Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Amber’s POV

It was late. The Pack roads were dark, and the cold night breeze played around with my hair. I drew my arms tighter around myself. 

Walking the road alone without my wolf was a struggle, but I had the moon shining brightly to guide my path.

Hunching outside Mina's window, I melted into the shadows as I rapped on the cool glass.

For a few seconds, there was no movement. Then, a lamp flickered to life, and her footsteps drew nearer the window.

“Mina!” I whispered softly. 

She drew back the curtain, her sleeping face a mask of confusion. I watched as it went from groggy to shocked to confused. 

“Amber?!” She pushed open the windowpane immediately, her eyes wide in horror. “What the hell happened?”

I shifted on my feet a bit self-conscious. Just how bad did I look?

“Do you want to just stand there waiting to freeze to death? Come in!” She reached to help pull me into her room, but her hands gripped my injured palm.

Pain exploded down my arm, and I hissed, pulling back immediately.

Mina’s face crumpled as her voice dropped to a fearful whisper. “What the hell happened to you, Amber?”

“Just please let me in?” I held out my other hand shakily. 

My best friend stared at me for a beat before giving a nod and grabbing my arm.

Relief and warmth flooded me the minute I entered her room.

Mina moved to close the windows and drop the blinds while I sat on the floor.

I closed my eyes, letting the familiar burnt orange scent of her favorite candle wash over me. This room was always my safe space.

As kids, after a particularly bad blood draw, I’d always visit Mina and just sit on the floor. Breathing in the comforting smell of her room.

Tonight she joined me. All traces of sleep forgotten, she pushed her ginger hair behind her ear and sat opposite me.

“I don’t want to freak you out,” she started slowly. “But it’s past midnight, and my best friend is seated across from me, shaking. She’s covered in scratches, more serious injuries, a scary amount of blood, and is that a twig in your hair?”

Mina took a deep breath. “Amber, please. I’m freaking the fuck out. What happened?”

She was right. I looked like a nightmare right now, but I was numb. My insides hurt too much for me to feel pain on my outside.

Mina and I have always been able to understand each other with a little words. In more ways than one, she’s always been more of a sister than my actual twin has ever been.

“It’s okay,” She shook her head, slowly getting to her feet. “You don’t have to say anything now.”

She went to the bathroom and returned with a first aid kit.

“Your palm,”

Shakily, I stretched my arm to her and allowed her to hold my palm. “Lucas… he rejected me…”

I spent the next few minutes explaining and recounting everything that unfolded today. Mina was furious. She had never really liked my parents or Maggie, so it didn’t take much to fuel her anger.

But she kept silent. Somehow, she understood how important it was to me that she not react crazily.

Come daylight, the entire pack will know what happened. I’ve been rejected, and Maggie’s wedding plans will start. It was awful to even think of all the pitying glances or hateful reactions I’d endure from the Pack.

“Hey,” Mina rubbed my shoulders softly. My cheeks felt wet, and my tongue salty. I’d been crying but didn’t even realize it.

“We don’t have to do this tomorrow,” she whispered softly as she helped me out of my ragged clothes. “My parents are in Silver Moon pack, and they’d be delighted to have us. You and I, we can leave this hateful pack behind,”

I sighed aloud but said nothing, allowing her help me into the bathtub.

Without Vera to heal my wounds, my entire body ached. The dull ache of losing my matebond was a raw hole in my chest. The fire was out, but the hot embers remained, causing me pain with every breath I took.

Mina stroked my hair softly and began to wet it with water.

“You know my parents left years ago. Every month, they ask me to come join them… They think my mate might be in Silver Moon pack. But I’ve never left,” 

She didn’t say it out loud, but we both knew. I was the reason she was still in Black Moonlight Pack. Mina never wanted to leave me to handle my parents and Maggie alone.

She soaped up the washcloth, and her hand began to move over my skin, the warm water bringing me relief. “Thank you,” I held her hand, turning to look in her eyes. “Not just for tonight, but thank you for—”

“You don’t have to thank me,” She shook her head and resumed washing my skin. “Just come with me. Let’s leave tomorrow. You don’t have to endure any of this anymore.”

I said nothing else after that. The thought had certainly taken root, but I wasn’t sure. Leaving would mean leaving my family and my mate to start afresh in a new pack. It was cowardly, but I had no idea if I was ready.

So I sat in the bathtub, inhaling her jasmine soap and letting the hot water wash everything from my mind.

The next day, I sat in Mina’s living room, tapping my feet on the floor and fondling the hem of her sweater.

She stood by the half-open door, conversing with Lucas in a low tone.

I had requested he come here. Mina was against it, but she eventually caved and called him.

Heat rose to my cheeks as the room suddenly felt smaller. I pressed a cool palm to my face, trying to breathe slowly, when she stepped back to fully open the door, and he stepped in.

He looked exactly the same as he always had. I had no idea what I was expecting, but he didn’t look like he’d lost a single second of sleep.

“Amber,” Lucas smiled at me gently. 

I cleared my throat, sitting up in the chair as I made the announcement I had been stewing over all night. “I accept your rejection, Lucas. We’re no longer mates. You may be married to Maggie,”

His eyes actually widened in surprise before his long legs took several strides towards me. “Are you joking? Don’t be ridiculous, Amber. That won’t happen. Don’t you know Maggie has only one year left to live?!”

His reminder sent a pang to my chest. In all this, it was the one news I still wasn’t over.

“So? What does that have to do with anything?!” Mina hissed, crossing her arms and moving to stand behind my chair.

Lucas looked exasperated, running a hand through his hair as he looked from her to me. “It has everything to do with it! I’ll marry the girl for only one year, and then after she dies, Amber and I will pick up where we left off!”

He said it like it was the most logical thing in the world. My mouth dropped open. 

What?! Shock doused me like ice-cold water. Surely he couldn’t be serious. “Have you gone mad?!”

“Amber, be reasonable. I don't actually love her; I just feel sorry for her,”

“You’re disgusting!” Raw, blind anger engulfed my veins like fire as I stood to my feet. Was this the man I almost married?

 “Don’t even think about being with me anymore! It’ll never happen! It doesn’t matter what Maggie’s condition is in the future, I’ll NEVER accept you. 

“Amber, you’re not thinking—” He tried to object.

“Oh, I am thinking!” I snapped back, “I just feel sorry for Maggie; she has to spend her last year tied to you. Whatever you do, you must be loyal to her, Lucas. Make her happy!”