Faiths point of view
My mother and father sat with me in my hospital room. At least my mom sat. My father was busy pacing a hole in the floor.
I hated that my father was so upset because of me. Alpha Jackson and my dad had been best friends since they were boys, and now I might be the downfall of his longest relationship. Not to mention what this was going to do to my family, I didn’t want my parents to pick sides, but at the same time, I desperately wanted them to be on mine. Samantha was sleeping with my mate, after all, and I wasn’t willing to ignore it. Maybe I never would be.
“Can I come in?” Samantha's head poked through the door.
Think of the devil, and she will appear, I guess. She wasn’t someone I wanted to be near right now, but before I could say as much, my mother had already invited her into the room.
Why would she do such a thing? I shot daggers at her with my eyes which, much to my dismay, she chose to ignore.
“Mom, I don’t want her in here.” I pouted. Was it too much to ask? She was the reason I was in here after all.
“We need to talk about it. We need to hear her side.” My father said blandly. He was upset about the whole thing, I would feel the same in his shoes, but all I felt right now was cold and numb. It was like I was suddenly losing everything, and I didn’t know why.
Getting my wolf was never supposed to be like this. Why did Declan have to hate me? Why couldn’t he have pursued literally any other she-wolf if he knew he didn't want me? Why did he have to go for my sister? Did he actually like her? Did she actually like him? Or was it simply because he knew that it would hurt me the most if he rejected me for her? Was that his plan? Tear my family away from me? But why? We used to all be so close.
“No.” I glared at her. She had hurt me in the worst possible way.
“Faith, please, it's not what you think.” she walked to my bedside and tried to grip my hand in hers. I pulled my hand from her grasp. She had probably just been holding Declan's hand. Just the thought of it stung.
“Declan -”
“Don't you talk to me about Declan, don't you dare?” I snapped, cutting across the top of her.
“Let her speak, Faith.” my dad deadpanned.
“Figures you'd take her side.” I mumble, but I know he heard it. My parents were excellent, and I loved them both dearly, but I had truly always felt like my dad favoured my sister a little bit. I don't know if it's because she was older or because they had more in common, he denied it, of course, but it wasn't me he trained in secret, it wasn't me he taught to hunt, it wasn't me he takes along to the trips into the human town for supplies, even when I was begging to be apart of it all.
“I'm not taking sides.” his eyes softened a little. They were begging me to understand, but I didn't, or at least I couldn't.
“You are. I don't want to see her, but you're making me because that is what she wants. It's always about what she wants.” I pouted. This time, I did nothing to stop the tears from falling. What's the point of being strong all the time? I'm still alone at the end of it. Why should I feel guilty that they see my pain when in fact, they cause it? Why shield them when they don't do the same for me?
“I'll go then.” she whispered, making her way towards the door.
“Good shove off.” I made a shooing motion, but of course, she couldn't see it as her back was to me, but my father blocked it before she could leave. If I had a shoe on, I would throw it at him. Okay, probably not, but I wanted to.
“Dad, what are you doing? Let her go!” I cried.
“Baby, I know, your angry, your hurt. I couldn't imagine wanting to speak to any man that touched your mother, but-”
“But what?” I roared, cutting over the top of him. “Don't you dare say, but she's your sister. If she didn't care that we're family, then tell me, why should I?”
I ripped the pillow out from behind my back and threw it at him, without even thinking, okay, maybe I would throw a shoe. I was done listening to him, to all of them. I couldn't force them out of my room, I still couldn't feel Sapphire at the moment, and my body felt weak, not to mention I was still hooked up to some stupid machine, but I did not have to listen to them.
I pulled the blanket over my head and turned my back to them. Unfortunately, that was about as much as I could shut them out. Maybe they would get the hint and leave me alone.
“Faith, I promise you I didn't know. You don't have to talk to me, but I would like the chance to explain.” I simply kept my back turned to her. I didn't utter a single word. She could talk as much as she wanted, but I didn't have to listen.
“Declan approached me the night of his birthday party. I am ashamed to say that I went home with him. After that, we started seeing each other more and more. It wasn't always sexual. We would watch a movie, hang out, and go to the human town. I had feelings for him, faith, real feelings. I love him despite knowing that I have a mate out there somewhere and that one day I would eventually leave him. He never told me, not once, that he had already found his mate, and he defiantly never mentioned you. If I had known, I would have never gone to his room that night. I would have never let things get this far.” she pleads with me. This was all a load of bull, and I wasn't going to let her make me look like the bad guy in all of this.
