different personality, she got angry when I told her more details as she knew very general things before and I have to admit I feel quite guilty she took my side for not wanting her!

She found it logical for me to avoid her and keep her away from me and this killed me, but this is also one reason I am more determined than ever to become a real father for her! This is what I am trying to do from that moment and the result is very pleasing, I feel her barriers falling gradually, she is smiling more than before, she is looking at me in the eyes and she is not lowering her gaze, she is getting more comfortable with me and I feel she enjoys my company.

Not that we have left each other from yesterday at the restaurant! We got separated only for sleep and it was too late at night, I put her to bed, but stayed for a while in order to talk and I left only when she fell asleep.

Before that we were out, I mean it, we are out all day and we had been walking around the city, we went to buy books (for both of us) and it was then that I found out we have many things in common like reading books, having the same preferences as for food, way of thinking, favorite colors and habits.

Also, I had the opportunity to ask her what she would like to do in the future, because my mother told me she is an excellent student! The truth is she would be a great Alpha although she is not my biological daughter, as she is clever and kind, she has the basics and she could be trained (as for the fighting I mean) and I felt awful when I announced her that I asked from Ryker to take my title, but…

She was way too relieved about him becoming the next Alpha saying that she can’t do this when the pack knows everything and she has other plans and I am very excited for her dream to become a doctor! I find it amazing and I am sure she can make it, I have no doubt, she is a genius and I am going to support her the most I can! I have already told her that we are going to study some lessons together even if she doesn’t need my help and she agreed, she got enthusiastic!

Moreover, I felt awful when I saw she denies many things such as clothes and cell phone, because she doesn’t want me to spend money for her! My mother had already told me about it when she found me in her room and I asked from her to tell me about Hayley, I mean her room was a proof and it broke my heart, as I never denied spending money. I admit I never approached Hayley or cared about her in the past, but I never denied buying her anything and I think my parents had to ignore her ‘excuses’ and buy her anything a teenage girl in her age has nowadays!

And this is one more thing in which Kaitlyn is going to help me after we make the discussion about Becky and our kids with my parents and friends! I am going to go with her and Hayley for shopping for Hayley’s new room’s furniture and I’m planning to buy her a cell phone although she keeps on telling me she doesn’t need it! They also have to go shopping for clothes and anything else, but I won’t go with them, I want to take care of her room personally!

As you understand there is no way she stays in that small room anymore, she is taking the one next to mine, she is my daughter and she deserves only the best and I am going to make sure she is going to have it! I will paint her room according to her preferences and also assemble the furniture, carry anything else she needs and help her put them in the right places!

As you understand I am already busy, it wasn’t difficult for me to get in the father’s mood and I love this role, it feels great! It’s the first time I realize I have the need to be a father and how could I not when I have three kids?

“Are we late?” she asks as we get inside the airport and turns to me with a worried expression that makes me melt!

Seriously, this girl is an angel, she is the more humble person I have ever seen and this is why I want to try even harder for her! I feel she still hesitates to call me father, but she doesn’t call me Alpha anymore, so this is something, it’s a small progress and the fact she stopped protesting about the new room and all these things she is going to buy (I was really persistent) is a good sign!

“No, I think we are just on time…” I say thoughtfully as I look at the arrivals’ corridor and she nods.

She is impatient to see Kaitlyn, these two love each other very much! Kaitlyn is her weakness after my father and I didn’t have to ask from her more than once to accompany me till here, she accepted immediately and her presence is a big help for me!

Hayley has a very special aura, I don’t know how to explain it, but she has something unique on her, she is…

“Pure and this is why she has a calming effect!” my wolf states reading my thoughts and I groan in agreement.

He has changed completely as well these last hours and I am happy for this! Hayley’s acceptance gave him strength, he is more optimistic and I feel proud I didn’t disappoint him with her! He was always telling me to love and take care of Hayley, accept her and stand on her, but I was too mad and i***t to listen to him! Greg was kinder than me with Hayley although he knew she was not his pup, he is fair, he likes justice and I know it hurt him a lot to have her so close, but so far at the same time because of me! He always adored her and he was telling me that he has a weird, pleasing feeling for her, I couldn’t understand him back then, but I can now and I totally agree with him!

