Thorns Of The Past.

Unions, Pain, Fights, Warnings.

Some can only run away from their problem, some can't get rid of the anger in their soul, some are born to give and love and some others... The strongest can wipe the pain from their heart and turn it into power.

~at the same time~

Hayley’s pov

I look around me and smile from this magnificent place.

I don’t know where I’m, but the small green valley, the dense forest around her and the tall mountains that surround them and me look like they have gotten out of a dream.

I smell the different flowers’ scents, the animals, soil, trees and water’s and I fill my lungs with all of them.

Everything is peaceful here and inside me and that’s the weirdest thing, I feel peace…

I don’t know what happened, I remember nothing, but I don’t want to. This moment, this place and view are the only things I need. It’s an escape from everything, I feel safe here and away from anyone and anything.

I lift my head up to see the clear and bright blue sky with no sign of clouds and close my eyes from the strong sunlight the very next second. The sun is up, his sweet warmth caresses my body and all the parts of my bare skin and I lower my head to look at myself and my clothes.

It takes me few seconds to be able to see like before due to the blinding light and when I manage to see again, a low surprised scream escapes me and I narrow my eyes confused and very shocked.

I have no wounds, marks, cuts or bruises on my hands, arms and legs, they’re gone!

And moreover, I am wearing a simple white dress that stops right above my knees, it hugs my sternum, but not all of it till up my neck and its straps are thin. My long hair is down in big waves and I have no shoes, I feel the cool, soft grass under my bare feet and I can sense the earth’s pleasing energy passing through my body and healing my soul and broken heart.

My heartbeat gets very slow, but much stronger, my skin shivers from the unbelievably amazing sensation, my lungs don’t run out of the nature’s scents and I close my eyes to enjoy the moment more.

This is a dream, or even the heaven, because it feels like heaven for me!

Everything is perfect and I feel no pain, fear, worry or anxiety, no sadness, desperation and pessimism. I feel happy, safe, redeemed and very calm, but…

Why? How it happened?

I open my eyes again and they land on the full of life forest in front of me. I find myself troubled and I try to remember what happened, but nothing comes in my mind, I can’t recall the latest incidents. All I remember clearly is me walking up and down in my room too late at night, but there is nothing else after that and until now.

Did I die or am I dreaming to escape my life’s reality?

I exhale heavily and take one step forward. The mountains stand tall all around the horizon and the largest mountain, the most imposing one is right opposite of me. Its top is snowy and it is shining under the light, it is taking my breath away how beautiful it is and I make some more steps, but stop when a big butterfly with mixed white and beige, almost golden wings flies harmonically in front of me and captures my interest.

An instinctual smile appears on my face and I follow the butterfly with my eyes, I turn to the right when she does and then I have to turn around my body in order not to lose her from my optical view. I lose myself in her smooth movement, my heart overflows with great joy and my breath gets cut.

She is just amazing and…

I freeze the next moment when I see him standing ten meters right opposite of me, he was behind me, but now he is in front of me and I’m surprised I didn’t feel his big, dark green eyes on me.

It’s the male deer!

He is here, his eyes are locked on mine all the time, he looks much bigger than the two previous times I saw him and his fur shines, his body reveals pride, but not arrogance and I can’t move anymore.

I don’t understand why he comes to me, this is the third time and I don’t know how I feel.

A part of me is happy and it senses there is a connection with this deer and the young female I helped few days ago, it screams to me there is a bond between us, but there is another part that is scared and worried, although I’m sure the deer won’t hurt me and I’m really confused.

Why me? What does he want from me?

The deer moves first after a while and starts walking to me with confident steps. I keep on observing it, I run out of oxygen due to the overflow of all the strong emotions and the closer the deer comes to me, the more overwhelmed I feel from its presence.

It stops only a meter from me and I have the opportunity to admire its big horns, strong neck, very expressive eyes and shapely legs. From the way it is staring at me, I feel like it is worried, proud, angry, happy, relieved and hurt, but I guess I’m losing my mind for sure.

I stiffen troubled, not knowing what to do and it leans forward, closer to me. I soon realize it bows to me for once more and I step back, but it steps forward almost immediately. It’s like it denies allowing our distance to open more and my body paralyzes unconsciously, but the deer continues. It walks to me, turns around to look at the same direction my body does, it stops and stands on my right.

I give it a very nervous gaze and his expression changes, it softens and moves its head to rub its forehead against my bare arm. A wave of electricity strikes me when he touches me and I try to pull back, but something stops me.

