I needed to make her believe that I was the only one for Hunter. That he would be happier with me. If she cared for him like I could already see in her eyes, then she would want to do anything to make him happy again.
I also needed to do something to get rid of Esma. She didn’t seem too happy with my return. I shouldn’t be surprised; we never liked each other, not even a little bit. But this time there was this suspicious look in her eyes every time she looked my way. She wasn’t buying my story and neither was Isabella.
The both of them seemed to be getting along pretty well also. If anyone saw them from the outside, they would think that this was a happy family.
That only made me angrier. Hunter couldn’t be happy! I’d went through so much just to see him miserable and I wouldn’t let it all go to waste just because of one girl!
………………
***ISABELLA***
I wasn’t happy when Maggie came barging into our room in the middle of the night. Well she didn’t exactly come barging in, but she did knock a good few times, waking both Hunter and I. He’d taken one look at me before bolting out of the bed and rushing to the door.
I tried not to be bothered that they were both out there talking but I couldn’t deny wanting to know what they were speaking about out there.
I gently climbed out of the bed and tiptoed my way to the door. I should be able to hear them clearly from here.
“I can’t see you in the same bed with her Hunter. We’re mates; it hurts me when you’re alone with Isabella. Please don’t do it anymore.”
My forehead creased as I tried to stomach her words. Did she really just ask Hunter to throw me out of our room? I wanted to rip her throat in half! Hunter was mine!
I swallowed my anger and tried to stay calm. Why wasn’t Hunter saying anything? Was he actually willing to do as she asked of him?
Why should I have expected anything differently? He’s never once hidden how much he cared for Maggie. now that she was back, I was no one to him.
He would do anything to make her happy.
I just wasn’t sure that I could stay and witness the man that I loved worshipping another woman. It would be too much for me. There was only so much more that I could take!
***HUnTER***
I stood in front of the woman I’ve literally pined for in the past few years. I wasn’t moving. All I could do was keep staring at her while replaying her words over and over in my head. I was torn between doing what would keep her happy and what my heart wanted to do.
I saw the hurt and disbelief in her eyes when I refused to give her an answer and it didn’t bother me as much as it would have done in the past.
“Hunter.” She hissed. The hurt in her eyes was now replaced by unmistakable anger. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Throw her out or come to my bed. I just don’t want to see you with her anymore. That’s simply disrespectful to our relationship. What would people say when they find out that you’re in bed with that woman even after finding out that your mate is alive and living in the same house with you?”
Maggie’s words shocked me to the very core. Did she really think that I cared about what others said about me? I’ve lived the past five years with the worst things possible said about me and I went about my life just fine with that.
I could not give her what she wanted. As much as it shocked me to admit it, I couldn’t let go of Isabella even if I wanted to. I was already attached to her in a way impossible to explain. When she’d asked me what was going to happen now, I knew immediately that I wouldn’t be able to let her go. I didn’t even have to question myself about that, I already knew the answer. But the question still remained as to whether or not the same thing applied to Maggie. Would I be able to let her go after finding her back after all of these years?
Everything was so messed up that I couldn’t think clearly. All of the things around me felt foggy and out of reach.
The moment I’d wrapped Isabella in my arms earlier tonight I could tell that I would fight anyone that tried to take her from me. She was so soft and sweet; so vulnerable and precious. Isabella was my very own diamond, a unique gem, one that I was so clearly lost over.
Maggie cleared her throat, bringing my attention back to her. My gaze touched her eyes and we stayed like that for a few seconds. This didn’t feel like it once did. Why did it not? We once had a strong connection, I mean there was still something there but it felt more like a distant memory than a powerful chord binding us together.
After a few more minutes I was ready to give her my answer. I knew that she wouldn’t like it and it was hard for me to say it to her but I had to get it over with.
“I need some time to think about this Maggie.” I whispered, her words still echoed in my head and I couldn’t be harsh to her after everything she’d been through. “I can’t just let go of Isabella and throw her away like she means nothing to me. She-“
I didn’t know how to explain my feelings to Maggie. She was my mate and here I was about to tell her what I felt for another woman that wasn’t her.
That only sparked another question in my head, how was it even possible for me to have feelings for another woman when my mate was present? nothing was making sense to me, nothing at all. I shouldn’t be able to feel like this for someone when I was already bonded to someone else. But how bonded exactly was I to Maggie if we never completed the ritual? I needed to figure out what Isabella really meant to me before I made any drastic decisions.
I needed to understand why I felt all of these strong feelings for her.
Whatever I felt for Isabella was too strong to just be nothing and she deserved to be treated the right way. I never gave Isabella the treatment that she rightfully deserved; I would not stoop so low as to throw her out of my life when she’s been nothing but good to me. She was the reason I was able to breathe these past few weeks. She gave my life purpose, a reason to live again after I’d thought that Maggie was dead.
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what was right from wrong. I’ve wanted Maggie more than anything in this entire world. I wanted her alive and in front of me, I wanted to apologize for not being there for her when she needed me the most. There were so many things I wished to say to her. now she was here and she was demanding things from me. Things I would be happy to do if she’d asked me these same things only a few months ago. But now it wasn’t like that. now I was torn.
Every time I closed my eyes I saw Isabella. I saw the way she looked at me; I saw her glowing gorgeous eyes. I saw her soft smile, her soft curves. I heard her voice. I felt her smile, felt her warmth.
I didn’t think that I would have ever been put into a position like this, one where I would have to choose between two women. To anyone, my choice should be easy, why not choose the woman you’ve wanted all along? To me it wasn’t that simple. Anyone who asked such a question clearly did not know Isabella. She’d managed to make a place in my heart … My heart.
Damn it.
I didn’t want to admit this to myself but it was true. So damn true and I couldn’t stand here and keep lying to myself.
Isabella meant a lot to me. So much that I was finding it hard to let her go when my own mate stood in front of me.
“I can’t believe that you would do this to me.” Maggie accused. “I’ve went through so much for you. I thought that when I came back I would be greeted by the Hunter that I once knew. I can see that I was wrong.”
Her words hit a nerve and I closed my eyes when she turned to leave.
I opened my mouth to stop her but closed it again. There was nothing that I could say to make this any better.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply