His Mate, Her Fate

“What in hell are you doing here?” Jake shrieks as he opens the door to our house.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“I’ll take that, so please make yourself at home,” I said, shoving him aside as I entered and headed straight to their new couch that looked super comfortable.

“Lila, Darius is searching all over for you!” he runs his fingers through his thick dark hair.

I took my phone out and saw five missed calls and two text messages from Darius:

* Where the hell are you??*

*Lila, are you alright?!?!*

I type back.

*at my parents’ place. All good here. Talk to you soon.*

I stared at my brother. “I didn’t come to talk about Darius,” I stated. “Go get your brothers and your father. We’re going to have a family meeting.”

I thought long and well whether I should tell my siblings the truth. I reached the conclusion that if my dad harmed Mom and the truth could only hurt them, I’d keep it to myself. But, Mom’s alive. And hiding it from them could mean robbing them of a mother. I can’t do that.

“Oh?” Jake frowns. “If this is about you getting knocked up before the joining ceremony, we totally know already.”

“What?” I almost choked on my spit. “Where did you hear that?”

“It’s been going around for a while now,” he chuckles. “Apparently Alpha Carter was really irritated you dared to escape with his heir. Shocker,” he adds ironically.

“I’m not pregnant, Jake,” I cut him off instantly. “Darius knows that.”

Jake furrows his brows. “If you’re not preggers, why was Dad so angry at you the other day? You guys never fight.”

I scoffed. “Right… That was before I knew how lying and manipulating he was.”

“What?!” My brother is totally confused now. “What did the old man ever do to you?”

Where do I even begin?

Well, why don’t you just put it out there bluntly? My wolf suggests.

I am too tired to think, so I just go with it. “Mom’s alive, Jake. Now go get the rest of our family.”

My three brothers are still gasping in shock, as my Dad watches me with teary eyes.

“I only did it to protect you.”

“No,” I refused. “There was no threat. You did it to punish her. For hurting you. And you hurt us in the process.”

“How did I hurt you?” He demands.

“By robbing us of a mother!”

“A murderer vampire,” he scoffs. “Some mother…”

I shook my head in disappointment. “Why can’t you just admit what you did was wrong?”

“I still don’t think it was wrong,” he holds his ground. “She killed Valerie.”

“When can we see her?” Jake asks all of a sudden.

“She’s a murderer,” Jamie shrieks. “Why would you want to see her?”

“Look,” I meditated, “you all are entitled to your own opinions, of course. But I forgive her,” I declared. “You should all think about this. Take some time. Then you decide what you want to do. But I want to have her in my life.”

Jason’s eyes grew big in horror. “How could you forgive her? She killed someone, Lila.”

“I know,” I nod.

Aren’t you just one big happy family? My wolf teases.

Shut up, you’re no better.

“But I’ve done things I’ve come to regret. And to be honest, I really think I need a mother in my life.”

Dad frowns. “The Carters will never accept a vampire into their pack. You have to understand that-”

“I’m not going back to the Carter pack,” I declared. “I’ve decided to stay here for a while. In the guest house.”

“Yes!” Jason shrieks in excitement. “You’re back!”

“Lila!” Jake looks at me in shock. “You can’t do that,” he shakes his head. “You’ll break Darius’ heart.”

“Who’s to say he didn’t break mine? Why is everyone always at his side?”

“Because you’re mates and he understands what that means. You don’t.”

“You know what, Jake,” I smile at my baby brother, “The bond-thing isn’t omnipotent,” I press my lips, finally proud of myself – feeling like I’ve broken the chains that bounded me. “We decide on our own destinies,” I nod. “And I’ve decided to be a woman of my free will. I’m not saying I’ve made a decision to reject him, but,” I get up, “I’m taking things back in my own hands.”

“Whose pack will you be part of then?” Jake frowns.

“I don’t know if I want to be a part of any. I want to embrace my true self, finally. And see where life takes me. I need to know what makes me happy. And if Darius loves me – for me – and not for the magic spell that made us destined, he’ll understand.”

Dad’s eyes welled up. But it’s not sadness, it’s pride. “You never judged matebonds,” he gutters.

“Actually, Dad, I think I could be,” I nodded. “But on my own terms. When I decide to. Not when it’s been written in the sky and forced upon me.”

“You need to clear your head,” Dad nods. “I understand. I just want you to know, Lila… Darius didn’t know the whole story. I told him Laurent’s vampires were after you for revenge.”

Good to know. “This isn’t about Darius,” I said. “We, um, both had our problems. But I never really gave him a real chance, so… I don’t blame him for anything. I’m not running away, Dad. I’m running towards something.”

“To what?”

I pressed my lips. “A fresh start.”

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