Chapter 65

**Rhea POV**

The growl was loud, making my breath hitch in my throat. Even though it was a pure animalistic warning that had a hidden meaning and a promise of violence, it still didn’t scare me, for some reason, but to the contrary, it made me curious as it was captivating sending sweet shivers to run through my body.
I looked ahead and saw a tall, masculine male, standing with his legs spread open making my eyes roam slowly over his lean figure, noticing his frame shaking in anger and fists clenched shut making his strong knuckles go white from the pressure.
The moment when my eyes locked with his, I felt like someone pulled the rug under my feet at the recognition of the feelings, the pull that was so magnetic, pulling me towards him, wanting to do nothing more but run my fingers over his skin, feel him, just be close to him.
Blinking away from the daze I was in, I realized who I was looking at and I just couldn’t believe it was true.
My mate…
The male raging as he stood and eyed down at Warit was no other but my mate! 
I stood there silent, mouth agape, trying to process this new discovery, a discovery I have never in my dreams believed I would find when the shouting from Alexander snapped me from my thoughts as I watched in disbelief and shock at the scene that was unfolding in front of me. 
“Cole stop!” Alex yelled. 
At that very moment, I heard my mate's name. 
So, his name is Cole. 
My heart clenches for the fact that I have finally landed an eye on my mate and hearing his name makes it more worthwhile. 
My vision never leaves him while Cole is not listening to Alex as lunged towards Warit who had his focus set on Cole, my mate, and prepared an instance for a fight. 
I saw Allister move fast as he left Nerissa behind, moving her to a safer distance making sure she was ok before he rushed to get to Warit, pushing him behind his back before Cole could get to him. 
Alex wasted no time when he grabbed onto Cole, holding him in a firm grip, successfully stopping him from advancing further and attacking Warit. 
“Cole, calm down!” Alex said. 
Cole kept growling as his eyes never left Warit. 
Warit tried to move past Allister but Allister pushed him back, telling him, “Stay back, Warit!” 
The tension was unbearable as two males were looking at each other, ready to kill. 
Warit turned his eyes to look at me when Cole’s growl sounded once again, loud and clear followed with a clear warning coming out from his gruff voice, “Don’t look at her!” 
Warit looked at him, confusion and questions clear in his eyes. He stepped around from Allister who kept himself close to him, letting him pass. 
“Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me what to do and where to look?!” Warit stood tall and asked Cole feeling fearless.
Cole silently looked at Alex, who just raised his eyebrow and a second later removed his grip from him.
I saw Cole taking a step forward and Alex following closely, as Cole looked over at Warit, saying, “When you’re looking at what is not yours then I have every fucking right to warn you off!”
Warit was now the one to take a step closer, saying, “What the fuck is your problem?”
Cole looked at him right in the eyes, answering in a low cold tone, “You’re my fucking problem.”
Warit narrowed his eyes, looking at him without blinking or showing fear, asking, “What? Why?”
“She’s my mate!” Nose flaring, Cole answered him, growling once again finishing the sentence.
My breath hitched once again, hearing his recognition of our bond, making my heart do flip-flops of a happy dance while I stood there, just watching at them.
Warit’s eyes grew wide for a mere second. Not believing Cole’s words, he turned his head and looked at me, trying to see if what Cole was saying was true.
Panic took over me, freezing me in place when Cole once again said, “I warned you not to look at her and here you are playing with fire.”
Warit turned his head back and looked once again at Cole, narrowing his eyes, saying, “I don’t believe you.”
“Oh, boy…” I heard Allister mutter as Alex stood silently, waiting, I tried to shake off my frozen state and to stop this, but I couldn’t get a hold of myself.
“You better start believing.” Cole retorted.
“If that is true, then she can confirm it herself,” Warit said, not backing down.
Cole looked at me for a second before returning his gaze back to Warit, saying, “Fine… ask her.”
At that moment, everyone turned and looked at me, and the feeling to run away raised inside me, wishing I could be anywhere else but here now.
Warit’s eyes searched my face as he asked me, “Is that true? Is he your mate?”
Having so many eyes looking at me, made me feel uncomfortable, but the worst ones were coming from my mate and from a male I grew feelings for, wanting to admit it or not.
“Rhea! Is it true?” Warit said louder, making my eyes focus on him as I heard his question once again.
“I-I…” I couldn’t manage to find my voice as it was barely a whisper as words felt like coal in my mouth.
Cole was silent as he observed me. He didn’t move, nor did he show any intention to jump in and say something, anything.
“Rhea! Just tell me the truth, please.” Warit asked once again, and I could hear it in his voice that he was having enough.
Swallowing thickly, I looked once at Cole, who showed no emotion on his face before I set my eyes on Warit.
Clearing my throat, I answered, “Y-Yes, he is my mate.”
I heard Nerissa gasp, making Allister and Alex look over at her for a moment while I kept my eyes on Warit.
I saw a flash of sadness show in his eyes as he watched me in silence, not moving or breathing as I felt lost, not knowing what to do or to say.
A moment later, Warit composed himself, looking over from me to Cole who stood there in silence, watching over at our exchange.
In the next moment, Warit turned around, walking back towards the packhouse. I moved without thinking, going after him while Cole stood in his place, watching.
“Warit?” I called his name, but he didn’t slow down.
“Warit! Wait!” I tried again and this time he stopped and turned around, looking at me, not allowing me to see what he was thinking or feeling inside.
“Rhea, he is your mate. You should go to him.” He said the words that felt like a slap to my face as he turned around and continued on walking to the packhouse.
I watched in silence as his figure was growing smaller, keeping my eyes on him until I couldn’t see him anymore.
Feelings inside of me were the ones I couldn’t really distinguish, but I knew of one that was the most prominent of them all. It’s sadness. The sadness of watching Warit walk away without actually talking with me. 
He was confusing me with his behavior, but also at the same time angering me too.
I turned around after standing there and watching Warit disappearing inside the packhouse, and my eyes instantly searched for him… my mate.
I couldn’t see him anymore as he was not standing in the place where I last saw him.
The panic rose inside of me, making me look around frantically, wanting or not, but I couldn’t help it.
Nerissa walked towards me and said, “He is not here… I’m sorry, Rhea.”
The words sounded like a punch in my gut, kicking the air out of my lungs as they repeated over and over inside my head, ‘He is not here… He is not here…’
Allister and Alex slowly walked towards us with pity showing in their eyes, but I didn’t want pity, I didn’t even ask for any of this.
‘What am I supposed to do now? Why and how did I get myself in such a situation?’ I asked myself.
“Don’t worry, Rhea, they will come around and I’m sure you will then have a proper conversation with them both,” Allister said while Alex agreed with a nod of his head.
“I’m sure Cole will come back soon eventually, after all, you are his mate and Warit just needs little time to process this news that I am sure surprised you all,” Alex said.
Nerissa looked at them, turning her focus back at me as she said, “I can only imagine how you must be feeling, but at the same time I understand because I was in a similar situation just like you are now, but trust your heart and listen to it and more importantly, take some time for yourself to gather your thoughts.”
Silently, I listened to them all, giving them a small nod, feeling torn deep inside of my heart.
The questions, the scene that happened between the two, played inside my head without stopping, making me feel like I was choking and I knew Nerissa, Alex and Allister were right. I knew most importantly was to take the time for myself and gather my thoughts.
The question pops into my head, ‘Should I leave this place to reclaim myself?’

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***Author's note:

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