#Chapter 2: My choice

Annie’s POV

Every muscle in Eric’s back tenses up. I brace myself for his reaction, whether that might be apathy, amusement, or anger. Unfortunately, I don’t expect him to be apologetic.

Eric has never apologized to me once in his life. Instead, he either buys me something expensive or turns the situation around to where I’m apologizing to him. God, please don’t let this be one of those situations.

I already wish I could take the words back and it be as if I never said them. I’ve never known anything but my love for Eric. What am I going to do without him? I almost begin to backtrack, but Eric grabs my wrist and fear constricts my voice.

Seething with anger Eric gets close to my face. “Don’t be ridiculous, Annie.” He growls through gritted teeth, “If this stupid necklace isn’t enough, I’ll buy you the latest haute couture dresses,” His breath is hot like fire.

I’ve never seen him this angry and that’s probably because he’s never been rejected before. Still, I stare back at him in disbelief. It’s not his anger that surprises me, it’s the clarity of how little he knows me. “I don’t want any of those things,” I tell him. How does he not know that about me by now?

I look around the room and scoff. I finally realize why the bedroom has marbled flooring, our ceiling is adorned with high exposed beams, and our sheets are one thousand thread accounts.

All of these things aren’t because Eric cherishes me, it’s because he thinks I need it to be pacified.

That’s the kind of woman he believes I am. The kind of woman who only wants his wealth and status. Funny, the only thing I’ve ever asked him for, begged him for, was to love me.  

Eric’s grip tightens around my wrist and I know it’s going to leave a mark. “You married me for those things, didn’t you?”

There’s a hatred in his eyes and despite my fear, I still feel sorry for him. “And then in return, you’re expected to be the perfect wife and fulfill your dutiful part.” Eric continues.

At that moment, I realize Eric only married me because I’m his fated mate. He never really loved me at all, not like how he did with Mia. How could I have been so stupid? Without waiting for an answer, Eric casts my arm to the side and then storms out of the room.

I slump to the ground, unable to bear the weight of this heartbreak anymore. The decision is final. I can’t stay married to someone who doesn’t truly love me and no matter what I say or do, Eric will never believe that I actually loved him. That I do love him.

I spend the rest of the day packing my things. I don’t know where Eric went, but I hope I never see him again. It takes me a while to get through every room in the house, but not very long to throw what’s actually mine in a suitcase.

I’m not taking any of the expensive jewelry or the fancy clothes. All I’m taking are my drawings and notes- the things that matter to me. When I’m done, I look at the small suitcase that’s been with me since I was a child.

All my life, I’ve always been able to fit everything I own into this one suitcase. That and the clothes on my back. Unfortunately, being a lone wolf isn’t new to me.

I look around the room and notice how it still looks the same, like I never made any imprint on it. This room, this house, is all Eric and no Annie, no matter how much Eric thinks he has to buy all these things for me.

Maybe now that I’m gone, he’ll see none of it was for me to begin with. I wonder if Eric will think I took anything at all. No. Stop it. I scold myself. It doesn’t matter what Eric thinks.

I try to stop my mind from thinking at all and only focus on the present. If I stop and think, I might just break.

Descending down the grand staircase, I try not to reflect on how many times I’ve been up and down the steps, and never once did it occur to me there would come a day when I no longer walked on them at all.

Leaving behind this realization and all of the other memories of this house, I open the front door ready to run and never look back.

Except, as soon as I open the door, I can’t go anywhere because Mia stands right in front of me.

She lowers her hand which I assume was just about ready to knock. I must be hallucinating. Only when Mia pushes me aside and steps into our house.

“Well, don’t seem so surprised to see me,” Mia says, stepping past me and coming into our house. The sight of her entering our house while I leave it sickens me. “I was part of the pack after all,” I close my mouth only now realizing it was hanging open.

“What are you doing here?” I ask though I’m not sure I can stomach whatever the answer might be. Mia looked pleased that I asked, letting a sly smile spread across her face.

“I think it’s only fair that you know,”

“Know what?” I ask the impatience chipping away at my tone. Mia inspects her perfectly polished nails.

“That Eric and I are in love and I am carrying his child. So l'm here to move in, because now that I'm pregnant Eric said he'd take care of me” she exclaimed much too happily.

"What?" I seethed.

"That's right," she continued,"so you should get out of our house."

"You're pregnant?" Those words suddenly leave a bad taste in my mouth compared to earlier. It all makes sense, the time Eric spent away, seeing them together at the hospital. As each moment passes reality becomes solidified as my heart becomes like stone, harder and harder.

Just then the sound of the back door opening cuts through the air. “Eric!” Mia cries out as though she’s relieved to see him. She clutches her stomach and paints on a pained look. “Annie just shoved me, she wants to hurt my baby.”

It takes me a minute to realize what she is plotting and in that time Eric stumps over. A flash of anger crosses his face and he shoves me aside. “What is wrong with you, Annie?” Eric yells. "I didn't know you were so cruel." he spits out, distain dripping from his words. He doesn’t see it, but Mia smirks. He rans straight to Mia. He believes her automatically, not even asking me my opinion, not even asking if I was okay. He chose Mia.

With my wolf howling in pain and my own heart freezing over. I hear someone laughing coldly, then realize it’s me. "Thank you for making everything clear" I seeth.

"I, Annie, reject Eric as my mate." l says the word shakily. I feel the bond snap within, causing a jolt of indescribable pain.

"What are you doing?!"Eric snaps.

I cast one final glance at Eric, knowing it’ll be the last time I ever see him, he stares back at me his eyes wide and his jaw slack. “We’re done. It’s over,” I tell him and as the words leave the mouth I become even more certain that something in me snaps. I can physically feel it.

I run past Mia, tears blurring my vision.

Not thinking clearly, I run out into the street. I hear the blaring of a horn and then the force of a metallic ton slamming into me. Although beyond all of that, what hurts the most is my wolf leaving my body.

The spiritual link between Eric and I is broken and that is what causes me to howl out in pain.

In my daze, one thing is clear, that I must be dying.