Changed [Watty Awards 2013]

16. News

16: News

NICK

I sat in the recliner, waiting for Mom and Delilah to be done their talk, and thought about everything that has happened today—first Delilah’s in my arms then the next, she’s gone and in someone else’s. I never understood the concept of mates before I met Delilah. I thought mates just wore you down and made you look like a love struck fool.

That’s why I enjoyed the bachelor life. Easy one night stands with mutual understanding that this was just for fun. Most werewolves wouldn’t be able to do it because we grow attachments easily, but for me it was easy. I wasn’t an Alpha yet so I had a lot of free time on my hands and not many responsibilities.

But when I met Delilah, I didn’t want just one of those casual one night stands. I wanted it to be real and pure. I didn’t get attached to her right away, but I had believed with all my heart that she was it. She was the one. But now I know that she isn’t.

When I saw her kissing Matt I felt no overwhelming rage that I couldn’t control myself around Matt. I was civil. If she was really my mate, I wouldn’t have bothered to knock on the door. I would’ve stormed out into that backyard and rip them away from each other. I just felt anger. I only felt anger because she just broke up with me.

And when I kissed her on the doorstep… oh God. I should never have done that. I had no right, she wasn’t mine. And after she shoved me away… I hated myself. My heart broke all over again realizing that I could’ve lost her friendship. I felt absolutely horrible. She has never done anything behind my back to make me distrust her or hate her.

How could I have screwed this all up? I should’ve just let her be and let her be with whoever she wanted to. Maybe she would’ve ended up with Kyle or Jared if I wasn’t selfish. Or maybe Caelon. Caelon was mad at me… so mad in fact that he couldn’t stand to look at me or Delilah because of the mark on her cheek.

What the hell is wrong with me?

The front door opened and my oldest brother walked in. I had called him while Delilah was inside talking to Matt. I didn’t get the chance to explain everything to him but I just told him that we were having an emergency Pack meeting and he had to be here. I owed him an explanation.

“Okay,” I said as Kyle took a seat on the love seat, “when you see Delilah… don’t get mad.”

He narrowed his blue eyes that were identical to mine. “What did you do?”

“I… couldn’t control my wolf and I—”

“He punched her.” Caelon said, glaring at me.

Kyle’s head flung over to mine and he growled. “Why?”

I explained the whole scenario and he shook his head at me, clearly disapproving. He stayed silent.

Delilah and Mom walked down the stairs from my study and took a seat. Delilah beside Kyle and Mom beside Dad. Delilah sighed and ran a hand through her blonde hair.

“When I tell you guys this… please do not get mad. I need you all to promise me.” Everyone, except me, murmured their promise.

She raised her eyebrows at me.

“I’m not going to promise you something I can’t keep.”

She rolled her eyes. “When I left that night, I read the letter. Obviously you guys figured that out by now. I wanted to protect my Pack and I thought the only way to do this was to turn myself in to Noah. So, I did. I was met with his rogues and my old foster home that treated me poorly.”

When she said that, my heart dropped. She had been reunited with her ugly past and she still made it out alive. Maybe I underestimated her abilities.

“Doug tried to provoke me by saying that he killed my parents. I thought he meant the family I grew up with, but he meant my family that he killed when I was baby. He killed my dad in a fight to be Alpha and he killed my mother after he raped her. So I got angry and almost ended up killing him, but I couldn’t do it. I also met Noah’s mate, Rosalie, and she changed him. For the better. He’s a better person than he was when I was there. He’s less sadistic and he’s a better man. Or I thought until he proposed the deal. The deal was that he would leave the Pack and myself alone if I gave him an heir or Emily did.”

Dad snarled. “Why does he want my wife?”

Delilah raised her eyes up to him and she bit her lip. “He said that she would make beautiful pups because of how powerful and beautiful she is. He said always envied you because you have a beautiful, strong mate. And he said that because you both already have Kyle, Jared and Nick that… she makes handsome pups.”

I stole a glance at Mom and Dad. Mom was pale and Dad was beyond furious.

“He said that he didn’t intend to kill me. He left me on the Pack’s doorstep as a warning… kind of like a proposition. A female werewolf—me—for a female werewolf of equal strength—Emily. And he still wants Emily, that’s why he wrote the letter too. He wrote the letter as a way to get me back and hoping that Emily would come and find me with you guys. He wanted us both for himself.”

Dad stood up, clenching his fists. “What wrong with his mate?”

Delilah tried to hide behind Kyle. “Rosalie can’t have children and he wants an heir. Apparently, Emily’s at a prime age to mate and he already tried to impregnate me but it didn’t work.”

I growled.

“I’m plan B.”

Dad growled, but sat back down as Mom pulled on his hand.

“What was the offer?” Mom asked with her eyes closed.

“I said that I was already pregnant and give him my first born child to be his heir.”

“You’re… what?” I asked, my heart pounding.

My head whipped up to hers and my eyes widened. I looked around the room and everyone else’s eyes widened as well. Delilah was pregnant with my child and she told him she’d give it to him? This was against every werewolf code ever.

She shrugged. “It was the only thing I could come up with and no, I’m not pregnant. I would’ve already told you if I was, Nick.”

I let out a breath of relief.

“But he wanted monthly reports on and he wanted verification from Kyle about medical conditions and if the baby was a boy or girl. He also said that neither of us or the Pack would have any contact with the child after it would be born.” She swallowed and closed her eyes. “This is where it gets… unfair. He said if it’s a boy, he’ll take it. If it was a girl, he’d be going after Emily and force her to have his heir.” She opened them again and looked at Dad. “With or without your permission.”

A/N: okay, so... I thought Nick's POV would've worked PERFECTLY. I was right :) 

Surprise POV next chapter ;)

Enjoy, my young volcanoes <3