Page 44 of His True Beloved

“I’m all right now, really.” Justin rubbed his chin, staring out the window, looking lost. “In fact, for the first time in my life, I really feel whole.” I sniffed.

But shit, I can’t be happy now, can I?

“You met someone?” Mom questioned. She looked at Justin, shaking his head and pulling at his hair.

“Yeah, but–” My phone rang. The unknown caller ID popped up again. I growled, answering the phone. “Stop calling me!” Flashes of Wyatt’s demon face flashed before me. Cold, dark eyes encompassed my vision having me stumbled.

“Chrissy!” Mom screeched, trying to catch me, only for my knee to catch the edge of the stairs. Tiny beads of blood bubbled on my skin. Mom’s nose flared, and her fangs descended longer than I had ever seen. I paused like a deer in the headlights watching my mother’s sweet demeanor change instantly. Justin grabbed me by my arm and pulled me to the door.

“Will you be all right on your own?” he said frantically, obviously worried about my bleeding. Mom growled, her fingernails lengthening. The polish she wore had now grown out, giving blue tips to her talons.

“Y-yes.” I inched toward the door, unable to leave the horrible site that used to be my mother.

“Go now, Chris. I’ll call you later!” Justin ran to Mom, holding her back as she hissed, reaching toward me. I turned the handle as I stumbled out, shutting the door.

My hand held the keys to my stepdad’s car. He must have shoved them in my hand at the last moment. I cupped my forehead, feeling the trickle of blood running down my leg.

God, this was so much. I had no one to talk to. The overwhelming feeling of ruining Sebastian’s happiness and my own had the waves crashing me further into the ocean.

Deep waters of turmoil continued to push until finally, I took that first step off the porch and heard the ping of my phone. I sniffed, unlocking the car and flinging my purse to the front seat to pop a pill and sterile strips to close the minuscule scratch.

Of course, I would think to call Sebastian instead of having to take pills, but I couldn’t face him. He didn’t deserve to see some poor crummy human crying in his arms because we couldn’t be together. That was just how life ended up for me right now. Happily ever after wasn’t in the cards.

How dramatic are you?My subconscious yelled at me.

Sebastian deserved so much better than me, anyway. He had his beloved before me that was supposed to be his. This new guy… this new person I was supposed to be given, couldn’t replace Sebastian, though. I was too enthralled with him. I couldn’t imagine anyone else buthim. Gripping the wheel to another ping, I pulled the phone out to see Pamela’s name flash across the screen.

“Hello?” I tapped the screen in an instant. My new friend would understand, right? She would understand what kind of situation I was in and help? She surely knew about mates. The whole supernatural world did.

“Hey, just wanted to see if you got some of that vampire D?!” I held in a laugh.

It’s official.

I’m going crazy.

“Can I come hang out with you?” My voice cracked. Her playful banter ceased, and a gentle voice returned.

“I’ve got an apartment above the coffee shop. Meet me there.”

Chapter 21

Christine

Pamelapacedhertinystudio apartment. She waited for me at the bottom of the stairs of the coffee shop to lead me to the back alley. I didn’t even question the fear that would be so normal I would have had going behind a dirty dumpster with cobwebs, rats, and old coffee cups. My vision was tunneled climbing those stairs, and now that I had calmed down after an hour and a half of a panic attack, I sat in her overly decorated apartment.

It was straight out of a bohemian magazine. Enormous decorated pillows filled with gold and silver trimmings. Tulle, large, decorated blankets covered the walls, candles of the exotic-smelling variety lit. Even the lamps held dull lighting from the various fabrics giving them a calming glow. She made me hold a table full of crystals and stare at them until I could speak once again and tell her the long story of how my heart was supposed to belong to someone else.

Finally calming, resting on the bed, which consisted of just a large mattress on the floor with enormous blankets and furs, I sighed as I finished. Sebastian wasn’t mine, and I couldn’t go after the ‘D’ any longer.

Pamela tapped her lips, contemplating. She would periodically open her mouth, only to close it again with her finger, pacing the room. “Would you like some kombucha? It will settle your stomach.” She turned on her heel to reach the fridge as my mouth dropped.

“I can’t drink anything right now. I need to think! I don’t know what to do!” My phone buzzed, seeing Sebastian’s name popping up on the screen.

“Oh god, he’s calling!” I wailed like an immature teenager.

“Then answer it!” Pamela rushed over, but I hung onto it tightly, shaking my head.

“What do I say!? You aren’t mine, I have someone else?” Running my finger through the red phone on the screen to block the call, she shook her head.

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