Anyway…

We stop too close to the corridor and I don’t leave her out of my hold. I feel nervous suddenly and this has to do with my sister’s arrival. I have about one year to see her and I am sure it sounds weird, but it’s not, if you think she doesn’t want me after what I did to Becky!

I don’t blame Kaitlyn or my parents that they don’t want me, I embarrassed them, I betrayed them with what I did and I know Kailtyn got hurt the most because she and Becky were one, Michelle was their friend and I destroyed everything with my stupidity.

When I have to face her I am always nervous and I avoid looking at her in the eyes. She is distant, she never hugs me, she talks to me typically and this hurts like hell.

So, I guess you understand that facing Kaitlyn is difficult for me and I deserve to feel this way although it’s a torture. I am glad she is here, she accepted to help me and I can’t complain!

I take a deep breath and then exhale heavily. I am shaking slightly with my eyes searching for my sister and feel Hayley stiffening and turning to me. I am sure I am acting pathetically, I am a coward!

I turn my head to her as well and force a smile when my eyes meet her beautiful, full of worry ones and rub her arm gently. It is not difficult for her to understand in which condition I am in, she already knows that my relationship with Kaitlyn is not like it was so many years before.

“She wanted to be here… With you!” she whispers smiling softly and I lean and kiss her forehead fighting not to cry.

It is the easiest thing there is for me to cry even with the simplest thing these last days and with Hayley everything is more intense! She is very sweet, she knows exactly what she needs to say and the time with the way and her words are really encouraging.

“With us! She loves you very much!” I whisper back and she smiles more as she turns and hugs my waist.

I had no idea it would feel so amazing to have such relationship with anyone and look at me now…

I’m hugging my youngest daughter and I am ecstatic, I feel so many strong emotions and more complete than I had thought… I just wish I had Claire, Ryker and Becky with me right now, no offence, but these four are the most important persons for me with my parents and Kaitlyn coming after them, because as my father had told me once, when you find your mate and have kids, they become your whole life.

Now I understand him, he was right!

“HEY, YOU TWO!” the well known, strong, clear feminine voice yells from some distance and both Hayley and I snap our heads to the direction that is coming from.

And then I see her! She is gorgeous like always, but this time her faces and eyes are shining!

Her big brown eyes (we have the same from our father) are brighter than the usual, her skin is not so pale, her body is exactly like every time, she has a normal height for a woman with the perfect curves, she is elegantly dressed with a pair of black high heels, a pair of black formal trousers and a dark blue blouse and her blonde hair straight and shorter than the usual.

She is smiling and her eyes are locked on Hayley that is smiling amused next to me.

What did I tell you?

They adore each other, their smiles are priceless!

“Look what a Goddess niece I have!” Kaitlyn screams amused some seconds later and I laugh tapping Hayley’s back that needs nothing else to rush to her.

And just like this I am sure they are going to destroy the pack house and I am dying to join them! Kaitlyn was always chasing Hayley when she was a kid and both of them were laughing hysterically with my parents joining them. I hope they do it again and the scene that is taking place right now in front of me is very touching!

Kaitlyn has stopped walking, she has left her luggage and her arms are already widely open for Hayley that reaches her after passing by many other people and falls in her embrace with both of them laughing, crying and talking.

I observe them for some seconds that feel more like minutes and wipe some tears from my eyes before they see me crying. I am very happy Hayley is going to have Kaitlyn as well for the following days. She needs all of us next to her and I want Kaitlyn to help me understand more about the teenage girls, I have two and no idea about how to behave appropriately to them.

“I missed you very much! How are you?” Hayley asks sniffling as they walk to me after a while and I hold my breath as my sister approaches me.

I am dying! I don’t know how to behave!

