Fin's Claim

Self Discovery

Finian POV

Guilt-ridden eyes are mirroring the others. No words coming out of mouths just a second ago had so many sounds spilling out of them.

My stomach dips as if being dropped from a high place only to rest back down in a sickly realization that I have committed the ultimate sin against my brother, against my mate.

That gravitational pull towards this yellow-eyed wolf doesn't seem so powerful anymore.

The ebb of temptation gives way to the flow of reality.

I am no different than Victoria than Grey. Self-righteousness arrogance washing away being replaced with a sense of understanding how easy it is to act, to give yourself freely to another without thought of the consequences.

Bodies are pulling away, more space created between the two of us. My hands are lifting Meela off of my lap placing her beside me.

"I'm sorry Meela; that was a mistake. That should have never happened. I screwed up."

"It wasn't just you." Shame filled voice speaks out.

"It was me Meela; I should have known better. I'm the one in charge here; I'm the one that should have stopped it before it even began. I just couldn't stop it."

Awkward state of silence.

"It just felt so good for one moment I just wanted to feel good Fin, forget everything. I'm sorry I'm so weak." Her head hangs down not before looking at the empty whiskey bottle that's on the floor, a shadow darkening her light.

"It did feel incredible for a minute, but you're not Victoria, and I'm not Grey. It's not right what we did, but the blame falls on my shoulders Meela. Your mind isn't right at the moment, and I took advantage of the situation. When the time comes, I will explain all this to them."

"No, you can't take all the blame. It's not right." Her eyes that held the power of the sun now holds just a fading glow.

"If I don't Victoria will go for the kill, she will end you. Grey needs a mate to wake up to; he needs you by his side to heal. He's going to need you Meela. I'm just his brother, but you're his soul. I understand I will have to feel his wrath." Leaning my head back against the cushion of the couch closing my eyes, how I will even look in my brother's eyes and tell him what I did. All those years of him taking my fists because he felt he deserved it because I felt he deserved it.

Now, look at me, the hypocrite.

Shameful regret, internal remorse.

"Meela I think we should go back to our mates." Getting off the couch, giving her my hand to pull herself up with. It's still the same spark I feel with skin on skin except I don't want the fire it causes because it will only leave coal and ash in its wake.

Once outside looking down as I walk my shoulders feel heavy with the burden of self-discovery I have learned. I'm the dirty pig that now has to wallow in the aftermath of infidelity.

The betrayed tuned into the betrayer.

Meela veers right from the path we are walking on not continuing forward. "Where are you going?"

"I just need to be close to him for a little while. I don't want him to think he's all alone." Tears start to fill her eyes that now drip down one after the other. She starts to wipe them away using her sleeves.

"I think that he's being held in the arms of the moon, she has him. He's not alone Meela. My father has him I know he does, and your parents have him in their embrace." Her shoulders start to shake with the grief pounding through her body.