7

~Lou Wilson~

As I have every morning since Arian turned me down, I went to the little café on the outskirts of London and put on my apron. I've been doing this for over two months now. Ever since my mate threw those words in my face.

At that time I just had to leave. I couldn't go back to my pack. Not with the knowledge that I failed as a mate. Arian didn't want me and that was my fault. Because I am, and not this black-haired beauty from the hotel.

If I had gone back to my pack, everyone would probably have given me those pitying looks you get when someone loses their mate. But I didn't lose him. He just didn't want me.

Well, and then I ended up in this little people's café, with a nice old lady as the owner. And since then every day has passed like the other. Everything was the same and nothing mattered anymore. The days flew by me.

My world feels kind of empty and I know Arian alone is the reason. All because he decided to turn my biggest dream into my worst nightmare ever. How could it have happened that one person turned my life upside down.

It probably shouldn't even hit me that badly, after all I didn't even know him and before that I was fine on my own. Still, I couldn't get his words out of my head.

"I don't want you..." he had said.

Exactly those four words were all that had been floating around in my head since that day. Well, days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. It's a miracle I even made it this far. I often thought about just ending everything... But yes, I hadn't done it yet and now spring was just around the corner.

Actually, I've always loved spring, but this year everything that happened around me was rather incidental. I was too busy thinking the whole time.

My smile was only fake so as not to scare away my customers, because I didn't want to be fired. The job here paid good money. Enough to afford a small apartment nearby. Yes, a human dwelling. Because this is where I lived now. I lived with the humans, without a pack. Actually, I should be lonely, as a wolf without a pack, but somehow I've been since my mate didn't want me.

How could I have gotten so out of joint with my life?

"Lou, there's a young man here who wants to see you." Mira, the other waitress, called out to me.

She was beautiful and most of the male customers were into her. No wonder with the figure and the beautiful blond hair. She pulled her t-shirt down a bit to give the men an even better view.

As I understood what she was saying, I got a little nervous. I didn't even want to think about the consequences if someone from my pack found me and dragged me back to my parents. I may never see sunlight again.

As Mira walked past me, she jerked her thumb at the table behind her. But she couldn't stop giving me venomous looks. Probably because a man didn't want her attention, he wanted mine.

When she finally stepped out of my sight, she revealed a familiar face that made me gasp.

The black-haired man sat silently at a table by the window and looked at me with his big, sad blue eyes.

I walked up to him and gave him a sad smile.

"Luan, right?" I asked. I could only vaguely remember his name, but I couldn't forget him or the day I saw him for the first time. Because it was the worst day of my life .

"Yes," he just said. "You don't look good." He noticed, but I didn't go into it.

"What do you want?" I got straight to the point. I didn't feel like endless chatting or reminiscing about the day. He wasn't supposed to remind me of Arian, but that's exactly what he did with his mere presence .

"Listen Lou. I want you to come to Minnesota with me as soon as possible. Arian hasn't been himself since you disappeared, and you're the only one who can convince him to accept the mate connection and go back to normal. Arian believes-..." he explained, but I interrupted him.

"Stop. I don't want to know all that. I don't want anything more from Arian. All I want is to forget him. I just can't do it." Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't think about him without feeling sick. He ripped my heart out and stomped on it. Just hearing his name hurt terribly.

Luan didn't seem interested in my words, because he just continued: "Arian believes that a mate connection makes you weak, but it makes you stronger, he just has to find out and you're the only one to show him that can. Please Lou come to America. He needs you even if he doesn't admit it. If he doesn't accept the mate connection, you'll both perish, even if he doesn't believe in it."

I stopped him again with an outstretched hand. "I don't know if I can do it. I just can't stand being rejected by him again." Also, I didn't want to be as weak as I was that day. I swore to myself that a mate was an escape. Nothing else. So why go to him to return?

"Please Lou. Do it for him, for you and his pack. Tomorrow night is the big hunt, in which he will take his father's post. You should walk by his side..." he begged me further.

I didn't really know what to say anymore. Of course, there was still a very weak side of me that still longed for my mate and wanted to reconnect, but on the other hand I feared disappointment if he still didn't want me. I couldn't go through it a second time.

But I had to. Because the way I was living now, it just couldn't go on. I had to get up and keep fighting. Fighting for my soulmate. At least I talked it all so nicely to myself, even though I knew that what awaited me would definitely be anything but nice.

"Fine, I'll do it."

Luan suddenly got up so quickly and pulled me into his arms that I couldn't register it that quickly.

I saw Mira out of the corner of my eye as she stabbed me with my eyes. But I didn't care. I didn't care. I would leave this life behind and discover a new shore. And from there I'll see how I should proceed with my life.

"Wait, what about my parents? I should at least let them know what's going on with me and where I'm going. You have a right to know when I join the pack with my mate." I felt bad about it because my parents must have been worried. I should have told them I was fine I hope they don't think I'm dead.

"We'll go to them beforehand and get your things. Then you can say goodbye before we fly to Minneapolis." Luan had finally let go of me and wanted to pull me out the door. "Come on.