Chapter 5

"Hello?"

I smile, "Karly!"

I hear her gasp on the other line and her voice rings out, "Oh my god Marie! Are you okay?! Did Levi come out?? Is the Alpha treating you right?!!"

I laugh, "One question at a time Karly, and yes I'm okay. Jace has been taking great care of me-."

"Jace? Who's Jace." She interrupts.

Jace gives me a look and I laugh, "Jace is the alpha that took me in, remember? He's my mate."

Jace takes his arm and wraps it around my shoulders pulling me into his side, I blush but shake my head focusing on what Karly is saying.

"Oh right! The alpha who said you were his mate out in the field. Can you put me on speaker? I'd like to give both of you an update on Aaron."

I nod but remember she can't see me, so instead I hand the phone to Jace, He grabs it and taps the screen.

"Hello? Can y'all hear me?"

"Yes we can, what did you have to tell us?" Jace's Alpha voice comes out.

I watch in awe as his serious business look displays on his chiseled face. He looks stern and ready to discuss anything Karly has to tell us.

"Aaron has gone mad. He's been locked in his office with the beta and 3rd discussing what to do to get you back Marie."

My breathing catches in my throat and I reach up to hold my neck trying to keep a steady breathing pace. Jace looks down at me and gives me a reassuring look before squeezing my shoulder and responding to Karly.

"Do you know what his planning to do? Anything you can tell us without getting caught?"

We hear rustling on the other end before her voice speaks up, "I'm sorry I thought I heard someone, I'm not completely sure yet. All I've heard is that he's working on getting help from neighboring packs around us. He's been telling everyone that you stole his mate and everyone is enraged. The pack officials are stirring in the main hall discussing what course of action to take."

Jace swears and I see his eyes zone out for a minute, he looks back at the phone, "If Aaron tells all of his allies that I took his mate, then they will aid him in starting a war with my pack, I need to alert my allies if that is the case. Is there anything else you can tell me that would help stop this?"

"I'm not sure Alpha Jace, Aaron won't let me anywhere near his office or the main hall. I've been confined to my room under suspicion of treason. The only reason I'm not dead yet is because Aarons wolf won't let him kill me. I will try to find as much as I can but I'm on thin ice here, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to stay here alive."

I jump in, "Karly you can't stay there if Aaron thinks you helped me! You have to get out of there, Jace will let you stay here right?"

I look up at him with a pleading look, "Mariana I can't let Karly stay here."

"He's right Marie, He's already made a fuss over his fake mate being taken imagine what he would do if Alpha Jace took his real mate as well. No matter if I went willingly. He will twist anything to make himself the victim. I have no choice but to stay here and try to stay alive."

I tear up and pull away from Jace, Getting up off the bed and wobbling towards his bathroom. I close the door behind me and slide down to the ground, tears pouring out of my eyes. I hear him talking in a hushed voice, assuming he took her off of speaker and they were talking normally on the phone. I get up slowly and walk over to the mirror. I stare at my dirty figure. My clothes were dirty and my hair was a mess, I pull the side of my pants down to look at my legs, scars littered the surface. I look back at the mirror in disgust.

Flashback..

I pull the silver knife out of my closet, tears burning my eyes. I slice the skin of my thigh with ease, the burning helping keep my emotional pain dulled. More focused on the physical pain, I continue ruining the top of my legs until I'm numb inside. I drop the knife and fall to the ground, staring at the wall not exactly knowing what to do anymore.

My mother's voice rings in my head, "You are a monster! No one will love someone as ugly as you. You are nothing. NOTHING."

"I am a monster.. No one will love someone as ugly as me.. I am nothing.. nothing.."

———————

"I am a monster.. no one will love someone as ugly as me.. I am nothing.. nothing." I repeat out loud.

I hear a soft knock on the door and I pull my pants back up, walking over to the door and opening it.

"Princess? Are you okay?" He asks reaching out to touch me.

I flinch away and he pulls his hand back like I had burned him, I see the pain in his eyes and I instantly feel worse. I turn around and walk back to the mirror. Jace follows me, standing behind me. I close my eyes and open them. I see my right eyes start to change back to its dull blood red color. I hear a sharp intake of breath from behind me. I look up to see his face full of shock, I look down at my shaking hands. The silver starting to wear off, and I can finally stand up without feeling dizzy.

I feel my strength start to return to me, I close my eyes and open them again. They glow slightly before I hear a familiar voice in my head.

Mariana, Are you okay?

Yes, I am alright. I think there's someone you'd like to meet.

I turn around to look up at my mate, He looks down at me crying with a bright smile on his face. I see him breathing in deeply trying to take in as much of my scent as he can. I breathe in and smile softly, he smells of citrus and cinnamon... like fall..

Our mate!

She yips, jumping around in my head.

Jace reaches forward taking my hand, I let him pull me into his arms. Loving the way the sparks danced on my skin.

"You smell heavenly My mate." He says into my hair, as he breathes in again.

"You smell like fall." I mumble into his chest.

He chuckles, "Fall? So like pumpkins?"

I shake my head looking up at his face. "No like Citrus and cinnamon."

He laughs kissing the top of my head, "You smell like vanilla and Rum."

I smile and go back to resting my head on his chest but pause and look back up at him, "Wait what? I smell like Rum??"

He smiles, "Yes, I quite like the smell of Rum. I drink it often actually."

