Three Fated Hearts by LNC novel Chapter 78

~Mark~

I feel wretched! I swear my body is sluggish, and my mind is hazy. I’ve felt this way since Jenna left the territory. I’ve been struggling with training and my duties as the future Beta of the pack. I’ve tried to keep the twins out of it as much as possible, relying on Tia to talk it out with me.

She has been off as well. I guess finding out that your sisters wanted to, possibly, kill you is enough to have anyone acting off. We have relied on each other to get gain some sort of semblance. Lynn has also been helping us, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Our parents are in front of the packhouse now, welcoming the guests for tomorrow’s ceremony. I had planned to join them, but I just couldn’t put the fake smile on my face and pretend. I’d have to pretend that my heart and soul aren’t hurting. That angers me! Why should I be hurting? Why should I want someone that is clearly no good for me? It isn’t just Cato who yearns for her; I hate myself for that. Out of all of the she-wolves I could have been fated to, it just had to be her, Jenna.

A knock on my door brings me out of my thoughts. “Yeah?” My door is pushed open, and Lynn stands in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her. “What’s up? Did mom and dad need me?”

“No, they are still performing their last duties as Beta male and female. Look,” Lynn shifts from foot to foot. She looks a bit nervous.

“What?” Lynn sighs and walks into my room, sitting on my bed next to me.

“I know that Jenna isn’t the best example of a loving mate that there is, but there is something about her. I don’t think she’s as bad as she seems.” I scoff. My sister, always so sentimental.

“Are you kidding me right now? She came here to break up a union, to get the twins to ditch Tia and pick her. How is that not horrible?”

“I didn’t say that what she did wasn’t bad. I said she isn’t as bad as she seems.” I roll my eyes, causing Lynn to hit my arm. “I think you should at least talk to her; let her show you who she is.”

“Yeah let me open myself up and let her use me to get to the twins.”

“URGH! Seriously?!” Lynn stands up and starts to pace. “You act like she kept going after the twins once she found you. You act as if she didn’t leave the territory abruptly, I mean how can she get the twins if she isn’t here? You can’t really be so dense that you don’t see the change in her all since you made yourself known to her.”

“She should have just accepted the rejection. It would be easier that way.” Lynn stops pacing and looks at me.

“Easier for who exactly? You may have rejected her, but you sure don’t act like a wolf that wants nothing to do with their mate. You can at least talk to her.”

“I, also, came to see you. I came to…..” I cross my arms across my body.

“You came to accept my rejection, finally.” Jenna’s face falls, and I can feel a pang in my heart. I swallow, trying not to show that I’m affected.

“I…just let me say what I came to say and if you want me to accept your rejection after, I will. I won’t fight you anymore.” I look at her, trying to find any untruth in her words, but I detect none. I nod, indicating that she should continue. Jenna sighs and turns back to the mantle. “I lived my life acting. You know people have a certain view when it comes to Alpha children. Many see us as spoiled and arrogant. Many want to be friends with us because of our status, not really caring about who we really are. I pretended that all of those views that others had of me were the real me and conducted myself in that way. I was the prissy, spoiled, arrogant b***h that ran to daddy to get whatever she wanted. That was never the real me though.” Jenna turns to face me. “The problem is that I pretended for so long that I forgot I was pretending.” Jenna sits in an armchair adjacent to the couch.

“I know I came here for the wrong reasons the first time. I…..I thought I was coming here to get what I wanted, what I deserved. I was so wrong. I had no right to try to break up a couple just because of what I wanted. I should have never made a deal with the Luna or came here to cause any trouble. I’m….I’m glad I did though.” My back straightens, and I look at Jenna like she’s crazy. She chuckles and closes her eyes. “If I hadn’t have showed up, no matter the f**ked up reason, I wouldn’t have found you. I’m grateful for that. I’m so sorry that you are fated to someone who doesn’t deserve you. You are way too good for me and I know you’ll want to have all that you deserve.” Jenna gets up and walks toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder. The sparks under her hand make butterflies appear in my stomach, and I inhale sharply.

“I’m so sorry. I want you to know that I apologized to the twins and Tia. If you want me to accept your rejection, I will. Just….just don’t make me do it right now. I don’t think I can take it right now. I know I don’t deserve to ask anything of you, but just…..just give me some time.” I see a tear fall from Jenna’s eyes while she runs to the door and disappears through it.