Page 174 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

I dragged my feet up the stairs, but stopped at the top, when I saw Bells coming toward me as I reached the alpha floor.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

I wanted to believe that she was apologizing for yesterday. That she was going to tell me she didn’t mean it and she was going to become my luna, but when she stood there waiting for me to move away from the stairs, I turned right and headedtoward my room. Tears tried to sting behind my eyes but I blinked them away. I sat on the bed, pulled off my boots and pants and then slept on top of the covers. I was out in an instant, grateful for a moment of respite from the fucking heartache.

Iwanted nothing more than to get away from where everything reminded me of Bells, and life finally granted me my wish. I blinked, and suddenly it was Friday morning. My bags were packed, and my pack members were waiting and eating breakfast downstairs. The new pack members were initiated last night, though admittedly with a bit of resentment. I felt like they were the straw that broke Bells’ back.

Cory also asked if his new pack members could be escorted back with mine, so the journey would be slow going as we catered to everyone’s needs.

And now, I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave. If I left, everything would be real. Final. I would have to admit Bells would never be mine. She hadn’t said more than a few words to me in the last few days. Nothing more than what was necessary. There was no teasing, no playful words. No cries of my name as she came, and no cuddles.

John walked in the door without knocking, and shut the door behind him loudly. When I raised an eyebrow at his actions, he huffed.

“Are you seriously going to leave without talking to her again?” he asked and I thought my teeth would crack with how hard my jaw clenched.

“There’s nothing there. She’s had days to try and she’s barely looked at me,” I replied.

“You’ve been in love with her for decades and you’re just going to give up at the first fight? That’s not the Cade I know. That’s a coward, not my alpha.” He was goading me, and it was working, but not the way he hoped.

I threw the only thing I was holding against the wall and I watched my phone land in a few pieces on the floor, as I struggled not to punch my best friend in the face for what he said.

“What the fuck would you have me do, John? Beg her? I did. I pleaded with her. I implored her to remember that I’m not her first mate. I begged her to become my luna. She doesn’t want me. She doesn’t want anything to do with any alpha!” I roared at him. “You think you’re the only one disappointed? The only one gutted? You wanted her to be your luna because you admire her, and think she’d make a great one. I wanted her because I fucking love her!”

“You’ve had four days to keep trying. You told me you weren’t going to give up until you had her, and you gave up on the first sign of resistance,” he snapped.

I shook my head at his words, the fight leaving me, leaving nothing but that same fucking ache that settled into my heart since I left her room.

“You don’t know anything. The entire relationship was me fighting her resistance.”

“You’re right about that. I don’t know what’s happening with you right now. The council emailed you again yesterday about choosing a luna, by the way. I’ll be downstairs. We’ll be ready to go in twenty minutes.” John grabbed my two suitcases and left.

I walked over and picked up the pieces of my phone. I put the battery back in and hoped it turned on. It did, but the screen was cracked beyond repair. I couldn’t swipe in my code or doanything. I sighed, turned it off and put it in my pocket. Anyone who needed me, knew to call John if I didn’t answer. I’d have to get a new phone number, anyway. I’d get a new one when I got to Arizona.

I walked down when John let me know everyone was ready. I hugged Violet and Chris, who were staying to help Bells close up the estate. She’d already found a buyer and would be heading back to Crescent Moon in a few weeks. Not that she told me. I found all of the information through Violet.

“Take care of yourself, okay? And, if I haven’t said it before, I’m so proud of you. Look at all these people here. Not even a flinch,” I pointed out, genuinely happy to have been around to witness her progress.

“Well, I wasn’t paying attention, but now that you mentioned it,” she giggled.

I shook my head and gave her a kiss on the forehead before moving on to her better half. I clapped Chris in the back, a little jealous knowing he got the happy ending I’d been hoping for.

“It was good getting to know you. Don’t be a stranger and start calling me ’Alpha Cade’ again,” I warned him.

Chris chuckled and nodded.

I bent down to where Adam was looking very sad. “Don’t get sad, little man. You have to stay and take care of Mom.”

“Why can’t you stay, too?” Adam asked.

I’ve been asking myself a question too damn similar to that one. Why couldn’t I stay by her side?

“I’ve got to take all these people so they can have a place to sleep. But, here, you can have this.” I took off my hat and put it on his head.

It went down to below his eyes, making me laugh as I pushed it back so he could see. I stood and walked in front of the woman I’d dreamed I’d never had to say goodbye to, and did just that.

“Thanks for taking us in, Luna Bellarose. I really appreciate it.”

I was going to walk away, but I couldn’t. I wanted to beg her so badly to give me a chance. Instead, I leaned forward and tucked a strand of the hair she’d gone back to straightening. It was like her defense mechanism, I figured. A way to shield her inner girl from everything happening around her by trying to look more serious and grown up, as if nothing bothered her. I leaned down a little further and whispered, “One day, you’re going to be able to leave behind all the words that idiot mate of yours put in your head. When that day comes, I hope you find someone who can love you the way you deserve.”But no one will ever love you as much as I do,I refrained from adding.

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