The North Pack (editing)

2 - The Departure (edited)

Hours after the Gathering had ended, when my cheeks were stained with tears and the sky was threatening night, I finally made my way home and immediately sought out Callum. He was on his bed staring down at the screen of his phone, the only light in the room, and as soon as I stepped into his room, his head snapped up.

      "Mina," he breathed out in relief, standing up. "Where were you? Everyone was--"

      I cut him off, running to him and wrapping my arms around his torso, burying my head in his shoulder. He smelled so good that I could almost forget the whole day and imagine that I had just come back from the Gathering, on time, and had a perfectly pleasant day; I could pretend we were going to watch movies now. And that I wasn't sobbing into the fabric of his t-shirt as he pulled me closer, his phone clattering to the floor, forgotten.

     Some part of him must have understood because he didn't say anything more as he held me, crying, in his arms, occasionally stroking my head or rubbing my back. I could almost forget. Almost. But in the back of my head was Jax North and his promise. At some point in the night I fell asleep and even then, it was my true mate's face that haunted my dreams.

/~/

      When I awoke, there was morning light streaming into Callum's room. My eyes were swollen from crying but I could still make him out, standing in front of the window, the gentle sunlight melting his skin to a soft umber. He looked both beautiful and sad, and I knew then that he had worked it out. 

      "You found him," Callum said, still facing the glass. I didn't know he had noticed I was awake yet and I didn't know what to say - what could I say? He knew the truth, there was nothing more to say except platitudes about loyalty and love. He finally turned to face me, the sorrow in his face dissipating into stoicism. "What was he like?"

      Once again, I didn't know what to say; I hadn't expected that question. I had to decide then and there whether I would tell him everything, whether I would come clean about my true mate being the future Alpha of North Pack, about how he promised to come back for me, or not.

      "It doesn't matter. I meant what I said, Cal," I decided to say after a beat.

      He sat down on the end of the bed then, careful not to get too close to me. It stung a little, but the wooden look on his face stopped me from reaching out for him. "I know what it's like when you first meet them. It's... it's different." His fingers fiddled with the corner of the duvet. "It's strong."

      "Callum, please, look at me," I said. He reluctantly made eye contact. "I'm not going anywhere." I pushed Jax's promise about coming back for me far from my brain. It wouldn't happen, I wouldn't allow it.

      He searched my face. Something in his expression cracked and he quickly looked away, took a breath. "Does anyone else know?"

      I shook my head though I was no longer in his eyeline. "No. I don't want them to."

      "And what about him? He was just fine with you rejecting him?" He meets my gaze once more.

      My heart sank. I hadn't had the chance to reject him, he hadn't let me. I swallowed. Before I could fully think about what I was saying, the words began spilling from my mouth, "He wasn't happy, but I... but I explained to him." It was a lie, not a direct one, but I knew what I was doing and it felt terrible. At least it did until relief finally evaporated the stony look on Callum's face, his tense shoulders finally relaxed.

      He let out a long breath. "So that's it?"

      The dagger of guilt pierced a little deeper. "That's it."