15. MIA

Chapter 15

MIA

The sleepless night allows me to think without my mind being clouded by the dreams that have been plaguing me.

Staring at Theo’s sleeping face, I absentmindedly reach out to caress his cheek.

He only stirs, but doesn’t wake up. Smiling to myself, I look up at the window and stare at the moon in the sky.

“Thank you, Moon Goddess…” I whisper softly, extending gratitude for the past two weeks in Overton. From receiving my wolf to discovering my fated mate, the time since my birthday has been quite eventful.

I have a lot to be grateful for. Like experiencing a love so profound, that I could never have imagined for myself. With its intricacies laced with passion between us, this short love story has been a rollercoaster of pleasant emotions.

I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. And even if going back to Rocheport means I never see the light of day again, at least I know that I lived.

Sniffing on the tears that beg at the seams, I move my hand away and stare up at the ceiling. Of course, it crosses my mind that going back to Blackclaw will be to my detriment.

Cyrus’s anger knows no bounds. As a tyrant of a leader, he’ll probably sever my neck for what I did by running away. He must think that I sold pack secrets to the Nightwalker Alpha.

He hardly knows who I am. If only he knew that I don’t have any pack secrets to trade.

It’s not like I’d been involved in any of the pack's affairs.

Taking a deep breath, I’m startled when a familiar arm slinks over my belly. Turning my face toward Theo, his lips form a gentle smile even though his eyes remain closed.

“You’re not sleeping…?” he asks groggily, nestling his face in my side.

“Not really,” I admit sheepishly as I turn to face him. The morning birds have already begun their song, chirping away outside the window. I’d spent all night awake, trying to figure out how to get to the bottom of my dreams.

Theo groans as he begins to wake up. “Is it morning already?”

“I’m afraid it is,” I whisper. He opens his eyes and stares at me with sadness lurking in the green depths. Like pools of nature, they swirl with the despondency of letting me go.

“Don’t leave me,” he whines babyishly.

Giggling, I plant a kiss on his pouty lips. “I have to. I need to find out the truth.”

He sighs discontentedly. “What if he hurts you?”

“You’ve trained me well enough to fight if I need to,” I smirk with self-satisfaction.

Theo shakes his head as he pulls me closer and starts to tickle my ribcage. A flurry of laughter and giggles fills the air, lightening the mood and causing my breath to escape me.

Panting, I throw my head back on the pillow when Theo hovers above me. His lips are so close, I can scent the sweetness of his breath. It’s heady and intoxicating, fuzzing my brain.

All I want is to feel his kisses. Even if it’s for the last time.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving!” Anastasia cries as she pulls me in for a hug. She holds me tightly as she whimpers, and I give in to feeling her warmth.

In the short time I’ve spent here, I’ve grown very close to her. Like the sister I never had, Anastasia is my closest friend.

A part of me contemplates if I’m making the right choice. But the safety of the Nightwalker Pack hangs in the balance. And I’m not going to forsake their safety for my own happiness.

It’s come at a good time, too. With the dreams of the burning village haunting my every move, it’s best I leave to figure out why I’ve been having those dreams.

I do believe that I’ll find my answers back in Rocheport.

“I’m sorry, Ana,” I apologize as I step back and take her hands in mine. “I have to go back. The Alpha of Blackclaw has called me there.”

“I just don’t understand why you have to go after you've been kicked out.” Anastasia frowns, her eyes glossed over with tears she’s so adamantly trying to hold back.

Sighing, I pull her toward the balcony. Stepping out as the sun begins to set, the orange hue is warm and welcoming on the horizon.

I take a deep breath before I begin to explain, “I wasn’t kicked out, per se.”

“What do you mean, Mia?”

I glimpse the way Anastasia frowns at me. I start at the beginning – baking a cake for myself on my birthday.

“... It was a strange occurrence,” I continue. “I’d gone outside, to the fire they’d left behind. And as soon as the heat of those flickering flames touched my skin, my wolf had been ignited.”

“Do you think it has something to do with the fire?” she presses gently as compassion has her sliding her arm over my shoulders.

“I believe it does,” I concede, going on to explain the dreams I’ve been having lately.

“You don’t think…” her voice skitters off as she stares at me with wide eyes. “... You don’t think that your parents died in a fire?”

“That’s exactly what I want to find out, Ana,” I murmur. “I have no idea why my pack would lie to me all this time. But that’s why I need to go back.”

Anastasia nods slowly, huffing an exasperated breath. “What about my brother?”

“What about him?” I contend with a frown.

Anastasia rolls her eyes, leaning over the balcony rails while keeping skeptical eyes on me. “You think I don’t know?”

I shrug as I turn away. “Don’t know what?”

“Pfft!” Anastasia breathes a scornful breath out. “There’s clearly something going on between you and Theo.”

“There isn’t,” I defend, avidly avoiding her questioning eyes. He and I agreed not to tell anyone about our mate bond.

At least, not until he finds a way to save his sister from marrying the Blackclaw Alpha. Even I’ve been hesitant to make things official now that there’s an unearthed piece of my past somewhere in Rocheport.

“Fine!” Anastasia scoffs. “If you don’t wanna tell me, you can leave right now.”

“Ana?!” I exclaim, surprised by her sudden bluntness toward me.

But when she giggles and turns back to me, I’m relieved.

