Chapter Eleven

When morning comes, I have only slept a few hours. But the tiredness is yet to hit me – I will have to think about getting some sleeping tablets if I am to stay another night. I wonder what they must be thinking back home. Do Arturo and Flynn know am I gone yet?

I am supposed to be meeting Flynn this morning, and Arturo this afternoon. So soon they will both find out. I am scared it will change their opinion on me – they will think I am weak and pathetic. And I am scared that will mean a rejection from them.

Getting out of bed, and taking another shower – because I spent the night tossing, and turning, and working up quite a sweat. I had been thinking of my mates, and what I am meant to do. I don't know if there is something I am meant to do, but I should really decide something. My insomnia is worse than ever since meeting my mates.

As I am coming out the en suite bathroom, towel wrapped around me, I let out a yelp of shock. Nick is perched on the edge of my bed, texting on his phone. "Athena I was wondering if--"

He words come out short, when he finally looks up and sees me in only a towel. He swallows deeply, eyes looking over me. He lets of a soft growl, full of lust, and I feel myself growing hot. "I...I don't have any clean clothes" I splutter out.

"I'll go get you some" Nick nods, but doesn't move. His eyes are still focused on my towel covered nude body.

"Nick!"

"Right, sorry". He gets up quickly, before practically running out the door. I can feel a soft blush on my cheeks, and I'm embarrassed. I may be a confident person, but I don't really have any friends and I have definitely never had a boyfriend. My first kiss was with Flynn, and he would always own that. But I am yet to decide who will be the man to take my virginity.

By the time Nick comes back with clothing, I have locked myself in the bathroom once more. He simply knocks on the door, and leaves the clothing outside the door. I thank him, before I hear him leave my bedroom. Opening the door, I sneak out.

He has left me a mint green dress and a pair of sneakers. The dress fits fine, and falls delicately below my knee, but the shoes are a bit big. So I call Nick back, and he gets me a second pair of socks. They are fine after this.

"I'm sorry about this morning" Nick apologises, and I blush again. "I shouldn't have just walked in".

"It's alright, I just...it was just a shock is all" I shrug it off, face still flaming. I can't deny that I was shocked by Nick seeing me in a state of undress, but I can't help but feel smug with how flustered he appeared afterwards. He liked what he saw, and I can't help but be happy about that.

"Are you hungry? I made breakfast for you" Nick smiles, leading me downstairs to the kitchen. There is no dining room, so we sit at the kitchen's Island on tall stools. "It's Eggs Benedict with parsley and sage" he tells me, placing a plate in front of me.

"It looks amazing" I smile, before taking a bite. I groan in pleasure, "tastes amazing too".

"Thanks" Nick grins, glad to have pleased me with the one thing he loves to do. He loves to cook, and he is good at it, and I can see how much he wants to impress me. Nick is nice, and sweet, and reminds me slightly of Arturo.

Arturo is always out to please me as well, like Nick, but he does it in a different way. Whereas Arturo is romantic, and outlandish, Nick is quiet and sweet. Arturo would fill my bedroom with roses, whereas Nick would take me to a rose bush so I could photograph them. Arturo is passionate, Nick is considerate – similar but very different.

But I love them both; even though I hardly know them both. It is the same with Flynn, I love him but I hardly know him. I was made to be all of their perfect mates, but the stupid curse made me confused about which one I will spend my life with.

"Do you want to go home?" Nick asks, as we eat our food.

"Do you want me to go home?" I twist.

He shakes his head quickly, "not at all. I love having you here. I would just understand if you wanted to go back to your other mates. It must be hard for you, being away from them".

"But if I went back, I'd be away from you" I reply. Nick thinks about that for a moment, chewing his food softly.

"If you choose someone over me, Athena, I won't ever hold it over you. I won't lie and say I won't be sad, and hurt, because I will. You are my mate, the person I want to spend every day of my life with. But I would understand if you choose someone over me".

"What do you mean?"

"I'm nothing special, Athena. Sure I'm a future Beta, but that doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. I'm sure your other mates are a lot better than me in things they do. And, well, I would understand if you choose them". He gave a small shrug.

I pause for a moment, stricken dumb by his words. "Nick" I breath out, heart thumping so hard I knew he could hear it.

"You don't have to say anything, Athena. It's okay" he nods, and tears gather in my eyes. I jump up from my seat, and take his face in my hands.

