The Pool

Eliana's pov

"Why don't we make this more fun?" Kaylee my mate's adoptive sister beamed pausing her turning her livestream away from the crowd, "Skinny dipping. Who's up for it?"

She threw it like an open invitation to everyone in the Packhouse swimming pool but her devious eyes were on Jakel, my mate and Alpha of Rhinewood pack.

A rope tightened around my chest as he straightened on the lounge chair hand on the band of his shorts.

"Jakell!"I protested and he froze, eyes finding me at the edge of the pool like he just remembered I was there.

"Babe, it's just a game. We do stuff like this all the time,"

"All the time?!"my voice pitched up and some of Jakel's friends started to chuckle, his closest friend and his beta Alex laughed out loud; "loosen up a bit, Eliana, this is just how we do it... We're friends here,"

"Yes, Eliana."Kaylee cooed from inside the pool, "... And I'm basically one of the boys anyways so it's not a big deal do I'd understand why you would be squeamish."she giggled whipping back her wet sandy blonde strands from her face, "I'm hanging out with the guy so often I forget how sensitive she wolves can be,"she proclaimed as if she was not a She-Wolf herself.

She swam out of the water and glided over to the lounge chair Jakel sat up as she approached, setting aside his cocktail without taking his eyes off her.

The way they stared at each other, the intensity, like no one else existed in their own little bubble.

I couldn't just sit there, I had to put a stop to it.

Her fingers found the band of his trunks and she flickered her eyes.

"Jakel you know I can't turn off my live stream but the camera is pointed at us anymore,"she indicated her phone, "now let's let's lose, this is my moonweek after all,"

"It is,"He said holding her eyes, "I wouldn't be a good brother if I can't even celebrate the anniversary of my sister's shifting?"

I could see the V line appearing now and I hastened my steps until I was in front of Kaylee and slapped her hand away, "Don't touch him!"I hissed out with acid in my voice.

Then in the flicker of an eyelash so quickly that I couldn't catch my breath Jakel stood up and shoved me into the pool.

I can't swim.

He knows I can't swim.

Yet as I waddled in the water struggling and kicking about his friends just laughed and his hands curled around Kaylee like I plunged a silver dagger into her chest.

"Kel, are you okay?"He rubbed circles on her cheek as I battle water sneaking of my nostrils.

She melted into him like butter.

"Jakel please don't be angry with Eliana, she has only been your partner for 4 years, there is no way she could fully understand the history between us and that I just see you as a brother," then in a lower voice carefully calculated so that it wasn't too low for me to catch she said; "and you haven't even marked her either, of course she would be insecure,"

Her words hit me like a needle wedged between my ribs, and heat spread up from my neck over to my cheeks.

I stopped struggling and Jakel finally noticed; "Eliana!"he called out as if I hadn't been struggling for the past several minutes and then he dove in taking quick fast strokes until I was in his arms.

Kaylee watched us like a hawk as he pulled me out of the pool.

"Eliana are you okay?"Kaylee said prepared with her performative politeness, she held out a towel to me and I raised my hand refusing, "No thanks,"

I said preferring to shiver than accept her help.

Jakel's features crumpled with disappointment.

"Eliana tonight was supposed to be fun, can you not do this?"

I clung to myself, brushing off some of the water droplets and feeling the eyes of everybody raking through me.

This was the part where I usually apologized, but when my lips parted the words I heard were; "Jakel you pushed me,"

He blinked his eyes at me as though that was the first time he heard those words strung together.

"I wouldn't have had to push you if you didn't hit Kaylee !"he told me defensively standing straight, wet hair streaking his chiseled face.

He was so handsome, that was my first thought when I met him at the Bluemoon gala, and I've been hopeless about him ever since.

But... There was only so much someone could take.

"I think I should leave,"I said quietly standing up, I had already gone halfway my feet making wet splats in the ground before he rushed in after me and reached me halfway of the stairs to the luna chamber.

"Eliana please come back to the party,"I thought I would finally get an apology, sadly I was pathetic enough that even a simple 'sorry' to push aside my pride and return to that cesspool of humiliation.

Instead while gripping to the railing he said; "Don't you know if you leave now you will make things awkward for Kaylee ?"

A crooked sound that didn't even come off like a laugh tore through my throat.

"It's always about your precious Kaylee isn't it?" I seethed, "my feelings never matter, only hers, you always put her above me!"

"I don't-"

"Yes you do!"my voice flares up.

"I'm the one that's always here for you, the one that has supported you after your mother died!"

"Eliana I know-"

"Do you?"

I cleared the distance between us so I was looking straight into his eyes.

"After that rogue attack.... The one that almost took your life and nearly left you paralyzed from the waist down who was there for you? Who was awake through the night running on 2 hours of sleep for your recovery? Who sold off her family her family heirloom to take care of your medical bills?"

His face was beginning to turn red.

"Is that why you did all of this for me? To throw it back in my face?"

I spun my head so quickly my hair must have whipped him in the face but I didn't care, I kept running until I plopped on my bed, tears streaking down my face as it finally sunk in.

It didn't matter.

Nothing I did or could do for him would ever matter more than his precious adoptive sister.

And with that in mind I called a number I had blocked a long time ago and said; "Brother, I'm ready to leave him, initiate project Crescent.”