Torn Between Mates

#12 Her Secret

The next day, Riven could not concentrate on anything or anyone. His mind was filled up with thoughts about the mystery girl or Ella. He could ask no one about Ella in the open. It would lead to rumors he can't afford to have. So he looked for the girl in the blue dress.

He began his search for the mystery girl from the packhouse. He would show the bracelet she had left to people and ask if they knew the owner. But no one could recognize it. It was an odd piece of jewelry, given the original piece was broken and someone had fixed it creatively.

The center heart-shaped stone piece was ordinary. It was a popular design last fall, and many girls owned similar bracelets. But someone had fixed the broken end with threads. A handmade moon-shaped stone hung from the bracelet, giving it a beautiful finish.

A few wanted to lie to Riven. They coveted him. But no one had the bones in their body to lie to him in their right mind.

"What is with you and the bracelet?" Chloe queried.

"It has nothing to do with you," Riven shrugged, putting the bracelet in his pocket. He felt at a loss. Also, he was beginning to worry about Ella. He had not seen her after the incident. He got up to leave, pissing off Chloe. She had tolerated enough of his arrogance.

"Why is it that you can't give me a chance, Riven? We were close once!" Chloe burst out, surprising Riven. He looked at her in confusion.

"I don't want to have relationships, Chloe. I don't want to hurt you by lying or giving you false hopes." He objected. "Why don't you understand? I don't want to have a Luna. You know what I had to go through. And you still expect me to marry? Love, mate, relationships, and marriage are not for me. I don't believe in any of this shit."

"And is that why you are looking everywhere for the woman who owns that bracelet? Is she some Cinderella, and you are stuck with her glass slipper?" Chloe grunted with puffy, red eyes, tears threatening to fall. She didn't want to cry in front of so many other wolves. But it was getting overbearing for her.

Riven felt a loss of words. Indeed, why was he so much invested in finding her? He was trying a little too hard. If he didn't want a woman in his life, there was no need to find her. He has wasted almost a day on a woman he doesn't know. Who else could be better than Chloe if he is looking for relationships?

"Chloe!" Riven sighed. "I am sorry. I won't look for her, alright?"

"So? Is that what you understood? What about me, Riven? I left my life that my father and I tried so hard to build among humans for you. You aren't even giving me a chance to be friends with you. Am I that bad?" Chloe broke out into tears.

"Hey!" Riven felt sorry for her. He didn't want to encourage her. But he also felt sad for her. She was a beautiful woman in her prime, wasting away her life for him. Love, indeed, is dangerous.

"Don't even give me the s**t 'it is not you but me' dialogue!" Chloe whined.

"How about we go for a run tonight as we used to in the old times?" Riven breathed.

He knew it was a bad idea. But he felt it was a gentle way to show her they had drifted apart. She would realize how different he had become only after spending some time with him. He had no obligation to do that, but he owed it to the history they had and to Jim. He didn't want to change. He wanted to age like fine wine and old Richard.

Chloe's eyes popped out in happiness, gleaming with joy. "I will be there near the treeline." She smiled, patting her face to stop herself from crying. "I was about to beg Mateo to intervene. But I am glad it worked out."

"What?" Riven gasped! "Let the man run the pack in my absence instead of burdening him with your fantasies." He whined.

"Fantasy? You call my love a fantasy?" Chloe complained, again feeling miserable.

"Chloe, see you in the evening." Riven breathed heavily, brushing off her question. It already bothered him about spending the evening with her. It was probably a foolish move. But ignoring her wasn't working, anyway. So he decided to make it clear to her. He could not see her as a woman no matter how hard he tried. Maybe they could be friends. But it was still odd with their history. It was about time he heard what she had to say as well. He had assumed she would be lacking as a wolf after living in the human world. But she seemed to do just fine. He was curious to know her secrets.

Loui saw everything from afar, feeling a rage build inside her. She felt like if she stayed there any longer, she might burst into flames. Loui squeezed the beer can with all her might. The sharp lid ended up wounding her. Blood oozed out from her cut, but she didn't even budge while Amie and Betty were freaking out. It didn't hurt as much as Riven's action did. She retreated to her room, bursting into a fireball of anger and resentment, destroying whatever his hands could reach for in her close vicinity. Even if the woman was beautiful, she wasn't any less. She couldn't let anyone have him. It was her who should be his Luna.