A stronger power prevents me from staying away from it and the pull between us gets unbearable, I can’t resist, but so does the deer. It looks unwilling to leave and stay away from me.

“Why did you come again? What do you want from me?” I ask instinctually in a low, whispering tone and it stops rubbing his forehead against me, turns it in front and moves it forward like it wants to show something.

Great, Hayley! Now you try to talk with a deer. You can’t communicate with your wolf or most of the people around you and you decided to open a discussion with a deer.

A deer!

What am I thinking? Seriously, this is clear madness and I should go and see a doctor, a psychiatrist specifically. Nothing is normal the last couple of weeks and things get worse gradually.

The deer moves his head with more tension after few seconds and his eyes show me where he wants me to look at. I know I’m getting paranoid, but I decide to do as it wants and I turn my head to lose the ground under me from his piercing gaze.

It is another one there!

Another male deer, a younger, bigger, taller and more beautiful one and it is standing exactly where the other deer was standing before, but what gains my interest with the first look is his eyes, their color, because it’s the same one with my eyes!

Yes, they are mixed dark grey and green like a mix of emeralds and diamonds.

Also, its fur is a darker brown color than the deer’s next to me and its horns are even bigger, the veins on his chest and front legs are obvious even from this distance and his aura is more powerful.

I snap my head to the deer on my right and I find it staring at me with a mysterious gaze. I can’t read it this time, but I feel how upset it is and it turns to the other deer, locks its eyes on it and bows in complete submission.

Two male deer with me!? The one bows to the other, the new, younger one?!

It is definitely not true!

“But what if it is true, Hayley? What if this is real and it’s happening?” she asks from somewhere behind me in a weirdly gentle for her tone and I jump around to see her with the young female deer I helped to escape from a hunter’s trap.

“Haven?” I exclaim shocked and she stops walking already a meter from me.

“It’s me, Hayley. It is us!” she states and the female deer passes by her, walks to the male deer next to me and I realize that the other male is standing on the other side of them.

They have circled me from everywhere and the four of them are staring at me, but I am too lost in Haven, who is standing in front of me, because it’s the first time I see how she looks or will look like, or this is what I think right now.

Her eyes are the same with mine and the young male deer’s, she is beautiful, her body is magnificent and strong, her tail long, her ears sharp, her teeth big and terrifying, but her color…

It’s rare and it reveals she belongs to a strong breed, one of the strongest.

She is completely white, more than the purely white snow!

“Yes, Hayley. That’s right, ancient blood runs in my veins, in your veins and I guess it was about time for you to know it.” She states reading my thoughts like always and I blink my eyes one hundred percent unable to believe it.

“I’m sorry for everything, I know I hurt you, but… I didn’t want to! I just hated how willing you were to accept all those abuse and insults from everyone, how kind you are, how much you lower yourself and me, how patient you are and that you accept Michelle’s dirty past and dishonoring actions affect and guide your future life… I am not like that, at least this is what I realized a while ago.” She continues and for once more I can’t talk, I just listen to her talking.

“I love you, Hayley, I can die for you, honestly! I thought I was losing my mind all these months, because I feel too strong, I feel we are different and these couple of weeks’ incidents and what happened earlier today helped me understand most of the reasons about it.” She says next and this time I narrow my eyes as images pop in my mind and my memory returns.

Becky…

Ryker…

Mates!

Attack, blood, pain, screams and then black!

I open my eyes widely, lose my balance and fall on my knees, hot tears fall from my eyes immediately like they were ready from before, my heart aches, my stomach tightens and Haven’s eyes get filled with pride and affection.

Ryker doesn’t want us, he is our mate and…

“He is wrong! The end!” Haven cuts my thought off and approaches me even more.

“If he doesn’t want to give us even one chance, he doesn’t deserve us and he is worse than anyone else, because he is our mate and a true mate never rejects his mate for someone else’s actions and mistakes! Nothing was yours or mine fault, it was Michelle and Gabriel’s, even Rebecca’s, but not ours. Do you understand me?” she continues in a harsher tone with pure anger and complaint in her voice and I surprise myself, because I nod in agreement with determination.

Yes, she is right, it wasn’t our fault what happened in the past between them. We didn’t choose to come in this world from Michelle, we are not like her, we will never, ever become like her, I deny it! And what she said about Ryker is true. Mates, real mates don’t do what he wants to do and he wants to reject us! He judges without knowing us, just like everyone else, but do you know what?

