Lost My Mind

Chapter 6

V paced the floor of the living room, waiting for Frankie to get back from a meeting. She had texted him, telling him to meet her at home ASAP, and he had told her he would hurry. Thankfully, Frankie kept his promises. Except, hurrying wasn't fast enough. V was going to burst if she didn't get the truth out to her brother soon.
"Lettie, what's going on?" Frankie asked, opening the door and quickly shutting it behind him. It slammed, and V winced. She knew Frankie didn't slam doors on purpose, that half the time he didn't know his own strength, but it still was hard for her to handle the loud noises at home. Brought back too many memories of Mark and his anger and her weakness.
"Sorry," he apologized, earning a faint smile from V. This made Frankie frown more. They both knew he could always make her smile, so if she wasn't smiling, then something was really wrong.
"Is it Mark? Is he back?" her brother asked quickly. V shook her head, running a hand through her still tangled hair as she paced back and forth. That would be a nightmare to take care of when she eventually calmed down enough to take care of herself past splashing water on her face and changing clothes.
"Lettie, tell me," Frankie commanded, his protective nature coming out. He approached V, placing a hand on her shoulder so she'd stop pacing.
She had been so eager to get the truth out, but now V didn't know how to say it.
"Matteo is my mate," she whispered, only making eye contact after Frankie stayed silent for a few moments. His eyes were as wide as hers had felt when she found out, when Matteo grabbed her hand and she saw him.
"Are you sure?" Frankie asked. His voice showed some mix of hesitance and nerves and worry, but that wasn't exactly it either. V nodded solemnly.
"Does he know?" His voice stayed slow. Yeah, that was the word for it. Slow. Like he was still processing it. Truth be told, V had known for twelve hours now, and she was still processing it.
"Yeah. He uh, he found me last night and took my hand and, just, I don't know, Frankie. He couldn't even figure out what to say! Matteo, of all people, didn't know what to say! And then I just. I freaked and ran home and I haven't seen him since."
Now Frankie was pacing.
"He didn't know what to say?"
"Yeah," V breathed out. She couldn't tell what Frankie was feeling, which made her want to freak out more, but he was taking up her typical pacing spot.
Frankie ran a hand through his hair, the same shade as V's but much neater, which said something, because his hair was always a little bit messy at best. Her hair really did feel like a disaster, but the glimpse she'd gotten of it earlier made it look better than it was.
"I don't know what to say either, Lettie."
"Yeah, I know," she mumbled.
Frankie stopped, turning around to face her. "Are you happy about this, at least? He's a good guy, and he knows he has to treat you better than anyone ever has before. He'll do that or else he'll answer to me," he promised. While his words may have been loving and sweet, V didn't like the idea of her mate treating her perfectly just because he was threatened with bodily harm if he didn't.
"I mean, I don't know. I'm not ready to find my mate yet, Frankie! I got away from Mark, like, eight months ago! I'm still trying to figure out my own life, not trying to prepare for a life with someone else in it."
Groaning, V fell into an armchair for the second time that day. At least this one wasn't hot pink, her least favorite color.
Frankie nodded, and took the seat next to his sister. "Do you want to talk to Greg about this?" Greg was the pack counselor, thanks to her grandfather's wisdom after her grandmother grew incredibly depressed. V had been seeing him ever since she broke up with Mark, and he'd been super helpful, but she wasn't sure anyone would be of much help in her new situation.
"What could he do? Fate has decided now is the time to realize who my mate is, and I don't have a choice but to face the truth. I'm not gonna be like Rome," V scoffed. The last thing she wanted was to have a relationship like Rome and Luca's. "But I don't feel ready yet, either."
Her phone buzzed, and V pulled it out while Frankie processed her words.
Crap. 911 from Luca. Something had gone terribly wrong, and knowing that he had his monthly lunch with Rome today, it definitely had something to do with her.
"I gotta go. Luca needs me," V said, standing up and hurrying out the door. She heard Frankie object, but that didn't matter. She needed a distraction, and Luca needed a friend.