Chapter 15: Chapter 15

SCARLET

My mind is reeling, and my mouth is gaping like a fish, unsure of what to say as I watch my mate receding to the exit. Is there anything I can say?

At least I have a better understanding of Ethan’s hatred toward the packless. But something doesn’t add up. I’ve never heard of anything like that happening in the Scourge. Maybe I’ll ask Jo. She’s been around long enough. Surely, she’ll know something about it.

~When did my life get so complicated? And overwhelming?~ It feels like I’ve gone through so much in such a short period of time. I feel like such an idiot for breaking down in front of Ethan in the car.

I don’t normally get so emotional, but it was like I finally had enough. I just couldn’t keep my emotions in any longer, and the freaking dam just broke. I heave out a sigh and shake my head as I try to rein in all of the feelings that are trying to suffocate me. I’ve got to get it together.

But for now, I need to rest and let my wounds heal. I fall into the cloud of a bed and easily drift to sleep.

***

I don’t know how long I was out, but the gash on my chest is healing well. Thoughts flood back from yesterday’s encounter with Ray, but I try to push the thoughts away.

I allow my mind to wander, trying to distract myself from everything else. Walking around the room, I notice how tidy it is. I run my finger along the fireplace mantle, and there isn’t a speck of dust.

The room is sleek and sharp. It doesn’t look lived in at all. The room is luxuriously decorated but lacks personal touches. There are no pictures of my mate or his family sitting on any of the tables or hanging on the walls, nothing on the mantle either.

I sit down on the edge of the bed and eye the drawer of the bedside table next to me. Is it okay for me to snoop? I mean, he left me here alone. And I’m his mate, regardless of whether I want to be or not. ~Isn’t it my right to have a look around?~

My hand slowly reaches out for the small knob, my mind still debating on whether I should or shouldn’t. However, curiosity wins, and I pull it open. There is a stack of pictures that I scoop up, immediately noticing the one on top is of a woman.

My fingers lightly trace around her features. Despite the photo being a bit faded, it’s clear she was beautiful, with fair skin and bright-blue eyes that shine like sapphires. Her dark-blonde hair falls in curls past her shoulders, and her smile seems to radiate pure joy.

Flipping the image over, I see a single word written on the back. ~Lenore~. I shuffle through the photos and find one of the same woman with her arms around three small boys.

They all have the same wide grin, and I bring it closer to my face to get a better look. “Ethan,” I murmur softly as I realize exactly who I’m looking at. Ethan, Alex, Xander, and their mother, Lenore.

There is a loud knock on the door, causing me to jump like a five-year-old who just got caught in the cookie jar. I’m trying to stuff the pictures hastily back into the bedside drawer when the door opens, and a young woman strolls in, wearing a beautiful dress and stilettos.

She’s gorgeous with her light-brown skin and her brown doe eyes. She has long dark hair with honey highlights and looks like she could have walked right off a runway.

She has several shopping bags hanging from the crook of her elbow. Her eyes immediately land on me, and a knowing smirk appears on her face. I’ve totally been caught red-handed.

“You must be Scarlet. I’m Isa Kane. Ethan’s favorite sister,” she says as she smiles at the stunned look on my face. “Okay…well, his only sister. But that makes me his favorite by default.”

“Umm…hi! Nice to meet you,” I reply as I stand from the bed and walk over to her with my hand held out.

She raises her eyebrow at me and swats my hand away. “Girl, please! Give me a hug!” She quickly grabs me and pulls me into a tight embrace. Once she loosens her grip, she places her hands on my shoulders and squeals. “We’re going to be the best of friends! I just know it!”

My eyes widen at her excitement. I’m feeling so confused and overwhelmed…again. I didn’t even know that Ethan had a sister. And she’s completely different from him in both appearance and personality.

“That’s great!” I exclaim back as I try to match her enthusiasm and seem to fail miserably. ~Upbeat~ and ~bubbly~ are two adjectives that aren’t usually used to describe me. “So, umm…what brings you by today?”

“Oh! My bad! I found some stuff you might like,” she answers as she throws the shopping bags onto the bed and begins dumping the contents out for me to see.

I look at the array of stuff she laid out. There is an abundance of makeup, hair supplies, and numerous outfits, most of which are not my style. Not that I really had a choice of style living in the Scourge.

“I don’t know if I can accept all this…,” I begin.

She waves her hand at me dismissively. “Nonsense. You need all of this. You can’t very well walk around dirty and naked when you’re going to be named luna. If my brother can iron out the details of the alliance treaty anyways.”

“Alliance treaty? What do you mean?”

“Oh… Uh… Ethan didn’t mention it to you?” Isa stammers. Anxiety shoots up my spine. I feel like I’m not going to like hearing the details.

“No, but you’re going to need to explain it now.”

“Oh no. My brother is going to kill me for spilling the beans. I’m not about to tell you more,” she states sternly as she backs away from me, shaking her head adamantly.

“Isa!” I begin to argue.

“Sorry, girl, but you’re going to have to take this up with him. I need to head out anyway. You should shower and change. I doubt my brother will be happy if you’re still dressed like this when one of his men comes in,” she says as she gestures to me.

I look down and see that I’m still in my tattered shirt with my torso exposed. I instantly close Ethan’s leather jacket around me and grimace.

“Fine…but if you tell me what you’re talking about, then I don’t have to ask Ethan about it, and then he doesn’t have to know that you said anything,” I point out, fighting the smile that threatens to spread across my face as I watch Isa’s expression change.

“Ooo…you play dirty. I’ll tell you, but you can’t tell Ethan that I said anything.”

“Deal.”

“Alphas are expected to take a mate by the time they’re thirty. If they don’t find their fated mate by then, they choose one, since they’re stronger with a luna. Ethan will be thirty next month. He was in the middle of courting Nicole Fairchild of the Silver Shadow Pack. She’s the alpha’s daughter. Luckily, no contracts have been signed yet, and nothing has been officially announced. So, now that he’s found you, he’s trying to renegotiate the alliance.”

My chest tightens, and I feel like I can’t breathe. He’d been planning on marrying someone else, taking her as his luna. ~Was he sleeping with her? Is she still here? Did he fall for her?~

My stomach churns inside of me, making me feel like I might vomit. I swallow hard and try to regain my composure. After all, I haven’t even decided if I’m going to reject him or not yet.

There is no reason for me to get worked up at the moment.

“Anyway, he was waiting to make sure you didn’t have anything to do with the death of our pack members before he thought about completing the mating process with you and making you his luna. Unfortunately, he can’t do anything official until the alliance treaty is settled,” Isa continues.

I manage to nod, not feeling like I could even put a coherent string of words together. I don’t even know what to say. She reaches over and pats me reassuringly on the knee.

Clearly, she can tell that I’m not taking the news very well. In reality, I’m surprised that it bothers me as much as it does. So far, my mate isn’t exactly my favorite person right now.

I haven’t even decided if I want to accept him as a mate yet. He’s stubborn, bossy, and hot-headed.

Though, he also seems to be thoughtful, caring, and affectionate… when he’s not pissed off anyway. I shake my head as I try to empty it of all the thoughts that seem to be clogging my brain. “Well, thanks for telling me,” I finally manage to say.

“Of course! Though you didn’t exactly give me much of a choice. Just remember not to tell Ethan I said anything. I assumed he would have told you, but I guess I should have known better. He’s not exactly an open book.” She stands up from where she had taken a seat next to me on the bed. “And don’t worry. You’re the one he wants to be with.”

I give her a weak smile before she pulls me in for another hug. We say our goodbyes, and I watch as she walks out the door.