I had spent the entire day in my meadow, enjoying the solitude. Only when I was alone, was I able to fully be whom I had become. I could allow the walls to come down then, and let the dam of tears I always barely had under control, release into a raging torrent. They would cascade down my face like rapids in a river. Unyielding and violent. Here, I could let the pain take over my body, before building the walls again brick by brick, until there was no trace of the agony I bared alone. No one else to help support the weight of it, that was slowly crushing me.
Once the sun began to set, I got up and began the trek back to the pack house for dinner. I wanted to enjoy the last few years, or even months I had left with my brother. The only living blood relative I had left. We had lost our mom and dad when I had been 15, and my brother at 20. We had always viewed our parents as indestructible and a permanent anchor in which we were attached to. And with two small silver bullets shot from a gun in a hunter's hand, we had lost them and been cast adrift. Overnight, my brother had to grow up and mature. He had went from kid to guardian in a blink of an eye. He became my pallor of strength, and became my interim parental figure. Without him, I would have probably been more foregone then I am now. He was the reason I was holding on to my sanity. He was the only reason for me to hold on. My brother, my protector, my family. I had been so happy for him when he had found his mate, Abby. I hadn't even flinched when he asked if it would be okay for me to move into the main house, so that Abby could move into the house we once shared as siblings. For him, I would do anything. Even if that meant subjecting myself to more pain in being closer to my mate. He had given up so much for me for years, I could give up a little comfort for his benefit.
As I stepped out of the forest, I noticed that the backyard had Christmas lighting shewn about from the sparse trees still located in it. There were numerous tables that appeared to be able to seat the entire pack of over a hundred Lycans. And in the front, was a platform build about 3 feet from the ground, with a round table that looked to be able to only seat about six people in total. It was covered in red linen, with decorative plates and forks, and a beautiful center piece of exotic flowers in red, golds, and whites. It seemed to be a celebration of some kind, but I hadn't remember being told of any upcoming events at the weekly pack meeting Damien held. It was too extravagant in nature to have been quickly thrown together. I watched curiously as final touches were being applied to the tables, until I spotted my brother approaching me from the back door.
"Lei, there you are! I have been looking for you everywhere! You have about 30 minutes before the party starts, you need to get ready. Wear something semi-formal." I heard him say, while ushering me inside.
"What's going on Alex? What's this all about? Did I zone out at the meeting last week about this?"
"Oh no, no, no, no. This was a surprise and secret from the pack. Damien set it up, and didn't tell anyone of this until few hours ago. I would have been able to tell you to give you more time to get ready, but I couldn't find you. Go now, get ready, and be down in 30 minutes, no later."
I ran up the stairs to my room as fast as I could, and proceeded to get ready for the party. I momentarily panicked, realizing I had nothing to wear to the party, until I noticed a beautiful black dress laying on my bed. The black material was covered in beads and rhinestones, and the light twinkled off of it. I picked up the note that lay on top of the dress, to discover my brother had bought it for me, when he had went into town to pick up a last minute tux for the party while I had been gone. He always thought of me, no matter what, and him knowing me so well, he had found the perfect dress for me. I quickly hopped into the shower, only cleaning off my body, leaving my hair untouched. Looking at the clock on my nightstand, I realized I had only 20 minutes left before the party started. I quickly donned the dress on my bed. At first I was worried that the low back of the dress would reveal the bruising I had this morning, but hours had passed and the once prominent bruises were now faded and barely visible.
YOU ARE READING
Never with Me (Book 1)
RomanceFor five years, Alpha Damien Blackstone has been committed to his chosen mate, Rachel Smithson. She was everything he had ever dreamed for and wanted in a mate, and he had chosen her. But Leilani Storm is his true mate. He knows, and doesn't care...