“Oh, come on, Mia!” she smirks. She nods toward the bottom of the balcony. “He’s already waiting for you.”

“Oh…”

Our final goodbyes are sad as we cling to each other a little longer. Since I didn’t bring anything with me, I leave with nothing.

Nothing except the memories of Overton. The picture of this place has been etched into my mind. While the hospitality of the Alpha’s sister remains carved in my heart.

And the one whose soul is tethered to mine by an unbreakable bond waits for me on the porch.

“Ready?” he asks despondently as he reaches out his hand.

Sliding my hand into his, I offer him a tentative smile. Taking a deep breath, I say, “Yes. I’m ready.”

All Theo does is nod his head as he leads me down the stone path. Walking hand in hand toward the now-darkening horizon, we enter the woods.

“Theo…” I touch his arm to stop him. He’s like a man on a mission, marching along without even glancing back.

I know he’s hurting. So am I.

And I can’t just leave him like this.

When he stops and turns, I force a smile on my face. For his sake. “Would you like to run the rest of the way?” I ask.

Theo’s breath visibly catches in his throat. As soon as I make the suggestion, he becomes sad all over again. I can see it in his eyes, the way they twinkle with tears he refuses to show.

“I would like that,” he says as he swallows hard. He forces his lips into a smile as he releases my hand. He turns toward the deep of the woods and throws over his shoulder, “Wanna chase me this time?”

I immediately flash into wolf form and reply through the telepathic link we share. ‘Think you’re fast enough?’

Theo shifts then, his voice taunting as it enters my mind. ‘Let’s see if you can keep up.’

Giggling mentally, I wait for him to take off before I give chase. Running through the woods as fast as our paws can carry us, I realize that I am really quite agile in wolf form.

I easily catch up with Theo, pouncing on his back as I giggle internally. We both tumble the rest of the way toward the river. Shifting in unison in a fit of laughter.

We roll to a stop with me on top of him. Sighing, we cherish this moment as he smooths his palms over my back.

Staring into his eyes, I crush my lips to his. The kiss is slow, unhurried as we savor the dance and taste of our tongues. One last time.

I’ve decided that if fate brought us together once, it will do the same again.

“So, this is it?” Theo asks, maintaining his firm grip on my hand when we’ve gotten back to our feet.

I take a deep, staggered breath as I nod. “I guess it is.”

“Mia…” Theo calls from behind me. When I turn around, he says, “I’ll be back for you. I promise.”

“I know,” I smile as I etch his features into every part of my mind. To keep it there, to cherish it. And then I turn back toward the river.

As I cross the river in wolf form, I don’t look back as I head toward Rocheport. Theo’s parting howl in the distance is the only sound I hear for miles. The only sound I remain fixated on as I make the journey back to my old pack.

I near the Rocheport border before the crack of midnight. I’d taken my time making the journey there, treading slowly on my wolf paws. It’s not like my return is eagerly anticipated.

It’s probably the only thing I’m not looking forward to.

When I cross the border – an invisible line that’s been drawn out by our senses – I’m immediately stopped by a group of wolves. I recognize each one as the group that had chased me the first night I received my wolf.

I gulp hard as I stare into their menacing faces. Darren and Vanessa exchange glances as if they’re frowning.

I know they’re communicating telepathically, but it’s something I can’t hear. I’m startled when Vanessa attacks me, lunging at me and pinning my arms to the ground.

I’m not here to fight, that’s why I surrender. The group remains in wolf form, so I do the same. But I’m not afraid of them anymore.

My time in Overton had grown my courage. And as I’m dragged away into Rocheport, I keep my head above water with silent prayers to the Moon Goddess.

I’m finally dragged all the way to the pack den. When we’re outside the bunker, the group of werewolves shift to human form.

That’s when I do the same.

Their disgruntled breaths and looks of contempt don’t seem to faze me. It’s Darren who stands towering in front of me like a menacing force.

“Alpha Cyrus wants you in the dungeon,” he informs me with iciness on his tongue.

“Okay,” I agree, much to his surprise.

As I follow the Beta into the den, I drown out the crude remarks from the rest of the pack. Darren throws a cloak at my face, taking one for himself. I place it on me as I follow him down the dreary stairs down into the den.

Once I’m behind the locked bars of the prison cell, I breathe a sigh of relief. At least they didn’t kill me on sight. I’m safe behind these bars.

For now.

The menacing footsteps that begin at the top of the staircase alert me that Cyrus is on his way down. When he emerges from behind the wall, his eyes become narrowed at me.

“Mia Alvarez…” he taunts sadistically, his voice drumming with terror. “You’re back.”

“I am, Alpha Cyrus,” I concede with my chin held high. I don’t feel the need to be bashful or afraid. Even if he’s a tyrant of a leader, there’s nothing he can do to fill me with fear.

I’ve learned how to be brave because of my fated mate. And with his spirit burning inside me, I won’t be afraid now.

Cyrus appears surprised as he nears the cell. But as he comes closer, he seems bemused by my lack of fear as a sadistic smirk curls his lips.

“It’s time, Ms. Alvarez,” he announces to my surprise. He reaches between the metal bars of the cell and grabs my necklace. A firm yank and the chain snaps in half.

And as soon as it comes off, I’m flooded by the truth of who I am.