Dani made a derisive sound and began to pace again, "difficult where my final exams, this has reached a new level of misery. I feel like a prisoner in my own skin." She scratched her arm furiously, "I itch to be free."
"That's just the beast within you. You will get used to it. You will learn to control it and until you do, I think you should stay here."
"I can’t," Dani looked at Jessica. "I can't deal with all of this, shifting, the worried look from our parents, Christian..." the jealousy eating me alive, she added to herself. It was something she wasn't proud of and for nothing in the world would she let it be known.
"Dani, shifting is a part of you know, the worried looks will stop and Christian is your mate-"
"I don't want a mate! This-" Dani and indicated everything around her, "this is you but I am not you and from tired of playing the part. I need to go out and find myself. I need to know who I am; away from trying to please everyone around me," Dani sighed heavily "I'm not fit to be anyone's mate."
Jessica walked around the desk to lean against the edge. She eyed her with indecision and worry, and Dani played her trump card.
"You owe me."
Seconds ticked by and neither one made a single move. It was a battle of wills and it was one battle that Dani wasn't ready to lose. She'd made up her mind as she wasn't going to stay here, with our without Jessica’s co-operation she was leaving.
Jessica turned to walk back to the desk, they were in Nick's office, and began to dig through one of the drawers. I have been a month since Jessica had woken up and she was positively glowing.
Dani envied her.
After living the life that was supposed to be Jessica’s all along, she knew it was wrong to envy her but she couldn't help it. She couldn't stay here, seeing both her and Nick happy with the child and so sure of each other’s love day by day. It was a constant reminder of everything that she had lost.
"Here you're going to need this."
Dani took the small vial from her and looked at the silver liquid inside. "Is this what I think it is?"
"Yes it is. I found it in my father's things when I went to Montana to claim my inheritance... I figure you're going to need it if you're really going through with this. I don't know what happened between you and Christian but I do know that he isn't going to let you go. That's only enough for a year or two and I hope that's all the time you need."
Dani pocketed the vial, “thanks, I owe you one."
Jessica shook her head, "We're even." Dani nodded and turned to go but Jessica stopped her half way to the door, “and Dani, we're family. I hope you find what you're looking for but if you don't, remember that you have us."
Dani smiled and on impulse ran to give her a hug. They drew apart and Jessica asked her, "Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah"
"Did you already tell our parents?"
"Yes, I just came from there, they don't know but Christian..." She shrugged "I just told them I needed to get away. They told me to tell you that they will be coming over in a bit to see the baby."
Jessica nodded and Dani pointed at the door behind her, "I'm going to get going. Thanks...for everything."
Jessica waved her thanks away. "Go, my mom-Layla will be waiting for you when you get off the plane."
They hugged one last time then Jessica watched her go.
Alone in the office, Jessica prepared herself for what was to come. She wasn't looking forward to breaking Christian’s heart. Jessica prayed that Dani quickly found what she was looking for and hurried back.
A couple of hours later Jessica was in the kitchen with baby Aleksey when Christian came barging in with a crumpled note in his hand. He looked ready to commit murder.
"Where is she?!"
"She left"
"Where did she go?"
Jessica shook her head, "She asked me not to tell you that."
"She is my mate."
"And she is my sister, she needs time."
Christian ignored her; he headed for the door and looked over his shoulder at her, daring her to stop him. "I'm going after her."
Minutes later Nick found him in his room packing his things. There was desperation in his movements that Nick recognized all too well. It was for that reason that he hated what he had to do.
"Put your things back."
Christian stood up straight, hands fisted at his sides. "Is that an order?"
Nick crossed his arms over his chest. "Does it have to be?"
Christian bit back a snarl. "How can you ask this of me? You, who knows what it's like to be separated from your mate."
Nick shook his head unable to answer him. He stepped into the room, sat on the bed and bid Christian to sit next to him. "I don't know what happened between the two of you when you first came here..." He paused to give Christian a chance to fill him in but he stayed quiet. Nick nodded, respecting his decision and continued, “she needs time and right now we need you here. I know it's unfair what I'm asking if you but I need to hear I can let you go. If it was any other time it wouldn't be a problem, you have to understand that."
Christian nodded but they were interrupted before he could speak.
"Matt's here and he wants us all in the office a.s.a.p." Axel told them.
Matt waited until they were all seated before pulling out a stack of gruesome pictures out of an envelope and setting them on the desk. They were old pictures of a murdered shifter and Jessica had the sick feeling that she knew who it was. Matt also sent a note written in big bold red letters next to them.
Jessica read the note out loud.
"She is next."
"The cat is out of the bag" Matt told them, "I'm not sure if they figured it out when you killed Kate or when you went up to Montana to claim your inheritance."
"So what do we do now?"
Nick stood up behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "We get ready for war."
####
Book two of The Chosen Mate Series, Matt and Sarah’s Story, “His Scorned Mate” coming soon.
Author Bio
Ariana Rodriguez, jack of all trades master of none. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, four year old daughter, a school of ‘Molly’ fish and one parakeet. Writing and reading helps her escape the everyday chaos of being a stay at home mom and she hopes that, like her, others will also lose themselves in the world of her stories.
The Heir Page 26