A Friend
Bella's Pov
" Take me to Paige.I need my friend."
Alex hesitated then nodded.
"Okay, I'll take you her"
Neither spoke on the way to Alex house.They waited for Paige to answer.
Paige answered several minutes later. It looked like she'd just gotten out of bed. "Babe, Bella what's the matter?" she asked. Her gaze went between Alex and I.
"Can I come in?" Bella asked.
The moment they were inside the house, Paige grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her. "What's going on?"
"I'm going to be at the guest room," Alex said.
"Im taking Bella up to our room." Paige helped her upstairs.
"Can I take a shower?" bella asked.
"Of course." The look on friends face scared her,but she left her to get washed.
Bella closed and locked the bathroom door.Without looking at her reflection she climbed into the water and turned the dial to cold.
She needed the cold water to make her feel alive. The only way she'd get through the next few hours was by being numb.
After several minutes under the numbing water,she washed away all evidence of Hunter's claiming.
When she was done,she wrapped her body in a robe and went back to Paige's room.
"There are fresh night clothes," she said.
Bella thanked her. "Where are your kids?"
"They went out to the city. They need some time with their grandparents." Paige sat on the bed. "Are you going to tell me what went on tonight, or do l have to ask a dozen questions?"
"I had sex with Hunter,He claimed me as his mate." Paige was silent as Bella got dressed.
"wow, that's nice so what's the problem with them"
"No. I'm claimed. At least I was claimed."
"What happened? You look like you want to kill yourself. Mating shouldn't leave you like that." Paige said
"Are you sure?" Bella asked, feeling like shit.
"Come on. Tell me." Her friend patted the space beside her.
Taking a seat, bella told her
everything.
"He turned to Naomi and told the royal council that I wasn't his mate."
Tears poured out of her eyes at the remembered pain. "It hurts." She touched her chest trying to put into words her feelings. "I feel everything, and it hurts so much. I don't know how l can face him. I know he's going to be around town, but how can l look at him knowing he took me and then went into the arms of another woman?"
Her friend wrapped her arms around Bella. She took the comfort offered. Bella needed to be held.
"I have no words to make it all better, Bella. I wish I did. He sounds like a total douchebag but I'm here. I'll always be here for you.I promise."
Bella rested her head in her friend's lap. "This is so hard.Why couldn't he leave me alone if he didn't want me?"
"we are wolves we don't ordain how mating works"
Sniffling, Bella rubbed her nose."Well there should be a rule about breaking your mate's heart. If this is what l get for being mated to him then I want no part of it. I hate feeling like this, and I don't want him near me."
She was thankful Paige listened to her.
"How am I going to face everyone tomorrow?" Bella asked. "The pack is going to know he picked Naomi over me, and the humans will be laughing at me."
"I'm not laughing, Bella " paige stroked her hair as Elle continued to cry.
"What you'll do is hold your head high and ignore it. It's all you can do and show Hunter you don't give a shit about what he has done to you. I'll be there for you tomorrow.I promise."
Elle nodded.There was nothing more for her to do.
Paige fell asleep while she lay in bed comforting her. Rubbing her eyes she wiped the tears away. Crying wasn't going to solve her problems.
You need to be strong. Don't give in to him.Fight him.
Leaving the bed she walked downstairs to grab a glass of milk. Alex was sitting at the kitchen counter drinking coffee.
"You should be asleep," he said as she walked into the kitchen.
"I'm not tired." Bella didn't look at him as she drank some milk.
"Shutting everyone out isn't going to solve anything," Alex said.
She froze. "Hunter made his choice. I'm not giving him any part of me again."
Bella left and slipped into bed. She didn't sleep, but as the time passed she grew harder and her walls came back up.