What The Heart Wants

Chapter Twenty Nine

Aribella's POV:

It hurt, it hurt so bad I could barely breathe as I shifted allowing my wolf to take over. This time it wasn't the transformation that was causing the pain to radiate throughout my entire body. No, this time it was worse...it was my heart.

Out of the countless sceneroios I had gone over, Vince being with another woman had never been one of them. Never had I doubted once that everything he said was true, that we were mates, that he loved me.

I couldn't kid myself, I felt the pull. Even now as I ran away from the clearing I wanted to go back. We were mates, but was that enough for him.

I mean Valerie was clearly an experienced girl who could take care of herself. Unlike me who was a familyless virgin who didn't even know she was a wolf until he had found her.

It seems funny to me now that had Vince not found me I would still be working at the bar completly oblivious to all of this, and after next week Vince would be mated with Valerie.

They were even planning a ceremony, did everyone know about this? Was I the only one left out on this plan. Did Rose know?

As I ran I realised I couldn't go back to the pack house and face all of them, especially him. I knew he would come after me...at least I thought he would. I couldn't handle that right now, I needed to find somewhere to go.

I now wished I hadn't let Vince talk me out of my apartment. There was only one other place I could go.

As the bar came into sight I realised that I had no clothes for when I changed back. Glancing into the window from the kitchen I noticed that nobody was inside.

I quickly shifted back and made a mad dash for the break room. Luckily, this room was also unoccupied as I opened my locker I silently thanked Joe for always insisting I keep an extra set of clothes in here in case of a spill.

After I was decent, I found Joe helping a customer, as I waited for him to notice me the events of this afternoon replayed in my head. I was instantly hit with a new wave of hurt. A painful sob loudly echoed throughout the room followed by another and another.

Joe quickly turned and ran over to me engulfing my body into a tight hug. While desperately asking whats wrong. Were those heart wrenching sobs coming from me? I couldn't tell.

"Ari, please honey tell me whats wrong?" Joe pleaded

I just continued to sob, this was such an odd feeling I don't even remember the last time I cried.

"Is it Vince?" He asked causing me to cry if possible, even harder.

I just nodded and watched as Joe started shooing customers out the door explaining that they were now closed. After everyone had filed out into the parking lot he made his way back to where I had collapsed on the floor and sat beside me.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked

"No, he didn't hurt me." I quickly explained, leaving out all the werewolf related parts.

Joe sighed "Well, you can come stay with me okay. I've got a guest bed that's never been used with your name all over it."

"Thank you" I said as I followed him to his car.

Vince's POV:

I pinned Valerie to the ground and then using our mind link shouted "You are banned from the pack, I suggest you and your things be gone by sundown or I will kill you." Meaning every single word.

I then took off in the direction Ari had disappeared, hoping that I could find her soon. I was furious with myself for allowing this to happen. I should have know Valerie was up to something, that she wouldn't back down from the alpha female position without a fight.

And now Ari was heart broken, I could see it in her face before she shifted. My chest ached, and my wolf longed to console her. To do anything to make it better, hell I'd grovel if I had to.

I followed her scent all the way towards the bar where she worked and stopped in my tracks as Joe led her to his truck. She seemed like a different person, not her usual self at all.

She looked towards the woods and I could see her eyes were red, she had been crying. I let out a whimper causing Ari to give me a knowing glance as fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

It felt like someone was repeatedly stabbing into my chest, I was officially the biggest asshole on the face of the planet.

It made it worse that I couldn't go to her and despretly try to explain myself, not with Joe being human. After they drove away I decided I would go back to the house and get dressed. Then I would go after her.

As I shifted and walked into the house I could hear Rose on the phone upstairs.

"Yeah, no problem Sweetie. I'll bring you some clothes, see ya soon." She then made her way down the stairs stopping when she saw me.

"Your such a jerk! I can't believe what you did Vince. This is the dumbest thing you have ever done, and you've done some stupid things." Her words didn't tell me anything I wasn't already thinking.

I sighed "I know"

Her eyes softened "Aw Vince, we know Valerie's just instigating this. But how could you have been planning a mating ceremony, why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I knew you all hated her, I didn't want any drama. I just needed someone to fill the position and nothing more. And Valerie was eager to fill the spot. But that changed when I found Ari I promise."

She sighed "I believe you, but Ari's crushed. It's going to take a lot to fix that, shes always been on her own and then this happens as soon as she lets her guard down."

"I know, i'm going to go try and talk to her now after I put on something besides these sweatpants."

"No, give her a little bit of time to stew over things. I'm about to go take her some clothes, I'll put in a good word for you."

I knew she was right, if I went to Ari now there was a small chance she would even listen to me. My mate was a lot of things, and stuboorn was one of them. I reluctantly agreed and watched as she walked out the door carrying a bag of Ari's things.

She turned "I still think you deserve a swift kick in the nether region."

I could still hear her laughing as she closed the door. I slowly made my way to my room,our room. Her scent was everywhere which was both comforting and painful at the same time.

I just sat on the bed and did the only thing I could do at this point........wait.