Forbidden by Fate

Callum

When I left her room this morning, I was sure of two things: one, this could not happen again no matter how enticing it was, and two, I will never love another woman the way that I love her. Everything about last night was perfect except for one glaring thing, instead of doing what I should have done and ending whatever was between us, it felt like I had only kindled the flame more.

Desperation flooded my mind as I searched for a way to put distance between the blue-eyed vixen and myself. When I decided to give Callie, Malibu Barbie, a call, it wasn’t my most refined moment, but I knew. I knew that when Emersyn saw me with her that she would understand that no matter what I really wanted, last night could never happen again.

I knew that Callie was a cheap shot, but I never denied I could be an ass, and she served my purpose. But what I did not expect is for Emersyn to play her part so well when she stumbled into the stables and found us in a compromising position. I didn’t expect her flawless smile to literally take my breath away as she hid the hurt in her eyes with perfect execution, and simply said, “I see you brought the trash back. Congratulations, Callum you’ve made your point.”

I felt the jolt of instant regret as I followed her towards the door, “Emersyn, wait!”

She didn’t miss a beat as she turned on her heels walking towards the door where Liam was approaching talking to Maverick. She feigned a smile as she directed her attention to Maverick and replied, “Your friend is in the stables with the jackass, I mean Callie.”

Liam looked between the both of us as realization seemed to roll over his face. I saw the anger flaring as he glared in my direction, before turning on his heels to walk towards the house. Emersyn’s blue eyes flashed with panic as she ran after him.

Maverick stared at me with disgust as he growled, “Are you fucking kidding? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I did what I had to do,” I replied with anger seeping from my every word.

“No, Callum, you didn’t. You just did exactly what I asked you not to,” Maverick shook his head in disbelief. “You broke her and you did it in front of Liam.”

I expect him to beat me to a pulp, but instead he turns running towards his sister and Liam, leaving me to deal with the fallout. I hear a small voice from behind me, as Callie whispers, “You were using me?”

Dammit. I am a fucking poster boy of failures as I answer coldly, “I did what I had to do.”

Callie laughs with a sadness that I didn’t know she possessed as she replies, “No, Callum, you just showed you are a coward. I am not stupid you have been in love with her for as long as I can remember and yet you didn’t give her the decency to tell her like a man. Emersyn may think its me that is the trash, but we both know that you are. Don’t call me again.”

She turns stomping towards the forest before I see her shift into her wolf form and run with her full potential towards the clearing. Her words sting because I know they are true. I should have done it last night, but instead I pulled Emersyn further into the den of stupidity.

I wish more than anything that I could undo the last few minutes. But if I am honest with myself I know that I would still find a way to screw it up. Maverick and Callie are right, I knew that Liam would see and yet I didn’t care. That wasn’t love that was outright selfishness. Because if I was being honest with myself, then I would tell the truth. If I couldn’t have her, I damn sure didn’t want someone else to.

But I underestimate Emersyn, and the pull that she has on men, because as I turn to walk towards the forest wanting nothing more than to escape like the coward I am, I hear something behind me. I turn to face the music, instantly smelling Liam’s scent, as his fist connects with my chin, knocking me back on my ass. I deserved it and don’t even bother to get up as he leans down and continues his assault. His fists rain down on me like hellfire and I take it with little defense, almost hoping he will beat me to death.

But I hear Emersyn’s pleas as she tries to pull him off of me, and I know in that moment, that I am the biggest ass that ever lived. Maverick’s voice bellows with the authority of an Alpha heir as he roars, “You are on my territory, stop!”

Liam pulls himself away from me with my blood staining his hands as he yells, “You are a damn fool.”

Agreed. I think to myself but instead I reply defeated, “You don’t even know what you are talking about.”

Liam maniacally laughs as he starts to come towards me again, “I know that you hurt her. That is all that matters to me. You didn’t stop this, you idiot!”

Dread pours into my soul at his last sentence as I say, “I never intended to.”

“You are a lying piece of shit,” Liam spits back at me. “But how about this, you will stay away from her or I will kill you myself. She is mine.”

Emersyn roars from behind us as she says with all the dignity that she can gather, “I am no ones. I am a fucking person who has a right to choose her damn future. You can both go to hell!”

Liam’s face is as shocked as mine is as we both turn to watch her stomp towards the packhouse. He gives me a warning look once more, before turning to chase the girl of my dreams as I lay down against the hard gravel, feeling the pain of the sharp jagged edges against my bruised body.

I am a fucking moron.

Maverick stands above me for a moment before reaching his hand down to pull me to my feet. He doesn’t say anything as he seems to ponder his words, “You are my best friend, Callum, but I don’t even know who you are right now.”

I want to say something poignant to defend myself, but there is nothing. “You heard him, I am an idiot.”

Maverick looks at me from the corner of his eye as he turns to slowly walk away, “Callum, you are a lot of things but not stupid. You knew. You are the only one who can fix this. I don’t know a lot about love, but I know that if I cared about someone as much as you say you do Emersyn, that I would do anything for them, including being a man and telling her what she needs to hear.”

And for the first time, in my life I knew that I couldn’t blame this on anyone but myself. If I was going to say I loved her, then I needed to act like it. And Emersyn O’ Connor could not lose everything she loved because of me. I knew what I had to do and this time I was going to do it right.