Ana

I'm sitting on the patio in the backyard, thinking of what happened with Jacob the previous night. The feeling of his mouth against mine, his hands grasping hungrily at my skin, all of it made me dizzy with magic. I realized that I still want him just as much as I did before he and Gisele sealed their mating bond.

Since we kissed, though, Jacob has been avoiding me even more than usual. He barely speaks to me when he sees me. Once or twice he'll rub my arm or touch my back to help me with my heat. Aside from that, I get nothing from him.

The whole thing is making me feel more confused than ever. There is only one thing that I am completely sure about, and that's that I need to reject Derek as my mate.

When we made out in the kitchen, it was all about satisfying my wolf and ending my heat. I still don't feel anything for him beyond that. Even if Jacob never wants to be with me, I know that I cannot be Derek's mate anymore.

"Okay, let's go," I say to myself as I get up. I've been planning to go over to Derek's house to officially reject him all day. For the most part, I have only managed to procrastinate.

I know that this is the right thing to do, even though I feel more nervous than I've ever been. I walk around to Derek's front door and knock, hoping that he is home alone.

"Oh, look what the pimp dragged in." Medeia is the one who answers, sneering at me with a threat in her eyes. "If you're not smart enough to get that, I'm saying that you're a whore."

"I figured," I answer, staring straight back at her. "Where's Derek?"

"Why?" Medeia crosses her arms with a distrustful glare in her eyes. "So you can properly fuck him this time?"

I sigh. I'm definitely not in the mood for this. "Believe what you want."

"He's not here, anyway," Medeia says and shrugs. "Go look in the training arena."

It's quite possible that she's lying to me, so I don't really react. Instead, I turn around and walk back to Jacob's place.

Even if Derek doesn't really care about me, breaking our mating bond is going to be painful for both of us. I don't want to do it in a public place, or where Medeia can see us. It would be much better if I can get him alone.

On the other hand, I know that Medeia is almost always around him when he is home. Maybe she was telling the truth, and he is training. I feel strong enough to take a walk to the arena and decide that I'll give it a shot anyway.

First, I get dressed in jeans and a strapless top. It feels strange since I've mostly been wearing pajamas for the last few weeks. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I smile slightly.

I still look exhausted, ill, and feverish, but being properly dressed makes me feel like things can actually get better. In fact, I think I look pretty like this.

The walk to the arena should take ten minutes, but I know that I wouldn't do it that quickly. Every now and then I have to stop to take a break and breathe. If I run, like I want to, I'd have no energy left by the time I get there.

Eventually, I have to focus on my feet, putting one in front of the other. My lungs and muscles are burning with the effort. Jacob would not be impressed if he finds out where I am.

The building has to be just ahead now. I've been walking for at least twenty minutes.

Suddenly, my vision fills with a group of shadows. I immediately stop and turn my eyes upward, straightening so I am fully standing up.

"I can't believe you." It's Medeia, with a whole gang of avid followers, Harley, Tanisha, and Megan among them, of course. She steps forward to shove me to the ground. "You're really trying to get to Derek again. You know, I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt."

I land awkwardly, breaking the fall with one arm. It twists my wrist painfully, but I don't show it on my face.

"What do you want?" I'm too tired to argue with her, and not stupid enough to try and fight. With the rest standing around her, Medeia wouldn't hesitate to beat me to a pulp.

Even so, I'm not willing to let my spirit break under her. I've had enough of her for a long time now, and I don't have much to lose anymore.

"For you not to go hunting down my boyfriend like a lovesick puppy!" Medeia screeches, taking a step closer. "What's it gonna take to drill that into your stupid head?"

Harley and Tanisha step forward with her, holding boxes of milk in their hands. They poured it out over my head, making me gasp in surprise. Their laughter plays on a loop in my head.

"Look at that, cum-covered, just like you clearly want to be." Medeia kicks at my arm as I try to get up, making me face plant in the mud. "Stay down, before you embarrass yourself even more."

"Medeia." A voice hovers over all of us, authoritative and threatening. "What's going on here?"

Medeia swings on her heels and makes way for Jacob to pass through. He looks down at me, messy and pathetic, with an expression that shouts concern and fury simultaneously.

"We're just having a bit of fun, Jacob," Medeia answers sweetly. "I mean, Ana tripped, but I was about to help her up again."

"If you lie to me one more time," Jacob warns as he glances over his shoulder at her. "I will make sure that you cannot walk for the next month. Get out of here."

"Damn, alright, Boss." Medeia laughs as she and her lackeys walk off. "Tell Ana to stay out of other people's business, won't you?"

"What did you do?" Jacob extends a hand towards me distrustfully, as if somehow I could have deserved what happened. "Were you going after Derek?"

I feel that honesty might actually harm the situation rather than help. I stay quiet as I let him help me up and look down at the mud-and-milk mixture that I am soaked in.

"Whatever it was, do you think that this is an appropriate reaction?" I ask angrily. "Really?"

Jacob seems to be trying to suppress a laugh as he stares at me.

"Oh, so now you find it funny too, huh?" My voice is gruff and my throat tight. I decide to walk off instead of confronting Jacob, but he grabs my arm and pulls me back.

"It's not that," he smiles. "This reminds me of something. Can you remember?"

~Seven years earlier, after heavy rains

"What's one volcano say to the other?" Jacob is hopping in puddle after puddle, with Gisele and I following. She is elegant, moving on jutting rocks in the water. I don't care about presentation, and splash along messily.

He turns to look at her, but she's stumped. "No, tell me."

"I lava you!" Jacob laughs, but Gisele and I both cringe at his ridiculous joke. She shoves at him playfully. I can't help but feel a slight twinge knowing that he aimed the punchline at her and not at me.

"Come on, it's funny." Jacob insists, pretending to be upset at us for not understanding his genius. "You two just don't have any funny bones."

"Do, too!" Gisele answers, hopping in front of him. "You're just not as smart as you think."

She jumps effortlessly in front of him and sticks out her cute pink tongue.

"Gisele," I chastise her, mimicking the voice of one of our teachers, "that's the future Alpha you're talking to. Show some respect." I've tucked my chin in, puffed up my chest and made my arms wide so I can look like one of the heavier, older instructors we have.

"I'll do that when he deserves it." He pretends to be offended.

"How dare you?" He says, but his grin betrays him. "You better not let me catch you, young pup."

Gisele squeals and runs off. Jacob is faster than her, and he catches up quickly.

"Eek, Ana, save me!" Gisele squeals when he grabs her wrist, and I jump into action. My plan is to tackle him into the muddy puddle behind him.

I reach them quickly, and leap for Jacob, but he lets go of Gisele's arm at the last second. I end up soaring past them and landing face-first in the mud. Jacob slaps his knees as he laughs. Even Gisele can't help but giggle when I turn myself over to glare at him.

I end up joining in. The whole thing must have looked ridiculous.

~Present day

"I remember," I say, smiling. "I still owe you for that."

"Mm, you do," Jacob's face has changed back to stoic distrust, mixed with some guilt. He looks down at his hands and fiddles with his fingers. There's a long silence, he's distracted. "Let's go home, okay?"

His question sounds sad. Like home can't be returned to.

I think of Gisele, and instantly know why the mood is now so sullen. All of those memories have become tainted since she's been gone.