Enough is enough! I have a heart and she is too broken already, because I allowed it to happen, but not anymore. I had more than enough from everyone, my bullies, the pack, everyone who hates me, judges me and hurts me.

“Yes, exactly! Well done, Hayley. Nobody has the right to insult, hurt or touch us!” she says and stops inches from me.

Her eyes are my eyes’ mirror, it’s not only the color that’s the same, but also the emotions and thoughts we share now. It’s the first time we agree and her precious words return in my head.

Did she say she loves me and she is sorry for what she did, but she was angry, confused and couldn’t understand why we are ‘different’?!

The need to ask her is so urgent I can’t wait, I want to know more, she has to tell me, I need explanations and I want to know about the three deer as well. Maybe she knows, she said she knows about everything, so she could know about them.

“What did you say before? I mean about us, our blood and the reasons we behave this way the last weeks and what about these deer… I don’t understand anything.” I mutter in agony with my eyes never leaving hers and the deer come closer.

“I can’t tell you many things, I won’t get into details and you won’t remember a thing except our reconciliation and union when we wake up, because it isn’t safe and everything is going to happen when the right time comes for us and everyone else, but… We aren’t common, we are special and strong, terrifying strong and extremely important.” She replies and the female deer touches its nose on my neck and purrs relieved, but I am not so surprised from this sudden move.

It is very familiar like it has happened again, it feels like she is…

“Ours! She is our deer and these two males…” Haven speaks up and pauses while the males stand tall with pride on my right and left.

“Are our father and grandfather’s. They represent them, they are our protectors from now on. Every rightful Alpha has one deer, there are only three and they are here, Hayley.” She continues and I get shocked when she says three specific words ‘every right Alpha’.

“Huh? What did you say?” I exclaim feeling dizzy and she giggles.

I have never listened to her giggling before. She sounds like a completely different wolf, she isn’t Haven, the well known bitchy wolf of mine, the devilish one.

“I had my reasons and I was frustrated and confused. I apologized and I thought we left it behind us. And you heard correctly, we are Alphas and not common Alphas, but no more details, you don’t need them yet anyway. What you need to know is that we have more powers than the usual and this is the reason I can’t be controlled so easily, in fact I… I am sorry for almost killing us before, but I was furious with our mate’s behavior.”

I run out of oxygen when I understand everything she just told me and my jaw drops for few different reasons. The first one is that we are ‘Alphas’ and she didn’t and won’t tell me more about us and the pack, because I know her very well and I’m sure she won’t say more. The second is that she mentioned I don’t need to know more about it yet, the third is what she said about her, I mean that she can’t be controlled easily and the last one…

Is that she almost killed us because she was angry?!

“Haven, talk to me NOW!” I order in a higher and hoarser tone, the male deer groan nervously and Haven shakes her head quite awkwardly.

And now she is scared of telling me what happened, because this is her fault for sure and she is guilty. Oh, I have no doubt she did something stupid!

“I… I didn’t want to, but he got me outraged and I wanted to show him his place, give him a lesson, maybe… I mean…” she whispers with trembling voice and avoids my angry gaze, lowers her head and groans.

“Maybe what? Give him a lesson? Show him his place? What did you do? Talk!” I demand more powerfully than before and she exhales upset.

“I lost my self control and tried to get in lead, I wanted to shift and you were in too much pain to stop me, you had lost too much energy, so I pushed you back and I was too close to shift, but then I realized we wouldn’t bear it and we would die. I swear I tried to stop, but I couldn’t, it was above me and then they drugged you and me both and saved our life.” She explains in hurry with regret and guilt and gives me a timid apologetic look.

I don’t know what to say anymore. Everything is sore… My body, my mind, my heart, everything is too weak. I just stay like a statue and stare at her in an echoing silence which makes my skin shiver from the cold sweat that washes me after all these reveals.

I feel nothing, or if I do, I can’t understand what the hell I feel.

“I will try to control myself, I promise, but you have to help me. I can’t do it without you and I will help you, I will give you courage, I will do anything for you, I won’t leave you alone! We need each other.” She whispers and leans her head on me, her forehead touches mine and I raise my hands to caress her neck.

My heart skips a beat from our first closure and she purrs in relief. I smile ready to cry and close my eyes touched.

