A/N - I am so sorry it took me so long to update. I lost interest in this story but so many people were asking me for updates that I decided it wasn't fair for me to stop write this...so here you go.

Also I apologise now as this chapter will probably break your heart...

Chapter Twelve

For three days I did nothing but spend time with Nick. Well as much time as I could. He is a busy man, and the time he has for me is little. He is getting ready to take over as Beta – in a number of months' time – so he has been working crazily. He is working at nights, so that he can spend as much of the day as he can with me.

But after three days, I know that I need to go home. I love living in the little bubble with Nick that I have created. But soon that bubble needs popping. I have two other mates who I need to go home to at some point. Arturo has done nothing but ring me and text me, but Flynn is a different story. He is ignoring me, and I am ignoring him.

"Athena?" Nick calls, knocking on my door. I am still staying in one of the guest room in his Pack's communal house.

"Come in" I shout back, as I slip my phone into the pocket on my jeans. Nick walks in and smiles at me. He must sense my mood, because he raises his eyebrows inquisitively. "Hey" I sigh, as he slips his arms around me.

"Are you alright?" he asks, and I shake my head no. Before I can even say anything, the tears begin. Nick is shocked for a heavy moment, before cuddling me as tightly as possible. He whispers sweet nothings in my ear, as he runs his hands up and down my back.

"Why me?" I cry, my face buried in Nick's neck. "Why do I have to make this stupid decision? I love you, and I love Arturo and I love Flynn. No matter how much of a dick he is, I do still love him. I love you all, and I will always love you all. But I have to choose out of the three of you, and that's not far. That's not fucking fair".

"I know, baby, I know". He presses a gentle kiss to the top of my head. It didn't stop my rant.

"Why couldn't I just be one of these normal She Wolves who has one mate and meeting them is the best thing in the world? Why did that fucking Witch have to curse my fucking ancestors? Fuck her. Fuck them. Fuck everyone. I hate my fucking life".

I dissolve into a crying fit, gripping his shirt as tight as I can. I honestly don't know if can do this anymore. Maybe it would be better if I were to disappear, and I didn't choose any of them. Because I can't decide. I don't know if I will ever be able to decide.

Nick picks me up and walks over to the bed with me. He takes a seat on the bed and rests me over his lap as he soothes me. My head buries in his neck and I do nothing but cry and cling on to him. "If I could take your pain away from you then I would" Nick whispers to me, pressing a sweet kiss to the top of my head.

"I love you" I whisper back, pulling out of his neck to look into his beautiful eyes. There is a moment of silence between us, before Nick moves me off his lap and stands up. I can sense the change in his mood as he stalks back and forward for a moment. "Nick, what's wrong?" I question.

"I'm going to do something I really don't want to do...but I have to" he finally says. Turning away from me I could hear his heart beating fast and mine began to match it nervously. "I will always love you Athena, but I don't want to make this decision ever harder for you".

"What?" I panicked, jumping to my feet. Nick turns to me, and I see that silent tears are streaming down her face. "No...Nick...please don't" I hiccup as I begin to cry myself.

"I know that you have a really hard decision in front of you, and I don't want to make it harder for you when I can take myself out of the equation. I have to do this now, the longer we stay together the harder this is going to be".

"No please" I sob, grabbing a hold of him. Nick looks at me through watery green eyes, and he sucks in a deep breath. His heart is breaking and so is mine. "I love you please Nick...don't...please". I am a mess.

Nick takes a deep breath, "I will always love you Athena, but I have to do this...I...reject--". His voice breaks as he chokes on a sob. I fall to my knees in front of him as I weep. "I reject you as my...as my mate" he breaths out between heavy sobbing.

My heart broke and I dissolve into tears and pain on the floor at his feet. Nick is crying silently, as he opens the door to the bedroom. I must be making a lot of noise as once he's opened the door the Alpha rushes in. He looks between us in confusion. "What happened Nick?" he demands.