“Oh yea, cool, all forgiven.” I snap.
“Faith, I'm so sorry.” she practically threw herself on me. Goddess, I was so sick of hearing her say that.
“You didn't know? Really? That's what you want me to believe? If you didn't know, why did you chase me on my birthday when I caught him screwing your brains out.” her hand flies to cover her mouth my mother gasps.
“Why tell me you love him, huh? What you want some sympathy? Want everyone on your side because I'm coming between you and the man you love? Well, fuck off. You can have my so called mate. Just do me one favour. Keep your fucking legs closed till I get a chance to reject that man whore. I mean, you obviously don't give a shit, but it's a little uncomfortable on my end.” I gestured to the fact that I was currently stuck in a hospital bed just to drive my point home.
“FAITH HUNTRESS!” my father roars.
“What?!” I snapped at him too. I couldn't reign in the unbridled rage coursing through me. I was pissed. Why was I supposed to take the high road and the pain?
I could feel Sapphire finally coming to the surface. I did not doubt that if I could see them now, my eyes would be pitch black. I was relieved, to say the least, to have her back with me.
“Reign in your wolf.” my father stepped in front of my sister immediately, effectively shielding her from me.
Wolves were territorial creatures, Sapphire wanted to rip Samantha apart. I did too. On the off chance that I may regret hurting Samantha, I pushed Sapphire despite her protesting to the back of my mind.
“Apologise to Samantha. We do not use such vulgar language.” My father's voice was stern. Was that his biggest concern right now? That I had a bit of a potty mouth?
“Not even on my deathbed.” I looked him in the eyes as I made my promise. I had nothing to be sorry for. “I really can’t believe your upset with me for swearing, but she opens her legs and sleeps with my mate, and that’s just dandy, is it?”
“She didn't know.” he wasn't confrontational, at least this time. He sounded almost defeated. Like he was pleading with me, but the damage was done already.
“Please, Faith.” my mother had been relatively quiet until now, so quiet I had almost forgotten she was even in the room.
“Do any of you even realise how painful this has all been for me? First, I find my Mate and sister in bed together. I shift all alone. Declan harasses me every time he sees me like it's my fault we're mates or something. My wolf is completely heartbroken because she wants her mate. I feel all of her pain and my own. Then on top of that, Samantha and Declan's sexcapades land me in the pack hospital. If that's not enough, my family is acting like my sister, the cause of my pain, is the victim, and that I should be apologizing to her.” my father and my sister both look ashamed, as they should.
“I'm not asking you to apologize to Samantha. I'm not going to ask you to be in the same room as her after today. I understand that it can't be easy right now. Maybe it never will, baby. All I'm asking is don't make us choose a side. I can't do it your are both my daughters. I love you both.” her eyes are pleading with me.
I shuffle in my bed closer to her and wipe the tear from her eye. My mother has always been my best friend. I hated seeing her hurt.
“I'll never ask you to take a side, Mom. I’m just asking that you understand where I’m coming from” I shot my father a dirty look. “I'm grateful that you aren't forcing anything on me.” I promise her, just her.
“But you already chose your side.” I started my father down. “You have made that abundantly clear.”
“I'm not taking any sides. “ before he can make any more excuses, I cut him off.
“Yes, you have. You can both get out of my room right now.” I glare at the pair of them.
“No, Faith -” my father opens his trap.
But this time, my mother stopped him. She places her hand on his forearm. His eyes break from me and look at her with a longing I wish my mate had for me.
“Give her her space. Let's go.” My mother insists.
Without another word, my father and sister finally leave my room, and my mother places a gentle kiss on my forehead before she follows them out of the room. Just before the door swings shut behind her, I hear her whisper just loud enough for only me to hear.
“I’ll fix this, I promise.”
That could not have gone worse. I went from feeling supported by my parents to years of resentment that I didn't even know I had come to the surface.
Would my dad and I ever be close again? What did my mother think she could fix exactly? As for Samantha, I didn't even want to think about her yet.