Well, I guess our war is over, we have peace and I have forgiven her, although I hate she didn’t tell me everything she knows, but at least I have her and we are one, I am not alone, right? We agree and that’s all that matters, we are united.

“I love you, Hayley and you have to know they love you very much as well. And I’m not talking only about Gabriel, Kaitlyn, Jack and Ruth… I am talking about your real family and most importantly your father, Arthur! You won’t remember about it when we wake up, but I wanted to tell you. He will never leave us, never! He is observing us.” She says emotional and new tears fall from my eyes when I hear his name.

Arthur… It’s a beautiful name and he loves us, he has his eyes on us.

“And now you have to rest, okay? We need strength.” She states after a while and breaks the heavy, but pleasing silence and I pull back, open my eyes and look at her in disappointment.

“Why?” I ask with complaint and she lifts her head up, looks at the sky and it is then when I understand that the three deer are gone.

They disappeared and I think I know how they came, why they left, what happened and where I am. All these took place in my mind, but they weren’t in my imagination. Haven is in my mind and the female deer is mine, the males are connected with us, they are our protectors, so it did happen, although the way it got possible is going to stay as a mystery to me.

Haven nods in approval for my way of thinking and clears her throat quickly. She gets ready to talk and everything darkens when she replies to me and ends her phrase.

“Because nothing can keep us down for too long and when we wake up, we will have to ‘fight’…”

~in the meanwhile, Bloody Snow Pack, pack house~

Blaze’s pov

I observe Claire’s pale face after our mother’s news and my heart aches from pain.

I am shocked with the turn things took, but it doesn’t affect me as much as Claire’s reaction.

Her beautiful eyes are wet, few hot tears rolls down her cheeks and fall on her knees, her lips are shaking like her hands, she fights to breathe and her eyes talk to me and beg me to save her, but there is nothing I can do this time except from…

Going immediately to Blue River Pack to kill Ryker the i***t!

I know he is more explosive, energetic, reckless and unpredictable than I am, but this time he took it way too far and it’s not only what he did, but what happened to Hayley, how Gabriel reacted surprising all of us and how stupid we were for ‘accusing’ him unfairly, without knowing the whole truth.

I mean, alright, we all know what happened between him, that Michelle and our mother, but we can’t blame Hayley and be mean to her. Not that we are, if we put aside Ryker. We all want to meet her, mom was impatient about it, Claire and I had a feeling she is very different and my dad adores her already, because Gabriel told him many things about her. Even Megan is curious to see Hayley and she hates Michelle till death and Kira with Mark are the more patient and kind as usual, so they want to meet her.

Our mother told us with details what took place today from the moment they set their foot at the pack till now and I can’t hide the fact I am worried, angry and very hurt.

I know I am a man, an Alpha and I wasn’t supposed to be so affected, but when it comes to my family I can’t be reasonable, cold and distant and I hate injustice and violence. Not to mention that when Claire and our mother suffer, I die from pain and right now I feel Claire’s, I hear our mother’s and it takes me too much effort to stay strong.

What was Ryker thinking when he attacked Hayley and yelled at her?

All of us were aware of his hatred, rage and disgust for Michelle, but he never talked about Hayley, he didn’t seem to care and his reaction, when he realized they are mates, is cruel, unfair and unacceptable.

Punishing Hayley and his own self for what happened in the past, is the biggest mistake he can do and he did it. He could have killed her, if the others hadn’t been so fast and our mother hadn’t gotten in the middle to stop him and protect poor Hayley.

SHIT, s**t AND AGAIN s**t!

I don’t recognize him anymore and so do Claire and mom, because this man is not Ryker. He seems to be a jerk sometimes, but he has a very kind heart, he used to be fair, he loves giving without asking for anything in return, but this didn’t happen now.

And to add one more problem in all this chaos, Hayley passed out and they found her in a condition nobody can explain, but we are sure for one thing, Hayley is being seriously abused for the last three years and Gabriel knew absolutely nothing! He learned everything about it when Bianca confessed it and he punished her ‘bullies’ from their pack, he is going to punish her bullies at school too and the entire pack is going to pay and do you know what?

I feel sorry and proud of him for all these!

Kaitlyn told our mother that Gabriel approached Hayley and apologized, asked for a second chance and told her she loves her and she didn’t even have to forgive him, she accepted him immediately, she gave him the second chance and he proved his love today. I am sure he has been proving it to Hayley all these days anyway, but today he made it clear and this is what matters.