“I missed you too baby! I am great and your cousins and uncle send you their greetings! Amy gave me something for you!” Kaitlyn replies as they stop a meter from me and Hayley’s smile gets wider from surprise.

Yeap, Amy is Kaitlyn’s daughter and she is 14 years old and then we have John, my nephew that is 12! Both of them have a great relationship with Hayley, when they visit us they like spending much time with her, she is the older one and their ‘idol’, because she is clever with much knowledge!

“Thank you, I would like to talk to them and thank Amy in person… I wished she could come!” Hayley says disappointed that Amy is not here and I smile in sympathy as Kaitlyn caresses her cheek and turns to me.

My smile freezes when I feel her sparkling full of life eyes on me and clear my throat. Damn it!

It is worse than the last time, I feel like I am a complete stranger to her!

I take a short, sharp breath and force a smile as I give Hayley one quick look to take some courage. She is staring at me with a warm full of support gaze and it has an effect on me, because I feel my strong until now heartbeat getting slower.

“Welcome Kaitlyn! I hope you had a good flight! Thank you for coming, let me help you with your luggage!” I say quite nervously and get ready to take her luggage, but she takes a step closer and I get paralyzed.

My eyes meet hers that are now wet, not so bright or happy and lower my head awkwardly. This is so f*****g hard! I can’t hug my own sister, I can’t have her close to me anymore, I can’t have her love, I can’t tell her how much I miss her, but I brought myself in this situation, I must pay the prize for my mistakes.

We stay like this for I don’t know how much time, everyone around us disappears, it’s just Kaitlyn, Hayley and I and this is very heartbreaking when I feel my own sister’s hatred. I don’t know how I stand on my feet when I feel like a wreck and even my wolf is nervous and can’t support me, because he is already too overwhelmed.

“I missed you, brother!” she says catching me off guard with an unstable, trembling voice and before I understand what is happening she is hugging me tightly and buries her face in my neck.

Did she just hug me or it’s my imagination? Am I dreaming?

I lose my breath and wrap my arms around her with the first sob escaping my throat. I can’t hold back anymore, I missed her hug and her words feel like redemption. I was dreaming of this moment for years!

“I… I am so sorry, I love you very much! I am sorry for everything Lyn, I can’t do it anymore…” I whisper breathless and tighten my hold with her lifting her head to kiss my cheek.

I gasp as the tears keep on falling from my eyes and kiss her forehead with Hayley walking on our side. She is also crying from what I can see although my vision is blurred and I pull her with my left hand to join my hug with Kaitlyn. My wolf howls relieved when I have both of them in my arms and my sister caps my face in her hands forcing me to look at her.

It’s the first time after all these years she is smiling like this to me and my heart is ready to explode in my chest, not having her was making me suffer.

“I know… I am here now and I have no doubt you mean it… I won’t leave you alone, okay? Everything is going to be alright, we will make it together, yes?” she asks doing her best to stop crying and I nod slowly.

“I am proud of you, brother! You have a second chance and you want to do your best, you have already proved it with… Our baby here!” she continues turning to Hayley that blushes and caresses my arm.

“You are turning to the great Gabriel I knew… Well done brother!” she adds and I smile emotional.

Am I? I hope I am, I need it! I owe it to all of them!

“Thank you, sister! I am glad I have you two!”

~some time later, Blue River pack, pack house~

Hayley’s pov

I take my seat next to him on the big, central couch and aunt Kaitlyn does the same from the other side. We just arrived back to the pack and our grandparents with the Betas and the Gammas were already here waiting for us as he had asked them to.

It was a big surprise for them the fact that we brought aunt Kaitlyn, all of them got excited, but also worried as for the reason she is here, they feel that something is going on and this is why we are going to get straight to the point.

Right opposite of us are my grandparents, Ruth and Jack that is exactly like my dad (yeap, I can call him like this from inside me) except from his hair that is not so brown as it is turning grey. They look amazing, they are the best couple I have even seen and I can’t see them so worried. I feel their gaze on me, because it is not difficult for them to see the difference with my relationship with my dad, in fact it’s obvious we are better than ever and he is running behind me since yesterday and I stiffen nervously.

