Three Years Later

Azalea

I bustled around the kitchen, preparing trays of homemade breakfast pastries. Amy entered, holding Abigail on her hip.

“You’re a literal angel, Lea. Abi was up all night with a tummy ache, so I got no sleep!” Amy said, eyeing the breakfast spread.

“It’s okay. I couldn’t sleep either. I just figured I’d work out my stress in the oven!” I replied.

“Girl, you need to get that insomnia under control. You’re going to kill yourself!” she said, setting Abigail in her playpen before helping me arrange the breakfast buffet.

Three years have passed since I came to the inn. My life is significantly better now. Eating regularly has filled me out; I now have curves. My eyes no longer look sunken, and my skin has a light tan from spending time outdoors. I haven't grown taller, but that's alright.

About six months after starting, Mr. Greyback allowed me to renovate the small building behind the inn into an apartment. This lets me be nearby if he needs me without taking up a room.

Amy returned to work two months after me. Initially, she wasn't fond of me, but we've become close. I adore her daughter, Abigail, and occasionally babysit when Amy needs time with her husband.

Unfortunately, I still feel the lingering effects of the mate bond. Sometimes the pain is excruciating, like someone is squeezing my heart. It's even brought me to tears. I know I'll never find love and don't feel the need for a relationship. I hoped the pain would fade, but it hasn't. I try to ignore it; I have Mr. Greyback to care for and Amy and Abigail for company—that's enough for me.

It took a year, but I earned my high school diploma through a correspondence course. Now, I take one or two online college classes per semester, hoping to eventually earn a business degree. I've also been assisting Mr. Greyback more at the inn over the past year. The stubborn old man refuses to retire or admit he's becoming forgetful.

Today's my day off, but last night was rough. My chest ached for hours before I gave up on sleep and went to the inn kitchen. Amy is the inn's chef but isn't much of a baker. Once she warmed up to me, she let me bake whenever I wanted, which is a great distraction.

I'm exactly where I want to be. Grabbing a chocolate hazelnut croissant, my coffee, and the newspaper, I headed to my apartment. I waved to Amy, promising to play with Abigail at lunch. Our lunch service has expanded considerably since I started, which sometimes stresses Amy.

I planned to eat breakfast, then relax in my hammock until lunchtime.

Liam

Goddess, I hate these trips. My mother hasn't given up on this "mate" nonsense for three years. Even though my father relinquished the Alpha title to me on my eighteenth birthday, they haven't stopped searching for my mate.

“About twenty minutes until we reach the human town in our territory. Want to stop for lunch? I heard there’s a good restaurant,” Damien said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I frowned before smiling. “Sure. I’m hungry.” I haven't been to the human town in three years. I can't trust myself not to interfere. I’ve never told anyone, not even Damien, about her.

Damien found his mate on his seventeenth birthday. They're getting married in a few months. I genuinely like Lily; she's fierce and isn't afraid to put my bear of a best friend in his place. He’s completely smitten.

I never let them see how much I wanted that. The pack has a strong Alpha who actively seeks his mate. No one knows about the constant turmoil inside me. I haven't felt whole since rejecting her. I trained intensely afterward, using it as a distraction. To the world, I have no weaknesses.

A few she-wolves have helped me blow off steam over the years, but none came close to her. And I can never atone for the mess I left her in three years ago. We pulled into town. I looked out the window. What were the odds of seeing her? I'm terrified of both seeing her and not seeing her. Goddess, help me.

“Here it is,” Damien said, pulling into the inn's parking lot. I inwardly groaned.

“You deserve this,” Gavin taunted in my head.

“Just shut up,” I snapped.

“Gladly!” He's never forgiven me about our mate.

We got out and went inside. The receptionist directed us to the dining area. Damien grabbed some seats and looked at the menu. A cute, black-haired waitress approached to take our order. She flirted relentlessly.

“Yes, Lily, baby… We’ll be back in a couple of hours… Just lunch, honey. I’ll be home to help with the wedding invitations,” Damien pretended to answer his phone.

“Low blow, man. I don’t do humans,” I mentally linked him.

“Hey, if I go home smelling like a human, Lily won’t just come after me; she’ll get your ass too,” he linked back, winking.

“Yes, baby. Love you too,” he said as the waitress left. Now she’d be all over me. The dining room was about 75% full—impressive. I don’t know what the old man’s been doing, but it's working.

Suddenly, her scent hit me—the most beautiful, flowery scent. I can’t believe I smell it again. “Mate! Mate!” Gavin screamed in my head, fighting for control.

I looked around wildly, noticing Damien’s expression. Then I saw her, emerging from the kitchen with a small child. My body moved automatically. I stood and stalked toward her. Stopping behind her, I growled, “Mine.”

She stiffened, turning slowly. Goddess, she was breathtaking. She'd gained weight in all the right places, looking delectable in high-waisted jeans and a simple blouse. Her hair was long and shiny, falling in ginger waves. Her eyes were the most brilliant green I'd ever seen. She was glowing.

“Um, can I help you, sir?” she asked sweetly but confidently. Her voice was angelic.

I looked at her and the child. Who was this? Why did she have a child? How old was the girl? Where was the father? I couldn't control the possessive energy coursing through me.

