Chapter 42

I quickly packed my clothes into a duffel bag and looked through my things to ensure I had everything I needed. Nicholas hadn’t mentioned how far we were going and for how long, so I packed for four days. I could wash and re-wear my clothes if I needed to.

I had mind-linked dad about my travel plans, and even though he wasn’t happy about Nicholas and I was going alone, he knew I had to see Gideon, and if anyone could keep me safe, it was Nicholas. Dad’s issue wasn’t with our friendship. He always found the relationship Nicholas, and I had very cute and hoped we would be together. However, after my stunt with Ethan, he was just worried I would do something stupid with Nicholas too. Since we weren’t sure if Nicholas and I were mates, dad didn’t want us getting carried away and mating against the Moon Goddess blessing. Both Nicholas and my wolf had started to get restless, and there was no telling what could happen.

A knock on my door pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Come in,” I called over my shoulder and carried on gathering my things.

“I hear you're going away for a few days” Clark’s voice froze me in place. I didn’t expect him to be here. He had been avoiding me so much, and I didn’t think he would care that I was gone.

“Yeah, some things came up in HQ, so just going to deal with that” I gave him a quick look over my shoulder and zipped up my bag.

“Why’s Nicholas going with you?”

There it was. Clark’s real concern about my trip.

“Umm, I can go where I want with whoever I want. What’s it to you?” I picked up my bag and turned towards him.

Clark stood at the doorway with his hands behind his back.

“I’m your mate, Alex. Don’t you think at least telling me yourself that you’ll be gone with another guy is just courtesy?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, you are so funny. Firstly, I rejected you as my mate, so get it out of your head that you have some sort of hold over me. Second, when my father doesn’t care about who I’m going with, who the fuck are you even to say anything?” I walked over to where he was standing.

I watched as anger made his face go red, and veins started popping out on his forehead.

“You’re just worried that if I go alone, I’ll stumble across some proof about your kidnàpping, aren’t you?” I smirked.

“I honestly don’t know what has gotten into you. Why the hell would I fake my kidnàpping? I’ve never been involved with Roy. Everything happened exactly the way Roy told you. Why don’t you believe me?!” His voice was loud and angry.

“I believe the evidence, and there’s no evidence to say that Roy actually did kidnàp you. All I have is the word of a lying warlock and a spineless boy. So, I’m going to go now. When you have evidence, give me a call, yeah?” I winked at him and headed for my door.

“Alex, don’t go, please. Stay here, and let’s fix our relationship. I don’t understand why you’re not even trying.” Clark begged.

“I’m not trying? Dude, do you hear yourself? You’ve been avoiding me all week. Even if I wanted to, how was I meant to fix things by myself? What you want me to apologize and beg?”

“Apologising would be a good start” he crossed his arms and nodded.

I burst out laughing and couldn’t stop.

“What are you laughing so hard for?!” Matt asked, walking into my room.

He looked between Clark and me and tensed up a little.

“Clark thinks I should apologize to him and fix our relationship.”

Matt rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Yeah, I can see how that would be funny. I just don’t find it funny.” Matt shrugged his shoulders and took my duffel bag out of my hands.

“Nicholas is waiting for you downstairs. He wants to know if you’d like to take one of your fancy cars or his SUV?”

“Oh, options! Hmm, can I take your GTR, please? I’ll trade you my Rapid?” I turned towards Matt, completely ignoring Clark.

“Fine, you can take it as long as you don’t wreck it. Otherwise, you’ll be buying me a new one with all the mods! And, and, and, no having sex with Nicholas in my car either! Even I haven’t christened it!” He half growled, and half chuckled the last bit. I laughed and started to walk out of the room.

“Sex with Nicholas?! What the fuck?! Alex, no way in hell are you going with that man alone!” Clark shouted.

“Oh, shut the fuck up. Matt’s just joking. Besides, if I did have sex with Nicholas, it’s none of your concern. So mind your own business. Come on, Matt, let’s go. This boy is irritating me now.”

“You can’t do this to me, Alex! I’ve suffered enough for you. How can you just abandon me?! They tortured me for six months to get information about you just because I am your mate. How can you be so heartless?! How can you be so cruel to me?!” Clark’s face was red again, and he was yelling at the top of his voice.

“See, here’s where you are wrong. I didn’t abandon you. You abandoned me. If my memory is correct, you didn’t want to be part of my life anymore. You didn’t want to carry my baggage anymore. Anything that happened after I rejected you was on you. I in no way am liable for that.”

“Given that I’m already accusing you of being on the traitor's team, I have no sympathy for you. My heart and I don’t care, Clark. You forget that I don’t feel. My emotions for you are all gone. So, stop being a child and go cry to someone that cares.” I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room.

I felt liberated. I didn’t have to fake my feelings for Clark anymore. I didn’t have to pretend. I could openly hate him, and he would think it was because I had no emotions. But the truth was that I could feel everything. For the first time in my life, I felt normal. I had emotions flowing through me that came naturally and were not forced through magic. It felt like a huge rock had been lifted off me. Although, there were feelings I didn’t want to feel just yet.

