Happy To Be Home

His voice drew Helena back to reality.

"No," she gasped as she pushed Romeo away.

She was lucky she'd caught him off guard because there was no way she would have been able to shove him far enough if he wasn't so distracted by their kiss.

"Helena, please love," Romeo pleaded from across the room, his eyes full of hurt.

Helena opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She closed it again and shook her head before leaving Romeo's room, slamming the door as she ran out.

She didn't bother to look back, she couldn't.

When her gaze met Romeo's as he pleaded, she could feel her heart breaking with his.

But what was a momentary pain versus that of a lifetime?

In the best case, she'd end up mated to Romeo, the man who'd taught her what love was when he was only a boy, but did that mean their attraction and love for one another was just an effect of the mating bond?

Helena didn't want to even imagine the worst-case scenario.

'We find out he's mated to someone else,' Hera says the words she's too scared to even think.

Helena took a deep breath as she collapsed against her door. She brought her legs to her chest and hugged them tightly as she let herself mourn the loss of a relationship that was never even there.

"Helena!" she heard Romeo banging on her door. "Helena, please."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn't give in no matter how much she wanted.

She would never have a man have that much power over her, she wouldn't let the mate bond control her the way she'd seen it control her mother.

"I can hear your heart beating, love," Romeo said in a much lower voice. "I know you're there, please, we need to talk."

"Go away, Romeo!" she said in as cold a tone as she could muster.

"You can't deny what's going on between us, Helena, what's always been there," he said in a stern voice.

"I'm not your mate, Romeo," Helena told him. "And you know how I feel about mates."

"I'd never hurt you!" he cried out.

Helena knew that even if he didn't intend on hurting her she would still hurt, whether or not they were mates she was just setting herself up for heartbreak.

"Hel—" Romeo began to speak but he was cut off.

"What are you doing outside Helena's door, Romeo?" Rebecca, their half-sister, asked him.

"I missed her, Becca, I just want to talk to her," Romeo said in a tender tone making Helena's ice-cold heart thaw a little.

"Mom and Dad said not to bother her," Rebecca said in her sweet voice. "She needs to rest cause she just got home. I miss her too Romeo."

Helena was tempted to open the door and hold her sister. They'd only really met a handful of times but she was just so sweet and innocent.

"We still have a few more weeks with her," Romeo said.

"Can't you make her stay?" Rebecca pleaded.

Helena held her breath waiting for what Romeo would answer, but he didn't speak.

"Not up to me, kiddo," Romeo sighed.

"You have to convince her!" Rebecca pleaded.

Again Romeo paused.

A part of Helena wished that he'd promise Rebecca he'd convince her and yet the logical part of her knew she needed to go, she couldn't stay.

"Let's go, Becca," Helena heard Romeo say as his voice faded. "I'm sure we'll see her at dinner."

After Romeo and Rebecca left Helena quickly got ready, she decided to go with something simple, jeans and a crop top.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Helena let out a breath. The Blackmoon pack had always been her home, but would the pack members still feel that way despite her leaving?

"Helena?" her mother called as she knocked on the door.

"Come in, mom," Helena called out.

Alyssa Blackmoon was short for a wolf, she stood at only 5"2' but what she lacked in height she made up for in speed and in how wholly she loved her pack members, even back in her brother's pack.

Helena had mostly taken after her mother, they shared the same cold gray eyes and cascading blonde hair, but when it came to her height and skin tone she looked more like her late father.

He had been an excellent warrior despite being a hybrid and was valued by the wolves. He stood out against the olive-toned-skinned wolves in the pack with his paler complexion.

"I'm glad you're home," Alyssa said as she offered her daughter a hug.

Helena walked up to her mom and sunk into her warm embrace, "I'm happy to be home, mom."