They are clever and they are certain the three of us (my dad, aunt and I) are up to something, so I turn to the Betas that are sitting next to them and force a weak smile.

I also like them a lot, they were never rude to me, just too distant and they consist of the two Betas, Declan and Jenna that are the current Betas and my father’s best friends and Max, their one and only son and soon to be Beta of the pack after them.

Next I snap my head to the double couch next to theirs to meet Gamma Joel and Nia’s gazes. Unfortunately Gamma Joel lost his mate when Nia was one year old and from that moment he denies finding someone else as my grandma told me. He loved her very much and he has dedicated his life to his daughter for whom you know many things… Both of them are nice and much calmer and serious than the Betas or my father, this is their role.

I feel my father taking my hand in his and I give it a soft squeeze. My aunt is smiling calmly on the other side of him and she taps his knee encouragingly.

He is very nervous, but not as much as he was yesterday when he had to talk to me, something that proves me I am important to him and he meant he loves me.

I am living in a dream from that moment although I get terrified when I think of the possibility of his son, Ryker coming. I am happy, don’t get me wrong, the pack, the family and most specifically my father need him, but I am sure he won’t like me for the well known reasons and I don’t want to cause problems to my dad…

I am also worried about Claire and Luna Becky’s opinion about me, I have no place here, because I am not his biological daughter, but it is much worse when it comes to Ryker… My father told me that he loves his mother and sister very much, he hates his own father, so imagine how much he is going to hate me that I am Michelle’s ‘daughter’.

Well, maybe I am going to run away in that case and the more I think about this possibility, the more I feel this is really going to happen!

I don’t want to leave now that my father and I are so close and I feel his love, I see he cares and he wants us to be like real father and daughter, but what else can I do?

I want him happy and his kids come first no matter how I feel!

It is going to break my heart, I have never left away, I have no place to go and no idea what I am going to do, but I must leave, if my dad comes in difficult situation because of me.

I never cared about myself, I never had amenities or money, I never cared about them, so the only thing I am going to lose is my family and their love…

I can make it although this is going to kill me…

Anyway…

I hold my breath when my father clears his throat and force myself to stay strong for him, I have to support him and stand on his side, my grandparents are going to be at least shocked and I am not so optimistic about my grandpa’s reaction. I listen to my father exhaling harshly and press my lips together.

“Thank you for being here, I know it was very sudden and weird, but I couldn’t do otherwise! Something serious happened and all of you have the right to know, it has to do with the family and next with the pack…” he begins and most of them stiffen with my grandpa looking at the three of us inquisitively.

Ops… This expression of his means only one thing, troubles, even for me that I am his weakness.

“Yes, go ahead! Is this why your sister is here and you decided to remember Hayley after more than 16 years?” he asks through his teeth with his eyes narrowed from anger I sigh nervously.

He is doing it worse for my father and I know he has his rights for saying all these, but I wish he could be calmer right this moment.

“Dad, could you please let him talk? You are free to say and do anything when Gabriel explains everything!” my aunt says confidently earning his and everyone else’s interest.

I am so grateful she is here, she is a big support to him and I am sure than calling her was not easy for him…

“Fair enough, Miss Kaitlyn… Talk Gabriel!” my grandpa says annoyed in frustration and my dad nods quickly.

Oh, this is getting worse as the seconds pass…

“Um, all of you know I went to Evan’s pack, the Bloody Snow Pack and I spent more than one day there, but you don’t know why… And this is what I would like to talk to you about, the reason…” my dad says with a blank expression and a mechanic voice like he is a ghost when in fact I am sure he is trying to be strong.

He is ashamed and hurt!

“Alright, so why did you spend the night there?” Beta Declan asks confused and my dad gives one short look to me and then my aunt that nods to him firmly.

Goddess help us, this is it!

“I… Becky is not dead and I found her there by accident! I had no idea and…”

“WHAT?” my grandparents exclaim in union and jump up trembling.

