Stunned and Surprise

However, what Jada had to say was the last thing she expected to be saying. Meanwhile, Mr. Ivan Grey's wolf hearing, Kodak, was already on the surface, with so many conflicting emotions running through them.

They could not believe what they'd heard, and there was no mistaking that. That wolf surely scented Aubrianne; it was a huge possibility the claims were valid.

Wolves are always sure about their mates and are always right. Ivan felt sick to his stomach at the thought of what he was about to lose...

Jada was shocked and suddenly panicked. This was not supposed to happen. Was she ready for this? She'd witnessed Aubrianne and Zayne's interactions and Kirrah and Shawn's.

With her treatment of men, she simply hooked them and tossed them when she was finished, only playing with them for a short time. She might just get the cruel Mate.

Or, maybe things might be good with her and her Mate?

"Jada?" Shawn called again, worried he stunned her into speechlessness.

Silence...

After a while again, Jada finally spoke, "I am here. Damn, what does he know?" She asked, wondering what state he must be in, or if any at all.

As it turned out, he was pissed, and Jada realized in her attempt to keep her distance between her and Aubrianne and not seem so needy, she unknowingly shot out receiving this news earlier.

Indeed, she would have known since Aubrianne knew, but Jada quickly realized she was overthinking things because she may have felt the same way whether she found out then or now.

Unsure. Unsure of what to do. But at least her Mate would not have been in torment this long.

Nevertheless, she asked a few more questions and told Shawn she would call him back. Jada then turned to Ivan.

This Jada knew. Jada knew that what she had with Ivan was genuine; she knew and understood him and knew what she was getting when it came to him. What she would be running to was the alien here. The unknown.

However, Ivan was still battling with it and what he had to do. This news crushed him, shattering his heart into a million pieces. He was devasted. He fell in love with Jada, something that he never thought would happen with anyone after his wife's death.

But because he loved her wholeheartedly, he would step back and gladly be there for her once she was happy.

So he encouraged Jada to "go to him," he said. Jada looked at him, hurt. How could he readily say goodbye to her? And Ivan immediately explained himself.

He leaned in and locked eyes with Jada. His hand caressed her neck, then reminded her of their earlier conversations. Nothing had changed for him. However, things changed drastically for her, and, of course, he was now affected, but he loved her.

And she found her Mate. He would be selfish to even attempt to deprive her of this experience when he was blessed enough to encounter it.

He lived a life with his Mate and experienced it all. Ivan wanted this for her and said, "You found your Mate, my love, and just like I was blessed to have that, I am so happy that you get to be with your Mate and experience true mateship!"

He caressed the side of her cheek, and she leaned into his touch, and her eyes fluttered closed as she absorbed his contact and his words.

While he leaned in with a forehead kiss, closed his eyes tightly, and inhaled, breathing her scent in for a few more seconds.

After her talk with Ivan and their tender and loving goodbyes, Jada had begrudgingly packed her bags after Ivan got her flight to Ragnuff City. Where Shawn would pick her up at the airport.

Jada had called Shawn back and updated him. She begged him not to tell her Mate anything. Jada wanted his natural reaction to seeing her after his torment.

She did not want any practiced pretenses.

Jada understood what he went through but knew there was nothing she could do or change about it.

What matters is what she did once she knew, so she went in with that on her mind.

But deep down, Jada was hesitant. She was not ready for this; she wanted it, seeing Aubrianne with Zayne, but that did not mean she was prepared for it.

Believing she still had years...

Now, here she was, and suddenly, her magic started to tingle on her fingertips. Then, it was like an electric jolt went to her heart at the sight of the tall drink of caramel latte that walked into the dining area where they had only been for about five minutes since her arrival.

She was still trying to shake her nervousness, and Aubrianne was MIA. But she knew Aubrianne must be exhausted after all she had to go through with last night's marking.

But at least she had her pal Shawn with her right now, and she was glad that Shawn had been there with Aubrinanne since her arrival.

"Hi." She turned and looked into his mesmerizing gray-blue eyes. Her gorgeous gray eyes suddenly sparkled with hope for the briefest moments that this would not be that hard.

Her heart was already jolted, a sign of a witch meeting her Mate, and there was the magic dancing for joy at her fingertips.

Jada quickly started to feel uncomfortable. It was an overwhelming sense of warmth and comfort. She did not like it.

It was too much too soon. What if her Mate hates her, or worse yet, what if he can never get past this elephant in the room?

Jada suddenly put her invisible shield of magic up.

"Hi…" Mekhi finally answered, speechless at her beauty, and she was radiating. She lit up the dining area. She was like a beacon.

He tried his hardest to keep his cool and kept things as casual and calm as possible.

"How? When did this happen?" Mekhi was confused and needed clarification. When did SHE get here? This certainly caught him off guard.

Plus, Sampson was making it hard for him to focus with all his ranting to claim their Mate and don't mess this up.

Shawn spoke as Jada suddenly was at a loss for words, captivated and enthralled by his voice. She loved it, and she hated that.

Jada felt like she had absolutely no control whatsoever and needed to be in control.

"Ok, I see." Was his response to Shawn's updates.

Finally finding her voice remembering how to speak, Jada asked, "Is there somewhere we can talk?" She wanted to take control of the situation, plus she heard voices in the distance like people were coming.

Jada refused to continue this with an audience.

Mekhi nodded, "Follow me." He spoke, turning on his heels.

Mekhi did not have the strength to wait until they got all the way up to his room, so there was a room below the steps on the ground floor that they could use.

It was Sylvia's bedroom. He thought it would be private enough for a conversation, so he directed her there...

The atmosphere was tense when Aubrianne and Zayne finally emerged from Zayne's home and joined the others at the community house.

Daniel, Daniela, Rafael, Shawn, and Kirrah lounged in the dining area. Daniela had walked in with Rafael, and as soon as she realized what was happening, she immediately called her father.

But she had no 'I told you so' for him. She simply wanted to make sure he was ok. Even though she knew he was not, and by the sound of things, Jada was not doing well either.

But she can't even be mad at Jada, and Daniela is proud of her father for being mature about the situation, unlike her sulky brother.

Not too long, Aubrianne heard Jada's voice yelling and was stunned and surprised, "And again, it is NOT MY FAULT." Jada yelled.

She must be angry and ready to explode, as Jada was not a yella. Her seductive, throaty, sultry voice never goes beyond the minimum pitch except when she is ecstatic or wilding over something simply having fun.

This did not sound like any of those things.

Jada stormed out of the room they were in and slammed the door behind her. She has had it with Mekhi and having to constantly repeat herself to defend something she should not even have to defend.

When she reached the dining area, she locked eyes with Aubrianne and felt a sense of relief. Then she broke down, and instantly, she and Aubrianne's hands were outstretched, running toward each other after Aubrianne eyed Zayne.

Jada gripped Aubrianne tightly as she cried and attempted to speak between sobs, "I did not want any of this. You know me, Bri." Jada sobs loudly, not caring about who is there. Surely, they had already heard everything.