To Share You (manxman)

Chapter 51

The building strangely intimidates me as I stand in front of it. I look up at it and feel as if it's towering above me menacingly. I remember how over time, it became a comfort to be here, and now here I am, unable to even step a single foot inside. It sharply reminds me of the day Raph and I kissed for the first time, when I was tricked into spending a weekend with him.

Raph's hand silently slips into mine, pulling me back from my thoughts, and when I look over, there is a small smile on his face. Granted, it still isn't as happy as I remember it being, but it's a smile nonetheless. And so together we take the first step into the pack house. Sam and mum follow us inside, but disperse to where they're probably staying. I still haven't taken the time to find out.

We go up the stairs to where the Alpha's office is and turn down the hallway to the right. It's the same way as to the room Raph and I used to stay at for a short while. The thought hurts still, remembering why Randy made us stay here in the first place hurts.

There's the faint sound of a closing door behind us, but I pay it no attention as we continue on down the hallway.

'Well, would you look at that.'

I whip around immediately, my eyes big in shock.

Standing at the other end of the hallway stands a petite girl. Her hair is cut short, ears full of piercings, accompanied by a couple in her nose, her lips are a dark cherry colour and her whole attire is entirely black. I look her up and down, trying to place the person in front of me with the person I barely knew even back then.

'Mary,' I breathe.

'The one and only.' she says with a snarky undertone. Her hands are on her hips now, looking me up and down in turn.

'I didn't believe her for a second when Larry said you were here now. Thought you just up and left.'

I'm not quite sure how to interpret her tone. It's almost like she's upset and it takes me a second to comprehend why she would be. And then I remember we were friends, kind of, back before I left my old pack. I remember how Mary was always the one seeking me out, to make me feel better and to help me, when I never gave anything back. And I feel bad, I feel guilty, yet again, for yet another one of my numerous mistakes.

'Yo, Raphael. I see you've changed your mind since I saw you last.' One of her eyebrows is lifted suggestively and I when I look over, Raph has a small, but genuine grin on his face. He, of course, doesn't say anything, but he lifts our still clasped hands to bring them up to his face and kisses the back of my hand, still looking directly at Mary.

'I agree. Definitely the better choice. But hey, I've been saying that since that Sheila lady walked away from him the first time.' She shrugs as she says it and in my bewilderment, I wonder how she read him so well.

'How are you here?' I finally ask, trying to make sense of her presence, which gives way to a tiny bit of happiness in my heart.

'Follow me, lovebirds, and I shall show you.'

She walks past us with a strong, confident, yet somehow laid back stride. It's incredible how much she's changed, yet still stayed the same, from back then and it makes me remember how much time actually passed since then.

She walks towards the office as if it's her own, pushing both doors open like a queen making an entry and I stiffen immediately. It's this office that I stormed into that stopped me from talking to Marc for so long and her barging in like this, makes less than nice memories resurface. I stop for a moment, then force myself to take deep breaths and walk in.

Alpha Marc and Randy stand in the far corner, discussing something between themselves, barely looking up as we enter and while the rejection hurts, I'm also strangely relieved that I don't have to deal with the awkwardness just yet. I haven't really seen either of them since that little incident.