My grandma’s eyes get filled from tears in less than a second, her expression changes completely, she turns pale and my grandpa stays silent staring at us socked with his jaw clenching. I am really worried about them, they are so strong usually and now they have lost their strength and temper, it’s like they have seen a ghost or something and my heartbeat turns quite painful, something is happening to me, but I don’t know what!

“What did you say?” Gamma Joel asks breaking the torturing silence after some seconds and all of us turn to him instinctually.

I don’t blame him he can’t believe it either!

“Becky is alive, the pain I felt was because she had a car accident, but there is more…” my dad replies and looks my grandparents again that sit slowly back on the couch with emotional expressions on their faces.

They are getting happy as I see, they are relieved and I hope they get even better when they hear about Claire and Ryker, two more grandkids is something incredible and they are from their son, their grandson is going to become the new Alpha, Claire is a fantastic Luna so… They are going to be very proud!

“What… Else?” my grandpa asks wiping the first tears with shaking hands and I smile holding back a sob.

This is too much…

“Becky was pregnant when she run away… We have two kids together!” my father says ready to cry as his voice breaks in the end and it’s then that my grandma starts sobbing, my grandpa blinks his eyes unable to believe his ears and the rest smile in excitement.

They are more self-collected than my grandparents and it is logical, they are younger and capable of dealing with the whole thing better. All of them are too close to my dad, Declan, Jenna and Joel are like brothers for him and Max with Nia are like his nephew and niece.

“Are you kidding?” my grandpa whispers gasping and my father shakes his head negatively.

“No, I am saying the truth! Their names are Ryker and Claire and they are18. Claire is the pack’s new Luna, Evan’s son’s mate and Ryker is the Beta… Becky and they live with Evan for about 12 years and… I’m sure I don’t have to tell you they hate me and don’t believe I really want them…” he replies more broken than before and I move closer to him.

My grandma buries her face in her hands and her sobs turn louder. My heart aches, I can’t bear it, she has the kindest soul there is, she never left me and I know how much she had been suffering in silence all these years for what my father did. From what I have heard, she loved Luna Becky very much and she was happy she was my dad’s mate!

And now she finds out that her ‘daughter’ is not dead and she has two grandkids…

Fuck!

“Oh, my God! What did you do… Gabriel… Two kids… And they grew up without you, Becky did everything on her own… Imagine how they have been feeling because of you!” my grandpa murmurs running his hands through his hair and I place my hands on my lips when I see him crying for the very first time in my entire life.

I have never seen him before… He was always the strongest man there was, he was everyone’s rock, my grandma and aunt’s, even mine and now…

He looks so vulnerable, weak and devastated and I can’t take it! I prefer to take all his pain and suffer than see him like this for even one more second, he doesn’t deserves this!

“I… I told Becky that Ryker is the rightful Alpha of the pack and…” my father begins in a much lower tone, but a loud growl from my grandpa and he stops.

“HE WON’T COME BECAUSE OF YOU” he roars wildly and stands up slamming his fists on the wooden, classic table between us and breaking it immediately.

“I COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED MY SON WOULD BE SUCH AN ASSHOLE!” he continues and takes one step to my dad with surely deadly intentions as his eyes have turned black, but Declan and my aunt get in the middle and block his way.

The man I see in front of me is not my grandpa, she is a horrifying man, he is fighting to pass my aunt and Declan, so Joel joins their side with Jenna putting my grandma to sit on a couch further away and Max with Nia standing on their places speechless.

My dad from the other side doesn’t move or seems to be scared or angry. He is just in pain, he is crying, I have never seen him trembling that much, he has his head lowered and he seems to have surrendered already, it’s like he doesn’t care, if my grandpa kills him or not.

What should I do now? I am too dizzy to react, I mean…

I feel weak, I want to vomit, something is wrong with me and my wounds and bruises start hurting me again although I was better from last night and nothing bled.

DAMN!

“Father, calm down! He…”

“HOW CAN I?” my grandpa cuts off Kaitlyn and my father stands up slowly with me putting amends to do the same.

