Page 92 of Healed
“I’m not mated, I can have women,” Remi said sullenly.
“That’s on you, dude,” she said.
“And you,” he said.
“What did I do?!” she asked.
“You made me lose Bailey.”
“I hate to break it to you, but that, too, was all you. And even if it hadn’t been you, eventually, you'd have lost her.”
“That’s ridiculous! We were happy!”
“Yeah, you were. But do you know who her true mate is? I mean, born and destined for?” Cristie asked.
Remi focused on her as best he could, his expression one of serious doubt. “She doesn’t have…” he stopped as his brain began slowly clicking into motion again. “No. Don’t tell me it’s Shaun.”
Cristie nodded. “It’s Shaun. And they are so deliriously happy.”
“Bullshit, otherwise he’d have challenged me for her way before you got here.”
“You’re wrong. You want to know why? Well, it doesn’t matter if you want to know or not, I’m going to tell you. He didn’t say a word about it when you two were together, because she was happy. And that mattered to him. All he wanted was her complete happiness, and if you were the male that gave that to her, no matter what he personally felt, he wasn’t going to take it from her.”
Remi looked at her, his head bobbling as his mind processed what she’d said. “What utter crap,” he finally said.
“It’s not crap, Remi. It’s love. It’s loving someone more than yourself. It’s what being a mate is all about. And luckily for Bailey, she loved you enough to walk away so that you could be guilt free if you chose me, because even she as a human understood the bond mates could have.”
“But we don’t,” he said.
“Again, on you. My point isn’t us, my point is them. She cared enough to let you go, and that couldn’t have been easy. And when she wasn’t with you anymore, Shaun stood beside her, being her friend, being whatever she needed until she was healed enough to see him as a whole. Then he declared his love for her. She’s happy, and I’m willing to bet that you still can’t find it in your heart to be happy for her. It’s still all about you, rather than about someone you profess to love.”
Remi glared at her.
“I obviously shouldn’t have come. But I didn’t know when I did that you’d become something I’d never recognize. I’ve loved you all my life in one way or another. First as friends. Then we got older I looked to you for guidance. You were my rock, my safe space. Always sure to give the best advice and keep me grounded. Then suddenly as my mate. I was as confused as you were when that happened, but it all made sense. You were always so protective over me, so nurturing.” She smiled sadly as she looked off into the woods. When she looked back at him her entire expression had changed into one of pity. “I came back here to try to talk some sense into you, but now I realize there’s only one more thing left to say.”
“And that would be?” he asked angrily.
“Thank you, for finally showing your true colors and helping me dodge a bullet. I’d rather spend a lifetime alone, than with someone who loves himself more than he loves me. I see now that that’s all you could have ever given me. In fact, it’s probably all you ever gave Bailey. I’m glad she’s free of you, too.”
“You don’t know what you missed!” Remi shouted.
“You know what, Remi? I do. And therein lies the worst pain there is.” She turned her back on him and walked away.
“Oh, just come find me, make me feel like shit and then leave me just like everybody else, huh?!” he yelled at her.
Cristie looked back at him. “If you don’t do anything else. Please contact your mother. Aunt Avaleigh deserves better treatment than this from you. You’re killing her.” She turned and took one step, then stopped and looked at him again. “And I’ve figured it out.”
“Figured out what?” he demanded.
“What you’re hiding from… it’s you. You’re hiding from yourself. You don’t want to see you. It’s a shame really. You used to be the best male. Period. Just the best.”
He threw his bottle at her.
Cristie caught it and poured it out while she looked him in the eye, then she dropped it where she was standing and walked away.
When she got far enough away, Daniel fell into step with her.
“I’m not sure that went the way I’d hoped,” Daniel said.
