CHAPTER TEN

The sound of Kole’s howl reaches me, even though I know he’s far away by now. My soul can hear him even louder than my ears can.

Does that mean he’s my mate?

To be fair, there are a few things that have made me consider the Kole might be my mate.

We have had this crazy connection since the moment we met. Being with him feels different than being with anyone else in the best way possible.

I feel this strong pull towards him. It feels like I’ve known him forever, even though we just met.

They’re all the kinds of signs I thought I might feel when I met my mate.

Then again, I thought I already met my mate in Troy.

Troy stirs up these strange feelings inside me too, though they’re not nearly as strong as the way I feel about Kole.

Being near Troy feels amazing. And it was starting to seem like he felt the same way.

Heather surely thought he felt the same way. That’s why she’s been so jealous of me lately.

So, who is my mate? Am I running away from the wrong person?

I’m not sure I want to be close to anyone right now though after what happened in my pack and then what’s been happening since I joined this new pack. It seems like being close to people only brings me pain, so maybe it’s best that I’m alone.

Still, I find myself running towards my new pack because I’m not sure I’m ready to be on my own yet. I’m not sure that I can handle that.

Though I hate it there, I kind of want to be in my bed. I want to curl up with my stuff and cry for a decade or two.

Before I reach the pack’s territory, I’m stopped by wolves running towards me.

We shift into humans before we collide into each other.

“Kierra!” Troy says, as he runs to me.

I freeze for a moment, worried.

Is he upset at me for what happened last night? Is he embarrassed by me? Why is he out here?

Then, he hugs me. He holds me tight right in front of his friends who are with him.

I hug him back and it feels surreal that Troy and I could meet in this way. It’s everything I’ve wanted, but I’m not sure how to even begin to process it.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he mumbles. “I was so worried about you, and I’m so sorry about everything that happened.”

“I’m sorry too,” I say. “I didn’t mean to make such a mess of myself last night. I didn’t mean to ruin the party.”

“That’s not your fault at all,” he assures me. “It’s completely Heather’s fault, and…”

Troy pauses and turns to his friends. I suspect that now is when he reveals he’s joking.

This has to be a joke. There’s no way he’s truly expressing his feelings about me in front of them.

“Could you give us a moment,” he says. “I’ve found her and I appreciate your willingness to help me find her. Now I want some time alone with the woman I truly adore.”

A warm feeling flickers in my heart as his friends leave us.

“Do you mean that?” I ask. “Do you truly adore me?”

“I do,” he says. “I’m sorry I didn’t show it before, but I do. And I’m ready to prove that to you now. I’m going to show you just how much you mean to me every day moving forward.”

It’s incredible to hear and this time it feels real. This time it’s not some cruel prank. This time I know Troy is being genuine about how he feels.

“It’s so great to hear you say that,” I say. “I’ve been waiting for so long and…”

And I pause because I have been waiting for so long. I’ve been there right in front of him and…

“And you were always part of the people bullying me instead,” I say. “I’ve wanted you to notice me. I’ve wanted you to like me. But you’ve always taunted me instead.”

Troy’s cheeks turn red under the heat of the truth.

“I have made a lot of horrible choices,” he admits. “And I’m sorry about that, Kierra. I truly am. I know it’s not okay. I know I should’ve stood up for you.

“It was difficult accepting my feelings for you. It was difficult going against everything I’ve grown to know. That’s why it’s taken me some time to figure all this out.

“But you’re worth it and I want to show you that now. I want to be better for you. I am going to be better for you moving forward.”

As I look at Troy though, I think of Kole.

I think of how Kole didn’t have to have this internal inner battle when he faced his feelings towards me. He saw me and he knew I was his mate. He wasn’t afraid to tell me how he felt right away.

Despite what others might think of him, I know Kole wouldn’t make fun of me just to go along with the crowd. He wouldn’t make me feel awful to make himself look better.

He wouldn’t do the kinds of things Troy has done to me.

And though I feel an intense chemistry with Troy, I’m not sure I want to be with someone who makes fun of other people like that.

Sure, he says he’ll change. He’s shown he’ll change by coming out after me like this, by showing his friends that he cares about me.

But maybe it’s too late. Maybe he’s not my true mate anyway.

“I’m sorry, Troy,” I say. “I care about you a lot. But it’s a little too late for that.

“I appreciate you looking for me, but you’re not my mate. I already have a mate. And though I thought it was you, it’s not.”

He looks at me in shock, like I just slapped him across his face. I’m kind of shocked too. I never thought I’d be the one rejecting Troy. But Kole has changed everything.

“I don’t get it,” he says. “I thought we were mates. How can you do this to me?”

“No matter how many times you say sorry, I know my true mate would’ve never treated me the way you did,” I tell him. “He wouldn’t have been able to.

“I forgive you for everything, Troy. But now it’s time for me to go to my true mate. And I truly hope with my whole heart that you find yours too.”

Then, I shift into my wolf form and run back to where I saw Kole last.