Princess of the Wolves

8.

I had grown to care for Dimitri so much. His strong spirit, his remarkable plans, and his hope were so influential. He seemed to be right for me, but like the shattered mirror, this new love could never fix our broken relationship.

Jonah sighed, "I really didn't want to tell you about that, but I couldn't..." He sighed heavily and continued, "I couldn't let you get away." He had his elbows on his knees and head in his open palms.

"It's not your fault," I replied in a monotone. I was so unsure.

"Do you?"

"I..." I didn't know what to say. One little world would change my life forever. I had finally tried to get a handle on life and now I was casting myself into darkness. "I do." I surprised myself, because I sounded so sure and certain. I liked it, because it was a moment of knowing in so much uncertainty. I couldn't let the truth in what Jonah said go. Why had I never felt sparks like this before with Dmitri? I had never longed for him to be around all the time either.

A smile crept across Jonah's face. "I love you too," he said quietly. "You know," he said more charismatic than before, "You wouldn't have left if it he was really true." His points were so valid, and a part of me wanted to believe in Dimitri and that this was all just a hoax. I knew it wasn't. I knew that I was betrayed while Dmitri fully knew it. I could see him now, settling on a girl he though had a connection with and using his powerful title to make her think that he was right. He always knew she wasn't his true mate but went through it anyway to working on finding his true mate. To become king, he needed a mate. It was like an elaborate story, and I was the one who got played. It was painful to think about but not a heartbreak kind of way but an angry way.

"I should tell you," I told him, "My name isn't exactly Ari."

"Oh, there's a not exactly option here?" he joked with me.

I leaned against him, "It's my middle name. My whole name is Alicia Aribelle St. Laurent- Briarstone."

"That, my dear, is a painly long name," he laughed while we played with my hair. I nodded in agreement. "What do you want me to call you though?"

"Ari," I was so sure of myself, "A new beginning."

"Perfect," he bent down to kiss my forehead, then got up to leave. "You should get some sleep. It's late."

"You don't have to go..."

"I wish I didn't, but you still belong to him. I couldn't stay knowing that," he responded, shutting the door behind him.

The door clicked in place, leaving me on his bed alone. I didn't want him to leave; I finally had him. I sat there in the silence, blinking. Then, I decided that I was new now. I was Ari, and I was going to make decisions for myself. I hopped up and followed him out. He was already on the couch with a blanket on top of his bottom half. There was enough room so I squeezed beside him. "Hey turd," I called him, "Scoot over."

"Such a nice, respectable nickname," he replied as he moved over, giving me some room. "You're a stubborn one, aren't you?"

"Yes," I replied simply.

"I guess since you're already here, you have to stay?" he questioned.

"Yes."

"Good night, babe," he said, putting his arm overtop of me and pulling me close. "See, I'm nice with my nicknames."

I woke up alone in the bed and covers overtop of me. Had I dreamed everything? Was this all fake? I smiled, when I looked over the edge of the bed to see Jonah lying on the floor beside me, snoring softly.