"Don't" I breath out, "don't you ever thing you are not good enough, Nick. I love you, I love you so much. I am sorry that you got me as a mate, because of this stupid fucking curse. But I am not sorry that I met you, and that I love you. Because I love you, and you are good enough, Nick. I promise you that".

Nick looks at me for a moment, green eyes shining like an emerald caught under a light. There is disbelief there, but also bright shining hope. He hopes I will love him all my life – and I will always love him, even if I am not with him.

"If I don't choose you, Nick, it is not because you are not good enough. I will always love you Nick, even we are not together. I will never stop loving you Nick. And if we don't end up together, it is not because I choose someone better. It'll be because I had a hard decision, and I had to make a choice".

Grabbing me, Nick pulls me to him with an almost aggressive force. I yelp in shock, but he shuts me up with a hard kiss. His lips cover mine, and for a moment I pause, then I kiss him back. My hands wind around his neck, as he holds me tenderly but with strength. His lips are intoxicating, and I drink them in greedily.

My knees feel weak slightly, as I press myself into Nick so that he takes all my weight, as my eyes squeeze shut as I enjoy the moment. Because I know this moment cannot last forever. No matter how much I love Nick, I also love Arturo and Flynn. So this moment must end – because soon reality will hit us.

When I pull away for a momentarily breather, Nick trails his kiss to my neck, as I shiver against the blissful feelings. "I love you Nick" I whisper. I feel him smile against my neck, before he pulls away.

"I love you too, Athena" he replies, through laboured breathing. Then our lips return to one another.

Nick and I spend the morning talking, and kissing, and just enjoying being with one another. Nick's Pack leave us alone, no doubt giving us the respectful time new mates need together. It's amazing spending time with him – because spending time with him is like awakening part of my soul. A different part to the one Flynn awakens, and a different part to the one Arturo awakens.

When lunch times comes, I decide it is time to make contact back with my Pack. I have had thirty missed calls just this morning; five from Flynn, fifteen from Arturo and ten from my parents. I ask Nick to give me some privacy to make my calls – he does so without argument.

I call Arturo first. "Bella, are you alright?" he says straight away.

"I know I was meant to meet you an hour ago, but I can't".

"Are you getting away of me?" he asks – obvious fear in his voice. The translation slip once more reminds me why I love to listen to him talk; so soft, and romantic, and familiar.

"You been reject?"

"Si".

"No, Arturo, I am not rejecting you. It's nothing to do with you. Something came up and I need to sort it out. I'm really sorry".

"No, Bella, do not be sorry. Ero così preoccupata. I am just happy that you are unhurt". The smile in his words are obvious, and I grin too. "Vorrei che tu fossi qui".

"I love you, Arturo".

"Ti amo, Athena" he replies, before we both hang up.

Next, I must call Flynn. He doesn't answer the first time, so I try again. "Violet?" he chirps, when he finally answers. His voice is hoarse, like he has just smoked a thick cigar.

"Hi Derek" I tease, and he chuckles.

"I wish I had never told you my real name" he sighs. I hear movement in the background as he speaks.

"What are you doing?" I ask, worried as I hear a girl giggle. I know I have no right to be jealous, as I have been sucking faces with Nick all morning, but I can't help but feel coldness running through my veins.

"Just recovering from the broken heart you gave me by standing me up this morning" Flynn jokes, his voice light. A girl giggles again. My hand tightens around the phone.

"Are you with a girl?"

"I'm with loads of people. I'm just chilling at a friend's house. Why where are you?" He seems so nonchalant that it actually makes my jealousy worsen.

"Something came up, I had to deal with it and--"

"Something with Arturo?" he questions innocently.

"No, Arturo is fine but...wait, I never told you my other mate's name". There is a pause on the line.

"I may have gotten one of my friends to do a little digging for me" Flynn finally admits. Anger shoots through me at his words.

"You had no right to do that. No right!" I snap at him. "Arturo does not ask about you, so you have no right to ask after him. I tried so hard to keep you two separate, because this is a hard enough situation as it was without making it worse by telling you two about each other".

"I have the right to know who you've been fucking when you're not with me".

"I have not been fucking Arturo" I reply through gritted teeth. "I told you I wanted to save myself for whichever mate I chose".

"So you say, but how can I actually believe you?" There is a growl in his words that takes me back for a moment.

"Because you say you love me. And if that were true then you would trust me" I state, before hanging up. A few tears spill from my eyes, but I wipe them away angrily. I refuse to allow Flynn to ruin the time I have with Nick.