As I walked down the stairs, I thought back to the look on Clark’s face. It was priceless. Shock, anger, and confusion all mixed. Did he believe yelling and emotionally blackmailing me was going to work? His plan was doomed from the moment he stepped into my room. Even though I had all my feelings back, I felt nothing for that boy. Neither his begging nor his accusations rattled me. All my suspicions about him not being my mate were confirmed now. With my emotions now back, if he was my mate, I should have felt the slightest bit of ache to fulfill his wishes.

However, all I wanted to do was sink Kona’s teeth into Clark’s neck and squeeze until his body was lifeless and every single bone was crushed. It was taking a lot of strength to keep Kona calm. Every time I thought about all the things Clark and I had done in my bedroom, it made my blood boil. Both Clark and Erik had touched me in ways I had only saved for my real mate. Experiences I only wanted to have with that one particular person. Now, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t get the feel of disgust and violation out of me.

I know my calmness had surprised dad, Matt, and Ash. But I had already taken out my frustration in the training room. I had broken every piece of equipment in there trying to get Kona under control. Kona was still very angry, but she agreed to keep it together for the good of our people.

I got to the bottom of the stairs and walked out the main door towards the garage. Nicholas, Ash, and dad were standing outside of the garage having a chat.

“Alright, let’s go,” I announced.

“About time. What are we driving?” Nicholas picked up his duffel bag.

“GTR” Matt pressed the garage door button and chucked his keys at Nicholas.

“Hey, hey! I want to drive.”

“Sorry, babe, but I think my car is safer in Nicholas’s hands,” Matt laughed, and I smacked him on his arm.

“Your car is in good hands, buddy,” Nicholas laughed.

“Fine then. I’ll definitely be breaking rule number two” I winked at Matt and grabbed my bag.

“Noooo! Don’t do that, please! I just got the car detailed,” Matt whined.

“What’s rule number two?” Dad asked and crossed his arms.

“Nothing, Alpha. Just us joking. You know us” Matt let out a nervous laugh, making me laugh.

I opened the trunk and placed my bag in. Nicholas walked over and did the same with his bag.

“He said no sex in his car, dad,” I said loudly, shutting the trunk.

“What?! Alexandria- ...” dad started.

“Alpha Danton, with all due respect, I think you already know the things Alex, and I have done. So what’s the point trying to stop us now?” Nicholas’s voice was stern.

Dad may be an Alpha and my father, but just like me, Nicholas outranked him too.

“Noted King Parker. Will you please bring my daughter back safely?”

“Any evil intended for her has to get through me first, Alpha Danton. Now that I know what’s going on, nothing wrong will happen to Alex. I promise” the sincerity in Nicholas’s words made my insides mushy. I couldn’t help but want to kiss him.

Dad nodded at Nicholas and gave him a big smile.

****I’m sorry for ever doubting his intentions, sweetheart. Most of all, I’m sorry for doubting yours too. Forgive me?**** Dad mind linked me.

“Of course, daddy. We will be safe, don’t worry,” I said out loud.

“Unless you want to give dad some grandbabies, then safety isn’t a good idea,” Ash chipped in.

That earned him a smack on the back of his head, and we all cracked up laughing.

“No! No grandbabies. Don’t even think about it. You, mister, you are getting too big for your shoes. Let’s go; I think you need a lesson on life” dad grabbed Ash by the ear and dragged him towards the training room.

“Alright, you two. Be safe. Alex, please stay out of trouble. You are a magnet to disaster. Give me a call when you can. Keep me updated, okay?” Matt walked over and gave me a tight hug.

“Goddess, you guys are making me feel incompetent here. I’m fully capable of looking after a girl,” Nicholas snorted. He opened the driver's door and leaned against the car, folding his hands on top of the roof.

“Oh, we’ve heard about how good you can look after a girl.” A voice echoed through the garage. Samantha and two other girls stood at the garage door, eyeing Nicholas out.

I rolled my eyes. Great, just what I needed. Barbie seriously needed to be beheaded.

“Leaving so soon, King Parker? You haven’t even tasted the local cuisine,” Samantha purred. She walked up to Nicholas and placed her hand on his arm. Her walk had an unusual sway.

She slowly rubbed her hand on Nicholas’s arm and pushed out her chest, slowly running her other hand across her bare skin. She was wearing a very deep-cut top, and if she pushed her chest anymore, her boobies would spill out.

****Bitch is seriously asking for trouble.**** I mind linked Matt.

Matt cleared his throat and smirked.

“Nicholas, maybe I should go with Alex. You can stay here and enjoy the local cuisine?” Matt was trying hard not to laugh. I looked up at him and narrowed my eyes. The fuck was he doing?!

****Have you lost your mind?**** I mind linked Matt.

****Nope. Just experimenting. Nicholas is known for his manwhore ways. He never turns down a chance to try someone new. Wonder if he would turn Samantha down?****

I knew he had been with many different girls. He would write to me about his “adventures” when I first moved away. Once we started talking on the phone, he would tell me more detailed stories, and I couldn’t believe he had become that guy. But if he really was that guy, would he stay back for a chance to try someone new? He had made it very clear I wasn’t a cuisine he would try anytime soon because he didn’t want to ruin our friendship. So would he give up a chance to have sex with someone else while he figured out what was happening between us? 