To be completely honest, my father and I were never against him, especially my dad. You see, he told me his point of view and that he has truly regretted and I saw it, I am not blind and his protectiveness for Claire made me soften a lot with him. I could feel his pain every time I was catching him looking at our mother, Claire and even Ryker and I want them happy, that’s why I had asked from Claire to think about giving him a chance with her. I never believed he is a coldhearted man. He was an i***t, a very reckless one with childish behavior, but a monster? No, he wasn’t!

Monsters have no feelings, but Gabriel had from the first time I saw him and I can’t ignore it, but the others didn’t want to see it after Chase, Helen and Brandon’s reveals and they believed he hated Hayley, but now we know it was never true, he loved her.

Yes, he does love her and he proves he wants to change everything, correct his mistakes and start all over again. So, I think mom and Claire regret their previous opinion about him and this is the main reason they are in so much pain. They suffer for Ryker’s behavior and what happened to Hayley as well, but they feel guilty and it is an unbearably huge weight for them.

“I can’t believe it! It’s a sick joke, everything is f****d up, do you understand?” our mother asks and I shake my head returning to reality and rub my head.

From her voice I know for sure she is struggling to breath, she can’t stop sobbing and I’m freaking out. I am not there and I can’t get close to her so soon, as I’m about to leave and go there to stand on her side and help in any way I can.

Also, I can’t call Ryker the asshole and I don’t want to bother Helen, Chase and Brandon, because I know what a difficult task is to deal with Ryker’s abrupt explosions. I won’t even think to ask from my father to call Gabriel or his parents, so our mother has to calm down on her own this time, she can do it.

“Mom, try to breathe and relax. Don’t go to talk to Ryker yet. You have to think about yourself first. I will come as soon as possible to you, okay?” I say trying to sound confident and calm, although Claire knows I am not.

“No, you stay there for now. All of you! If you come, Ryker will think we are against him and he will react even worse. You know him…” she replies firmly and I bite my lower lip thoughtfully, because she is actually right.

If we go, we will end up fighting, because I am not willing to accept his bullshit or show him understanding. His stubbornness can transform me and when we disagree, we do it with passion, we get wild.

“I want you to stay away. This is something I have to face on my own and you need peace. If we pressure him all together, he will fight back. Promise me you won’t come until I tell you so.” She adds quite nervous after few moments of silence and Claire gets ready to protest.

She isn’t so vulnerable anymore, she is the strong Luna I know she becomes when she has to and I think she found the wrong time. Our mother is right and the last thing we need is Claire’s disagreement. We have to support her, even if we don’t like it.

“Okay, you have our word!” I state strictly before Claire tries to reply and she stands up ready to leave, but I grab her from her wrist on time and stand up as well.

Damn!

She wants to go there, she can’t stay here and I have to talk to her and convince her to stay and wait for a while. Claire can turn from an angel into a demon, if you give her a good reason and Ryker gave it to her and Hayley and our mother’s condition is just making it even more intense.

“Mom, we will talk again in a while. Call me whenever you want to, I won’t leave my phone.” I say in hurry and end the call after a loud, positive groan from her.

Alright, that was very close…

“Blaze, let go of me. I need to go and…” Claire yells and tries to pull back her hand, but I throw the phone on the bed and hug her tightly with no big protest from her.

She stops, exhales against the crock of my neck where her mark is and I start caressing her back. I kiss her silky hair and take her scent in order to calm down and I feel her surrendering completely to me. Her body relaxes under my touch, her heartbeat slows down and she raises her hands to wrap them gently around my waist.

I am glad it wasn’t difficult for me to stop her for now, although I know she is going to think about it again and then it will be harder to prevent her from going and my heart hovers relieved.

“This nightmare won’t stop, Blaze…” she whispers hurt, tightens her soft hold around me and before I talk, she breaks into sobbing catching me unprepared.

I don’t understand immediately what she means, I need two seconds for my brain to work and realize she means the past memories’ cruel pain. I guess I agree with her, the past created a rift and it is hard for us to get to the other side.

From the one side are Gabriel and now Hayley and from the other are our mom and Ryker. Claire, all the others and I are in the middle and we don’t know what to do. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that Hayley is guilty, because I put her with Gabriel. All I am trying to say is that Hayley suffers more now, just like Gabriel and both of them deserve a chance. From the other hand, Ryker is too stuck in the past like mom and they are extremely scared and I would say angry.

