LEILANI ***Under Editing***

⚫Chapter 15⚫

"You have every right to be upset Nathan. I'm not excusing my behaviour."

"Okay, but you had a whole sidechick," Saphira realized being very upset. "You were messing with a whole other girl and Leilani had to witness that?" she said feeling heartbroken. "You definitely don't deserve her," she laughed feeling bewildered. "What is wrong with you?"

Nathan stood there furious. "I was a coward. Silly. But the truth is I don't think I'm ready for a relationship and it would be unfair for me to accept Leilani," Elias admitted.

"But you're obviously ready to mess around," Saphira scoffed. "Don't you think that's unfair?"

"Saphira," Lucian began to say reaching to touch his mate. "No, I can't do this," she responded getting up from the couch before retreating up the stairs. She couldn't stand there anymore not knowing where her best friend was and how long she had been suffering alone with this rejection. "Goodnight," Lucian said on behalf of him and his mate before following her up the stairs.

The rest of Leilani's friends, parents, and pack members stood there dazed, some of them struggling to process what was happening.

"I don't know your story, but trauma is real," Athena began to say. "And walking into a relationship unhealed is the worst thing an individual can do. For some, when you meet your mate, it's all you've been dreaming and hoping for, but for others it's not. This is the person you're destined to be with and you have to accept that fact. This is a thing to be afraid of."

Athena stepped forward to Elias."I'm not saying what you did was okay. I feel for my baby because she had to witness you messing around with another girl. She probably felt rejected and unworthy and no mother ever wants their child to feel that way," she said sounding a bit emotional. "But don't blame yourself for her disappearance. Even if you had accepted her, this still could've happened."

The room remained silent after Athena expressed her feelings. Nathan stood there as if he was in a trance. He felt sorry for Leilani and wished she would've told him about this. He was disgusted with Elias even though he knew there was a reason why he behaved the way he did. He said goodnight before retreating up the stairs and the others shortly followed.

"Bro," Jasper said indicating Elias to step outside with him. They both sat down on the porch, with their thoughts accompanying them.

"I know why you feel this way, but why mess with Leilani like this?" Jasper asked him. "Jasper," Elias said. "I don't know. My actions aren't excusable. I... I really hope Leilani can forgive me," he said. "You'll make it up to her," Jasper said. "I know you will."

Elias was willing to make it up to her, but he was still so unsure about accepting her. He knew he couldn't handle a relationship right now. "How did you know?" he asked his best friend.

"Well," Jasper began to say. "From the beginning I could sense tension between the two of you. Especially that day when Leilani and I bumped into each other while playing frisbee, you were literally about to kill me," he chuckled. "Yeah," Elias laughed thinking about the moment.

"I don't really remember what happened at the mall, but I'm here for you bro. This is difficult and not easy, but there's a reason why she's your mate."

"The thing is, this doesn't have anything to do with Leilani. It's me that's the issue. I am not good enough to be anyone's mate. And knowing what uncle did, I couldn't allow that to happen. I don't know," Elias confessed.

"Eli, you and your uncle are two different people. You're not like him." They sat there in common silence before Jasper got up, touching Elias' shoulder. "You should get some rest too." And with that he left Elias sitting there all alone.