Derek reluctantly followed me out of Ana's room. I could sense the worry rolling off him in waves as he left her alone in the room. His behavior had been confusing me for the past few days and how he became protective of Ana causes me to think of all the probable reasons for him to suddenly care about her.
"What was that all about?" I question Derek as soon as we are out of the room. I glance back ensuring that the door is closed so Ana won't hear and become more stressed. His back is against the wall as he closes his eyes, leaning his head back. "Derek, why do you suddenly care about Ana?"
The sound of her name leaving my mouth causes Derek to growl at me. His eyes shoot open as he stares at me. His eyes, the color of dark green moss, remind of the nightshade plant's leaves. Except, the look in his eyes is more deadly than the poisonous plant.
"I don't," he lies to me, turning his head so he can look past me instead.
"You never spoke two words about her nevermind to her and yet you come bursting into her room, growling at me all because you don't care," I say, showcasing my doubts about his lie.
"Really Derek? How dumb do you think I am?" I ask, knowing he won't provide me with an answer.
"I don't care about her," he says instead, eyes downcast as he avoids letting his eyes showcase the truth.
I know he is lying; he wouldn't act the way he has been unless there is something going on between him and Ana that is causing Derek's human form and his wolf to be in constant conflict.
"Tell me," I snarl. My patience wears thin with Derek's constant mood swings and the fact that he is clearly worried about Ana, when he has Medeia to worry about and I have no one.
His hand is combing through his hair, a nervous habit of his.
"Tell me why you care all of a sudden?" I ask again, hoping for a logical answer.
He clears his throat, letting me know that he has heard it but is choosing to ignore my question.
"Are you cheating on Medeia with Ana? Is that it?" I ask, wondering if Derek and Ana have started a secret relationship of shorts and it is causing Derek's sudden lack of focus towards anything except his phone.
"Dude that is fucked up, you just proposed to Medeia," I continue.
"Fuck, no! Why would you even think that?" he asks, his eyes wide as he stares at me.
"Well what am I supposed to think if you won't tell me anything?" I say, Derek falls silent at my reasoning behind the cheating scandal and I know he feels ashamed by it.
"Derek, tell me," I say, demanding he answer me.
I can see the battle going on in his mind, deciding if he should tell me or not. Guilt washes off him, confusing me even more. I just stare at him and wait for him to answer me.
"Ana is my-uh–my mate," he finally admits.
The sentence sent a piercing pain shooting through my chest. I disregard the pain, instead focusing on Derek and how sorrow clouds his features.
"That's amazing, Derek. You must be ecstatic," I say, my hand coming up to squeeze his shoulder in congratulations.
I couldn't be happier with them. Derek deserves someone as fierce and determined as Ana. He has become lazy ever since being with Medeia. I can feel the blood drain from my face at the thought. The signs of Derek's discomfort and Ana's condition are all falling into place now.
I need to ask Derek; I need him to deny the horrid thoughts running through my mind.
"What about Medeia?" I ask, watching him, analyzing his movements as he tries to answer me. His hand is back in his hair, pulling at it now as he gets consumed by his thoughts. His turmoil became more obvious.
"Derek, what about Medeia?" I probe again, waiting for the answer to come as the lack of one causes me to grow frantic.
Worry consumed me at the thought of what he was going to do.
"I can't love Ana, Jacob; I can't let someone like her ruin what I have with Medeia," he admits, his eyes focused on a spot on the floor as he avoids making eye contact with me.
"What do you mean you can't love Ana? She is your mate!" I ask, confused. I don't understand how Derek can't see the importance of Ana and how vital she is to him.
My body aching at the memory of my lost relationship with Gisele, of always being in her presence and feeling her intimate touches, soothing me even when I didn't need her. The image of Ana and Gisele flashes through my mind. The way we were always together makes my body ache from the guilt of ignoring Ana and the despair of losing Gisele.
"She can't be my mate," he snarls. His voice is full of irritation as he pushes off the wall, no longer leaning on it, and paces in front of me.
"What? Why can't she be your mate?"
I ask, hoping for him to clarify what he means and why he is fighting such a sacred bond. I'm still confused why he doesn't understand the importance of the gift the Moon goddess has given him. How losing that gift can cause so much pain and grief. A lifetime commitment of loss.
"Why would the Moon Goddess give me such a useless mate?" he answers, his words causing me to step back.
"Why couldn't I get someone like my Medeia? I love her and I know I am meant to with her, but instead I get someone as inconvenient as her," he continues, his head nodding towards Ana's room as he insults her.
"Look Derek, you were blessed with a mate, and you might be upset about it now, but if you get to know her, you will eventually," I say.
"Eventually what?" Derek interrupts. "Eventually fall in love with her? Seriously, Jacob, how could a Beta like me ever love a low life like her? There must've been a mistake because I don't want that as my mate."
"Well have you ever actually tried speaking to her?" I ask thinking about the lack of interaction that Derek and Ana have had up until this point.
"I can't, I would like to maintain my social status instead of being seen with her," Derek says, admitting is thoughts around her.
"So, then reject her instead of making her suffer," I scoff, thinking of Ana and the pain she is enduring because of Derek's disregard for her.
"I can't," Derek replies, a defeated sigh leaving his mouth as he stops pacing and just stands there, his back to me.
"Seriously, you don't want to experience a blessing like being with your mate, but you won't reject her. What fucked up twisted game are you playing?" I ask, my anger rising, waiting to erupt at any given moment.
When Derek turns to look at me, I see the answer on his face, and it makes me sick at the realization that he won't reject Ana because of me. I stalk towards him, pushing him back into the wall as my arm goes across his chest, holding him against the wall.
"You are a fucking coward if you think putting her through all this agony is easier than the pain of a broken bond," I say, my voice low and full of warning.
Derek raises his hands and pushes me away from him. As I am about to lunge towards him, the sound of something hitting the ground causes us to both stare down the hallway at Ana's door. The sound of metal clanging against the floor causes us to run to her room.
We burst through the door.
The first thing I notice is how Ana's bed is empty. The machines beeping as they lay on the floor, surrounded by the white blanket and pillow. I follow the trail to see Medeia holding someone down. The red hair makes me realize it is Ana.
Medeia is holding her wrists down as they both stare at us. Medeia's face is full of shock, which quickly morphs as the tears flow from her eyes streaming and causing Derek to rush to her side. I look at Ana, the relief on her face from seeing Derek and I is clear.
I notice the swelling on Ana's face. Her cheeks are blue, covered in bruises, and the swelling in her right eye has increased.
I walk towards Ana, noticing how Derek is too transfixed on Medeia to notice me walking towards his mate. His overwhelming concern for Medeia causes my anger to rise. But I try to shove it down, focusing on Ana and what she needs at the moment.
I go to her and for the second time that day I pick her up, carrying her towards her bed before gently placing her in it. Ignore Medeia's sobbing as I do so.
I reach down to grab her blanket and pillows on the floor, pulling the blankets over her, and gently placing the pillow under Ana's head. That is when I notice it. Ana lifts her arms over the blanket and, once they are on top of the blanket, becomes stained red. The sight of the vibrant red mark and the distinctive smell of iron fills my nose, causing my face to go pale in an instant.
"What the hell is going on?" I scream, my head glancing between Medeia and Ana, waiting for an explanation.