Misunderstandings

I stayed there watching for a while, the tears stinging the back of my eyes. It hurt so much that I was watching the man I wanted to protect being hurt this bad.

He stood there, his eyes closed, probably replaying all the memories that would only serve to hurt and torment him from now on.

He turned away and sat, facing the small lake.

I could only imagine how much he was going through. If I lost sleep because of a man whose love I have never experienced, how about him who had gotten used to the love and is suddenly deprived of it?

I watched him put his legs into the lake, not minding that his trousers would get wet, he just plunged them in.

I made to turn away. I guess this was his private moment, and he would hate to know that someone else was intruding in it. Especially in his most vulnerable moment.

I turned away, my steps slow and cautious, before I stepped on a large twig, causing it to break under my foot. It made a loud noise, and I instinctively turned towards the Alpha to make sure he hadn't heard anything.

As luck would have it, I turned and met him, staring at me, his eyes squinted.

My breath picked up pace as I struggled to think of an excuse. He didn't attempt to come to me, or looked like it was something he had added to his plans in the next two years.

I swallowed nervously, his gaze upon me unnerved me, in more ways than one, in more ways than I wanted to admit.

"Good..good morning. U hmm.."

He didn't say a word, just let his gaze wander down, slowly to my feet, and then back up again.

"I was...well..passing by..."

"Why are you explaining to me?"

His voice was just as beautiful and smooth as I remembered it, and I momentarily closed my eyes.

"I am sorry, I just..felt I was intruding."

He stood up, very gracefully, taking his time. He then turned to me, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"You...seem very familiar."

I swallowed. Of course. He had looked at me that night. For a second, his gaze had been on me like it was right now.

Not enough for me to seem familiar, but I guess he had a keen eye.

"Come closer." He said, an eyebrow momentarily going up.

I nodded meekly and walked to him, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I wasn't going to deceive myself that this would end up with me giving him some long comforting speech, or anything. He probably wanted to find out where he had seen me.

"I am sorry, I.."

"You are that omega. My sister's boyfriend's special friend. The one she hates." His eyes were cold, rather than surprised. As if he had expected me to be there.

He stared at me again, his eyes scrutinizing.

"We are just friends..with Simon."

He nodded, but it didn't seem like he understood me.

"Beware of Lily." He said simply, then turned away. He carried a jacket I hadn't noticed was on the floor before, holding it in his hands.

"What do you mean?"

He sighed, then turned to me. "You're too close to her Omega boyfriend. Stay away, or you'll see what's under her facade."

He walked away, leaving me wondering what it all meant.

I walked back to the pack house feeling drained. My wolf was hysterical however, running up and down, trying to get my attention, trying to push me back to Austin. She had been so happy when we were together. But now, she wanted to skin me alive. The lack of alignment exhausted my physical body, but she had to understand that Austin didn't belong to either of us, no matter how much we wanted him to.

"Hey, Hazel. Good timing. I am just going out to meet Lily. Would you like to come?"

Simon looked happy, as he jumped from one foot to another. Austin's words rang in my ears, and I shook my head. Now that I thought of it, she had specifically called me Simon's omega friend in a very disrespectful way. It was weird how I didn't notice it until now.

"You don't want to?"

"Just go alone."

He pouted. "She had looked happy seeing you last time, Hazel. Don't be a spoil sport."

I chuckled darkly. "She hates me cause I linger around you. I don't want to give her reason to show me the darker side of her."

He looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

I was exhausted, I hated it. I hated all these circumstances. "Look, Simon. Your girlfriend hates me cause she thinks we are too close. So just go on your own. Okay? I am already exhausted as it is."

He bit down on his lips. "I have explained to her countless times..." He muttered under his breath, then looked up at me. "I am sorry."

I watched him walk past me, but I didn't have it in me to argue or say anything to him. I went in through the back, avoiding the crowded halls, and went up straight to the basement.

"You're back."

"Yes, I am.” I said and went straight to the bunked bed we shared.

"Come closer." I closed my eyes tight. I kind of wish I hadn't seen all I had today, because it only gave me more parts of Austin to hang on to. More parts of him to miss, when I had never even gotten a chance to.

I drifted off to sleep shortly after, my exhausted body taking control.

'You're my sister's boyfriend's special friend'

I woke up with a start, the words sinking in. Did he think of me as Simon's girlfriend too? How many people thought of me that way?

I stood up, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, as I went down. It was almost time for dinner and it was my shift today. I didn't even know I had slept for that long.

"Hazel?"

Simon called and briskly walked to me, then pulled me into a tight hug.

I almost punched him to let go of me, but I didn't, when I heard his muffled sobs.

He was sobbing quietly at first, then shamelessly loud later.

"Is something wrong? What happened?"

He didn't answer me for a while, then pulled himself out of the embrace. He still kept his hands on my shoulders, his eyes red and swollen.

"Hazel..." he bit down his lips as fresh tears streamed down his cheeks.

"We broke up."