I'm Still Me

Chapter Three

(Jessica's POV)

I can't believe they thought they could keep me there. I am a pro at being a witch. They had no chance. I do feel sorry for them, though. I can't believe Lana would choose them over me. I am suppose to be her best friend. She probably knew that her soon to be alpha is the same guy that broke my heart five years ago. She was probably planning this the whole time. Ugh, I am so stupid. I wonder how long I've been running. It feels like a few days, but I'm pretty sure it has only been a few hours. I just have to cross into someone else's land and I'm home free. At least, I hope so. Another hour passes and the border comes into view. I pull at what magic I have left and transport myself three miles across the border. I fall to my knees in exhaustion. As I'm sitting there breathing heavily, I hear a rustling in the trees. I look around the clearing nervously. I don't have enough magic left to fight anyone off. In fact, I don't have any magic left. My escape depleted me. I need to rest up for a little bit to get it back. Suddenly, ten wolves come out from behind the trees. I take a deep breath and stand up.

"Hi,"I start,"My name is Jessica Alden. I don't have the energy to fight you, and I really don't want to fight you. All I ask is that we sit down and talk like civilized people."

I paused a moment to give them the chance to speak. At first, it looked like they were not gonna take me up on my offer of sitting down and talking. Then, the one who seemed to be the leader transformed back into a man. The other nine followed after him.

"Ok,"the leader said,"Let's talk.

I breathed a sigh of relief and fell into step behind him as he led the way.

***
Arriving at the pack house, I am taken to the Alpha's office. He sits down and stares at me for awhile. Finally his face breaks out into a smirk. I wasn't intimidated or anything, but it made me a little uneasy.

"So are you gonna tell me why you are running from your mate?"he asked.

"How did you know about that?"I asked.

"The alpha of his pack contacted me,"he replied,"He told me that his son's mate who just so happens to be a powerful witch ran away. Before I send you back to him, I want to know why you ran away."

"It doesn't matter,"I said crossing my arms across my chest.

"Is he hurting you?"he asked with concern lacing his voice.

"Not in the way you mean,"I replied looking away.

"Then, I have no problem letting him take you home with him,"he said," Your mate is outside waiting for you. Since you don't have anymore magic left in you to fight, I suggest you go with him. I think he truly loves you. Not just anyone would risk my wrath for someone. You are obviously very special to him."

Sighing, I stand up and head towards the door. It's not like I am going to tell a complete stranger about my past. If this were five years ago, I would have ran back into his arms without hesitation, but this is now. He lost all chances he had with me the moment he walked away. If Nate thinks he can waltz right back into my life and I will throw myself at him like I used to, he has another thing coming. I walk out of the pack house and keep walking. I don't acknowledge 'my mate'. I don't get in the car. I just walk.

***
(Nate's POV)

How dare she? How dare she walk right past me and my car? I don't care what she thinks is going to happen, but she is coming with me. I walk after her and pull her towards the car. Buckling her into the passenger seat, I run around to the other side of the car and jump in.

"We will talk about this when we get home,"I told her in a stony voice.

She just ignores me and looks out the window. I take a deep breath to calm my wolf down. He is pissed off at her right now. Before you get the wrong idea, no, he won't hurt her. No matter how much she pisses him off, he won't stay mad for long. In fact, his anger is already fading with every second that passes. Twenty minutes later we arrive at the pack house and I get out and go to her side. I open her door and pull her out and into the house. I walk right past the living room and straight up the stairs ignoring every glance we get. Once we get in the room, I shut the door and turn to face her.

"What the fuck, Jessica?"I said,"You could have been killed, or worse. Do you want to die? Are you that intent on killing me? Because I can honestly tell you that if you die, I die. Do you even care?"

"Not really,"she said in a bored tone.

"What the hell happened to you?"I whispered.

She just shrugged her shoulders and laid down on the bed. I watched as she drifted off to sleep. Something was totally off. Where is the peppy cheerleader that I fell in love with all those years ago? Where is the girl who would smile so wide that her eyes practically glowed? Where is the girl that whose eyes would light up with just one glimpse of me? What happened to that girl? Why has MY mate changed so drastically in the past five years? I know I should've expected this when Lana said she was a different person now, but I thought she meant that she had simply grown up. I know I was confident about being able to break through her walls, but now I'm not so sure.

***
(Jessica's POV)

I woke up to an empty room. I tried to use one of the many spells I knew, but nothing happened. What the hell? This has only happened once, and that was when someone put a magic free barrier around me. Shit! Why is Nate so intent upon keeping me here? He couldn't have cared less when he got into his parent's car that day without saying goodbye. I thought we were in love. Now that I know we really were in love, it just pisses me off. How could he leave me when he knew I was his mate.

"Oh good. You're awake,"Nate said walking in the room with only a pair of basketball shorts on. Hey! No judging. I can't help staring at him like this. For fuck's sake, he is fucking hot.

"Rendered you speechless, eh?"he said walking towards me slowly like a predator. Damn him. Why does he have to be so sexy.

"Like what you see, sweetheart?"he asked smirking at me.

"Shut up, Asshole,"I manage to squeak out. He just laughs. The gull of him.

"Oh, how you wound me, Jessie,"he says with a wink. Flustered, I turn my to him and ignore his laughter at my reaction.

"Don't be that way, baby,"he said wrapping his arms around my waist. He kisses my cheek and my neck and my shoulder. It takes everything I have to push him away. I mean, what the hell, he is my mate.

"Don't you ever do that again,"I said," And stop calling me baby. I am not your baby. You lost the right to call me that five years ago."

He stares at me for the longest time before he turns and leaves the room. But not before I hear him mumble something that freezes me in my place.

"And that's something I will be trying to make up to you for the rest of my life, because I will always love you. Whether you love me or not."