Chapter Thirty
Jacob's POV
Lucianna did not bother to look at me even when I softened, giving in to her request. I let her leave without my third-in-command. That was enough to drive me insane, doubt what's coming , but I managed to stay calm.
The three of them, Ashira, Seth and Lucianna was walking towards the forest right now. I can still see them using my enhanced sight, but it won't be long until I lose her.
The sight of her, I mean.
Heck, I won't lose her.
I won't allow it. Never.
Fuck, why am I battling with myself?
"Is that forest safe?" I asked Aiden who's standing beside me without bothering to look at him.
"Yeah."
"How about that spot of yours?"
"It is safe."
"Are you sure there's no one there?"
Aiden took long to answer so I turned to look at him. His brow were arched as he looks at me with a lazy expression.
"I'm sure. That's the place I only share with my mate, brother."
I sighed.
Lucianna and I haven't completed the mating process. I want to, but knowing that she wanted to run away from me, I can't do it.
I can't risk it.
I'd rather tolerate her everyday whims than do something that might be the key for her to be out of my sight.
I don't think she will flirt, though at first, that's my mind's poison.
But she have this charm. The same charisma that hit me the first time I met her, and every time she smiles at me. Or even look at me.
There's something in her eyes that was pulling me, a power that anyone might fall for.
And one of the things I can't risk was exposing her to other men.
I sighed and looked from where my mate headed, enhancing my eyes, I don't see them anymore.
My body shifted and my foot tapped on the floor. I'm not comfortable.
Fuck.
"How about your Gamma? He's--"
"Okay, enough. What's wrong, Jacob?"
Turning my head to Aiden, I saw him smirked playfully. My jaw clenched when I realized I lose my cool once again.
I shook my head slowly and looked down to the floor before looking back to the forest again. Unconsciously.
Damn it.
"Come on. I grew up with you, I know you're not like this. So, what's the problem?"
It's true. There's nothing I could hide with Aiden. I have a brother but her treated me more like a sibling than Roscoe.
"It's… her."
"Lucianna." he stated. "What's wrong with her?"
I exhaled hastily and shifter my weight, uncomfortable of talking about her with another man.
Damn, I knew Aiden has a mate but there was something, a jealousy, creeping under my skin.
I shoved it away, cursing in my head.
"There's… nothing wrong with her."
"You act like there is."
I sighed. Yeah, I can't deny that to him.
"You're too… possessive of her, I can see it. Why?" he added.
"She's…" Why am I acting like this anyway? It's my body's first reaction towards her and I don't even know why! In the end, I just uttered the words that summed all my feelings. "I don't want to lose her."
Aiden nodded as he understand that perfectly.
"I heard you cheated. Why'd you do that if you don't want to lose her?"
"I--"
"That is enough for her to curse you, brother. Even I, don't want to hear your reason behind your action. I believe that is not valid."
"Fuck, I know. I regret doing that to her, to us. I was… confused. Her shadow…"
I gulped, pausing.
Aiden knew about the shadow eye. He shouldn't but when the tragedy happened between me and my brother, he was the one who was there to save me.
Aiden sighed and shook his head.
"Okay, what did you see?" he asked calmly.
Looking away, I reminisce. I see it everyday, the full-gray shadow of her.
"She's weak." I hissed. "And I can't accept that at first--"
"Because your shadow is the same. That's petty, you know."
Aiden walked closer to me and I didn't look at him. Instead, I looked around to see if our conversation was safe.
It didn't offend me, I knew he was right. He always talk so blunt, and it helps.
"Jake, you know you're not weak but your shadow was like that. I know you've proven gray was weakness in everyone else that has that color but there must be an exception."
"I thought about that, Aiden."
"But too late, right? You already let yourself be consumed by that in exchange of a good relationship with Lucianna. I'm not saying you're wrong, denying her must be the first right thing that came to your mind at that time but trying to put a leash to her will make it worst."
I remained silent, absorbing his every word even though that's what my mind has been working on since Justin's incident.