“It is going to be alright, don’t cry now, baby.” I murmur softly, kiss the top of her head and pull her to sit again on our bed.

I sit next to her and don’t let her out of my arms, but her sobs turn heavier and it is something new for me, because we always help each other feel better, we are each other’s cure and I don’t understand what is happening to her.

She was so powerful few seconds ago and now she is fragile, scared and ‘weak’, but she shouldn’t feel this way. We can make it, we just have to be patient and give some time.

“Love, breathe! Don’t do this. Nothing is over yet, alright?” I say one step away from getting panicked, but nothing changes for one more time.

Claire gets worse instead of getting better and gasps for air, pulls back and I feel like I get shot when my eyes meet hers. She is a wreck, her eyes are puffy, her face red and hot, her lips are trembling and she is shaking so much that I could say she has spasms.

I take her face in my two hands and my panic exceeds every limit. I have never seen her like this in all these years and I try to think how to help her, but nothing comes in my mind. It looks like a panic attack, I’m not sure although.

“Blaze, I, I don’t know… What… It doesn’t stop, I can’t!” she cries out in desperation and I stand up to take her in my arms and carry her to the pack hospital, but it’s late.

Her eyes get rolled and then they close completely, she stops moving, life abandons her body which falls back, and she passes out in my arms.

“CLAIRE!

~ some time later, Blue River Pack~

Becky’s pov

I stop right in front of the house’s door and don’t move.

My body is exhausted, I feel devastated and my heart is sick of everything.

The latest incidents were the drop that overflowed the glass and I can’t do this anymore.

Many things run through my mind and I am lost, I don’t know who to think first, Ryker, Gabriel, Hayley or me?

Well, I know, Hayley!

She is our priority, Gabriel is absolutely right and Ryker must step back, calm down and listen to me, because I won’t accept his excuses. What he did is unforgivable and unforgettable, but he can change it, it isn’t late.

Hayley is his mate, he can’t push her back so simply and continue his life, because he is going to regret it like Gabriel did for the way he ‘abandoned’ me (I know he did, does and will do, my blindness stops here, I can’t keep on accusing him anymore).

He mustn’t do the same mistake his father did, my heart won’t bear it. One time was enough, but a second… No, this mustn’t happen.

I exhale in desperation, wipe the last tears from my eyes and then run my hands through my messy hair. I think about Gabriel and his distant behavior a while ago and I hold back a sob.

Gabriel… I can’t believe what an i***t I was and how I thought that he was aware of what Hayley was being through and never cared or helped her. I fell so low, I did the thing I hate the most, I judge him for something too serious, because I allowed to myself to get fully affected from just one action of his.

I wish I could run to him and ask from him for one more time to talk, but I know I can’t do it yet and I have to give him time. I mustn’t pressure him more, because we will have the exact opposite results.

Anyway, I take a deep breath and put my thoughts in a queue. I have to maintain the less patience I have been left with and try to talk with Ryker, make him realize his mistake and change his mind. He has to know about Hayley, because she needs him. The physical pain is nothing in front of the sentimental and more specifically when it comes from the mate’s rejection.

I take the tough decision to knock the door and get in my favorite, old house and I am disappointed I don’t feel happy for being here again after so many years. I had dreamed this moment in the past, but I had never imagined I wouldn’t want to get inside.

My right hand knocks the door weakly and it takes few seconds for my mother to open the door. From her appearance and only I know things are worse than I was expecting and his anger’s scent hits my nose the next moment.

It smells like the gunpowder, this is how angry Ryker is and I decide I need to stay alone with him. He is going to feel more comfortable with me. He loves my parents and brother, but we will be able to talk and express ourselves freely, if they leave us. I know my son, he has a very complicated personality.

I press my lips together and do my best not to cry. My mother gives me a sympathetic smile and pulls me in her arms. I mind linked her before I come, about five minutes ago and I told her everything in general. She knows, my father and brother know, but they told nothing to Ryker, I asked from them to let me do this.

Her hug eases my pain, but only for a second, because it is too much to go away so easily. I have missed her hug, her scent, her gentle touch and warm gaze, her discreet presence, her silence and support. I am extremely lucky I have her again in such a crucial moment for me.

“He is very angry, Becky… Try to be gentle with him. That’s what he needs.” She whispers to me and I pull back and nod.

She has a point here, but I don’t know, if I can make it. I mean, I am too broken, I don’t believe I can stay calm and show patience, sympathy or understanding. What he did was very serious and not what I have taught him.

