Chapter 15: Distant

"H-he said that I-l was going to be in a lot of pain in a week," she sobbed. If you were in that position and not crying, there was something wrong with you. She is feeling so much pressure that she is on the verge of collapsing. Piece by piece.

Anthony tightens his grip on her, "Don't worry, I will never let you go, I marked you for a reason," he says, his voice slightly sad. She had a sneaking suspicion that they both knew it was over, but all they could do was try.

She does not respond, leaving them in silence with their thoughts. She felt safe with him, but she also felt like bleeding to death. She hoped Allan was faking the pain. Even if she did, she had no intention of returning to him. "He knew I was going to kill myself, but why is he doing this? Why didn't he just take them and leave them outside...?" she wondered as his tears fell.

~

A week later, she awoke feeling a little sick, but nothing too serious. Anthony is still sleeping soundly as she gets out of bed. She had intended to make him breakfast.

For the past week, Anthony has been extremely kind to her. He treats her like a princess, as a true mate would.

She takes bread and toasts it in the toaster. As she waits for the bread to cook, her nails tapping against the small kitchen counter.

She then felt her stomach tingle, as if it were cramping, but it quickly worsened. She bites her lower lip as she sits on the cold tile floor. Her vision became hazy as she drifted away from reality.

Allan was correct, but she wasn't going down quietly, she thinks as she closes her eyes and passes out on the kitchen floor.

~

Anthony yawned as he awoke. When he looks over, he notices Althea's side of the bed is empty. She was either in the kitchen or the bathroom. He gets out of bed and cleans himself up. He changes his boxers without bothering to put on a shirt. He rinses her mouth with mouthwash in preparation for a late-morning make-out session.

He exited the bathroom and went to the kitchen. He comes to a halt when he notices Althea sleeping on the floor. He got down and heard her fast-paced heartbeat, felt her forehead, and realized she was overheating. She mentioned a week ago that Allan had told her she would be in pain as a result of him marking her. He didn't believe it at first, but now he does.

He picks her up in bridal fashion and places her on the bed. He gets a cold rag and places it on her brow. She moans in pain as she shifts slowly. He bites her lip, unsure what to do. He wasn't her true mate, and he couldn't take away her pain.

He sat on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep intently. His hand was resting on her thigh. He was worried about her because she is his best friend and has a serial killer for a friend. He is putting his life in danger by being with her, but it is worth it even if he dies. He'd never had much to live for, so when she came into his life, everything changed.

But if she does, he will bear the burden of her death for the rest of his life. If she was with Allan, he'd know if she was still alive.

He gets out of bed and puts on jeans and a hoodie. He returned her gaze and wrapped her in a soft blanket she adored. Sighing, he lifted her. He'd regret it too, but not as much.

He walked out the front door, carrying her asleep in his arms. He knew he was nearby, but he doubted he would leave his mate alone with another male. If not him, then someone he knew. According to Althea, he wasn't a lone wolf.

He simply has the most kills of any of them.

Anthony walks into the woods, listening for anyone. All he could hear was the wind and the sounds of the forest. He walks another mile into the woods, slightly concerned about his safety. He was well aware that Allan would relish the opportunity to murder him.

"So, are you going to hand her over, or do I need to murder you first? "He swings around and collides with a hard chest. He gulps, looking up to see Allan's menacing eyes.

"O-only if you don't hurt her!" he says as he steps back, holding her close. He wouldn't kill her, but he would dismember her.

He smirks, approaching Anthony as his wolf whimpers in fear. "You're in no position to make a bargain with me; either you give her to me and live, or you die and I get her myself," Allan growls, only a foot between them.

As he gently placed her on the forest floor, a shiver ran down my spine. "I'm sorry, Thea," Anthony said quietly as he moved away from her. She appeared to be at peace, but only if she knew what he was up to. They weren't best friends right now. He was her adversary, and she would always despise him. He marked her and handed her over to her insane mate.

Allan snatched Althea and tossed her over his shoulder. Anthony winced, wishing he could be more gentle. She is, after all, sick, but she should recover soon.

Allan says nothing as he walks away from Althea, sitting on the forest floor, thinking about what he just did. He sent his best friend to her untimely demise to keep her alive. Alive to live the most miserable life imaginably.

He closed his eyes and controlled his breathing. Forcing himself to think positively. He mumbled, "Thea was going to live." Maybe she can persuade Allan to change his ways. Yes, she could persuade him to change. He could also change her for the worse.

Anthony is terrified and clutches his head in his hands. He couldn't tell whether what he did was good or bad. He'd probably never find out. It was likely that would be the last time he saw Althea. As he rises from the ground, a silent tear falls down his cheek. "I guess it's time to go home," he said quietly. He wasn't going to tell anyone, not even his parents, about what had happened over the last few weeks. It would be better to keep it hidden. If she asked where he was, I'd just say he was sick. His mother is concerned because he has recently become increasingly distant.

He returned to the cabin and gathered his stuff, which consisted of only a few sets of clothes. He turned off the power and began the long journey back home. He'd surely be in the evening by the time he got home. And all he could think about was Althea during those long hours. As he walked the walk of guilt, his stomach tightened.

When he returned home, the first thing he noticed was that the interior had been destroyed. "Allan," he muttered as he sniffed the air. He'd taken his place. He shakes his head and throws his belongings to the ground. "It's time to get this sh*t cleaned up."