The scene

Lowell

The next day comes so soon and I already feel like there is a part of me that is missing, and that part is getting into a jeep.

I watch him because there is nothing I can do. I have to say goodbye to him for now.

"He didn't even want to talk to me; he avoided me all week. This fucking sucks, Brother," Ashina whines, as if I give a shit.

"You should go say goodbye to him before he leaves. Tell his father what you know," David, her best friend, suggested, and all I felt was anger at that moment because I knew that was something that she would do.

Ashina's eyes light up, and I watch her as she departs from me and heads in the direction of the car. His father—the vampire one, Alanis, is by the door, about to enter the car. I watch as he looks up when he notices her. I frown because I have to watch this even though, as the Alpha and her elder brother, I can stop her.

I listened to their conversation quietly.

"Can I talk to your son?'' Ashina pleads.

He looks at her like he knows why she would want to talk to him.

"Right now?" He furrows his brows in confusion.

"Yes, sir."

I can see Col watching through the window. I don't want to blame him for all this, but he is avoiding things. He should let her know the truth. I don't mind being the bad guy. To Ashina, I have always been the bad guy. Nothing is going to change that now.

"Did he tell you about us?" she asks.

At this point, a lot of people are watching. She knows that, but she doesn't care. Maybe that is really what she wants. She wants them all to see her claim him, and there is nothing I can do but watch the scene as it plays out.

"He did."

This time, Beau comes out of the driver's side of the car and walks over to her. He is better at handling this than a lot of people. I see the leader that everyone keeps talking about.

"Ashina, I was going to set up a meeting with you. I don't think it is a good idea to do this here."

"Why do we need to have a meeting? We have already confirmed that we are mates. Is something wrong?"

There is panic in the tone of her voice. This is important to her, and I get it. I don't know how I would feel, knowing that Col isn't choosing me. My heart is already breaking that I can't be with him all the time.

"I know you are confused right now, but you just have to be patient with him for a bit."

She shakes her head. "Why can't Colin tell me this on his own? Why do you people have to speak for him? He is not a fucking child. "

I know that tone.

She is angry.

Ashina rarely shows emotions, but she is giving them that right now. I have to do something to stop this. I just don't know what to do.

"My son will talk to you when he is ready. He is not right now." Beau remains firm.

"You should get your sister. She is causing a scene,'' Griffen tells me, and sure enough, there is more of a crowd right now.

"Fuck me," I say, running my hands through my hair as I walk over to them.

"Ash, come on, this is not the time for this,'' I tell her once I get to her side.

She frowns. "He is rejecting me,'' she cries, sounding like a child that has had their favourite toy taken away. "I've just been rejected," she exclaims as if she can't even believe it.

My eyes dart to Col, and he looks very terrified.

Come out and handle this.

I send him a mind link.

He needs to be the one to do this on his own.

His eyes opened wide, probably in shock that I would send him one. I haven't since, but for the first time, I need him to actually hear me.

I don't know what to say.

He sends me one back.

I take a deep breath.

You need to do this on your own. Your dad can't fight all your battles.

That is how I feel, and he needs someone to tell him the truth. I get that this is complicated, but at the end of the day, it is his life and he needs to handle things on his own.

"Tell me the truth and I will leave. I will fucking leave,'' she shouts so loudly that one of the Alphas from another pack comes to intervene.

"Is there a problem here, Beau?" he asks.

"No, we have it handled.

"Col, tell me the truth,'' Ashina says, ignoring the man and walking over to the window. She presses her palms to the glass and lets her forehead fall upon it.

This is all my fault.

I know it.

Col, please talk to her.

I need this to stop.

This isn't even about me feeling guilty. This is about him. i know he will beat himself up for this later.

"Colin, tell me the truth," she says, hitting the window.

I watch as he finally clicks the door open and walks out of it. She is looking at him. Her eyes are tear-stained, but she isn't crying yet. Ashina is tough. She has been this way all her life, so the fact that she is acting this way right now just tell me how difficult she is going to make this.

"Let's talk somewhere else,'' he tells her.

I can feel my own heartbreaking right now.

I want to win this fight, I want to get the guy at the end but I don't know if this is really a winning battle for me.

I have so many odds against me.

The goddess has chosen her for him.

I am just someone by the side.

Someone that thinks he is the perfect one for me.

Someone that might lose.