63

She had been gone for what felt like an eternity for two weeks and there was no hope of ever seeing her again.

I didn't know anyone who had done this before, so I didn't know if I was going to just live on like an empty shell or slowly die. The hate for my actions consumed me and I couldn't stand myself anymore. Who managed to sell their Mate? Just me ...

Chiara and Jayden were kind enough to stay here on the beach with me, but that too was about to change because of terrible news that day.

I sat alone at the spot where she had fallen asleep in my arms and looked at the wide sea until Jayden suddenly came towards me completely distraught. "We have to leave immediately!" he instructed me, nervously pacing back and forth in front of me. "What happened?" I asked him and got up quickly to put my hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

Tears filled his ice blue eyes as his body began to tremble and he took a deep breath to look deep into my eyes. "I called Lou just to find out how everyone is and-" His voice cracked and a pitying sob washed over him. It took a while for him to regain his composure and then he wiped his tears away.

"Chiara's grandmother is seriously ill, probably as a result of the death of her companion. Ludwig said she didn't have much time left." I caught my breath and immediately felt so sorry for the little one that I almost started crying, but I had to be there for him, be strong for him, otherwise he wouldn't be able to get through telling her and she had to experience it.

"You're leaving immediately and-" "You're not coming?" he asked me in disbelief and I saw the bewilderment in his eyes, but what should I do? Abandon my mate?

'Cause I'd have lost her forever if I left this beach 'cause then we'd never find each other again. "Ethan, please," he whispered, falling into my arms.

I was completely overwhelmed with all the shit that was pouring down on me and I was really trying to pull myself together, but fate was starting to really want to break me.

"We'll walk back to the trailer first and then-" I cut myself off, and a feeling of warmth coursed through my body as the hair on my arms stood up and my inner wolf began to howl. "And then?" Jayden asked, pulling away from me to give me a confused look, but I didn't answer.

Dazed, I grabbed his arm and pulled him behind me toward the RV. I could hardly believe it, but I caught this unique smell that I thought I would never be able to enjoy again.

"Do you smell that too?" I asked Jayden as we walked through the sand to make sure I wasn't just going insane, but he confirmed my implication. "Yeah!"

As soon as he said it, we ran to the trailer and almost tripped over our own feet several times. Out of breath, I yanked open the door and looked over at the table where she was actually sitting. My heart was beating in my throat and I thought I was going to faint, but Chiara pulled me from the rigidity and only then did I notice the tears on my companion's cheeks.

"I'm sure you have some things to talk about." The dark blonde stood up and gave me a smile before exiting the RV with Jayden.

"Yeah, I-" "Let me explain," she interrupted and waited until I was sitting next to her, then took a deep breath. "I know you don't deserve this, but I-" She stopped and shakily wiped the tears from her face, whereupon I took her hands in mine and eyed them carefully. "I can't have children, Ethan."

I looked at her confused and understood what had happened that evening. She had put my answer to whether I wanted children above anything else. "Josephine, you are my everything. I thought I would have to die without you and you think I didn't deserve you?"

I tried to cheer her up by giving her my best smile, but she was still looking sadly at me and tears were still streaming from her eyes. I slapped myself for never knowing how to deal with the people in front of me in such situations, but she suddenly gave me a crooked grin, looking so cute that I wanted to hold her to my chest for hours, just to comfort her.

"You're not mad?" she then murmured and looked down ashamed. "No, on the contrary. I love you just the way you are."

I widened my eyes in disbelief, wondering myself at what I had just said, but the radiance she was throwing at me was so beautiful that I shut off all thoughts and hugged her tightly.

"I love you too."

The most beautiful thing I had ever heard and I would never forget the sound of those words.

My heart was pounding wildly and lying in his arms I finally understood what it meant to find your soul mate.

There was nothing left of mistakes that one could not accept in oneself, but only pure desire and the absolute acceptance of the other. He didn't blame me and was content with me, moreover, he loved me.

Normally I'd look for reasons to retire, that's just who I am, but he made me a woman who liked being involved with him and I couldn't wait to spend my life with him and put all that shit behind me to let.

His scent filled my nostrils and I felt his heart beating against my chest. A moment arose that I wanted to cherish forever, until I suddenly noticed that his mood had changed.

He broke away from me, took my hand and looked deep into my eyes. "We have to go home," he said in such a calm tone that it made me shiver when I saw tears on his cheeks.

"What happened?" I asked worried and carefully wiped his tears away. His pain became mine at that moment and I wanted to cry too, although I didn't even know why. "Chiara's grandma is seriously ill," he breathed, taking a deep breath to keep himself under control.

I was out of breath now too. I didn't know this woman, but the sympathy I felt for the dark blonde pulled me into the grief and I also had to fight back tears.

When the door of the caravan opened, the first thing that came in was Jayden, who only smiled at me and then bowed his head again. Chiara came in next and was in a good mood and that's when I realized they hadn't told her yet.

I immediately pulled myself together and looked at Ethan, who looked like he was holding his breath so as not to blurt it out. Keeping secrets really wasn't one of his strengths.

"What's the matter with you?", she suddenly asked the group and looked at us all very carefully. I immediately avoided her gaze and fidgeted with Ethan's hand until Jayden cleared his throat and took her hands.

"Lisbeth is ill and-" "What are you talking about?!" she interrupted, tearing her hands out of his to hold her stomach in concern, as if she didn't want anything to happen to her baby. "We have to go home or..." Jayden stopped and closed his eyes as if unable to say the following words.

"But... but," the dark blonde sobbed and Jayden hugged her tightly, in which she threatened to collapse. "I'm driving," I said, and got up to walk to the driver's cab with Ethan. The two should have their peace to process all this, especially Chiara and I could only help by giving Jayden the opportunity to be there for her.

"You say where to go, I'll drive," I explained to Ethan, who was now sitting silently in the passenger seat, unfolding the map. The sobs coming from behind kept tearing me apart, and once I started the engine I tried to just concentrate on driving.

Forests, fields and small shops passed us until darkness took over everything and I could see nothing but the road directly in front of me. Ethan spent the whole hour staring out the window in a daze and a quick glance back told me that Chiara had fallen asleep in the arms of her companion who was stroking her back soothingly and himself looking like he needed assistance.

"Shall we take a break?" I whispered to Ethan, who looked at me questioningly. "I think you should take care of him," I said, nodding backwards. Ethan turned around, realizing what I meant, and shook his head. "We'll keep driving if we're late-" He swallowed, closed his eyes and didn't say another word for the next few hours.

I had to stop again and again to read the map because everyone around me was asleep by now, but I didn't want to stop. Ethan was right. If we didn't make it it would be an absolute disaster, so I kept pushing the gas and overcoming my fatigue by rolling down my window a little.

Hours later, as it got lighter again, I kept glancing at Ethan, who was sleeping so peacefully that I just wanted to cuddle with him and I was so glad when Jayden touched my shoulder and suggested we continue.

I briefly parked at the edge and then got up to see that he had piled all the blankets on the floor and Chiara was already lying on the edge. "Thank you," he whispered as he settled into the driver's seat and I just nodded wearily and walked back to sit next to the dark blonde. I tucked her in and stroked her hair. At least she wasn't in pain when she slept, I thought, and then closed my eyes to quickly dive into dreamland.