"Take them, but don't kill. I have a plan for all of them." Johnathan ordered.
"You do? For all of them, including my Opal?" The loud voice has taken Jonathan aback. He turned around only to notice Arien's pale face. Arien was alone. He stood there in black slacks and black button up with messy hair. One could sense the anger from him.
"I trusted you Johnathan, and you took her away from me to ... this place. Did you hurt her? What did you do to her." He was practically growling right now. His Alpha wolf was forcing himself out.
"She's fine. Arien, I told her the truth about your sister. Let her go, she will only bring you down." Johnathan sounded so gentle as if he was trying to calm him down with his tone alone.
Arien looked at Opal, lowered his head and clenched his fists.
"It was an accident, I loved her."
"Still she was your sister." Opal interfered. "And I am your niece. I like you Arien, but not as my lover, I like you as my uncle. Thus after all I have learned about you and what you did and still do to other people, I see no hope for our living together."
"Is it because of him?" Arien sent a deathly look towards Jayden. "Is it because of your Mate?!" He was barely holding himself down.
"This young Alpha is your Mate?" Johnathan asked, surprised. "You haven't told me about Arien." Johnathan looked carefully at Jayden again. "This explains everything." He smiled.
"Let them go, I mean all of them. You are free." Johnathan made a gesture with his hand as if he was getting rid of an annoying fly. "And if you ever think of having a visit at the police station, then forget it. I own them, and many others ..." He smirked.
For a moment Opal was confused but Jayden reacted quickly and pulled Opal by her arm.
"Let's go Opal." He motivated her to move.
"Don't go." Arien came near her, she could see tears in his eyes.
"I need time uncle, I have to think again about everything. I think I will be able to forgive your lies but today I will just go. Settle your life and business, Set yourself free from this toxic thug. You know he wants you? Make it clear between you two, but remember he is a bad guy."
"It's not that easy Opal, we are connected by much more than friendship." There was a great sadness in his eyes.
"Sometimes whatever business you do with him is not worth it. Freedom of choice is something great even if you don't have much money. Be free uncle." Having said that, Opal moved with Jayden in tow.
Johnathan really let them go having his eyes focused on Arien who crumbled a little. Opal saw him holding Arien in his arms as her uncle was telling him something in a pissed manner.
Jayden followed Opal who was heading for Arien's apartment to collect her stuff. They were a sight, the bruised face and shoeless girl in evening dress. They had no money so it took them a while to get there. Jayden offered to carry Opal but she refused.
In the apartment Opal took a shower and packed her things, only her things. Jayedn washed himself too and Opal tended to his wounds.
"Opal, we need to talk." Jayden decided to start the conversation that was the whole reason for his coming here.
"Talk then." The encouragement was rather dry.
"I know I have behaved like an asshole, after we mated I got a call back from Alpha Mark. There were some problems at the border, as soon as I got back I saw you hugging another Alpha, it even looked for me as if you kissed each other. I went crazy." Jayden was breathing heavily and fidgeting with his fingers. "Than back at school I could sense the Alphas pheromones and I got so jealous and I felt so betrayed that my stupid pride made me behave like an asshole. I know I fucked up. I should have talked to you first." Jayen kneeled down in front of Opal. "Please give me a chance, I'll prove it to you. I only ask for a slight chance. Please Opal."
There was something in his voice that made her a little soft. Her inner Omega purred the word Mate. Was she ready to forgive? Forget everything and what …. move back to Grayshill?
"Stand up Jayden. She ordered. You really behaved like an asshole and I have very little trust in you. You hurt me, like … a lot." Jayden's face froze and she could feel his anxiety. "I don't want to go back to Grayshill, to the shit life I had there. I'm done with the traitor's child stigma."
"I'll follow you. I would leave Grayshill for you." Jayden said in a hushed tone.
"Jayden, your family owns half of Grayshill and they surely don't want me as their daughter in law."
"They know everything, I told them and they support me and will support you too." Jayden took her hands in his and rubbed them with his thumb. "Please Opal just this one chance..."
There was silence, an awkward one. Opal looked at Jayden and his swollen face.
"I need time, I will contact you when I'm ready." She took her hands away.
They both left Arien's apartment and separated. Just like that. Opal suddenly felt so light and so free.
Five months later.
Opal was leaving the restaurant where she worked as a waiter. It was four in the afternoon and the weather was still fine for the end of October. She loved the sight of leaves changing their color. She was living in Hargrove. A city next to Grayshill. She had her own flat, a very little one but with a bathroom and that was really something even if she only could take showers there. The job she was doing gave her enough money to have an independent life. After she ran away from Barwick she sold Arien's gift. The diamond earrings. With the money she got from them she found this place and started her new life. Today she was meeting Jayden. They have already met twice, Grayshill was like a half an hour drive. Yep she decided to give him a chance. Today they are going to look for a place to open a little shop with herbs and bio products. That was Opal's idea and Jayden was ready to help her in it. As for Arien … well there was silence. She didn't contact him. Not yet. She read in the news that there was a merger between him and Mr. Harper's company. So he didn't give up on that thug.
"Opal!" Jayden was waving at her standing next to his car. Opal went in his direction. She felt confident to face anything that's ahead of her. On her terms.