Love

Chapter Thirty

Ariana Belle

I wish I could say life was perfect. With my children growing stronger and healthier by the day. Zoey finally knowing that Caleb is her daddy.

When we told her she smiled and replied with an, "I already knew that Mommy."

And Joey. He followed Caleb around  anywhere he went. His eyes wide open to catch anything new Caleb did.

Caleb, my mate. Our bond grew stronger by the day. I could feel my wolf awakening more and more with Caleb around. I felt stronger. My wolf grew taller and began to strengthen.

Roberto and my dad, both were trying to get along for my sake. Because now, I couldn't imagine living my life without my fathers. Without my sisters.

But Heath was out there with his blood thirsty pack members.  On top of that Glen and Yolanda with their pack of Rogues. The territory didn't seem safe anymore. Patrols ran every minute of the day. Curfew was enforced until our problems were cleared. Which meant Caleb stayed in the pack house more often.

He began to run patrols with Adrian, Vincent and Jorge before they headed home.

But I wasn't aloud to help. Roberto strongly refused the idea of me helping run patrols with my sisters. And Caleb agreed. Because I was the future of this pack. The Luna, and the mother of the next Alpha.

"Hey, you okay Rosita?" Rolling my eyes I unwrapped my arms from my legs and turned to face a flushed Vincent.

"Why do you think you can call me that?" I laughed turning my body around to face him. Facing away from the beautiful view of the lake.

"Because it sounds better than Ariana." He replied his face scrunching up. "You're an ass."

"Yes I am! And this ass spots the beautiful female dog." He grinned his eyes lighting up. "Wish me luck!" He winked before blurring out of my view. "Protect those jewels of yours! She's a kicker!" I shouted out. Laughing as Quinn glared around her before taking off full sprint to the pack house. A blur chasing after her seconds later.

Chuckling under my breathe I closed my eyes and basked in the warm sun kissing my skin. It felt heavenly but my ears began to twitch as branches swung and leaves cracked under someone's weight.

They were walking slowly. Their footsteps expertly planned.

Waiting until they were a few feet behind me I turned kicking their feet from under them. Once they landed on the floor I straddled them my hands finding their way to their neck ready to twist it if necessary.

"Its me! Jacob, Ari damn it!" He choked tapping my hands.

"Jake! Oh my god I'm sorry I thought you were one of Heaths guys." I stuttered removing my hands from his neck. My face flushing in embarrassment.

"Its okay I understand babes." He laughed his hands awkwardly landing on my thighs.

Clearing my throat I stood to my feet and waited for him to follow suit.

He laid there a couple more seconds before sitting up. Leaning his elbows on his knees.

He had cut off his hair into a buzz cut. Removing his stylish boyish cut that I loved on him. The same cut he had since high school.

His cheek bones seemed more prominent, his eyes a darker blue. But what stood out the most were his arms.

His once flawless skin was filled with healing pink scratches. They seemed like vicious nail marks.

"Why are you being so strange Ari? Sit down. I don't bite, unless you ask." He winked laughing as my cheeks began to stain.

"Jacob where have you been?" I frowned wrapping my arms around my stomach.

"Here and there. Away from here."

"Obviously." I whispered my eyes trailing up his now toned arms.

"Don't worry about it Love. I'm here now. And I miss my girl and the twins." His lips pulled back into a half smile that pulled on my heart.

Here he was, my Bestfriend. Whom I love and talked to about everything and anything. We never hid things from each other. But now he was.

I could tell by the way his eyes gazed out to the lake and avoided all eye contact. How his body curled more in as he spoke. Or the way his fingers began to play with his necklace that his mother gave him.

He should have known better. I knew him like the back of my hand. And he thought he would pull it off.

"Where have you been? With Sarah?" I pressed glaring at the back of his buzzed head.

I jumped as he let out a harsh laugh. Jumping to his feet he towered over me. "Why do you care if I'm with Sarah?" He growled his eyes glaring into my own.

"Because I'm your Bestfriend and I care for you!" He scoffed his fingers making their way to his hair only stopping once he felt the stubble of hair.

"Bestfriend ..." He mumbled shaking his head.

"Okay forgetting about Sarah. You do have a responsibility in this pack Jake. You're the beta and lately Adrian has been here for this pack more than you. You're going to lose your position Jacob!" I shouted exasperated.