I swallowed loudly, and I turned my attention to Samantha. She was very pretty and hot. All the guys had commented on how attractive they thought she was. She even tried to hook up with Clark. Now that I think about it, nothing was stopping Clark from hooking up with her. Maybe they did? Was that why she was so giggly that day when he dropped her home? I hadn’t marked Clark until after they got home, and Samantha didn’t know he was supposedly my mate.

I closed my eyes and swallowed my anger. Even though I didn’t have evidence, Clark didn’t have any reason to be loyal to me. He could easily cheat, and I wouldn’t have even known, thanks to the access he had to spells. I took in a deep breath and calmed myself down. I couldn’t believe my life had come to this. An idiot governed my life with access to fairy godparents.

Kona growled viciously inside me, and I pushed her back. She had more than one reason to be pissed right now, and unfortunately, one of the reasons was happening right in front of her.

I opened my eyes and found Samantha still standing next to Nicholas. I was so focused on her that I didn’t even look at Nicholas. Samantha kept tilting her head and pouting, desperately trying to get Nicholas’s attention. She flipped her hair and traced her fingers up and down Nicholas’s arms. She even lifted the sleeve of his t-shirt to see more of his arm tattoo and faked her interest in it. Why wasn’t he looking at her? Why wasn’t he giving her the attention she was begging for?

I finally looked up at Nicholas, and his eyes were staring at me. His beautiful green orbs were fixed to my face instead of the barbie next to him. He smirked when he saw the annoyed look I had on my face. I quickly rearranged my expression and looked away.

“I think I’ll pass Matt. I have a craving for a very different kind of meal right now, and I don’t want to ruin my taste buds” he winked at me.

“Sorry, sweetheart, but I’ll pass on the local cuisine. I’m afraid I’ll get food poisoning or something” he moved Samantha’s hand away and moved as far as the car door permitted. Samantha huffed and turned away, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“Whatever. You have no idea what you're missing out on” Samantha walked away, her heels clicking on the concrete of the garage.

“Alex, we should go. It’s a long drive” he smiled at me.

****He just said no to a girl. Nicholas Parker said no to a girl. That’s bloody impressive! Was sex with him that good??**** Matt's mind linked. Of course, everyone knew about Nicholas and my encounter from earlier this morning.

****We didn’t have sex, Matt. He said I would never be just another random girl. He would sleep to satisfy his needs.**** I looked at Matt and noticed his expression change.

****He said that? Wow. That sounds like something you’d say to your ....  Something going on between you two that I don’t know about?****

****Well, that’s what I’m going to find out.**** I gave Matt a tight smile.

“Umm, if you two are done with whatever telepathic conversation you’re having, shall we go? We’re running late,” Nicholas interrupted.

“Yes, yes, calm down. Let’s go” I opened my door and got in.

Nicholas said his final goodbye to Matt and pulled out of the garage.

“Ready?” He turned towards me with a big smile.

“As ready as I will ever be. I can’t believe the King of the West is really driving me into his own territory. What an honor,” I chuckled.

“Get used to it, princess. This time, no matter how much you try, I’m not going away that easily” he smirked started driving down the driveway.

“I’m a Queen, not a princess! Besides, you didn’t have to go away last time either. It was a choice you made.”

“You’re right. It was a choice I made. I needed you to miss me. I needed you to realize how much I meant to you. Did it work? Did you realize either of those things?” He looked forward, pretending to watch where he was going.

“Yes, I did miss you. I missed my friend.” I looked down at my hands. I twisted them together and mimicked what the inside is my belly felt like.

“Then why did you walk away from our friendship? Why did you need space from me?”

“Because you forgot my birthday. It really hurt my feelings, and it made me realize that once you found your mate, you’d forget me anyway. So I asked you to give me some space so I could learn to be without you” I wasn’t totally lying. He didn’t need to know my real reason.

He chuckled but kept looking towards the road.

“I didn’t forget your birthday, Alex. I had remembered all five birthdays before that. Why would I forget the most important one?”

“Then why didn’t you wish me when you called? Or even when I called you,” I twisted myself, so I was looking at him.

“Because I was going to wish you in person.” He glanced at me.

“What?!”

“I had just walked through the gates of the school when you called me to say you wanted space. I was there to surprise you” his voice was low and sad.

I felt my eyes started to burn as tears build up in the corner of my eyes. My jaws drop open, and I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He had driven all that way to see me, and I, my dumb ass, thought he forgot.

He was there that day. He had kept his promise of always being there for me. He was still keeping that promise today, even after I abandoned him.

Why didn’t I just ask him if he had forgotten instead of jumping to conclusions?

Why the fuck did I jump to conclusions?! If I hadn’t, I would have found my real mate on my 16th birthday. I had stabbed myself on my own foot. What was wrong with me?! Tears slid down my cheeks.

*Oh, Goddess, what had I done?!.....*