Against the Odds

Love

Diana rolled over to the other side of her bed and scanned the empty space. She had grown so used to Kai's presence in her life in just the short time they spent together. This night was no different than the past 22 nights in which sleep seemed to be impossible and thinking about her mate was the only thing she could do. However, instead of getting up and going for a run in her wolf, this time she opted to stay under her warm covers and pretend Malakai was with her still. She knew not even exercise could keep her from thinking about the encounter they had that day. He looked so pale and almost sickly. He had distinct bags under his eyes, he wore rumpled clothes that did not smell clean, and his hair laid carelessly over his forehead. He was in need of a haircut indeed, a good night's sleep and judging by the weight he's lost, a decent meal too. The sight of him left her worried for his health and well-being despite the pain he'd caused her. He was still her mate and whether she wanted to or not she cared for him deeply.

Once again, Diana lay in her bed conflicted.

On one hand, Malakai had betrayed her trust, lied to her, and ended up being a witch! What if he practiced dark magic or something?! She can no longer trust him to be the person she thought he was. He broke her heart.

But on the other hand, Malakai Nathaniel Strong is the sole holder of her heart and always will be. Diana always thought she was indestructible and a force to be reckoned with, but he brought her to her knees. She only cared for a select group of people: Xavier, her parents, and above all: Malakai. Xavier has always been like a big brother to her and she cherishes that relationship. He also is a great alpha to the pack and is loved by all its members. Her parents taught her everything she knows about being fearless, strong, loyal, and passionate. There isn't a day that goes by without Diana remembering the ultimate sacrifice her parents made for their pack and for her. She owes them everything. The care she has for the people in her life is fierce and unwavering.

Malakai made it onto the short list of people she loved, and he hurt her.

No matter how much pain she was in from their separation, she could not easily forgive that.

Love? Do I really love Kai? Despite everything?

The knew realization left her breathless.

I loved my parents and I love X, but what I feel for Kai is nothing like that. It's deeper, an all-consuming presence of intense emotions for him.

She thought back to a conversation her mom had with her about her future mate:

Young Diana was tucked in tight to her bed ready for her mom to wish her a goodnight. Dad was always caught up with work to come home at her bedtime but he more than made up for it in their father-daughter training sessions.

Her mom came into her room and sat down at the edge of her bed, "You ready for bed hun'?" Diana nodded and awaited her bedtime story. It was a quick story about a queen who fought an evil dragon in order to keep her crown and save the people of her kingdom. Diana asked about the king and the topic of soulmates eventually came up.

"Why's a mate so important mama?" the little girl asked. She looked up at her mom with her big silver eyes that she could never resist.

Her mama stroked her hair and said, "Baby, one day you'll meet your person and they'll become so entangled into your soul, there could never be a day you cease to love them with everything in you. And when you find that person, never let your pride get in the way of your happiness. I made that mistake and caused a lot of unnecessary grief. If you find someone that makes you love yourself more, weaves their way into your soul, and makes you happy, don't ever let them go. And remember, I'll always love you no matter what. You are my pup and you are forever a part of me, even if your left hook needs a lot of work." The two then burst into beautiful fit of laughter.

Diana smiled at the memory or her and her mother. She then wiped the small tears that had made their way down her cheeks.

This crying thing is really driving me nuts.

With her mother's words ringing in her head, she made a decision.

It was time to talk to a certain witch.

&

"Doing some vampire hunting, Mrs. McGuiness?" Kai asked the woman who had been a regular since he was in middle school. Today, her blonde hair was swept up into a clip with a few strands loose. Her green eyes lit with amusement.

"Oh please, Malakai, you know vamps don't need to be hunted anymore especially not by me and how many times have I told you to call me Eva!" She laughed and shook her head at the young man's banter.

"You never can be too sure, Eva. Anyway, how are the kiddos of yours?" Kai questioned, genuinely curious because he had been around her children for a large chunk of his life. They're younger than him by many years but he still bonded with them during their frequent trips to the store with their mother.

"Well, I just found out that Kayla has a boyfriend who is older than her, she's 15 and he's 17, and I don't know if they're fated or not! And Auggie is starting to apply to colleges so that's been pretty stressful, but luckily Jessabelle is still my little angel and made straight A's this year and is taking 9th grade math classes as a 7th grader! Oh, my they grow up so fast!" Kai listened intently to Ms. McGuiness talk about the kids he's grown to care for. The McGuiness family made him feel like one of them, he didn't feel lonely when they were around. He was thankful for their friendship over the years, he needed people growing up and they are the kind of people that would take in any stray dog.

"You need to bring in Kayla and her boyfriend in her ASAP because I need to make sure he's good enough for her and he isn't pressuring her. It might be easier coming from me since I'm like a cool young uncle." Malakai finished his sentence with a smile and a confident smirk. He was glad Eva McGuiness stopped by, he needed his spirits lifted after the days he's had, "Oh, and I can help Auggie with his applications if he wants. I got into every school I applied to, but dad had me go to the local university so I could still work here."

"That would be amazing Mali, thank you so much sweetheart!" Eva smiled brightly at him and chuckled at his visible cringe due to her use of his nickname given to him by baby Kayla.

As if a wind had rushed past him quickly, he suddenly could sense her presence. The bells on the door jingled upon her entrance and just like the day they met, their eyes connected, and their hearts synced together at a fast pace.

Sensing the change in atmosphere, Eva left with her new book and promised to see Malakai soon.

"Hi." Diana muttered once they were alone. She stood with perfect posture and her arms crossed. She didn't want her body language to reflect the wrong message. She was here to talk, to understand, not necessarily forgive, "We have some things to discuss."