4: Not Going to Lose Her

ATLAS

“Jade…Jade, wai-” She brushed past me, not giving me another second to say anything.

Had I heard right? A divorce?

“She’s joking, right?” I asked Andrew who just shrugged and went back to what he was doing.

I’d even forgotten he was behind us until I saw the shocked look on his face when she walked past.

She had to be joking. Jade couldn't be asking for a divorce. Not after four years.

She's been here for four years and she has never complained for once but all of a sudden she wanted a divorce?

“I should talk to her.” I said to myself.

But I doubted she would listen to me. I really wanted to be here but Annie said I had to be present at the hospital during her check up and since it ran late. I had no choice but to stay longer than I had planned. But I made sure to come as soon as I was finished.

“Hey, are you guys cool? I mean, she's not mad about anything, is she?”

Andrew simply shook his head.

He was the only one that could tell me anything about Jade. I knew they were best friends and he was basically the only person that Jade let come close to her.

“But tell me, what’s been going on with Jade lately? What do you know? I mean, is she upset about anything? Is anything going on in her life?”

I was actually interested in knowing what he was going to say but he simply shook his head, indicating that nothing was going on.

Why was everyone giving me a cold shoulder today? I had a feeling he was sharing in Jade's anger that I didn't attend the wedding so I decided to feed him what he wanted.

“Drew, listen, I know I screwed up but something came up and I couldn't be here earlier. Things have just been crazy and I haven't had time for her-”

“But that's the issue, Atlas. You've never had time for her.” He shrugged, giving me a pointed look. “Before, you simply didn't regard her and now, it's all about Annie. When will it be about her?"

Andrew was angry which was fair but everything happened so quickly with everyone asking me for everything too early.

“Andrew, I'll admit that I haven't been the best husband but you don't know the half of it. You know, we haven't had the best marriage. I just met her and I found out that she was my mate and I was supposed to marry her when I had a girlfriend of three years who I loved so much.”

Thinking back to that time when I just found out that I had to marry her was a nightmare. I hated my parents so much and Jade was the centre of my hatred and anger. It wasn't fair on her. But at the time, she was the only one I was seeing and she looked quite satisfied with herself.

I loved Annie and I had looked forward to starting a life with her only to be told that I had to marry someone else.

“It wasn't her fault. Do you think she wanted to get married?”

I nodded.

“I know, I know she didn't ask for it. But after four years, I've seen her, Drew. I've seen how strong and resilient she is. She's an amazing woman and a wonderful Luna.”

Andrew came to sit beside me.

“Are we still talking about Jade?"

I laughed.

“Yes, yes we are. And she loves me. She loves me so much that it'll be very cruel of me to deny it. So I just live with it. I'm trying so hard, so hard to return how she feels.”

“Well, it doesn't look that way with the way you carry Annie around. Everyone can see it, you don't care about Jade's feelings.”

Was that what it looked like?

“I do… I just. Annie is pregnant.” I sighed. “It was a mistake… sleeping with Annie was a stupid mistake but now, she's pregnant and I can't do anything about the baby. Besides, everyone is on my neck for a baby. The pack needs an heir.”

I couldn't do anything about the baby even if I wanted to. The baby was innocent and I had to think about the future of the pack.

“So what are you going to do? Because Jade seems pretty sure she wants a divorce.”

I couldn't divorce her, she was my Luna.

“I can't give her what she's asking for. I can't give her a divorce. Jade is my Luna and no one is going to take that away from her. She deserves that position.”

“So how're you going to convince her?”

I had no idea. Andrew was the only person I knew she listened to, the only person she spent time with.

“Could you help me talk to her? Just help me make her see reason. Let her know that divorce isn't the way to go. We've been together for four years, she wants to just throw that away?”

“You didn't think about that when you slept with Annie and got her pregnant. You didn't think about that either when you brought another woman into your home with her and cast her aside like a dog."

He was right. Jade had every reason to divorce me and I deserved it. It doesn’t mean I’m going to let her. She won’t get rid of that easily.

“Listen.” he stood up on his feet “I’ll try my best but I can't do much, okay? I don't need her getting mad at me."

I thanked him and watched as he walked out of the room. He was my only hope.

If Jade divorced me, it would mean that she would become without a pack and that would make her a rogue. Jade didn't know how to live on her own so life would be hell for her.

Life has been tough for her and with her grandmother's death now, I was sure she wasn't thinking straight.

“Atlas,” Andrew walked back up to me “If you're truly sorry, you should show it. Small gestures count."

I thought hard about what I could get her.

My phone rang and I saw that it was Annie. I was about to pick up when my recent conversation rang in my mind so I ended the call and put the phone back in my pocket.

Flowers. Every woman loved flowers right?

I decided to get her some lilies I saw and on the way, I got the best idea ever and I was sure she was going to love it.

“Is it ready? Can I see?”

The clerk handed me the box and I gently opened it.

It was a locket with her mother and grandmother's pictures in it.