My Name is NOT Cupcake

Chapter Twenty

"They took my mate from me," Elias said, motioning to Nolan and Mason.

"She ran away from you, you bastard," Nolan snapped. His face drained slightly as his eyes shifted to the man. "I apologize," Nolan said immediately. The man only shrugged.

"Well, did she?" he asked. Nolan nodded.

"She ran away from him and came here to us because Elias was abusing her," Nolan explained.

"How?" the man said shortly, getting to the point.

"Emotionally, physically, take your pick. Just look at her, and if you want physical proof, check her collarbone. He was sleeping with other women, she was constantly getting hurt... she came to us after they mated and she realized that she couldn't stay with him," Nolan answered respectfully.

"How do you know the girl?" the man asked shortly again, turning to look at me this time. I was still sniffling, trying to hold in my sobs as I watched the scene unfold before me.

"Nova is my twin sister. I'm Lycan, but the trait passed her," Nolan explained. Elias' father knelt in front of me and eyed me over curiously. Then he did something I didn't expect...

He smiled at me.

And it was a genuine smile, too. The corner of his eyes wrinkled slightly as his straight, white teeth flashed me.

"May I?" he asked kindly, motioning to my shoulder. I sniffled and lowered my legs to a crisscross position as I nodded. As soon as the man touched me, Elias growled loudly. The crowd scattered as the man pulled the edge of my shirt low enough to see the scar. Elias' father sighed and helped me to my feet. I was now standing in the middle of the clearing with Elias' father as Mason, Nolan, and Elias stood around us.

"Nova, right?" he asked me kindly. I nodded quickly, feeling a bit embarrassed that he was still holding onto my hands. "Who did this to you?" he asked. My eyes shifted over to Elias just in time to see his face fall. I looked at my feet as a faint blush crept into my cheeks. I wasn't a shy person, but I was embarrassed that this is how I was meeting Elias' father. I wanted his parents to see me as a strong and independent individual. Instead, I was caught sobbing and cowering.

"E-Kendra," I stuttered. I mentally cursed myself. The man's face grew hard before he turned to Elias. I found myself taking an involuntary step away from him. His face scared me when he was angry and I wasn't proud of that fact.

"You left her alone with Kendra? Did it not occur to you that Kendra would stop at nothing to keep you and the title of Luna? Son, I know I warned you about that when you chose her as a bride when you turned 25 years old. I told you to wait and you didn't want to listen," Elias' father scolded. He sighed before he turned back to me with a softer face. "Nova, do you want to back to Rigor Moon with my son?" he asked. I glanced at Elias quickly before lowering my head. My heart was telling me to stop this, to go back with Elias and let him prove himself to us, but my head knew better. I couldn't be with him until he proved himself. I couldn't allow myself to open myself up to get hurt by him again. I didn't want to. My head was winning in the tug-of-war on what to do. Hesitantly, I shook my head. I knew I would be safe here with my family.

"Nova," Elias begged, striding towards me. I took a cautious step backwards and almost fell on my butt. Elias' father steadied me easily as he held Elias back with his other hand.

"Hush, son. Step back. If your mate doesn't want to be with you after almost a year of living with you, then you don't deserve her yet. I propose that Nova gets to stay with her family in Still Water's territory until she choses to come to you. You can visit only when she allows it," Elias' dad said. He turned to Peter who was watching from the outskirts of the clearing as an afterthought. "Only if that's okay with you, of course, Peter," he asked. Peter nodded.