I'm having

Mathilda

I have no option but to walk into the lab like an astronomy student. Because I cannot head back to the Nolan's mansion without speaking with the love of my life.

Brandon is important and will always be important to me no matter what. He's my mate and I cannot just move out of his life without having to speak with him and hug him one last time if he would let me.

I've never seen someone whose soul properly aligns with mine, whose body fits into mine just like Brandon's. The moon Goddess made us mates because we're perfect for each other.

Too bad it was for temporary reasons, and she's let this wicked fate of marrying Cahill befall me. Brandon will have to go ahead with his life, and be blessed with a second Chance mate if possible.

Today's the honeymoon, and I sneaked my way out to meet Brandon.

I am to go on a honeymoon with my husband, Alpha Cahill. A man whose age is over a decade ahead of me. And I don't want to think he'd have to touch me, because it would worsen things. Clearly, he's still very much in love with Genova, and wouldn't force his way into me? Right? He's made statements about finding and punishing her, so I doubt he'd do the unimaginable, even though we're now husband and wife.

Fear immediately grasps my insides when something comes slamming through my mind, making a reminder that Alpha Cahill must've found out that I am missing.

Would he have let me come here if I had told him I wanted to come to see my mate and explain things to him? I doubt he would have agreed to that. Cahill might have thought about me wanting to run away with Brandon and had to come up with an excuse of wanting to go explain things to him. The first Brewer daughter ran away, he wouldn't let the second do the same.

I blow out a big puff of breath at this because things have been going on rough since the onset of yesterday.

I take a hard hurtful gulp, hoping the maidservants find the letter I kept at the side of my pillow, stating I have classes today. Otherwise, my husband would think I ran away like Genova, my elder sister, and it would upset him a lot that he'd visit my family and kill them if possible.

Which is the main reason why I have to speak with Lancelot as fast as possible and then head back to the Nolan's mansion.

However, I pause for a split second, assuring myself that this is the right thing I am doing. I have to beg Brandon to let me go, so my family and I wouldn't get killed by the ruthless Alpha Cahill. I have to make him understand even though it'd hurt a great deal, and we might never forget about each other.

The thought of this makes my throat tighten with several emotions. Because this was the last thing I had in mind to do. I have to reject Brandon in the Blackwood council hall so we would all be spared.

Blowing out another puff of breath to calm my insides as I walk around the astronomy lab in search of Brandon. And I find him in no time, the few seats on his side are unoccupied.

My steps become snail-paced as I advance toward him with my heart in my throat. I am placing one unsteady footstep after the other, with several unsettling thoughts slamming through my mind.

Get a grip of yourself, Mathilda. This is not the end of the word. I assure myself of this, and courage starts building inside of me rapidly.

I carry on walking with my face forming into a sad smile because I am doing this. Going to meet Brandon to talk him into coming to the Blackwood council hall so I can reject him in front of everyone.

The lab seems quite empty, and there aren't many students in here, which shows that I still have a few minutes to talk to Brandon before the arrival of his lecturer.

Forking my fingers through my hair to dishevel it, I stop in front of Brandon. Admiring his handsome face that I always dreamt about. I can still remember my first night of transformation when I was thirteen. He had stayed with me when my brothers went out clubbing, and my sister was away. Even my parents weren't at home on that night.

It was Brandon who came visiting, and we were having a movie night when I sensed my body moving irregularly.

It was excruciating, having my bones breaking and my wolf coming out. The experience is something I will never forget because it was earth-shattering.

Brandon helped me that night, and even though his soothing words couldn't ease my pain, I held on to them.

He bounded my wolf in chains because it was wild, uncontrollable, and ready to cause destruction and even kill.

Brandon fed my wolf fresh meat until it calmed down, and then he taught me how to shift back into my human form.

Afterward, he made water for me to bathe, heated some canned soup for me, then fed me while I had a big duvet over my body which was still suffering from pains. Brandon didn't return home that night.

And when my siblings returned later that night, they found him cuddling me on the sofa.

Something which made them kick him out, because they thought something happened between us. Only for them to figure out that I had my first transformation, and he was the one who helped me, while they were too busy clubbing.

Going down this memory lane brings a heart-clenching smile to my face. Because it's something I will never forget even if I try. Brandon will always remain in my heart even if we wouldn't be together anymore.