Anyway…

“Mom, I would like to stay alone with him. Could you take dad and Brandon and go to the pack house? The others need you there more than I need you here.” I say in a begging tone through my teeth and look into her kind eyes with hope.

She nods almost immediately, the smile never leaves from her face, although it’s a broken one and motions for me to get in. I step inside the house with heavy heart and my dad and brother walk in the small corridor from the living room’s door on my left. No doubt she mind linked them without losing time.

They give me a nervous smile and stop next to my mother. I just caress my father’s arm, he leans to kiss my forehead and my brother points the living room with meaning and concern.

I set myself ready for the harsh task and I shake my head to let them know I have to go in and they need to leave. I can’t breathe, my stomach and chest hurt like hell, but I have no other option. I am his mother, it is my duty.

I pass my parents and brother in complete silence and they walk out when I am too close to the living room’s door. Brandon closes the house’s big main door behind him and I sigh in frustration to get rid of my nervousness, but it doesn’t make so much difference, the feeling is the same.

I get inside the room in a way I don’t understand, because my body doesn’t obey me, I don’t feel I can control it anymore and my eyes fall on Ryker’s figure on the big couch. He has his head bended, he is leaned forward with his hands buried in his brown hair and he is wearing only his jeans and not blouse or shirt.

He went for a run and the others followed him, but they brought him here when he calmed down enough. Right now he is still angry, I smell it, but it is a good sign he hasn’t broken anything in the house and he is just sitting on his place.

I walk very slowly to the black leathered armchair and then sit on it. I don’t take my eyes from Ryker and I don’t pay attention to the house’s decoration, although I have missed everything.

Ryker moves slightly from the discreet noise when I sit and his hands fall from his hair on his knees. I close my eyes for a moment to find the strength inside me and when I open them again, I find him staring at me with a terrifying, blank expression.

He is not Ryker like I know him, his dark side is in lead and he clears his throat to make my frozen skin shiver.

“I am sure about what you want to say to me, but I have taken my decision. I hate Michelle, Gabriel and everything that has to do with them and she is not an exception. I am going to reject her and I want from her to accept it. I won’t force her to leave, but I demand from her to stay away from me.” He states coldly and tears tingle my eyes from despair.

It’s not only his words that hurt, but his expression and aura as well, because right now he reminds me of Gabriel the way I saw him a while before. They have the same face, eyes, way of looking, talking and behaving, but Ryker is scarier, he is much darker.

Gabriel looked like a saint in front of this Ryker, because he wasn’t so aggressive, he was hurt and he was defending himself from getting hurt even more, but Ryker is angry and his tone shows aggression and pure rage, no pain, regret or sympathy.

“I know the way I behaved before was wrong, but I need you to know I don’t feel sorry and I won’t apologize to the slut’s daughter or anyone else. I have every right to be so furious with this malediction and it’s my final word. I am more than certain she cried to you to get you on her side, but it is pointless, because not you or anyone else is going to change…” he continues more hoarsely and it’s now that something inside me dies suddenly for good and this is my temper.

No, he has taken it way too far and he can’t talk about Hayley like this, not when she is innocent, pure, honest and hurt! I had more than enough and it is time for him to see the truth.

I raise my hand firmly and he stops, probably because my eyes are turning black and Bria wants me to give her our full control. He hasn’t seen me mad yet, and believe me, he doesn’t want to, but he can’t avoid it, not anymore!

“Next time you throw dirt on anyone, judge him for his parents or accuse him without having proofs, especially when this someone is your mate, I will kick your ass for all those years I didn’t, Ryker Jones, and if you want to try me, dare to do it again!” I growl threateningly and he opens his mouth to protest, but I don’t give him opportunity to cut me off.

His anger means s**t to me, I won’t accept from him to behave like a beast when it comes to Hayley! I’m not scared of him, I am even worse than he is, but he doesn’t know it yet.

“Hayley didn’t cry, didn’t talk, didn’t beg or acted. She run up to her room and we found her almost passed out with a deep bleeding cut, bruises, marks and wounds all over her body. She is being abused for the last three years from some pack members and kids at her school, Bianca told us… She is not Michelle, she…”

“SHE IS A f*****g LIAR! Did you really believe her? What if she caused this? What…” he roars and jumps from the couch, I open my eyes widely, Bria howls and I stand up like a flash ready to shift.