"There's nothing we can do about the past, but make sure you'll do the right thing in the present."
I licked my lip, frustrated as I screwed my eyes shut.
"It's so hard to do but I'm trying. I can't let her out of my sight. I'm… scared she might try… to… cheat back… again."
Aiden burst out laughing after hearing me said that.
"She--what? Damn!" he laughed again.
I rolled my eyes but smiled as I remember how she pulled it off.
There's no way in hell that its possible to do but Lucianna just did, without an ounce of hardship.
"The fact that she can do that also meant she's strong. Does she have an alpha blood in her? Why'd she do it?"
I grinned, slightly feeling proud but also, my chest was being pinched by the memories of the pain and shock that I had.
"No, she's not from an alpha line. She did it on her own strength,"
"What did you do, anyway? Damn, I can't imagine how you manage that, I might kill the partner."
"I did, but then I backed down because I knew she'll hate me more but Lucianna thinks he is dead."
It's better for her to think that way than to see her running to Justin again.
"Uh, no. You should tell her."
I scoffed. "She'll go to him. He's already lucky that he's still alive. If she run to him again, I might kill him for real."
Aiden chuckled. "You're still a child, brother. Think broadly and out of your insecurities."
"I'm not insecure, Aiden." I clicked my tongue, irritated. "I'm just obsessed with her, I can't let them meet again and I knew she will ask for it."
"She deserve to know. Maybe that thought makes her hate you more, you will never know."
"She'll go to him!" I insisted.
"Then tell her that you might kill the guy for real if she did. I believe she'll understand. It won't hurt you to communicate your emotions with her, brother."
I nodded slowly and thought I should do that.
Regret was necessary but that won't fix what's broken. Actions of being better will. I guess.
My mind and body suddenly thought of Lucianna. Ugh. I want to see her!
Even when I'm at the rites of the treaty, I feel the urge to finish it quick just to see her again. I can't stop it, she's intoxicating me whole!
"Let's follow them, brother." I said, standing straight and ready. There's a strong urge inside me to talk with Lucianna now, not later.
"I just told you--"
"We'll stay for a week. I'll lend her to your mate for those days, that's a promise. But I want to talk to her now." I said as I look at Aiden straight to his eyes.
Aiden looked right back at me, silent, studying my resolve. And I really mean it, I want her now.
"I've never felt like this before, I don't want my pride to take over once more once she goes wild with me but now I think I can endure it." I added.
Aiden shook his head, like I'm not in my right mind. I'm not, for a long time. This won't break me more.
"Jake, try to keep your--"
"I'll still go without you, you know that."
Aiden sighed.
**
"I can't believe this." Aiden said, shaking his head as we walk inside the forest.
My heart was beating too fast, I'm fucking nervous but my excitement was too much that there was no space for backing down.
"You're still at it? We're already heading there." I grinned and Aiden growled.
"Why don't you get laid so you'll stop behaving like a dog wiggling its tail?"
I snorted. That might come so more that I should pursue with this.
"I'm still waiting for her to beg." Though, I might be the one doing that now.
Pfft!
Aiden laughed so hard that my face was burning. Ugh. When did he feel so expert at this?
"The fck?" I exclaimed, trying to hide my embarrassment. "You know nothing, brother. Just continue walking. Are we there yet?"
I can't smell her strong scent yet though I knew she walked here. There was a presence of her which means she walked at this road. Well, its good that Aiden was not trying to make me lost.
"Half."
I groaned. "Let's run. That would be faster."
"Hush it, brother. Let the girls have some fun." he grinned, obvious that he's enjoying my reactions.
I snorted but didn't speak. He has a point but still, I promised Lucianna can bond with Ashira for the next days.
I sighed.
We are walking in silence when I felt a presence coming towards us.
"Who-"
"It's Seth." Aiden answered before I could finish my question.
The Gamma? Why was he here?
Immediately, fear of danger that might had happened fucked my head.
Is Lucianna alright? Did she got hurt?
