Chapter 76: Formidable Woman

Chapter seventy-six: Formidable Woman


Elena

The tears were blurring my version as I continued walking towards the gamma's house. Thankfully Helen didn't follow me even though I had felt her gaze on my back like daggers in my skin. She had succeeded in getting a reaction out of me, that was all she wanted and now she had left me alone. My mind was going crazy, I didn't want to believe what she was saying but I also couldn't ignore that her words made logical sense.

What if Alpha Richard was going to take some of Bernard's land? Would that not leave him vulnerable to attack? What if the decision for us to be together would ensure war within the Pack? Would the Pack still want me as their Luna? So many questions swirled in my head it made me feel dizzy. I was so into my thoughts that I rammed right into someone, sending me flying backwards and I landed flat on my bum.

"Elena?" Jack said.

"Are you okay?" I nodded, he extended his hand to me and I took it gratefully.

"Thanks." I dusted off my bum even though I knew I had no dirt.

"I will see you around, Jack." I moved around him but he caught me by my arm, halting my movements.

"Hold on." He pulled me back to him.

"Are you crying?" I looked everywhere that wasn't him. I don't need him asking questions that I couldn't answer. I just needed to get to my room and try to sleep.

"No." I muttered.

"Look, I am really tired and I just need to lie down. So, if you will excuse me, please." I attempted to rip my arm out of his hold but he held on tighter.

"Jack?" I meant for my voice to sound authoritative but it came out meek and defeated. My emotions were getting the better of me, I needed to leave.

I tried to pull my arm again from his hold but it was pointless. His hold was like iron and in my current state, my emotions were making me weak. I felt defeated like this was just a never ending cycle for me. Happiness for a split second and then it ripped away from me and replaced it with despair and tragedy. I let out a shaky breath as the tears refused to stay back any longer. I shed my first tear and then another and another. Soon enough my cheeks were wet and my sobs were threatening to leave my body.

Jack sprung into action quickly, he let go of my arm and placed his arms on top of mine. He walked us out of the foyer of the house towards the back exit, all the while he kept my face hidden as if to shield me from any onlookers. It was way past midnight and I was sure people were sleeping so there was no need for him to do what he was doing but I was still grateful nonetheless. We came to a stop and l lifted my head to see that he had taken us a good hundred meters away from the house. He enveloped me in a hug and just allowed me to break down in his arms. His arms were nice but they didn't give me the full safety that Bernard's gave me.

I let myself break for a little bit before I forced the floor gates back. Jack seemed nice but I had just met him, there was still so much I didn't know about him and still so much he didn't know about me. He would have questions and the answers to those questions were not something I could say. I wanted to tell someone to let this weight lift off my shoulders but I needed to be careful with whom I confided in. I pulled away from him and brushed away a few stray tears. I let out a heavy sigh and plastered my best convincing smile on my face. For the first time since entering the house, I looked at him properly.

"Are you okay?" He asked slowly as if he were afraid to startle me.

"I am fine." I added a soft laugh for good measure.

"I just had a stressful day at work and my emotions just got the better of me. But I am okay, I promise." He didn't look convinced.

"Your mouth is saying one thing but your eyes are telling me a different story. Elena, come on, this is me we are talking about. I know we recently just met but you can trust me, I would never purposefully want to hurt you in any way at all."

"I know and you don't have to worry about me. I am doing perfectly fine. As I said, I just had a moment."

"My mother once told me that those people who chose to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders would soon find themselves crushed. I am here, Elena. Whatever you are going through, maybe I can help you and we can sort through things together. The weight seems more bearable when two people carry it." I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.

"I know something is hurting you, Elena." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Whatever it is, you don't have to go through it alone. You can trust me, you can tell me what is going on."

My mind battled with what to say, a part of me wanted to reveal the truth and tell him everything. But another part of me, the cautious side wanted to keep quiet and just walk away. I could always confide in Alisha but I barely saw her nowadays since she started picking up extra shifts.

"Bernard is my mate." I blurted out before I even had time to filter through anything.

His hand fell from my shoulder and his eyes were wide from shock. He stared at me under the moonlight, the garden lights barely lit his face. He blinked and I started to get nervous. He blinked again and it made me think if I had made the right decision in telling him. He blinked the third time and then I realized I had made a mistake in telling him. I should have just kept my mouth shut.

"WOW." He finally spoke.

"That is really wow. When did you find out?"

"I found out the day I met him. I have known from the moment I came to the Pack."

"WOW." He murmured again and still looked stunned.

"What about Helen Elison? As far as the Pack knows, he is still betrothed to her and if I am not mistaken, she is still within the Pack waiting for the engagement ceremony." I ran a nervous hand through my hair.

"Technically, he is still engaged to Helen but we accepted each other as mates a few days ago. So if we are to get very technical about it, he is engaged to Helen but he is officially my mate." He looked confused for a moment but then he just nodded in understanding. But I think he was still a little lost, I couldn't blame him. I was even slightly confused.

"So, since you are Alpha Bernard's mate that makes you my Luna." He bowed his head.

"It is a privilege to be in your presence, Luna Elena." I could hear the teasing tone in his voice and I knew he was only trying to be funny. I pushed his shoulder playfully and he let out a soft laugh.

"Nice to see that you find this funny." He sobered a bit but the smile on his face was still there.

"It is not funny but it is kind of crazy if you think about it. So is that why you were crying?"

"It was part of the reason." I started fiddling with my fingers.

"The main part was what Helen said. She told me how Bernard had made a deal with her father that if he was to back out of the agreement then he would lose his lands. And that would leave him susceptible to attacks and would hurt his reputation with the other Alphas."

"And do you believe her?" I shrugged.

"I don't know what to believe. If I am being honest, she could just be lying just to try and get me under my skin or she could be telling the truth. And if that is the case, Bernard is in real trouble. I don't know what to believe at this point. The only person who could give me real answers is Bernard himself."

"You want to know what I think?"

"Please, go ahead."

"Helen Elison is a formidable woman but as much as she is beautiful, she is also equal parts ruthless and conniving. She is the kind of woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, I would take whatever she says with a grain of salt. She wants Alpha Bernard and you are the one obstacle in her way that is stopping her from getting what she wants."

I hadn't known Helen for long but the way Jack described her was exactly how she seemed to be but I couldn't silence the little voice in the back of my mind that was telling me what if she was telling the truth? What if Bernard had signed his life away to her family?

"Maybe you are right." I murmured.

"I know Helen Elison is many things but a good and honest woman is not part of them."

"You speak as if you know her too well."

"Helen Elison is well known within the Pack and not for the right reasons at all. You are a blessing to the Pack, we would not have coped well with Helen as our Luna. But I must say, I am a little hurt though." I looked at him confused.

"Why?"

"I was hoping to take you out on a date one day but seeing as you are already taken, I will never get the chance now." I gasped. So that means Bernard had been right.

"Jack, l…." My voice trailed off, not able to formulate the words properly and he let out a soft chuckle.

"I am only teasing you, I just wanted to see your reaction and your face was priceless." I pushed his shoulder playfully.

"You are horrible."

"But at least I got you smiling and your tears are now gone. Even your eyes look lighter now."

"Thank you, Jack, for being here for me and letting me cry on your shoulder." He waved me off.

"Anytime, my shoulder would be happy to catch your tears, my Luna." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh shut up, it is just Elena. You don't have to call me that."

"Whatever you please, Luna."

I threw my head back and let out a loud laugh. Jack had a knack for making people feel at ease and happy. This is another reason why many gammas were essential and needed in this Pack.