Truly

Chapter 4

~Max

I watched as Toni ran into the woods. To say she was a small girl, her wolf was big. A beautiful being covered by the most majestic black coat I had ever seen. She was my mate, yet there she was running away from me. I grabbed her shoes from where she had dropped them and examined them. I had been surprised to see her in a top and skirt but these shoes didn't surprise me at all. If she wasn't allowed trainers, she would get trainers in some way or form. I took them up to my room and then returned to the party.

The party was in full swing and I wanted to get out of there. Girls were drunkenly chucking themselves onto me. I was dancing with my mother and sisters just to get away from them. I was taller than a lot of people and kept glancing over the people, hoping to see Toni come back in with some jeans and a hoodie on. But that never happened. 

At around midnight, people started leaving so I took the opportunity to excuse myself. Lizzie, being my twin, knew something was wrong and instantly followed me.

"Tell me everything and don't leave out anything." She said. So I did. I told her everything. About admiring Toni when she first came to the pack when she was eight, to the fact she ran off when our fingers touched. All through the story, my sister just paced in front of me.

"Shock." Lizzie suddenly said.

"Sorry, what?"

"She's in shock. Someone who she thought was normal, suddenly reveals himself as the son of the Alpha of the highest pack there is and also reveals himself as her mate. The poor girl will be in shock. I was in shock when I first found out Rich was my mate and he was just a normal stranger. Give her time." She was just about to leave before she turned back. "Your secret's safe with me. Oh and be sure to return those shoes to her or you may just find me walking around in them. Night!" My sister left to join the party that was holding on to its final breathes. 

Sleep slowly enveloped me and all I could dream about was Toni. Would she forgive me? Or would she reject me? Only time would tell.

I woke up the next morning and slowly the events of last night came back to me. Going downstairs, I looked into the ballroom to see the cleaners trying to salvage the room from the disaster that hit it last night. When I walked into the dining room, I saw that everyone, bar my dad, was already waiting on me. Lizzie and Richard had come for breakfast to.

"Good morning." My mum smiled at me.

"Is it?" I asked.

"Someone got out the wrong side of bed today." Jace laughed but I just ignored him.

"Max, dear, what's wrong?" Mum asked.

"Is it ok if I go out this morning?"

"Of course, sweetie. Just be sure to be back before dinner. The Alphas and anyone related to the betas are coming for the banquet remember."

"How could I forget?" I grumbled.

Running upstairs, I grabbed the shoes that I had left in a corner of the room and then put my jacket on. I quickly looked at the guest list that stated where everyone was being housed for this month. Seeing that Toni was staying in the Rose Cottage on the edge of the wood, I headed there, starting to think about what I would say. I was hopeless at these kind of things,

***********

~Toni

I groaned as someone opened my curtains.

"Come on. I need words with you."

"Five more minutes mum." I groaned into my pillow.

"You will wish it was your mum by the time I am finished with you!" I jolt up as I realised the person who was talking to me was actually Roxy.

"What are you on about, Roxy?"

"YOU LEFT! NOBODY KNEW WHERE YOU WENT! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

"Can we leave the shouting to after I have fully woken up and have had some food?"

"TONI!" She walked out and slammed my door. I winced as I got out of bed. Going downstairs, I didn't even bother getting out of my pyjamas. Josh was used to me not getting dressed until mid afternoon. Anyway, I was starving.

"The kettle's on. You might want a drink before you get the wrath of Roxy." Josh says as I enter the kitchen.

"Thanks." I reach in the cupboard and grabbed some crisps. The house was fully stocked with food when we arrived.

"Crisps? For breakfast?"

"Hey, I get away from mum's rules for a month. I am going to be a rebel." 

Josh sighed before handing me my tea. Bracing myself, I entered the living room. Roxy was deadly silent and frankly it scared me.

"Are you going to tell me why I was worried sick about you?" she whispered. Josh had escaped upstairs and I so wished I could too.

"Well, um, as you know I left.....and..." A knock on the door stopped my train of thought. Roxy made no attempt of moving to answer the door, so I did. It got me away from Roxy anyway.

Opening the door, I saw Max standing there.

"Didn't Cinderella only leave one shoe, instead of two?" I tried to slam the door but he put his foot in the way. Roxy came to see what I was doing and nearly fainted when she saw who was at the door.

"Of gosh, Toni, what are you doing? I'm so sorry about her, come in." 

Max smiled at Roxy but his eyes never left mine. I snatched my shoes from him and ran them upstairs. Josh was at the top of the banister.

"Is that who I think it is downstairs?" I nod and he goes downstairs, most probably showing that Roxy is his. Yes they are mates but he has not yet marked her. To everyone else, Max was an unmated male and a 'predator' to the females.

Coming downstairs, I see Roxy sat on Josh's knee and Max is across from them.

"Can we talk?" I asked Max.

"Yeah, shall we go upstairs?"

"No! I still need answers. Whatever you need to say, you can say in front of us two." Roxy jumped up.

"They'll either listen in or find out another way. So they can stay. I want to start off and say sorry. I am sorry."

Roxy sat down and watched like a TV programme was unfolding in front of her.

"You don't need to be sorry." Max said and his eyes told me he was sincere.

"No I do. I ran away from you.I got confused. I got scared and I ran away. So can we just start this all over again? Hello, I am Toni Hatfield of the Shadow Pack." I held out my hand.

"Hello Toni, I am Max Newcombe of the Regal Pack." He took my hand and shook it. The sparks erupted once again.

"Oh look, I think we are mates." I smiled.

Max opened his arms to me and I practically ran into them. Last night, I had realised that Max was the other half of me and I could already feel the love for him brewing. Was this really what it felt like to find a mate?