Page 47 of Holiday Surprise

“I know. That feeling still sucks,” I confessed. I wasn’t sure if he would understand what I meant or not. I realized that he had more power over me than anyone else, because just the slightest rejection, even if unintentional, hurt like hell.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “If it’s any consolation, Lily already yelled at me for it.”

I laughed. “Lily. I should have known, though she was just guessing, as I never told her where I was going.”

“I know. She was a little worried about you too, but somehow Thomas knew exactly where you would be. He even advised me to check the closet,” he said like it was the oddest suggestion on the planet.

No one knew me as well as Thomas Collier. Luke would someday, but our bond was too new, and we still had so much to learn about each other.

“Of course he’d tell you that,” I said with a laugh.

“Sydney?” he asked in the dark as I stared into his eyes.

“Yeah?”

“Why does Thomas Collier know something like that about you? Something so personal and private?”

I snorted a little. “Why wouldn’t he? He knows me better than anyone,” I admitted. Certainly, he knew about my history with Thomas. How could he not? It was public knowledge and people talked. Everyone knew.

Luke’s brow furrowed. “He knows specific details about your habits. Peyton made a comment today that it amazed her how close you and Lily are, and I’ve heard mention that you were born to be a Pack Mother. Were you and Thomas, like together or something?”

“Seriously? How did you not already know this? I guess I never thought to mention it since it’s basically common knowledge, but yeah, from the time we were in diapers,” I admitted.

“Until when, Sydney?” he asked seriously.

“Until the moment Lily walked into his life and he knew she was his one true mate. I know you were from the other pack, but honestly, I don’t know how you didn’t hear about that scandal. I mean I was literally groomed to be Collier Pack Mother. There was no doubt in my mind that Thomas and I were true mates, and I grew up believing that. I was devastated as a teen and our wolves both came in and it didn’t happen. He had his moments, he wasn’t the easiest man to love, but for a long time I did. I put up with a lot, always knowing I would be his mate.”

Luke growled next to me.

“Simmer down. Do you want to hear this or not?” I asked.

“Go on,” he said through gritted teeth.

“So, the day finally came that he agreed to go through compatible approval with me. A lot of packs don’t care about that anymore, unless it’s for the Alpha. The council approved us and that was that, but something made him drag his feet on completing a bond with me, and while at the time I was hurt by it, I am so thankful he put up a stubborn fight.”

“So, what happened next?”

“Lily,” I said with a smile on my face. “Sure, it hurt like hell, felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest, and I wasn’t certain I’d ever get over it, that day Thomas drove me out by the river and told me he’d found her, his one true mate.”

He protectively pulled me closer to him like he was trying to ward off the bad memories for me.

“I’m fine,” I assured him.

“He hurt you,” Luke said.

“He didn’t mean to. You’ve felt the call of a true mate now. Could you have just walked away from me last week, even for someone else you cared a lot about?”

“Nothing would have kept me from you,” he said.

“Exactly. I didn’t know what that felt like then, but I do now. I’m glad I bailed out gracefully. I could never have competed with his true mate, and I knew that then, but I really understand it even better now,” I confessed.

“How can you stand to be friends with them though?”

I smiled. “Because a part of me will always love Thomas and how can anyone not love Lily?” He growled again and I nudged him in the side. “Stop growling. That was in my past and I can’t change that. I won’t be sorry for anything in my life before I even met you, but I’m yours now, one-hundred percent, and honestly, getting dismissed and not needed when I know everything going on right now is tearing you up inside, well it hurts a thousand times worse than the day Thomas told me about her.”

His face morphed at my words and he crushed me to his chest. “I’m so sorry, Syd. I never want to hurt you. I thought I was protecting you from all of this, doing the right thing.”

I sniffed as a few new tears fell. “Facing the good and the bad together, no matter how hard things may get, is the right thing, Luke.”

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