My body is not obeying me suddenly and the pain grows more intense.

“Do you realize what you did for that slut? Do you? You lost your mate, your kids!” he continues in an even harsher tone and I bite my lower lip as my dad takes a step forward and stops right before my aunt that is holding my grandpa back with great amends.

“I know better than you what I did and I regret it every day, every second, every time I breathe. I blame nobody else than me and what hurts me the most is that all of you, Becky and our kids have been suffering because of my actions. I know it is late and I have no excuse, but I want to do the right thing now and I demand nothing from you! If you can’t forgive me, it’s fine, because I can’t forgive myself either, but give me the opportunity to try from now on… I can leave from the pack and your life, if Ryker accepts to come and you don’t want me here!” my father states crying with a heartbreaking expression and we all freeze when the last sentence leaves his lips.

All, even my grandpa that has turned pale in less than a second and before any of us reacts, my father storms out of the pack house and we stay silent staring at each other.

Everything around me turns darker, my heartbeat gets so strong that I think I can hear it, I feel cold although I feel a fire building up inside my chest, my ears are ringing so much that the noise is overwhelming me displeasingly and it’s like something in my heart breaks.

Haven makes her appearance again, but this time she says nothing, she is just howling and I can’t understand what’s happening to her and why she is doing this. She is also confused from what I can feel, she is doing it instinctually and her howls turn louder second by second.

I look around me dizzy and lost, I don’t understand what’s happening, I just know they are all staring at me, some troubled, some worried and some others terrified.

I gasp feeling like I am drowning and see my aunt taking a step to me, but the next thing I know is me running desperately out of the pack house without knowing how I am finding the strength to do such a thing and once I slam the door behind me and the cool air hits my face, my skin shivers and I lift my head up.

Big, cold raindrops fall on me with the sky dark grey, almost black above me and a strong, freezing, wave of wind makes me take one step back.

When we got in the house, the sky had no clouds, it was sunny and warm and now…

It’s almost night, this is how dark it is and I turn my head to the forest on my right with Haven screaming wildly in my mind.

I take a short breath when a thunderbolt strikes towards the lake’s direction but not on my left, it strikes to the end of it and it’s on the other side of the forest and I start running to the woods unconsciously.

I pass by the pack’s houses and see nobody on my way, they must be in their houses due to the weather and the raindrops get stronger and denser getting me soaked in less than a minute. My breaths are short and irregular, I run out of oxygen, but I don’t stop running the fastest I can.

I have no clue as to why I want to go to the other side of the lake, what is happening to me and how on earth I am doing it when my whole body hurts like hell and I feel like I have no sign of power left inside me.

I don’t even know why my wolf has lost her mind and she is acting like she is rabid!

Something is changing inside me, a war is taking place, the fire fights against the cold, the light fights the darkness, the pain fights the peace and the fear fights the valor.

I get inside the forest when another thunderbolt strikes and I stumble upon a stone. I am running like someone is chasing me, like the past is hunting me, like I am trying to escape from somewhere and hide myself from…

My own self!

I fall down on the mud and wet grass and hit my right knee on a very sharp rock. My jeans get torn on that place and my knee starts bleeding as I hold back a cry from the sudden thunderous pain.

I exhale groaning and put my fingers in the wet, soft soil like I am trying to take energy from it, but I listen to voices calling my name and grit my teeth determined to stand up.

I have to run, I have to get where I want to, they mustn’t stop me, not now!

I get up and leave out a low cry when I touch my right foot on the ground. The bleeding is worse than I had imagined, but I am used to it, I can make it!

I lose my step when I try for the second time, but grab a tree’s branch to support myself and avoid another fall and the third time I try, I make it and start running although I am not so fast anymore I am hobbling.

I get deeper inside the forest and the storm gets more intense, the voices behind me faint and my heartbeat gets stronger and stronger with my heart ready to get out of my chest.

Haven keeps on howling and I feel the need to vomit more than before, but do my best to focus on my goal and make it to the end of the lake.

