Chapter 86: Chapter 24

VIRGIL

Haley has been acting moody and distant since the graduation party. To avoid her, I asked Dec to assign me extra duties, and I’ve been steering clear of her bedroom unless Glory is with us.

We were reckless at the party and could have caused serious damage. I should have known better.

Usually, Alpha Troy would give a long, drawn-out speech, but the only thing he said was, “I’m disappointed in you, Virgil.” I felt the full weight of his words. He wasn’t disappointed that I had a girl in my bedroom, he was disappointed that the girl was the vessel for the Oracle and my actions could have killed her.

I could have killed Haley, and that’s the worst thing that could ever happen.

I don’t care if she finds her second mate and runs off into the sunset. As long as she’s alive, as long as I’m alive, I will always love her.

Today is my eighteenth birthday and Haley hasn’t said a word. I’ve asked her if she sees me finding my mate, but she always says no. I don’t understand why she’s so worried.

It’s not like I’m headed to the mates ball to look for someone that isn’t Haley. Hell, I have no intention of ever going to one of those.

Haley absentmindedly runs her finger over the grooves of the kitchen table in the pack house. I kiss the bump behind her ear. “What’s wrong, my beautiful Moon Flower?”

She looks up at me and gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I know you’re not worrying that I’ll find my mate. You told me yourself that I don’t.”

She shakes her head. “No, Virgil. I’ve never said that. I said I can’t see it. Anything regarding my future is blocked. All I see is white. Since you and I are together, you’re blocked too.”

Oh, fuck! All this time I misunderstood her. All this time I just assumed that I never find my mate. I have no words, but I understand her worry.

“Haley, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I… Goddess, you must think I’m such an asshole.”

I take hold of her dainty little hands. “Please, baby, don’t stress over it.”

A tear falls from her hazel eye and I catch it with my thumb. “How can I not stress? It’s all I think about.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know if I can handle it. I’ve told myself over and over again that I would be happy for you, but just the thought of you being with someone else is killing me.”

“Baby, we’ll work it out. We can handle it.”

She shakes her head as tears continue to fall down her face. “No. I can’t. I’m sorry, Virgil, but I can’t.”

“Haley, please. Don’t do this. I love you more than anything.”

“Until your mate shows up, and that’s what scares me. I love you too, but I can’t handle it. I’m sorry Virgil, I can’t be with you anymore.”

She kisses my forehead and rushes out the door. Glory rushes out just after her.

I’m in utter shock and disbelief. That didn’t just happen. My Moon Flower has wilted away into a pile of dust.

I look around me slack-jawed and an empty shell. I see Anna’s worried expression from across the room and reality slaps me in the face.

Haley just broke up with me. I get to my feet and walk out the door. She’s gone.

She’s gone and doesn’t plan on coming back. I pull out my phone and call her, but it just rings. I try again, and again, and again until it goes straight to voicemail.

~Haley! I know you can hear me. Don’t do this to me, please. Oh Goddess, please don’t do this to me, I beg you with all my heart and soul.~

Silence. She refuses to answer me and I can’t take it. I strip down and let out my wolf before I tear my clothes to shreds.

HALEY

Oh Goddess, it hurts so much. I can’t even see to drive through the tears, so Glory is. His words repeat in my mind over and over like a broken record.

I didn’t plan for this to happen, it just kind of did. It’s killing me, but deep down, I know I made the right choice.

We both knew we wouldn’t be together, couldn’t be together. It’s not in our future.

I search his future to prove to myself how right I am, but it’s still white. Maybe I’m still too tied right now, but eventually everything will clear and I’ll see him happily mated and loving her more than he could ever love me, and that’s the reason I ran.

Realta is at the porch when we get home. She holds her arms out and I crash into her chest to weep my heart out.

She doesn’t say anything and just lets me cry until I’m too tired to keep my eyes open. I stay in bed for days wondering if I screwed up, but I know I didn’t.

Virgil stopped calling on day one and hasn’t tried to link me again either. What a great thing to do to a person on his birthday.

Goddess, I’m a horrible, selfish bitch. Glory knocks on my door carrying a plate of food. “You’ve got to get out of bed. It’s been two weeks.”

Holy Goddess above, two weeks? I guess I’ve lost track of time. Glory clears her throat and I look up at her.

