Talia’s Anger Part Two

5. Talia’s Anger Part Two.

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I heard a subtle knock on my bedroom door, enough to jolt me out of my sleep. I had cried myself to sleep.

My mother walked in while I was sitting up on my bed. "How are you doing, honey?" she cooed with a sad expression on her face. It was understandable; I looked pitiful, and my life felt pitiful.

"I have no idea," I truthfully confessed. My emotions were all over the place. I didn't know what to feel or how to feel. I needed to run or do something to escape, but I had nowhere to go, and I didn't have enough money to even think about starting a new life somewhere else. I was stuck here.

"Sahel, honey, I spoke with Leah. She will be fine. She doesn't blame you for anything," she stated, trying to reassure me. But that didn't change the fact that it had happened. Leah had been enduring a horrible life at school all because of me. Whether she blamed me or not, it was still because of me.

"Talia thinks otherwise," I shrugged, trying not to look her in the face. It broke me to see her worry about me every single moment.

She sighed before forming a sad smile. "I'm sure Talia didn't mean those words she said. She was just hurting."

"Because of me," I painfully pointed out. It was the truth. Haden most likely wouldn't have broken up with my sister if it weren't for my situation. They had been together for three years, and people in the pack expected them to be mated soon in the future. But now, it wasn't going to happen all because I managed to bring my bad luck upon her.

"Oh, honey!" She rubbed my hands, trying to comfort me. It was soothing, but sadly, it wouldn't fix anything. "Things will not always be like this. It will get better," she added.

"Why me?" I choked as I struggled to hold back my tears. "Why did it have to be me who has to go through this? They were all good guys. I didn't kill them, I really didn't." I couldn't hold back the waterfall from my eyes.

She pulled me into her body as I whimpered in pain. She rubbed soothing circles against my back. "I know you didn't kill them, Sahel. No matter what, my baby, I will always love you and be by your side."

"Thank you, Mama," I cried.

****

There was a second knock on my door that same day. After my mother had comforted me, I had locked myself in my room, sitting on my bed, gazing out of the window as time passed. It was now around 4 p.m.

"You can come in," I said, and the door opened, revealing my mother. She was dressed in a simple dress, and her hair was in a bun.

She walked up to me. "Sahel, we will be attending Laura's mating ceremony. I was hoping you could come. She told me she would personally invite you, though everyone in the pack is usually invited for these events."

"I am not going," I swiftly responded. Laura had spoken to my mother before speaking to me, so last night didn't just happen out of the blue.

It didn't matter. I couldn't go. My presence there would surely ruin everyone's mood, and I would be humiliated again. If I could not change my situation, I could avoid putting myself through the pain of embarrassment and suffering. And the way to do that was by staying away from everyone.

"Laura was once your friend. She really wants you to come," she pleaded softly.

"Once, Mom. Once. She was my friend in the past, and she chose to abandon me. It makes no sense that she would want to fix our broken relationship now. She owes me nothing, and I owe her nothing as well."

She stared at me for a while, then exhaled deeply. "It's fine, Sahel. Do whatever makes you happy. I won't force you. We're leaving now, and we'll be back soon." She got up from the bed, placed a kiss on my temple, and left my room.

I lay back down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My mind went back to the time when Laura broke up with her first boyfriend. He had cheated on her with her cousin, and she came running to me in tears.

She slept over at my place that day after spending the entire day crying. But Laura was always good at recovering quickly. She had always been a strong-minded person. The next day, before I woke up, she was already fixing breakfast for my family. I was surprised to find her whisking eggs, with a bright smile on her face that would not have indicated that she had cried her eyes out the day before.

Flashback.

"Riley was definitely not my chosen mate. Look at me, Sahel. I am good-looking, even sexy at times. I am completely perfect. Riley is the fool," she said with a bright smile. "Sahel, never let an asshole treat you like trash. And even if I become an asshole, kick my ass."

I laughed. "I will definitely hold you accountable for that, Laura."

I got up from my bed and walked over to the bathroom. I washed my face and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I wished things could go back to the way they were, but they can't. Laura must look beautiful right now. She always claimed that she would wear the whitest of white and a green garland on her head. She would look like a forest princess.

I smiled.

Maybe I would go. I would just stay far away from everyone.

After refreshing myself, I dressed in a black sweatshirt and pants. I used a cap to cover my rough hair and my face, and then I left the house.

*****

Laura looked absolutely beautiful, wearing the green garland she had always dreamed of. Her dress was the whitest of white, and as she walked toward her mate, he smiled brightly at her. She looked completely happy.

I watched them perform the mating ritual from behind a tree, keeping my distance from the beautifully decorated ceremony held in the training grounds.

When the rituals were complete and her mate placed a kiss on her lips, everyone erupted into cheers. They would have done the same for me if only...

I had seen enough. Although Laura would never know I was there, I was glad I had come. It was a beautiful thing to witness.

As I was about to leave, my eyes met Janet's. She wore a scowl on her face. I should have run away, but somehow I stayed frozen in place, watching as Janet angrily walked up to me and landed a slap on my face, causing me to almost trip to the ground.

"You came to ruin this ceremony with your filth!" she spat loudly. If the slap hadn't gotten anyone's attention, her raging voice certainly did.

The entire pack's attention fell upon me. My eyes met Laura's, and I sadly smiled at her.

"Why are you here?" Janet aggressively demanded, pulling my attention back to her.

"I will be leaving now. I am sorry for bothering you," I apologized and turned to leave. But she held me back, her strength surprising for her age.

"I don't need your apology. You should apologize to my son instead. Paul didn't deserve to die, but you killed him," she spat.

"She's right. Justin didn't deserve to die either. My son didn't deserve to die. I should have watched him get mated, just like Laura and Floyd today!" Faith chimed in. The death of their sons had made them best friends, always united in making my life miserable.

"She did not kill your son. There is no proof of that," my mother fired back, pulling me behind her.

"Enough!" Alpha Eric boomed. "This is a beautiful ceremony, and you will not ruin it with this," he warned in his authoritative voice.

"She's the one ruining it with her presence. She should be kicked out of this pack or, better still, killed, just like she killed our children," Janet spat with bitterness. My heart broke, and a part of me agreed with them. Maybe I should be killed. Perhaps then they would find the peace they sought. My presence was a painful reminder of their loss.

"I agree with Janet. Sahel deserves to die," Leila spoke up with a smirk.

"You have no right to speak, Leila. Leave!" Alpha Eric commanded. Leila frowned but quickly scurried away. No one could resist an Alpha's command unless they were another Alpha.

"Maybe they're right. Maybe I should be killed. I am evil," I found myself saying.

My mother gasped, and Leah, Talia, and my father stared at me with wide eyes. The pack members were stunned as well. Laura looked as if she wanted to cry, but I didn't want her to. Today was meant to be her special day, and I had ruined it by showing up.

"Sahel, leave!" Alpha Eric commanded with his Alpha authority. I ran away, but I didn't go home. Instead, I ran into the forest, and I kept running until my legs gave out. I stumbled to the ground and let my sorrow consume me as I hugged my body, whimpering.