SWNOVELS Chapter 12
Nate
“Hey Nate, did you hear Thomas Quinn was leaving today? Joan told me she overheard her father saying that he made a petition to take Ginny away with him.” Blayne said with a scowl on his face.
Then, he complained to me, “When I saw the Black Creek Pack Alpha’s second son creeping around in our territory in the name of the Supernatural Council, I just knew that he would be bad news. Who does he think he is to take our sentinel’s daughter away like…? Nate?!”
Even though I could still hear Blayne’s grumblings, I had no time to console him. Instead, I ran back to the pack Alpha’s mansion before he realized I wasn’t even present to listen to him.
I couldn’t let her go. No, I refused to let her go! Even if it meant kneeling and begging her, I would.
I couldn’t lose her. It might have taken Thomas’ arrival and discovering her secrets for me to realize that I had feelings for Ginny, but I was still going to fight for her forgiveness.
With how much she loved me, she would definitely stay for me if I begged.
“Ginny?” I called as I opened the door and entered the room my mother had given to Ginny.
I found Ginny wearing a robe, seated before the dressing mirror, and combing her hair.
“You didn’t knock.” Ginny’s voice was quiet as she stared at my reflection in the mirror.
“Sorry,” I said sheepishly.
Because I was a little nervous, I couldn’t resist raking my fingers through my hair.
I had never seen this side of Ginny. Within just a few days, she was much more confident than she’d ever been.
I could tell just from her voice that somehow Ginny had found peace without me.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had moved behind her and pried the brush out of her hands.
“Let me,” was all I said before I started to brush her hair.
“Must you leave?” I asked, trying to think of the best way to convince her to stay in the pack.
“Yes.” She whispered. “I don’t think I can handle the stares, the gossiping, and the pity that’ll come after my public confession at the pack trial.”
“So you’re just going to run away? What about us? Don’t forget that I’m your true mate, and even though we have said the rejection spells, you know we can still go through a ceremony to rescind them.” I tried to appeal to her.
“I don’t trust you...I don’t trust that you’ll not hurt me again. I’m damaged. Are you sure you won’t feel ashamed if other Alphas hear what happened to me? How can you still want me when you heard everything I said?” She asked.
“It doesn’t matter because I don’t think I can live without you. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it. I’m sorry that I couldn’t trust you, that I didn’t see through the facade you put up, that I couldn’t be there for you. I’m sorry that it took having a rival for your affections to stop taking you for granted and for me to realize just how much I love you.”
While talking, I kneeled in front of Ginny, face to face with her, with our foreheads pressed together and our noses barely touching.
But then she looked away, moving her head back and pushing me out of her personal space.
“Please give me a chance. If I don’t cut it, then you can go to Tom. I promise to cherish you and do everything in my power to protect you.” I tried to plead with her.
“Nate. I’ve made my decision. I still have feelings for you now, but I don’t like the memories attached to those feelings. You heard my conversation with Tom that time and I remember that I clearly stated that I wanted to come back to deal with my father on my own terms but you went off on your own to the Alpha and called a trial hearing where I had to spill my secrets to everyone in the pack against my wishes under a truth serum. Isn’t that enough proof of how carelessly you view my opinions?”
“I…I was trying to help you get your father punished.” I tried to protest.
“Well, you should have listened to my opinion instead. I’m going to leave with Tom, but if I find that I can’t live without you after six months, I’ll come back. But if I can live without you, I won’t come back. Because you hurt me too much and I don’t want to forgive you. If you can wait until then and cope with the possibility that I may not come back, then I can give you a chance. If you can’t, then it means we weren’t meant to be.”
“But I’m your goddess-given true mate.” I protested, feeling shocked at Imogen’s words.
I never considered the possibility that she wouldn’t stay if I asked her to. After all, I had always had Imogen wrapped around my little finger.
“Yes, but just like you can always find potential compatible mates, so can I.”
Her words jarred me as I realized that the Imogen I could always bend to my will was gone. This one even dared to ask me to wait six months with the possibility that she may not mate with me?
Didn’t that make me, an Alpha, a fool for his mate?
I stared at Ginny for a minute, and our eyes met in the mirror.
Even though she could see my annoyance, her eyes were still peaceful. And it wasn’t the fake nonchalant look she always used to try to pretend everything was okay. This time, Ginny was truly calm.
This obvious disregard for how I felt made me turn around and walk out of Ginny’s room.
Maybe we weren’t meant to be together, after all.