Against the Odds

Pain

Diana's hold on her fork went slack and the metal clashed into the ceramic plate, the noise resonated throughout the silent dining room. She wasn't sure what she noticed first: the painful tightening in her chest or the sunken feeling that made her stomach feel as if it was twisting in knots.

Malakai watched intently on his mate's face. Her once relaxed expression turned icy cold. Her steely gaze was no longer focused on Malakai's face, but the wooden table. She stared hard into the table, a far away look in her eyes. Malakai's entire body felt warm for some reason, almost as if he was blushing but all over. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and he felt small tears making their way through his ducts.

"I can expl-" Kai began to say, but he was interrupted.

"Get out." Diana muttered fiercely through gritted teeth. Her gaze was still fixated on the table.

"Diana, please just let me expla-" His heartbeat picked up pace even more if that was possible. The tears that had built up were now slowly cascading passed his glasses and down his tan cheeks.

Diana finally raised her gaze to the man sitting in front of her. What surprised him was the matching tear tracks on his mate's face. He knew Diana rarely cried and she told him that the night of her nightmare was the first time she had cried since her parents' death, so it was quite surprising that the strong she-wolf was one again falling apart. However, this time it was all his fault.

She stood up quickly, which caused her chair to fall loudly to the floor, "I SAID GET OUT!" Diana yelled. Diana's tears fell faster but were still unnoticed to her. "Get out now! You liar! Am I even your mate or was this just some dumb spell!" An involuntarily a sob escaped her lips at the thought, "How could you?! Leave! I don't want to see your face!" She screamed through her sobs.

Kai's chest tightened. He knew he couldn't fix this. He had royally fvcked up and it was best to leave her alone. For now.

Malakai grabbed his coat and left. Once she heard her front door close Diana collapsed to the floor in a heap of tears. She frustratedly pulled at her hair and rocked herself back and forth.

Why am I fvcking crying? These god damn tears. Stop. Stop crying!

"STOP CRYING!" She yelled to no one but herself.

How could he lie to me? Why didn't he trust me enough to tell me the truth? What else was a lie? Is our bond even real?

Diana remained on her floor sobbing until she passed out from exhaustion.

&

Malakai checked the calendar placed on his desk which lays in the center of the bookstore. It has been 3 weeks since he last talked to Diana. 3 weeks since he got to adoringly stare into her silver eyes. 3 weeks since he touched her soft, pale skin. 3 weeks since he kissed her plump lips. He felt the physical pain that came with their separation as well as the emotional pain. He constantly felt a dull but uncomfortable pain in his chest, this was the pain that came from being separated from his mate before being fully mated. The physical pain was bearable, but the emotional pain was agonizing. He spent his days like a ghost of himself, going through his routine but never actually living it. Things like showering, eating, changing clothes, and brushing his hair became insurmountable tasks. He lost the person he cared for the most because he was a coward. He felt he didn't deserve to be happy.

After closing up the shop for the day Kai decided he would go to the meadow and sit in the exact spot that he and Diana had not too long ago. Going to the meadow after work everyday had become part of his daily routine. Running his fingers through the blades of grass that Diana had, reminiscing on the time they shared here looking at the sunset, and him using a spell to grow her favorite flower was the only thing that made him feel alive. Like she was still here with him to refuse his offerings of junk food and rolling her eyes at his dumb jokes, while also looking at him like he hung the moon and the stars.

He watched the sun dip behind the trees and the orange color bleed into the sky, a signal that it was probably time to go. Just as he was preparing to leave, he saw something move in the bushes across the meadow. He focused his gaze and saw a patch of white fur, then moving his gaze he saw silver eyes.

Her silver eyes.

When the she-wolf and the witch made eye contact both felt relief wash over them. For just a moment they were at peace and their pain was gone.

Kai gazed into her eyes and deciding to break the silence he spoke, "I know sorry isn't enough, but it's all I have. I make no excuses for lying to you, but I can assure you this bond is real. Painfully real. I'm nothing without you Diana. I don't know how I even survived before you. You give me purpose. You trusted me, which is hard for you, and I betrayed that trust. I know I fvucked up, but Diana baby, please give me a chance to explain why I did what I did." He spoke just loud enough for her to hear, which wasn't hard considering she was in wolf form. He poured his soul out to her in hopes of getting a second chance. She had every right not to grant him another chance though. She let him in just enough to gain her trust and he ruined it.

Diana let out a loud and painful growl which quickly turned to a whine. Not being able to stand the distance, Kai made his way towards her step-by-step. He slowly made it across the meadow staring into his mate's eyes the entire way. When he was in reaching distance of her, he slowly lifted his hand to stroke her head and to his surprise, she let him. Kai once again released small tears from his eyes, but as they made their way down his cheek Diana licked them away which caused a small chuckle to escape him.

Diana stared at her hypnotizing mate. His blue eyes looked like the color of the sea at night in this lighting and his skin looked golden from the sun's rays. She was in unbearable pain and felt a relentless urge to go see him, after fighting with her wolf, she ended up uncontrollably shifting and seeking Kai out. Diana knew he would be here because she had been keeping a close eye on him for the past few weeks. As she stared harder into his ocean eyes, she felt the hurt and betrayal he had left her with return to the surface. She wasn't ready. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready, so she rushed off back to her home leaving her mate despite the pain she knew she'd feel.