**BOOK FOUR**
Reuben is running. Running from a life he never wanted; one he never fit into.
Eli is chasing. Chasing a future he is desperate to call reality.
After Reuben's rejection, Eli thought he'd never see his mate again. However, when repo...
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A long time ago when my brothers and I were little, my parents took us to a carnival. Grandma lived in the human territory and it was our last night there before we had to return to the pack so they wanted to do something fun for us.
Carnivals were nowhere near my idea of fun, but my brothers were excited so we went anyways. That whole night was a blur. I could hardly remember the cheesy songs that played in the background and only a few of the attractions we went on, but there was one moment that stayed in my mind.
The fortune teller.
Now, I wasn't the type of person to fall for ridiculously obvious acts. My brothers on the other hand? Well, that was a different story. The whole time we were there, the only thing I wanted was to hurry up and go back home. I couldn't have cared less what the supposed fortune teller was saying. However, it was what the lady said as we were leaving that stuck with me.
"There's a difference between being alive and truly living. Live your life to the fullest. Experience everything you wish to and don't let anyone hold you back. Live your life with no regrets."
Now, to say it's foolish to take advice from an underpaid carnival worker would be an understatement, but those words stayed with me for years. My brother, Kai, embraced them completely. He lived his life proudly.
Me on the other hand?
I was never quite sure if I was following those words or running away from them. I grew up in a proud family. With the exception of my older brother, Tyson, who was too shy for his own good, the rest of my family was the embodiment of confidence and assurance. When they genuinely believed that it was the right one whereas I found myself questioning my decisions more often than not.
My mate, however, was one of the few things I'd always been sure of. Or rather, my lack of a mate was. I never wanted a mate; I knew that from the moment I was old enough to understand what they were. It wasn't for the same reasons as others. It wasn't because I despised the concept of mates or because I was in love with another, I simply didn't want one.
My family never understood this sentiment. They figured that once I grew old enough, my mind would change, but my resolve was unwavering.
Oakwood was supposed to be a way out. It was meant to be a way to get away from my family and to get away from Eli, so what the hell was he doing here? Why was I running into him again? Did he follow me? No, that wouldn't make sense; he didn't know I was here. He couldn't have.
"Reuben!" A voice called out in a sing-song tone before throwing the door to my room open. "How long do you plan to stay cooped up in here?"
