Chapter Ten: Gateway To Hell

Chapter Ten

Vaelora's POV

Maya's hands are cold as she fumes to the door with me calmly following behind her.

I swear, she is scary sometimes.

She turns around to glare at me before opening the door wide enough for me to enter.

I swallow hard as she bangs the door shut and gestures for me to sit at the last booth in the cafe, walking ahead to order drinks for us.

Whatever she's doing, I know that she's really upset and I'm the cause.

I shouldn't have told her about Zarek. Gosh, I'm stupid sometimes.

“It feels like taking my man but I don't even know why I'm so angry.” She spits as she walks over to the table and takes a seat opposite me, passing me my drink.

It's freezing cold so she got me a piping hot coffee.

I take a sip and set the cup down on the table before folding my arms over my chest and exhaling.

“Maya, I don't think being this angry is going to do any good.”

She shoots me another glare and I look away, a snicker lodging in my throat but truthfully, I want nothing more than for the heaviness sitting deep in my chest to go away.

“Why didn't you go and meet him? Why didn't you tell him?!” She yells and my eyes widen.

The couple at the booth before ours glances towards us with disgust and I mouth a small ‘sorry’ to them.

“Maya, can you keep your voice down? There's people in here.” I whisper calmly and she rolls her eyes, sipping on her drink.

“Fine. But seriously, I think you should have gone up to him and told him. Or wait-” She pauses, her eyes slowly growing wide.

“- what if he doesn't know that you're his mate? Maybe he doesn't know!”

I give her a blank look and smack my forehead with my palm before picking up my drink and sipping on it again.

“Maya, have you suddenly forgotten about the mate pull? Of course he knew. I mean, we, uh….” I pause and take another sip.

“What?” She inquires with curiosity and I look away.

“Wait, you both locked eyes?!” She yells out again and I spit out my drink, my eyes growing wide as the couple cusses at us.

She flips them the middle finger and I choke on my spit, amidst laughter.

“For goodness sake Maya.”

“Why the hell didn't you tell me?” She turns her attention back to me.

I shrug nonchalantly, wiping my mouth with the back of my palm. “You were gushing over how you liked him and I don't know, I just couldn't open my mouth to say that Zarek Blackmoor is my mate while we're at his coronation party.”

She hits my palm and I yelp, glaring at her.

“What was that for?”

“For being a bloody mute when you should have spoken up. I knew by the way you were moving that you liked him. I had no idea that you already knew you are mated to him. And the nerve….” She seethes.

I shake my head, clasping my hand over hers. “Well, he didn't say he didn't want me.”

“But he chose someone else knowing you were in the room with him and you're his. I don't know how much louder a rejection can be. You wanted him to publicly reject you in front of those people?” She cocks a brow and I shake my head.

“That's what I thought.”

We stay quiet for a few minutes, gently sipping on our drinks before she speaks again.

“But I'm worried about you, Vaelora. I know how much of a toll this must have taken on you since the party.” She says with concern and I shrug, trying hard to appear that I'm not bothered.

Inside, I'm cracking and soon enough, she'll see through my facade.

“Well, I don't blame him. I mean, who in their right mind would want me apart from you? Besides, he's royalty, Maya, so it's understandable that he wouldn't want a lowlife like me.”

“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” She orders through gritted teeth and I make zipping gestures on my lips.

“Have you seen you? Like have you looked at yourself in the mirror and taken yourself in? And I mean every word when I say that you're the most gorgeous girl I've ever met.”

Blood rushes to my face at her compliment and my cheeks grow hot.

“But that's not even what's bothering me. It's the nerve of choosing another woman right in front of you and coming back to meet you in that fucking bathroom hallway. He's so audacious and it's pissing me off.”

“He didn't come to meet me there. I just saw him standing there when I came out.”

She scoffs, taking a sip of her drink. “You really think he didn't smell you? Of course he did. I'm pretty sure that's why he followed you. Ugh, I hate him now.”

“He didn't want anything, but he didn't look away either.”

She doesn't respond as I look away, chewing on the inside of my cheek as heat threatens to travel up my cheeks again.

“I want to go back to the pack.” I blurt out.

“What? Why?” She asks and even though I'm not looking at her, I know that she's staring at me with wide eyes.

“Well, I don't know. Uhm, I guess I just want to know why he rejected me?”

The lie seeps from my voice like venom and I'm ashamed for lying to my best friend. Of course that's not why I'm going to the NightMoor pack.

Being with Zarek is the only gateway I have to finding out about my origins. I need to know where my family is and I need to get away from Micheal.

“Are you sure about this? Because I swear to the fucking moon if-”

I place my hand on hers with a reassuring smile. “I'll be okay. I just want to know why he rejected me and no, you don't have to come with me. Remember Ulric? The guy I foolishly helped from the woods?”

She nods in approval even though I can still see her uncertainty.

“Well, I could use my kindness as leverage when I get to the packhouse. I'm sure he'll be willing to help me get to him.”

Her eyes twitch and I already know what that means. She's not sure.

“Maya.” I call out slowly.

“I don't know, Vae. I don't like that you have to go there and alone at that but I understand. If you don't go, it might kill you.” She glances up at me.

“Just know that I'll be here whenever you need me and if he fucking tries to hurt you, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands.” Anger blazes in her eyes as she threatens and I'm glad that I found a sister in her.

“I'll be okay, I promise.”

She hums. “When do you plan on going?”

“Today.”

She spits the drink in her mouth, her jaw almost reaching the floor. “What?!"

"No. You can't go today. You haven't even recovered from your bruises!”

She's right and I know I need to be a bit strong before I can go back there but I don't know how much longer I can wait before my curiosity and pain kills me.

“It'll make no difference if I go today or tomorrow but the faster I get my answers, the easier it is for me to heal, Maya, and you know this. You just said that I might die.”

“I didn't mean it literally. It's– the pain.” Sadness swirls in her eyes and she looks away.

“I know and that's why I want to go back as soon as I can so I know how to deal with it. Please.”

“Are you sure that you'll be fine on your own? I could follow you closely, you know? Just drive behind your back or how about we go together with Matt and then you can go in by yourself while we wait behind?”

I shake my head with a laugh. “You really don't want me to go on my own, do you?”

She nods frantically and I chuckle, not surprised by her clinginess.

With a shrug, I agree. “Fine. But you must promise me that you won't come into the mansion with me. I don't want him to think I'm weak coming to ask him why he rejected me with my best friend.”

She snickers and throws me a mocking look. “Oh my goodness, that'll be so embarrassing!”

Our laughter fills the restaurant as we talk about the worst possible scenarios of what could happen if she follows me in.

My phone buzzes with a notification and I pick it up but it only says ‘Call me.’

I dial the number but after a couple rings, no one picks up.

“What’s wrong?”

“Strange number said to call. Whoever it is, they're not picking up.

My phone starts to ring and I jerk in fear. As I pick it up and place it on my ears, dread creeps up my spine.

“Is this Vaelora Rhydian?”

“Yes. Who is this?” My voice is shaky as I respond.

“Inspector Coker. A certain Mr Micheal Antfield is with us and he said to call you. Please pick him up from the station.”

My heartbeat spikes as I hang up and drop the phone on the table.

Fucking Micheal. He's been arrested. Again.