“If you don’t need anything, excuse me. The front desk needs me,” Azalea said, turning to leave. I grabbed her arm.

“Wait,” I said forcefully. She froze. The sparks confirmed my thoughts but confused me. “Azalea?” I rejected her. Why could I still feel the bond—unless she never accepted the rejection?

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name. But I really must go,” she said.

I didn't let go, momentarily speechless. Was this Azalea? Why the sparks? Didn't she accept the rejection? Was this why I still felt empty?

A man appeared, taking the child. “I believe she said she has business to attend to, sir. Release her arm,” he challenged.

“John, really, I’m okay,” she said.

“No, Miss Lea. He’s mistaken you. No one handles a woman like this,” he said.

I released her arm, rage burning. She's moved on. He must be the father if she's so comfortable with him. “My mistake. Excuse me,” I said, storming out and linking Damien.

How could she? The kid must be at least two. She wasted no time. And she didn’t even have the decency to accept my rejection. She just left me. How did this happen? Did he force her?

That thought sent a new wave of rage, and Gavin fought for control.

“I will kill him. He touched what’s ours!” Gavin roared.

“We don’t know anything. Let me think!” I yelled.

“Wanna tell me what that was?” Damien asked, interrupting my pacing.

“Nothing. I need to run. See you later,” I said, running toward the woods. I shifted into my wolf form, not bothering to shed my clothes.

Azalea

“Are you okay? Who was that?” John asked. It couldn’t have been him, could it? He knew my name, but he didn’t look like the Liam I remembered. He was bigger, more muscular.

“Yes, I’m okay. Thank you. It wasn’t necessary, but I appreciate it, John,” I replied, taking Abigail. “Come on, Abi, let’s find Mama!” She clapped her hands, smiling.

I waved to John as I headed to the kitchen. I’ll apologize to Amy later. I need to get out of this inn.

Liam wouldn’t come back, right? This town is all humans! Plus, he rejected me. He asked me not to hate him. I never did. I just tried to live. That’s all I want.

His touch felt lovely, warm, filling the void in my chest. But he wasn’t the same man. He was taller, more muscular. His expression was brooding; his eyes held so much emotion.

Oh, Goddess. And now I felt restless, like something inside was trying to escape. I paced in my apartment, going to the closet and pulling out a box I hadn’t touched in a long time. The pain hadn't been bad enough to need it lately. But I couldn’t handle whatever this was. I opened it, staring at a neatly folded sweatshirt.

I was about to take it out when a knock came. I closed the box, placing it on my bed. John stood in my doorway.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Henry?” I asked.

“Mr. Henry? I thought we were friends now, Lea? You hurt me,” he said, placing a hand over his heart.

“Oh, haha. But really, do you need anything? If there’s a problem, leave a note for Amy,” I said.

“No, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I got a bad vibe from that guy, like he wanted to possess you. I thought you might know him,” he said.

“Really, I’m okay. He must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m a little tired. We’ve been busy, and today’s my only day off. I’ll just relax in bed with a book,” I reassured him.

“Alright, if you say so. I’ll be out of town for a few days, but I’ll drop by for lunch when I get back. Stay out of trouble,” John said. I nodded, smiling.

He left, and I closed the door, sliding down to the floor. I hugged my knees, resting my forehead on them. This pain never goes away. Why won’t it go away? I don’t want a happily ever after, a handsome prince, or to be saved. I just want to live and be free of this void. I don’t need overwhelming happiness; I just want a simple, content life.

Liam

I watched John leave. I watched her small building from the woods. My wolf heard her quiet sobs.

“You’re an idiot. He’s hurting our mate, and you left her,” Gavin growled. We didn’t hear their whole conversation, but we heard her sobbing.

“Just stop,” I said.

“No. This is your fault. You should have stood up to your father. You should have kept her with us. We could have made them fall in line! You took our happiness and left it in the hands of that old man. He couldn’t care for her like we could have. Now she has a child with a human! And that human upsets her. He acts like she’s his! When she’s ours!” Gavin berated me. He was fighting for control, but I couldn’t let that happen. He would barge in and do God knows what.

“We have to leave her. We don’t know he upset her. We can’t be here,” I reasoned.

“Check the cottage. See for yourself,” he challenged. I could peek to make sure she’s okay, as long as no one sees me.

I heard movement inside and waited until it was quiet before sneaking to her window. I saw a comfortable apartment: a desk with papers and textbooks, a dresser, a bookshelf overflowing with books, a small kitchen, and a small twin bed with quilts and blankets. I saw her lying curled up, holding what looked like a sweatshirt. Could it be mine? I heard quiet sobs.

My heart ached. Azalea read my note. She didn’t hate me; she didn’t forget me. I don’t know who that guy is, but he’s not making her happy.

“We could make her happy. We were meant to,” Gavin said.

“Do I deserve her now?” I murmured. I looked around again; there was no evidence of a child living there. No toys, clothes, or bed.

I knew if I watched her cry any longer, I’d go to her. But I couldn’t. Nothing has changed. I can’t change her parents, the rejection, or that she doesn’t have a wolf.

With one last look at her sleeping form, I ran back into the woods toward my packhouse.