I can see she wants to say something. “Just say it Glory.”

I curl my arms around my pillow and pull my blanket higher up my shoulder. “Anna called. They haven’t seen Virgil since that morning. He’s still linked, but Alpha Redd is worried he’s going feral. He doesn’t respond to anything.”

I sit up in my bed, throwing my cover away. “What! He can’t, he…”

I look for Virgil and find him in his wolf hunting down a rabbit. I watch his future until he no longer has any sense of himself.

Oh no, no. This can’t happen to him. He’s better than this. I make a choice then check his future again with the same outcome.

I try other ideas until finally everything goes white. This is hopeless. Screw it!

~Virgil~? I say softly. ~Virgil, please go back. Everyone is worried about you. I’m worried~ ~about you.~

VIRGIL

“You weren’t so worried about me when you ripped my heart out.” My wolf howls in anguish to the empty night sky.

I stop listening to the pleading in my mind and wander further into the woods. Shutting everything out is the only way to dull the pain.

I catch up to the rabbit trail I’ve been tracking and let my wolf take over. My reflexes spring into action as the rabbit rushes from its hiding spot and the chase is on.

I finish every bite then rinse my muzzle in the creek. My claws scratch into the wet earth and mulch.

I turn in a circle to lay down for the night.

That soft melodic voice haunts me, making my ears flick, but I ignore it. There’s only prey in these woods and I’m a predator. I fear nothing.

A soft breeze carries an unfamiliar scent across my nose. I stand tall and proud, ready to chase it off.

My hackles are up, making me larger, and my teeth are bared. My muscles coil, ready to spring into action as the scent nears.

I snarl a warning, but the scent moves closer.

A soft glow catches my attention and an unsolicited whimper escapes my throat. ~No! I am predator. You shall fear me.~

A figure steps out from behind the bushes then crouches down to my level. My tail tucks under me and another whimper escapes.

“That’s right, Virgil. Come back.” The figure’s words are softly spoken and my animalistic senses escape me.

“Very good. Push the animal back and bring your true self forward.”

I want to listen to the figure, but my wolf is fighting for control. ~My wolf. I’m only part wolf.~

I have a human side. Is that what the figure wishes from me? Does it wish to speak to me?

My mind clears and my eyes fill with recognition; not a figure, a woman.

The world changes around me and new colors enter my vision. My eyes are no longer near the forest floor, but as high as the branches of the trees.

The cool breeze tickles my skin, causing my body to shiver.

The woman’s soft smile puts me at ease.

“Virgil.” She speaks my name. ~My name. My human name.~

“That’s right, Virgil. Your human name. You are not meant to be only wolf. Wolves are animals and their minds are primitive. Your human mind has reason, knowledge, and understanding. Your humanity must not be lost to the animal.”

My wolf retracts from my mind and memories come crashing down on me. The hurt, the pain.

It’s enough to crush a man and it drops me to my knees. I lean into my hands to stop myself from falling further to the ground.

My arms and legs are shaking and my stomach is knotted. My heart is rapidly beating, but I wish it were not a part of me. It was crushed and is no longer whole.

“Virgil. Your pain is justifiable. You loved her so completely, but she was not yours to love. She belongs to me and I can’t let you have her.”

A growl emanates from deep within me.

“I will never stop loving her.”

“That may be, but I have need of you too.”

“Why should I help you?”

“Because that is your purpose.”

I look up to the woman and see that the light is not surrounding her, but coming from within her.

Her smile returns to her face and my existence feels minuscule to the Goddess before me.

“Forgive me, Goddess. I did not recognize you.”

“You could not recognize me until you regained your senses. Now that you have, I will tell you again. I have need of you.”

“What must I do?”

“You must divert the love in your heart from my vessel to all of my children. My children are divided and they cannot become one without you. You have a new purpose to occupy your heart and your mind. Your alpha searches for you, and your family and pack worry for your safety. Return to your pack and work to help those in need of assistance. Make strong those who are weak. Help those that cannot help themselves. Return now, my child.”

Her light grows brighter and I duck my head and squeeze my eyes closed. The energy dissipates so I open my eyes to an empty forest.

I look around me and have no idea where I am. I call my wolf forward to follow my trail back the way I came, keeping my human mind in control.