Chapter 3

Joshua returned to the party and made it his mission to make sure nobody found out that he knew what was gonna happen. He figured if Ezekiel could be selfish so could he and that meant saving his own ass to ensure that no one accused him of knowing where the Alpha had gone.

He paraded the night away with his friend Kennedy who he avoided eye contact with the whole night- he couldn't bear the thought that this girl's world is gonna be upside down in the morning. The thought of the brightness in her eyes dimming from the pain that she was gonna eventually experience broke his heart.

Part of him wanted to see why Ezekiel was doing what he was doing but he couldn't see any other answer other than him being scared and selfish. Joshua didn't meet his mate but he was grateful he had time to prepare and become the man that his mate deserved.... oh. Thinking this over he started to wonder if that's what Ezekiel was doing. Was he just giving Kennedy time to grow and become the woman she was made to be?

Time after time Joshua had found himself listening to Ezekiel going on and on about how much Kennedy could be if he or the pack wasn't holding her back. He had big dreams for the girl who didn't even know she could have dreams.

Joshua unknowingly became preoccupied with his thoughts capturing the girl's attention. "Are you okay Joshy?"

Only she could call him that annoying nickname. "I'm doing just great girl." He smiled taking the girl's hand on his own.

She scanned his face for any sign of a lie but saw nothing and moved onto her other point of attention. "Have you seen my mate?"

"Who's not using their eyes now?" He chuckled reusing her own line against her.

"Shut up!" She giggled with him seeing what he did with his words.

He shook his head continuing the best acting he's ever done. "I haven't seen him in a bit but if I do I'll mindlink you okay?"

The girl nodded and pulled him to where the rest of their friends were making s' mores.

It wasn't until after the party when everyone was home that Joshua had truly regretted not doing more to stop his Alpha from leaving. Somewhere in the night, he had found himself drunk and sad realizing that his best friend was gone. When Josh first came out the first person to openly support him was Ezekiel. Being the first gay black Beta was certainly something he was looking forward too but that would have to wait, for now, his main goal was protecting Kennedy Baker.

He remembered the day he met Kennedy, after days of Ezekiel telling him about his girlfriend they were finally introduced. Part of Joshua was a bit heartbroken- he wouldn't deny that he had a little crush on his best friend but he also wouldn't deny that there was no one better for each other than those two. Or so he thought.

In the back of his head, he couldn't help but continuously hate Ezekiel for his decision. What man finds the love of their life and leaves? Stupid men.

If he was in Ezekiel position.... well for starters he wouldn't be.

Ever since he was a little boy Joshua wanted two things. One, a mate which by werewolf definition was someone who would love you till you the moment you stopped breathing and two, he wanted a family. For a while, he thought that Ezekiel and Kennedy were like his siblings but siblings don't leave each other the way Ezekiel did.

In the small time that he laid in his bed staring at the ceiling, he decided that he hated him. He hated him so much. For leaving him and the girl he decided was his sister. She can't handle this, how the fuck is he gonna do this to the most kindhearted passionate girl in the world, he thought. But what was she passionate about?

There's no denying that Kennedy was a ball of sunshine or a rainbow on a rainy day but, what exactly was she passionate about? Not even her love for Eze was passionate- you see Ezekiel wasn't finding excuses or reasons, he was just telling the truth about what he already knew she felt. The girl loved him, she did but not the way she should.

It wasn't the passionate type of love, neither the earth-shattering once in a lifetime love. It was the type of love where she only loved the idea of love.

She wasn't in love with Ezekiel, despite being destined to do so.

Speaking of the girl she too had retired to her home after the party oblivious that her world was gonna come crashing down. She smiled at everyone wishing them all a good night individually before walking up a hill to her own house... more like skipping. "Mom! Dad! I'm home."

With no response, she continued up her stairs and into her bedroom. The walls were painted pink and bright colors, almost an accurate reputation of how lively this girl was. It wasn't a big room but it was big enough to hold a small desk near the window and a keyboard across from it. She loved music as much as the next guy but she also loved writing it. Sometimes she wrote about love and other times she wrote about adventure.

But did she even know what those things felt like? In the words of an artist "I was not living, I was just writing about it."

She picked up her phone deciding to message her love to come over.

"Hey babe the party's over and I'm home. Come over?"

The message turned green and said not delivered which she found was odd because Ezekiel always had service and date so she tried calling him, maybe it was just an error?

"The number you dialed does not exist."

She dropped her phone. How could it not exist when I called it a few hours ago?

She hastily checks and made sure she had the right number and when she saw she did she decided to take a walk to his house. Maybe his phone broke or something?

It seemed as though everyone had returned inside for the night as the whole village was cut into dead silence... that was until the piercing scream of Veronica Martin sounded throughout the village. Hearing the scream of her lover's mother Kennedy ran even faster to the house where the screams turned into sobs. More people came out of their house to see why their current Luna was in pain.

Veronica Martin was a caring woman, she was loved within her pack and honored for her good heart so for them to hear her scream out in such agony was shaking for them.

Kennedy ran up to the house just as a small crowd of wondering pack members started to form. She opened the door to the living room which was empty as another loud sob escaped the room. She followed it to an upstairs bedroom her steps becoming slower as she felt herself becoming scared of what could possibly have Veronica crying like this.

Where the heck is Ezekiel? She found herself thinking not catching his scent in his own house.

The door creaked as she pushed it open, by the foot of the bed was Ezekiel's sister and in the corner of the room was his mother.

"Oh, gods no. My baby boy." The woman sobbed quieter as her mate rocked them back and forth.

Immediately this caught Kennedy's attention, the only had one son so what the fuck happened to him. Her heart rate increased and before she knew it she too found herself holding in sobs expecting the worse. "What-what happened to Eze?"

His sister met the girl's eyes while hers were filled with sadness. She took careful steps to the girl in hopes of keeping her from shifting. "Kennedy... he's fine." She breathed out her hands finally reaching the girl's shoulder.

"But he's gone."