5. Aftermath

"Sweetie, please," My mother spoke from behind my shut bedroom door, her voice light and full of concern.

After finding out my brot- Emrys is my mate, I've locked myself up in my room. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to go to him, hold him, wipe the tears I know he shed last night while the other part of me was stunned to say the least. 

Why out of all people on this Godforsaken Earth did my mate have to be him? Sure, all the over-protective and feeling each others feelings now made sense, but... What the fuck.

"I'm busy,"

"We both know that's not true." She sighed, I could picture her green eyes wide with worry and beautiful face drawn together. "Did you and Ostana get into a fight? Is it Emrys?"

Just at the mention of his name, a sob escaped my lips only to be muffled by my pillow. A moment of sweet silence passed and ended with my mother's sigh, her footsteps retreating down the hall. Silence followed for the next few minutes, my eyelids becoming heavy with both stress and due to the sparse sleep I had gotten last night; sleep found me easily.

*

“Honey," My dad's voice spoke, waking me from my nap, and the heavy feeling in my heart returning with full force. "Your mother and I are to visit Alpha Thomas, do you want to come along?"

"No," Still in bed, I clutched the one thing keeping me sane right now, breathing in Emrys' scent of rain that hoovered above his sweatshirt, letting it calm my body. I heard a few whispers that were no doubt my mother. Darkness settled over my room.

"Are you sure? There will be cake,"

"I'm fine," Lies. "Just go and tell Ostana hi for me," Knowing full well that she was still stuck at the Alpha's house as she didn't reply with any of my texts. They talked softly to one another before my father sighed and walked down the steps, his heavy walk making the stairs creak softly.

"Honey, we're worr-"

"Mom," My voice became louder. "Please. I'm fine,"

She grumbled but eventually walked downstairs too, and after I heard the front door close, I dragged myself from the bed. All day long I had stayed in my bedroom, no food or drink for comfort, my thoughts drowning out the hours, and the worst thing is I could feel Emrys' feelings of rejection stung my heart like a thousand wasps.

How am I supposed to look my brother in the eyes when he's my mate? I can't do that! That's... That's... That's not right.

Sooner or later I would have to face him though because of heat...

Oh God, I forgot about heat. Heat is when the bond becomes complete, or in other words, we bang it out.

"Fuck," I grumbled and held Emrys' grey sweatshirt from the other night closer to my chest, relaxing into his scent before putting it on over my simple tee-shirt. In my mirror, my appearance mickicked how I felt; my skin paler than normal, purple crescent moons kissing my under eye lids as my blue eyes darkened, and my mess of blonde hair sat on top of my head.

My phone ringing broke the silence and I answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey Celeste,"

"Laker?" Instinctually I stood straighter, is he with Emrys? Did Emrys get hurt? I know Ostana couldn't be with him... No, Emrys was here; his scent still lingered.

"Yeah," Laker's voice was calm, cool, and always collected. Laker was part of a neighbouring pack -Blood Moon Pack-, fifty miles north of here, and unlike our town, his city -which was entirely made up of werewolves- was where the King Alpha William and his mate Queen Sundra lived; basically like werewolf capital in America. "Hey is Emrys around?"

A spear through my heart. "Yeah, he's in his room." Sitting back down on my bed and laying down, I watched as shadows danced across the ceiling, my fan that was turned off peered back to me. "Why?"

"He just won't answer his phone, yo-" Laker stopped himself and cleared his throat. "He was supposed to come up today,"

"Oh?" I croaked out. "Well, maybe I could see if he's okay..." C'mon Laker, talk me out of it. Tell me it's fine and you'll stop by tomorrow. C'mon, c'mon!

"Really? That'd be great, Ce!" Damn it Laker. Chuckling dully at his enthusiasm, I stood back up and took a deep breath. Every step felt heavy, every breath deep, and as I opened my door, I found myself smoothing out the wrinkles of his sweatshirt - does my hair look alright?

Finally I reached his room, which was just past our small library that mainly consisted of boxes filled with holiday decor, an old computer, and two shelves of books. Emrys' scent was already wrapping around me, my wolf purring at the proximity to Emrys, and before I reached my fist up to knock, he opened his bedroom door.

My breath hitched as I saw him; midnight black hair messy as he must've run his hands through it a thousand times, stormy eyes twinkled with an unknown emotion, and he hadn't even changed from last night's clothing. Guilt tripped and sorrow filled, we both heard Laker's voice through the phone and never broke eye contact.

"Damn Ce, how long is it gonna take you?"

Silence. Together we lost each other in the other's eyes, both searching as our minds went blank, and my phone fell onto the ground.

"Ce?" Laker's voice quiet as it was muffled into the carpet.

Emrys took a brave step forward.

Feeling my heart speed up and but calm down all in one second, it all happened so fast; Emrys grabbed the spur of the moment, hands clasping my waist as he pulled me into his room, sparks exploding across my body. Gently my back hit the closed door as Emrys dipped down.

His lips met mine.