"Why are you here?" Aiden asked in a growl when Seth stopped in front of us.
Seth looked at Aiden and then to me, huffing for air before answering.
"I…don'tthinkyouguysshouldbethere." he said without pause. "Whoo." he exhaled.
We shouldn't be there?
"And why is that?" I asked in demand of a quick answer. Aiden looked my way, didn't spoke and then looked at Seth, waiting for answers I also seek.
I'm far from being comfortable by now. It's a dread feeling that all I want was to run to wherever that fucking spot is.
This Seth looked nervous of something that I was quick to doubt the authenticity of his next answer.
I can't see his shadow, there's no light to show it. The moon was covered by the huge trees, and it's frustrating that I can't see if this guy will lie or not.
"They, uh, they're skinny dipping at the river."
What. The. Hell?
They are skinny dipping in the presence of this dog?!
"The fuck? And you're, what, watching them?!" I snarled at Seth that made him tremble.
"Jake." Aiden called, trying to warn me of my control.
Right, because I might just snap this Seth's neck by now.
I snapped my head to look at Aiden but he looked at his gamma with a dangerous eyes.
Fine. I'll let him interrogate his shifter.
Seth looked nervous as he exchange glances to me and Aiden. That's right, feel that. Because this was our mates you're talking about skinny dipping in God's know where.
"No. No! I'm not watching them. His mate is a tiger, I wouldn't dare." he answered to Aiden.
I smirked.
Oh, well. I can attest to that.
I cleared my throat. "We are their mates. Its okay if we go--"
"I would not prefer for you to see my mate naked. Would you?" Aiden said, cutting me off. His voice was enough to be a warning, and he was right.
Damn it.
Clearing my throat, I looked away. "I guess we should wait."
Seth seems to gleam from what he heard and spoke. "Or let's go back to the ancestral--"
"ASHIRA!"
I looked past Seth's shoulder, quick to be attentive as I heard that scream. It's Lucianna!
"Oh my God! ASH!!!" she screamed again.
Her voice sounded not halfway from here! Damn it! They are far!
"Shit. That's--" I did not let Seth finish his words and I run, Aiden ran first, too fast for me to follow.
**
We've been running fast, not wasting a second. Aiden must've found Lucianna by the way I hear them talking.
"I don't know! My God! We were just running and I overrun her then I thought she's just behind but she was gone! I'm--- I--" it was Lucianna.
I'm almost there…
I stopped and looked at Lucianna. She's fully clothed, not even wet from the dipping that lying gamma said.
"What happened?" I asked.
I eyed her from top to toe and I can't see anything wrong with her though there's no sign of her friend… anywhere.
Aiden will be furious and I knew it. Quick, I walked towards Lucianna, hiding her behind me as I gave Aiden a look that says to keep his cool because this woman right here was my mate.
Us, Alpha, only has a thread of patience. But none, when it comes to our mates.
Seth arrived but we did not gave him any attention.
Figuring out the situation, Ashira was lost.
"Which way did she go?" Aiden asked, a bit calmer than before but his rage was still evident in his low growls.
I looked at Lucianna who was trembling in fear beside me. Damn it, I don't want to see her like this.
"W-We're running North… to the border. I-I reached first b-but she--"
"Why the fuck were you going that way?!" Aiden's voice stormed around the forest. Lucianna and Seth was affected immediately and I hissed.
Aiden's eyes was narrowing towards my mate and I'm not liking it one bit.
Though, they are going to the border only mean one thing to me.
Fucking hell.
Aiden looked at me, anger and fear was in his eyes. Anger for what my mate has done, and fear of losing his own.
My jaw clenched and I know what he wanted to convey.
"I know." I said through gritted teeth.
Fuck.
I know regret won't help against what I did but now, knowing that Lucianna want to go away, wants to escape, I am lost.
She can do it. And she's motivated to do it.
One day, I will lose her.
I will fucking lose her.
What happened now just made me realize how real that can be. And the greatest realization I have now was finding out my greatest fear.
Losing Lucianna.