Chapter 18

James had asked the restaurant to pack up the food we ordered and when he brought me back home, he placed everything in the fridge. I had found my place on the couch sitting in silence and my eyes fixed on my lap. My heart was hurting, and I wanted to tear it out at this point. I never thought being rejected by Tommy would hurt his bad. It had been together one time, but I guess that had been enough to destroy me. James was sweet the whole way back, and I felt guilty that everything has ruined the meal he paid for.

My emotions are flying in every direction and I can't find balance. I feel heartbroken but angry as hell too! This was my fault though. I was supposed to lay low and blend in, and yet I got involved with someone knowing well that I shouldn't. Maybe he finally realized the baggage I brought with me wasn't worth the trouble. Goddess I don't want to feel this anymore! Why did I do this to myself?

"Maya..." James came and sat beside me resting a hand on my shoulder and on the hand. "Do you need me to stay for a bit?"

"No, I think I need to be alone for a little while." I say honestly.

"Ok, well here is my number. Call me if you need anything ok? I will be here!" he reassures me.

"Thanks. I'm so sorry for ruining our lunch." I say feeling like crying again.

"Are you kidding? Who cares about that? You are hurting, that's what matters, and we need to worry about you right now." He says patting my hand softly.

"Thank you for everything." I say in a hushed tone.

"Anytime, I'll go now ok? Try and rest." He says giving my shoulder a squeeze and standing.

He gives me a quick 'good-bye' before I am alone again.

I felt so tired, maybe from crying so much. All I wanted to do now was sleep, for a long long time. I curled myself as small as I could and closed my eyes. Let this be a dream, a really bad dream.

When I woke up it was dark. The light from the moon was shining through the window above me and I rolled over to look up at it. I was told about the moon goddess growing up, but I just figured she was part of a story but not real. My parents told me lots of stories and I never really knew what was true and what wasn't. Of course, I leaned about human religions in school, but I didn't believe in them either. I wasn't sure what I believed in but in this moment I wanted to ask someone why. Why was all this happening? Had I don't something wrong to have all this happen to me? Why had my parents been murdered? what had they done? Why would the moon goddess give me a mate that didn't even want me?

I needed to understand but I knew there was no way to find out. Because as beautiful as the moon was tonight, there was nothing close to magic about it.

This is it; I need to stop hoping for things to finally get better because they won't. Not for me, I was a curse, and I needed to go back to original plan. Keep my head down and make it through college without revealing who I was. I could do this; I can act like nothing happened. This will all be a distant memory. I took a deep breath and pulled myself together, I had classes to prepare for and I am going to pour all my energy on school now. Everything else had to be forgotten!

I stood and walked over to the light switch and grabbed my backpack that was by the door. I take out my books and begin reading over the notes I had taken today.



(Tommy POV)

"What happened?" I ask Noah.

"He took her home and left, he didn't stay long so I don't think anything more happened." Noah responds.

"That's good. I trust James as far as I can throw him. I hope she doesn't get caught up in his act." I say in frustration.

My plan was already going off the rails, but I guess I would have to improvise.

"Can I say it wasn't one of your best plans." Noah says with a grumble.

"How would I know that weasel James would try his chance at her again after the last time I threatened him?" I ask annoyed.

"Will what about her friend?" I ask my other friend

"She is actually kind of cute, and we have a date Friday!" He says proudly.

"Don't get too attached, I am sure when she finds out why you asked her out your relationship will be short lived." Noah chimes in, always the pessimists.

"Who says she has to find out? Maybe I actually like her!" Will argues.

"That would be a first." Noah said under his breath.

"Enough both of you. We need to try and get things back on track. Eli have your tried contacting her yet?" I ask turning to my other friend.

"Isn't it too soon? You just broke things off with her, shouldn't I wait?" Eli asks.

"Maybe a day longer, but we need to keep this plan going if we want to protect her. She will be your future Luna, and she needs you now." I remind them.

"Ok, I'll check on her tomorrow." Eli replies.

"Good. I know this plan seems crazy, but we need to keep Maya distracted but protected. The more of you around her the safer she will be. The rest of the pack has to fight the rogues trying constantly into our territory, our jobs are to keep Maya out of sight." I tell them once more. "She can't be seen with me, whoever is after her knows I am the future alpha. We need to make this plan work for now until my father can find this Alpha that is after her."

"Has the Alpha found out anything?" Noah asks.

"Not much, the rogues keep repeating the same words like it's some kind of mantra. We haven't found the right question to break the cycle." I say with a sigh.

"Maybe a different way of questioning is needed." Will says with a smirk.

"My father doesn't believe in torture you know that Will." I reply.

"Yes, but we haven't faced a threat like this before. Sure, the occasional scuffle but full on attacks at least once a day with rogues following orders from a obsessive deranged Alpha." Eli adds.

"I know but I don't think my father would resort to torture even in these circumstances. He is the Alpha so we have to follow his orders, but Maya is my mate, so I will do what I have to do to protect her." I say confidently.

"Gross, you have gone soft bro! But we are with you! Just remember not to kiss her ok Eli?" Will teases.

"He will remember if he knows what's good for him and if he doesn't want certain parts of his anatomy cut off with a silver knife." I warn him.

"Ok ok! I got it! Sheesh you don't have to threaten little Eli like that!" Eli says instinctively covering the front of his pants.

"Little Eli? Really?" Will teases.

"Shut up Will." Eli bites back as their group breaks apart heading their separate ways.

"Have you found anything Noah?" I ask as we walk toward campus together.

"I contacted her past school and was able to obtain personal records from them. They don't have much information since I am sure her parents left some points out because she was going to a human school. The semi complete medical information they had pointed to a doctor here in Maine. As far as I can find, they moved from here and had a doctor forge medical record for her. The pack they ran from must be located here as well." Noah explains.

"I know all the packs around here though, and I have never met an Alpha that fits this kind of action. Plus, it isn't another pack that is attacking us, they are rogues. He must not be a true Alpha anymore and is using rogues to get what he is after." I add trying to remember the Alphas I have met in the past.

"There have been two Alphas removed by challenge in Maine, it must be one of them." Noah adds.

"That narrows things down." I say hopeful.

"Yes, but if he uses rogues, there is no real way to track them. They don't belong to a pack officially, there is no way to narrow down one specific scent to follow." Noah tells me.

"Why would he use rogues? They are unstable and do not listen to authority, how is he controlling them?" I ask.

"What is it about Maya that makes him want her so badly?" Noah asks with a confused look.

"I don't know. She seems normal to me; I don't sense anything unusual about her. Other than the mate related things, but because we are mates I should be able to sense anything out of the ordinary. I don't sense anything worth killing this many people for." I admit.

"Maybe you just haven't seen it yet. Didn't you say her wolf had been blocked. What kind of wolf is she?" Noah continues.

"Honestly, I don't know." I say with a sigh.

I barely know her at all.