Scarlet's Mate

Part Twenty Six

Derek set me up in one of his sister's rooms.  My bag and all my school stuff is still at school, and luckily his sisters left enough stuff behind that I shouldn't need to go back to Elliots at all.  I feel my throat tighten as I think about him, apparently even thinking his name brings me to the brink of a breakdown. 

I know I'm not perfect, I'm far from.  But I don't know what I did to deserve him treating me this way.  I didn't ask to be his mate but I also didn't ask to be unmated from him either.  All of this was forced on me, from both sides.  If anyone has earned the right to be pissed off, it's me.

I grab whatever is closest to me and fling it at the wall.  I watch as the innocent vase breaks into a thousand pieces.  Just like my heart.  My vision blurs as I stand staring at the shards. 

"What the fuck Scarlet?"  Derek's out of breath as he enters the room.  His eyes shift from the broken glass on the floor to my face and I watch as his angry expression softens, "if you needed to break something, you could've come to me.  My sister's going to kill me," he sighs and bends down to start picking up my mess.

"Derek don't, I'll clean it.  It's my mess," I bend down and carefully start to pick up the pieces of my broken heart.

Derek stands suddenly and leaves me alone in the room.  A few seconds later he's back with a broom and a dust pan, "go sit on the bed," he orders.

I drop the pieces from my hand back to the floor and walk over to the bed.  I watch Derek's face shift through many emotions as he's sweeping.  I try to stay silent but curiosity gets the best of me, "what are you thinking about?"

"I feel like we're missing something," Derek's answer leaves me even more confused.

"Missing what?"

"If I knew that, then we wouldn't be missing it now, would we?"  Derek smirks, obviously finding his witty remark amusing.

"You know what I meant," I snapped back.

"Well," he set down the broom and started to pace, "we know they injected you with something that reverses the mating process," Derek stops pacing and sits down on the bed next to me, "but we, Elliot and I, we were assuming that whoever was coming after you was doing it to get to Elliot.  And although, yes, making his mate become unmated to him sucks, it's not exactly strategic.  From the standpoint of an enemy, a mate is the perfect target.  They hurt you, it hurts Elliot.  Therefore making it the best way to distract your target."

"I hadn't really thought about that," I replied, "but I guess you have a point."

Derek turns away from me, lost in thought, "but why you," he mumbles mainly to himself.

My phone starts buzzing from my pocket.  I slowly take it out and see a call coming from the blocked number, quickly I press my phone to my chest before Derek can see the screen, "it's my grandma, excuse me."

I jump up and rush out of the room, I wander slightly until I feel I'm out of earshot from Derek.  I swipe my finger on the screen, answering the call.

"Hello Scarlet," his voice sends a chill down my spine.

"What do you want from me?"  I spit back at him.

"Ah, full of fire aren't we.  Didn't you enjoy my present?  I gave you back your freedom, you should be thankful.  I know Derek is."

"Leave me the fuck alone," my voice shakes causing a laugh from the other line.

"How did it feel, seeing Elliot move on from you without even a second thought?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't.  My voice left me.