"I made her decision easier" Nick whispers, tears still running down his face silently. "I can't sit back and watch the pain this situation is causing her. I have to let her go...I don't want to cause her any more pain than I already have".

"Nick...please don't go...I love you" I cry out, still in too much pain to get up from the floor.

"I love you Athena, I always will" Nick whispers before he walks out of the room and out of my life.

For hours I stay on the floor, no longer crying but just feeling numb. When it gets to afternoon, and the Alpha still can't get me to move, he just picks up and carries me outside to a car. "I'll call Alpha Jackson and let him know you're coming into his territory" the tall Alpha says

I sit quietly in the passenger's seat, my legs drawn up to my chest, as the stranger climbs into the driver's seat. He glances to look at me and gives me a soft smile. "I'm Shane" he spoke softly, "I'm a friend of Nick's, he's going to be my Beta when I become Alpha". As soon as he says Nick's name I whimper. He cringes, and realises he probably sounds have said that. "Sorry" he mumbles.

I don't speak for the entire journey, because I don't see the point of speaking. My entire body and my mind is numb. How can I possibly live without Nick? I don't want to live without Nick. He'd let me go and in doing so had destroyed my heart.

I zone out, feeling empty and lonely, and don't even notice when we arrive at my Pack hours later. "She hasn't spoken since it happened" Shane says to someone – I hadn't noticed that he had gotten out the car.

"She just lost a mate, she will take a while to recover from that. We just can't leave her alone" Alpha Jackson replies – his familiar voice stirs something inside of me, but not enough for me to move or feeling anything. "Unfortunately I wish we didn't have to deal with this often, but in my Pack it is something that happens most weeks".

"Must be hard to run a Pack with such a curse" Shane says.

"Every Pack has its own problems, Saxondale's is just advertised world wide" Alpha Jackson sighs softly. Shane doesn't reply, but after a few moments he opens the car door.

"Come on sweetheart" he says softly, reaching for me. I don't move. I allow him to pick me up and carry me out the car. "Where should I take her?" Shane asks. Alpha Jackson frowns at me, but I just blink at him before I close my eyes tightly. He can't expect me to speak when I can no longer feel.

"I'll take it from here" my Alpha sighs. Shane hands me over to Alpha Jackson, who even though he in reaching his forties, he holds me with strength and protection. He says a few words more to Shane – the best friend and future Alpha of the man I'd never get to love again.

"I've got you Athena, let's get you home" Alpha Jackson mutters to me gently. He carries on speaking to me for a while as we walk.

"Alpha" a voice suddenly calls out. Instantly my eyes open and Alpha Jackson glances down at me as we hear approaching feet. "Alpha...is that her...is that Athena?"

"Yes Derek it is. I don't think she's in the right state to see you right now".

"Flynn" I whisper voice barely audible in the evening breeze.

"Yeah, hey, it's me" Flynn replies and I feel another wave of tears falling from my eyes. "Are you alright? What's going on?" He turns to our Alpha. "Is she hurt?"

"She lost a mate today" Alpha Jackson replies and Flynn sucks in a deep breath. "I should get her home, Derek".

"Alpha let me take her. I haven't seen her in almost a week...I've missed my mate".

"Alright" Alpha Jackson nods, and a second later he passes me into Flynn's arms. I feel unbelievably numb from the loss of Nick but I notice the small electrical impulses that shoot through my body at touching Flynn. I have to remember that I still have Arturo and Flynn...but I still don't feel better. Because I want Nick. Just Nick.

"You make sure you take her straight home, Derek" Alpha Jackson warns him. "I will make sure one of the marshals checks up on that. You know I can't allow a She Wolf in mating month alone without supervision".

"I know Alpha" Flynn replies. "I promise I'll take her straight home".

"Alright" Alpha Jackson nods. He gives me a small smile, says a few more words, before leaving me in the arms of Derek Flynn.