I don’t want to believe what he dared to say. He can’t feel so much hatred to end up so blind and heartless!

“DO YOU LISTEN TO YOURELF? DO YOU?” I scream and take one step to him and he growls shaking uncontrollably from rage.

“We are talking about your mate, your other half, a young girl who is 16 years old, she was being abused and never talked about it to anyone. A girl that never asked for anything, a girl with clear eyes! Does your heart feel right with what you do now? Answer to me, damn it!” I continue wilder than before and my hands turn into fists while I put great, desperate efforts to control Bria.

“She is like her! He raised her and never loved her, she is just a…”

“SHUT UP!” I cut him off unable to stand more and he freezes in submission.

“She has nothing to do with her, I know Michelle and I saw Hayley! And it’s not ‘he’, he is your father and he does love her, he punished the pack, killed her abusers and he will do the same with her assholes at her school and the useless principal!” I scream and he kicks the small table in front of him to break into pieces which scatter around us in order to release his anger and don’t attack me.

Me… His own mother. Me that I gave my life for him, I bled for him, I went through hell!

He breaks my heart, he makes me feel completely worthless. It’s like he hates me and believes I ‘m his enemy. He can’t see the truth or try to understand.

Everything gets clear for me and it kills me to say this, but Ryker is going to do more damage to Hayley and everyone else than Gabriel did to me, our kids, families and pack.

Gabriel never judged me, never! He betrayed me, but he never, ever said any of these, he didn’t seem to be ashamed, disappointed or angry we were mates. He chose Michelle, I mean he marked her behind my back, he never had the guts to call and tell me, prepare me about his intentions, but…

I don’t know anymore, honestly.

All I know is that Ryker’s rejection and betrayal will be worse than Gabriel’s, because I saw his eyes when he met Hayley and I know I distinguished adoration, love, excitement, surprise and even relief. He wanted her, he still does, his heart is Hayley’s, but he is too arrogant. He found the wrong person to release his anger on, his mate, his other half.

“The f*****g bastard is not my father, he and I have absolutely nothing in common, I am not like him!” he yells furiously and I reach my limits, because these words trigger me.

It’s like he could read my mind and I don’t try to stop myself and keep my mouth shut. He will listen to the hard truth either he likes it, or not!

“Of course he is your father! I raised you, I tried to make you a great man and look what you do! Is this the way I raised you? Did I teach you to attack the weaker from you and be so heartless?” I ask breathless with my blood boiling in my veins and my entire body on fire and he growls outraged to warn me, although it has no point, I’m almost done.

“And listen to my last words, ‘Alpha’ Jones, because I won’t repeat myself! You will be worse than him, if you reject Hayley, because your father gave you the example you shouldn’t follow and he pays for it! He truly suffers and you won’t be better than him, if you continue. Think very wisely my words!” I shout and with this I turn and storm out of the room and then the house.

I run like someone is chasing me and I bang the door with power and almost break it.

Tears leave my eyes and blur my vision, but I remember everything like my old life is back. I know where I go, I run to the forest, I want to stay alone, go for a long run in my wolf form until my paws start burning, I don’t feel my legs and I reach on the edges of passing out.

My heart mourns, Bria howls devastated for the very first time all these years we are together and f*****g pain consumes both of us.

Hayley’s thought slips into my mind, Gabriel’s broken expression hunts me, Ryker’s unfair, cruel and full of malice words sound again to strike me and a bad, negative feeling builds up.

I get in the dark forest like crazy, buds sound from distance and rain’s scent fills my lungs while dark grey clouds get gathered above us and a sudden, cool wind slows me down.

Even nature mourns with me or…

She tries to warn us for the bad ending!

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Hello everyone!

This is the 19th chapter and it is a long one, because you ask for more and I have to say this story is weirdly important to me lately!

We saw many things in this chapter, we will see Gabriel again in the next, but I want to ask you what would you say if we had a part with Arthur, Hayley's father. I find him very interesting, although I want to keep some mystery as for him, but if you want, I will give you something from him.

I really need to know your opinion about it and this chapter, did you like it?

How do you feel about Hayley and her 'vision'? What do you think about Haven, her information and the deer? What about their union? How do you feel about what Blaze said and what happened to our sweet Claire? Also, how do you feel about Becky and her fight with Ryker, do you agree with Becky? What about Ryker's statement and bad reaction? And last but not least, what about the ending? 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, you like the book 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!