"Psst," I try to get the attention of Brandon, but he's too occupied, lost in his thoughts, as he stares into an empty space. This I know has to do with me, and it breaks my heart to see him this way.

Is he reminiscing about the good times? Wondering if I let Cahill kiss and touch me where he normally does?

Is he thinking I let Cahill have his way with me? When we practically swore an oath that my body belongs to him and him alone?

I know I am hurting myself even more by trying to fathom my thoughts of Brandon, so I decided to put it to stop.

"Brandon?" I call out, tapping on his shoulder and he immediately snaps his gaze in my direction, with eyes widening in shock when realization slams through him that it's me, his mate.

Tears immediately well up in his eyes, splitting my heart in my chest.

He barely calls out my name before I clamp him into a bone-crushing hug.

We hug ourselves so tight and I gulp down the son threatening to tear it out of my throat because this is the person who I love with all my heart, and he in turn loves me. We're one because the moon Goddess made us mates.

"I am so sorry, Brandon," my voice is shaky when I rasp out these words.

"You don't have to marry him, Tilda," Brandon breaks the hug to stare right in my face, "I know you're doing this because of your family and the penalty of disagreeing is death. I know you do not love him," he raises his hand and touches the side of my cheek.

I lean into the touch of his cheek, accepting the warmth radiating from it, and I can no longer fight against the urge to shed tears. They flow out easily this time.

"You and I are mated to each other, hell we've known this since high school, and we cannot let a mistake caused by your elder sister separate us." His green eyes are filled with warmth and with so much love for me, that it makes a dull pain spread through my chest.

"Brandon..." I say, but he interrupts me.

"Let's run away," he suddenly comes up with this suggestion, making my eyes swell up incredulously in their sockets.

For a moment, it makes sense. Running away with my mate from all this madness. We can hide and stay loving ourselves because we're mated to each other, so things will definitely fall right into place for us.

But on the contrary, it would be that the second Brewer girl has run away as well. First, it was her elder sister, now it's her.

And it will not only endanger the life of my family but also that of Brandon as well. This might even stir up a fight between Brandon's pack and mine. And it's something I cannot afford.

Love doesn't matter at this point, doing the right thing does.

"No, we can't," I persist, even though my heart doesn't want to. I have to do the right thing by staying married to Cahill, so there wouldn't be death and war.

"Yes, we can." He presses on, clasping my hand in his lovingly. And I feel a tad at ease when he does this.

"Remember how we made promises to ourselves that we'd always stick to each other? How we always talked about having a house full of children and diverse pets."

"Bran..."

"You so much loved to hear it, Tilda. Remember how I always massage your toes gently and then sing you your favorite songs to help you relax after a hectic day," Brandon breathes these words out, his eyes growing glassy with tears.

How can I ever forget? He's such a sweet sweet soul who does things out of his way, willingly. Just so he can see me at peace, just so he can put a smile on my face.

How can I ever forget Brandon? He's someone I will die loving even though I have to be with another.

My eyes are getting filled with tears as well because it's so painful to have mental images of everything, and then knowing the real entity of the ugly truth that we can never be together again.

"Hell we've had countless jokes about how I'll keep doing it even when we argue or fight," he scoffs, but his eyes. His eyes speak so many things that words cannot even form. The several emotions in his eyes are indescribable.

Which makes my heart thud violently in my chest.

I love you, Brandon. I silently say these words in my head as I remain looking at him, painfully savoring the love that I have for him.

And for a moment, I am dumbstruck. Because I cannot find the words to utter. Brandon is taking me down our beautiful memory lane, in order to convince me into running away with him.

"I love you so fucking much, I've loved you more than I could ever love anyone. So let's screw this and run away. I'll drop out of school and get a job to put food on the table. You don't have to do anything. I'll make sure I provide all that you'd be needing.." his body trembles as he sniffs.

"This is insane, Brandon," I say, slowly. With my heart swelling up with so much love for this boy. This boy who means so much to me.

"What's more insane, is being forced into marrying your sister's supposed husband. You cannot be a substitute Luna. You're worth more than that, Tilda," Brandon raises my hand up and presses soft kisses on it, making warmth envelop me.

"Let's run away, I mean it. I have never been this damn serious about something in my entire life." He looks at me, with his face forming in all seriousness. He doesn't look sad anymore, but his eyes are now filled with so much certainty.