I push away from him. "How old are you?"

He looks confused but answers me anyway, "Um 23?"

My mouth drops open and I just stare at him shocked. "Why do you ask Princess? How old did you think I was?"

"Like 19!" I say still shocked.

He chuckles, "How old are you princess?"

I look at the floor awkward, "I'm 18..."

I feel his hand under my chin, "You are quite adorable."

I look over his face carefully, I can tell he's stressed and has been for a while. He has dark circles under his bright, crystal blue eyes, and worry lines on his smooth tan forehead. I look up at his dark, messy hair and smile, even though it looks messy, I still can't help but think it's cute. He's looking at me intensely and I start to panic.

I can't get too close to him.. he'll leave like everyone else did. I pull away and turn back around to the mirror, resting my hands on the edge of the sink. You could cut the tension between us with a knife, and it made me quite uneasy.

"Why are you pulling away from me? Did I do something wrong?"

I look up to stare at his reflection, "No.. no I'm sorry It's not you."

He comes closer to lay a hand on my shoulder and the sparks start to work their way through my tense muscles, I start to relax and hang my head down in shame. The more I talk to, or touch him. The more I can't think of ways to leave.

Marie why are you doing this? He's out mate! He's not going to treat us like our family did, like our friends did. He's out other half, our world. He's supposed to protect us and love us..

I sigh, Shiver has a point, but I can't trust him. Not yet.

We can't know that for sure Shiver, we've been deceived before. We have to be careful this time..

She doesn't respond, but instead retreats back into my subconscious.

"Mariana."

I snap my head up "Oh I'm sorry where you talking?"

He nods slightly, looking very concerned, "Are you Okay? Me and my wolf are very worried about you."

"I'm sorry, I was talking to shiver."

His eyes flare red and I'm instantly swung around and slammed into the wall, I gasp and look wide eyed up at the alpha.

"Wha-."

"Hello my beautiful mate."

I stop and look intensely into his bright red eyes, "You're not Jace, are you?"

"I am a part of Jace, my name is Jarred, I am Jace's wolf. It is nice to finally meet you Mariana, would you mind letting me meet my other half?"

He moves his hand up to stroke my cheek gently, his other hand still under my head, he kept it from hitting he wall when he threw me against it.

Shiver? Would you like to meet Jarred?

I wait for an answer but she doesn't respond.

I shake my head sadly, "She's not responding to me, I think I upset her."

He looks upset and I feel horrible, I reach up to place my hand on his cheek and his eyes widen. "It's nice to meet you Jarred, I promise to tell you as soon as she's ready to come out."

His eyes soften, "You have a kind heart Mariana, I know you have been through a lot these past few years, but you must know that Jace hasn't had a very nice time either."

I narrow my eyes slightly, "What do you mean?"

He smiles, "Jace is an alpha, who has a giant pack to lead. His father died suddenly in a war we were forced into. Jace has been learning on the way to try and lead our pack without causing another war. We've barely recovered from the first one, he won't tell you, but he's extremely sad, and very stressed out. Please don't push him away, he hasn't known comfort in years."

I can't keep the tears from flood my eyes and falling down my face, Jarred wipes away my tears and gives me a small smile before kissing my forehead gently.

"Until next time my mate."

I watch his eyes fade out and his normal crystal blue eyes return, Jace blinks a couple times before realizing the position we were in. He jumps back with a bright red face, and I can't help by smile.

"What.. What just happened, I couldn't hold him back any longer he just broke free. I couldn't hear a thing he said, he blocked out everything."

I wipe my tears away quickly, "It's okay, he just wanted to meet Shiver, but I've upset her and she won't come out. I told him I would tell him as soon as she is ready to come out."

I decided not to tell him about what Jarred told me, It would be better if Jace told me himself. I watch a look of understanding appear on his face and he sighs rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry for pushing you away, I've been stabbed in the back by people I thought loved me, too many times to count. It's become a habit not to trust people I just meet until they prove that they have no bad intentions." I explain to him.

He looks into my eyes and walks forward grabbing my hand, I shudder at the feeling and he holds on tighter.

"I would never hurt you Mariana, You are my other half. My mate for life. The goddess made you for me, why would I ruin something as perfect as that?"

I smile, "I know I'm-."

A loud bang has us turning out heads in the direction of his bedroom door. A lady I recognized from downstairs comes barging in with another lady following behind. I notice the other lady is dressed in a white button up shirt and is carrying two plates.

"JACE!"

I hear him groan, "Yes mom?"

She walks up to the open bathroom door and smiles, "I've brought you guys some food and some clothes for your lovely mate here."

I smile shyly, "Hello.."

She throws her arms around me in a warm embrace, "Oh your just adorable! You and I will get along perfect! Now why don't you two come eat and then we can get you a nice shower and a change of clothes."

I nod and follow them into the bedroom, I climb up onto the bed and the other lady sets down a plate in front of me.

"Hello Alpha, Luna it is nice to finally meet you, My name is Lucy. I'm the pack chief. I made you guys some mac'n cheese, sorry it isn't much I didn't have much time to prepare."

"This will do great Lucy thank you." I hear Jace reply as he picks up his spoon and starts eating.

I just stare at the white covered shells.

"Is there something wrong with it luna?"

I look up, "What is Mac'n cheese?"