I continue running and running, I can hear nothing except from Haven’s howls and the raindrops’ sound.

I feel my body heavier the closer I get to the end of the woods and all I can smell is my own blood mixed with the rain’s sweet scent.

I can distinguish almost nothing except from the trees in the dark forest, but I freeze for a second when Michelle’s figure appears in front of me and I hear my grandpa’s words from before: “Do you realize what you did for that slut? You lost your mate, your kids!”

Michelle smiles wickedly as she listens to these words, she enjoys it, she feels proud of herself and she is just like I have seen her in the few photos my grandma’d showed me secretly.

Long blonde hair, full red lips, quite heavy makeup, short dress, high heels, arrogant gaze and eyes full of selfishness and malice…

And then she raises her hand and signs for me to go to her! She looks sure about my decision and takes a step to me, but I take one back and close my eyes.

No, she isn’t here, she can’t be, it is just my imagination!

I open my eyes again gasping panicked and she is nowhere to be found, but another thunderbolt strikes extremely close to me this time and I start running again with every cell of my body screaming that I won’t be able to make it till the end.

There are two voices inside my head except from Haven’s as I get ready to get out of the woods and reach the lake.

The one screams to me that I am Michelle’s daughter, I am just like her and responsible for everything, I deserve nothing and nobody is going to love me, I will have the same fate with her and everyone is going to leave me alone and this breaks my heart in small sharp pieces that travel everywhere inside my body and tear my flesh and…

The second one shouts that I am not like her, I have nothing in common with her, I am innocent and I never wanted to hurt anyone, I deserve happiness and someone to love me, I will have a better fate than hers and people that really love me on my side!

I get out of the forest gasping in despair and head to the lakeside some meters from me. The waters are stormy, the waves crash on the shore and the wind is stronger here.

I stumble for once more and fall on the ground, but there are no rocks or stones here, I don’t get injured this time, but I get covered with dirt and it takes me some seconds to catch my breath.

Haven pauses for a second making me sigh relieved, but soon screams calling my name and I lift my head up to get paralyzed.

Right in front of me is standing a male deer!

It is tall and muscular, its dense fur is dark brown, its legs are long and calligraphic, his chest’s muscles are more than obvious, his neck is long, strong and harmonically beautiful, his eyes are big and dark green like emeralds full of love and his horns are big, tall and imposing.

I open my eyes widely despite the heavy rain and crawl backwards with Haven stoned and silent. 

I’m not exactly scared, but it feels like a dream!

The war inside me stops, the wind gets weaker and not so cold, the lake’s waters are not so stormy anymore and the sky’s dark grey color gets brighter.

My heartbeat is not so strong now, the pain faints and I feel my eyelashes heavy and my dizziness exceeds every previous limit when the deer leans close to me, I feel his hot breath on my forehead and hear my father’s panicked, full of fear scream.

“HAYLEY!”

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Hello everyone!

This is the chapter number 12 and I am late one day, but my mom has her birthday today and I had to make some preparations and a cake for her!

Anyway, tomorrow I am updating Cleo's Heart Decision, on Thursday His Rejected Queen and on Friday Alpha's Abused Mate so get ready!

And now back to our book and what do you think of chapter? I am sure most of you understand that something did happen to her, but what?

How do you feel about what Gabriel said about him and Hayley? What do you think about his change? What about Kaitlyn's new behavior? How do you feel about everything Hayley said and feels? How do you feel about the discussion, how Alpha Jack reacted and what Gabriel said? What do you think about what happened to Hayley, what was it exactly? What is going to happen next?

I am very curious to know your opinions and thoughts and I need to thank you for everything. I hope you liked this chapter and you love the story. Everything is getting nmore intense chapter by chapter!

Plese if you want to help me from now that is still the beginning and you are looking forward for more commend and let me know your opinion and thoughts.

I will see you again in the next chapter (unless you are reading my other books). Until then stay safe, smile and have fun!

Love you all very much,

Marie!