Ella had locked herself in her room for the entire day. It was a good thing that nobody looked for her. Probably because the place was swarming with caterers and beautiful wolves. By now, most wolves would have picked the one they liked. She lost her chance by allowing herself to get involved with two men who could never return her feelings.

She felt suffocated in her room. The attic space could hardly be called a room when someone felt so stifled inside. So she jumped from her window to go for a run. She needed some fresh air once the sun had set beyond the horizon. But as soon as she reached the treeline, painful memories of the last day traumatized her. She had forgotten all about it, drowned by her conflicting feelings for Riven and Levi.

She hung her head low, deciding not to go. It was not safe, or at least till the event wasn't over. Who knows what those traitors were planning to sabotage the event? She was on her way back, brooding over her pitiful life. It left her bemused to see Riven walking in his direction with a poker face. What were her chances of running into him on the first chance she took since yesterday to get some fresh air? Probably there was none. And yet she was there.

She turned to escape, but he was fast enough to catch her. She couldn't push him again, especially when she wasn't using a mask.

"What? Are you avoiding me now?" Riven felt hurt. For strange reasons, he assumed they were close enough to greet each other. Probably, it wasn't the case. He even thought his pride got trampled because he had to chase her. After all, she was an omega.

"What? No! Why would I do that?" Ella stuttered, releasing her hands from his hold. She didn't want anyone to see them together and report it to Loui or Levi.

"Why are you so flustered then? Something is bothering you." Riven covered the gap, checking her forehead to see if she was sick. "You are burning!" Even if, a moment before, Riven was a little concerned about his pride and ego, a genuine concern for Ella quickly replaced it. He had always been far too attentive to her.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Anyone would think you are worried about me!" Ella whined, jerking away from him.

This! These little actions and gestures of pity were rousing her emotions. Why does he have to show sympathy in such a gentle way? It made her feel he was genuinely worried about her. Why does he have to touch her at will, even without holding back? It made her wonder if he was interested in her. Right! It was all his fault that her heart got stirred up.

"What?" Riven gasped, averting his eyes. But he couldn't keep his gaze away from her for too long. Like a firefly drawn to fire, he was again looking at her intensely. Her words forced him to think. But then he gathered his wild thoughts. Right! He was worried about her because he doubted her pack abused her, and he also saved her from near death yesterday. He had a right to question her.

"I am the one who saved you! So why can't I check on you?" Riven whined.

"Thank you," Ella looked down to hide her disconcerting eyes. At first, she had assumed it was Levi. But someone told her that it was Riven who brought her back alive. It was wrong for her to even speculate that he could be interested in her. His concern was out of pity. Maybe it was because, unlike Levi, he was a good person who treated everyone with respect. Despite that understanding, she felt irritated and hurt. She let out a deep breath to hide her insufferable feelings. "I am better."

"What are you doing here? You are burning!" Riven was again standing next to her, checking her forehead, making her annoyed. Why does he think it is alright to touch her and give her needless feelings?

"It is none of your concern, alpha Riven. If someone sees us together, they might assume you are dating me. After all, it is the time of the event when everyone wants to spend every second with a special one." Ella snapped, putting some distance, making Riven feel rattled by her words and her actions.

"Do you always care about what others think of you?" Riven retorted, even if her question stimulated him. He was confused about how involved he was growing up with her life for no reason. But he didn't want to accept it.

"We should. I should, at least. I am an omega that no one wants. I am not an alpha like you. I don't even have a wolf!" Ella shrieked.

"Why are you lying, Ella? What are you hiding?" Riven demanded in a slow, warning voice, staring at her with suspicious eyes. He grabbed her shoulder, drawing closer to her. "I saw you shift the other day!" He said in a husky, rasping voice, intimidating her.

She kept gawking at him, petrified; her eyes bulging out in shock and fear as she swallowed a large chunk of saliva. Was her truth finally busted? What was she supposed to do?