"I don't care."

Shaking my head I walked to him. "The Jacob I know dreamed of being a beta to this pack. Standing next to his Bestfriend leading this pack to greatness. Following your father's footsteps." Ignoring the way he tensed as I laid my hands on his arm. I continued.

"What changed?"

"You did." He blurted his eyes widening as the words fell from his lips.

"Me. What does this have to do with me?" I asked frowning at him.

"Everything! Fuck Ariana you're so clueless! So fucking clueless!" He shouted making me cringe away from him. His eyes flashing black in anger.

"Jacob calm yourself!" I shouted my fingers curling into a fist.

I was angry at him for losing his humanity and falling into his wolfs anger. For shouting and letting the patrols know he was in the territory. For changing in a matter of weeks. And for following Sarah like a lost puppy.

But my anger began to twist back to myself. I had pushed him away. I began to lose myself to myself.

"No! You're just so difficult! I love you Ariana Rosette Belle!" He shouted. His hands pulling on his non existent hair.

" I have loved you most of my life! I fell for you when you cared for me when my mom died. The day you kissed my cheek and said you loved me! I have been there for you when you first transformed. When you first broke your hand.... When you were bullied." My eyes began to tear as his voice lowered to a hushed whisper.

"When you met your mate and broke my heart. When you left... And then came back only to break all of me." He whispered brokenly. His eyes briefly meeting my own.

I opened my mouth to speak. To say something,

Anything.

But I couldn't.

I was shocked.

I never knew. I never thought of him like that.

I never thought he did. He was the confident loving goofy guy that every girl liked.

While I was the Bestfriend.

"Jake I ..." I stuttered staring wide eyed at him. He stood frozen to his spot. With a crumpled defeated look on his face.

"You don't feel the same? Yeah I got that when Caleb managed to get you in bed again." He sneered throwing a rock into the lake.

My cheeks began to heat in embarrassment. "How-do I know?" He interrupted as he turned and roughly walked up to me until we were chest to chest.

"I was in the pack house that day. I could hear everything. Hell, I'm sure everybody did."

"Stop... Jake I'm sorry. I never thought you would. That you ever saw me like that." I whispered my eyes trailing down to stare at the rocky floor.

"Wasnt it obvious when I helped you leave our soon to be alpha. When I visited you three times a year. Or how about the time we kissed." Shaking his head he leaned down to stare straight into my eyes.

"That kiss was my heaven and my hell Ariana." He murmured his eyes trailing down to my quivering lips.

I could see what he was thinking and my body screamed for me to push him away. My wolf wanted to make him submit for even thinking he could touch us when we had out mate.

But I couldn't. I was frozen. I couldn't control my feet. I wanted to run. To flee from him, from his feelings. From my own.

But I couldn't.

Not until his lips met my own.

"Jake! Its time!" Pushing him away I looked behind him and found Sarah.

"Oh well isn't this just a sight!" She smirked as she leaned against a tree. Her long blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Making her eyes seem more feral.

"Fuck off Sarah. Go wait for me at the River." Rolling her eyes she sarcastically curtsied. Giving me a smirk she sauntered out of view leaving me alone with him once more.

"Sarah.." I humorlessly laughed wrapping my arms around myself.

"Forget her. Ari, I have to leave. But I'm begging you.. Leave him. Come with me. You me the twins. We can start over." He begged taking my shaking hand into his.

"No." Taking my hand away from him I took a few steps away from him. Ignoring his broken eyes.

"I love my mate Jacob. He is my mate. And you have a mate somewhere out there."

Laughing he shook his head and turned to leave.

"He's a shit of a mate. And you know that. If you change your kind you know where I'll be." And with that he took off into the trees.

Authors Note'

Please don't hate me! I know I have seriously sucked at updating and keeping on track. But it will get better! I am so close to the end of this story. I just need to finish some loose ends and wala.

I give it five long chapters.

Also if anybody cares or if you're wondering why in the bloody blue moon I was MIA for a month it is because I, the laziest person in California has two jobs! Yep! So that took a toll on me, my body, my sanity Lol but now I've gotten used to it.

(Thanks to caffeine☕)

SONGS;

Big Jet Planes - Angus and Julia Stone

Broadripple is burning- Margot & The Nuclear So and So

Glory and Gore Lorde