It just happened

And that is another thing Jada loathed. She was so distracted at the time she did not even think of doing a spell to block out the audience, giving her and Mekhi some privacy.

But she was not focused. She needed to be on top of her game.

Jada was not herself. She suddenly felt all goo-goo ga-ga over a mate who could not even look at her.

She was disgusted at this foreign feeling, angry, hurt, and it was all over this dude.

"Yes, yes, I know, honey. "Aubrianne cooed and side-eyed Zayne. In turn, he acknowledged her and headed toward the room where Jada stormed out as things were being broken in that room.

Meanwhile, Aubrianne took Jada outside, and they ventured toward the garden for a private and quiet moment. There was so much Aubrianne wanted to say to Jada about her time here thus far and what she had experienced these last few days, but she would be here for Jada right now.

"Tell me everything," Aubrianne whispered, stroking Jada's hair and back. They found a bench beside a large oak tree and sat down.

Jada moved and lay on the bench, her head resting on Aubrianne's lap.

She looked up at Aubrianne, "He said he does not blame me, but he blames me...he does, or at least I know it's bothering him. He can't even look at me." Jada started off, her voice trembling as she talked and sobbed.

"He took the news really hard when he found out you were vacationing with Mr. Grey. He knew you weren't to blame, as you did not know, but I guess he is struggling to wrap his head around the fact that you were in another man's arms for three days before we got on to you."

"You know, think of what that can do to someone, their mind conjuring up all sorts of things between the two of you all this time..."

Jada heaved a sigh. She gets it. It was not like she did not understand.

Aubrianne tried to update her as much as she could. She did not know how much Jada knew or how she'd even gotten here so fast.

"How did you find out?" Aubrianne asked.

"I finally turned on my phone this morning and saw all the missed calls, and when I called back, I did not get you, so I tried Daniela because I also saw a call from her, but all she knew was that you used her phone last night, so then I called Shawn."

And it all made sense to Aubrianne now. Jada found out from Shawn. As realization dawned on Aubrianne's features, Jada continued. "And he arranged my arrival when Ivan booked a flight out."

"I came as soon as I found out, Aubrianne. I did." Jada croaked. She never shed a tear for a man and swore she would never do it. But the connection, feelings, and emotions coursing through her made her an emotional wreck.

It was overwhelming. Jada was not accustomed to this, so she was not doing too well on her own. Maybe she needed to strengthen her invisible wall.

But she did not want to go cold turkey yet.

Though she needed to do something. Jada sat up abruptly, "I am Jada fvcking Wilson. No one would have me like this, not in this lifetime nor the next." She straightened her shoulders and wiped away her tears with the back of her palm.

"He does not want me? Okay, fine, I don't need this. I don't need any of this." Jada did a shimmy as if shaking off that sad, depressing feeling that her Mate did not want her and how her own feelings were betraying her body and mind.

But she was quickly realising it was not that easy to do...

"So tell me, what have you been up to?" Jada enquired, needing the distraction, and Aubrianne was all too ready to preoccupy Jada with her tales.

And this is where Aubrianne filled Jada in from the moment she set foot in this community to her walking into the community house and witnessing that earlier scene.

Jada could not help her enthusiastic outbursts throughout, even gushing over the fact that her friend was now engaged to her Mate. Jada was so thrilled for Aubrianne.

She would have it all.

Then, as Jada lay back in Aubrianne's lap, she told Aubrianne about her time with Ivan and why she was beginning to think it was a bad idea to leave him and come to Ragnuff.

Jada and Ivan

When they left on their flight...

Both Jada and Ivan were excited about this trip, though for very different reasons, and some were the same.

Ivan was ecstatic to have Jada all to himself for an entire week, with no disturbances, no meeting to rush off to, and no sneaking around.

Out there, they can move and act like the couple he was so ready for them to be.

And that was something he also wanted to address on this trip. Ivan was ready to ask Jada to take their relationship to the next level.

He could not wait so much so, that he had tried to whisk Jada away sooner than the agreed time and date.

But she had turned him down, and he could not complain. He actually admired Jada's dedication to Aubrianne, and he would not and did not continue to persist when she explained the situation.

Ivan totally understood. Jada simply wanted to be there for Aubrianne, see her through her training, and be that wall of support for her.

Ivan was falling, and he was falling hard, so he battled it out the next few days, counting down the time when he would be close to Jada again.

He was hooked. Jada was like his drug. Ivan never imagined himself feeling this strongly about anybody after his wife. It certainly was not expected. However, Jada had come into his life like a force.

She stormed her way in, no questions asked, only clear intentions and demands no pretenses. How could he not love her?

Jada served as the fresh air he did not realize he needed. She was all he could think of. Reels of her played on his mind almost every waking minute.

And what had opened his eyes was the separation anxiety he was facing. It had struck him like ringlets of lightning bolts, shocking him to his core, sending jolts of awakening through his being, and racking his body.

This trip was about making his intentions clear, just like she did. He was ready to tell her it was time they went public, as Alpha Thornton already knew, and he'd spoken with Daniela.

Daniela had accosted her father on the Sunday when she snuck out of Aubrianne's wing after spending the night with Rafael. Well, the morning.

Still, in her ball gown, she was thankful her father was at home. Ivan stood in the kitchen making a cup of coffee. He looked tired like he barely slept.

Daniela eyed her father. Even though he looked tired, there was an air about him that she could not deny, recalling what she wanted to discuss, "So... Jada, huh?"

Daniela stood at the entrance and suddenly spoke, and Ivan, who was so lost in his thoughts about no other than Jada, had started, tipping the cup of coffee he held about to take a sip, spilling some on himself.

Daniela's lips curled up in a sly smile. She purposely did it, wanting to rattle him. She could tell by the fact that he had not acknowledged her that his mind was far away. Lost in deep thought. He obviously did not even hear her come in.

"Oh, sweetie," Ivan spoke as he rested the cup of coffee, grabbed a towel off the counter, and attempted to clean the coffee stain to no avail; it was already ruined, his cream t-shirt soiled.

He sighed and tossed the towel, picked up the coffee cup once more, and, this time, took that sip he was dying to have. Okay, he gulped it down.

He'd been going nonstop the past few days in preparation for Aubrianne's ball, then the ups and downs on the day of the ball, entertaining guests with Theo and handling the breach at the airport that turned out to be Aubrianne's Mate and his Delta.

Then the entire kidnapping, then the meeting in the theater.

Ivan also had a few things he wanted to personally look into since his Alpha was suddenly being all cryptic and stubborn in his stance on where Abrianne's Mate was concerned.

Ivan was drowning, and this potent cup of coffee with that extra boost for their kind was precisely what the doctor ordered.

Daniela observed her father curiously, and Ivan sighed again, "It just happened." He turned away from Daniela, poured another cup of coffee, added the right amount of milk and sugar, and then slowly stirred...