by Juniper Hart
“Did you forget I was coming over?” Mia joked, noticing the mess that was his apartment.
Aaron was typically a bit of a neat freak, but it looked as if he had decided not to clean anything for a few days. Dirty dishes were on the counter, and a few pizza boxes were on the floor, with the trash starting to overflow. Some dirty clothes were placed on top of a kitchen chair.
“No, I just fell asleep for a bit,” Aaron answered.
Mia grabbed a few sodas from the fridge, handed one to Aaron, and sat down on the couch in front of the television.
“So, how are your classes going?” Mia asked.
“Oh, great!” he replied. “I’m actually enjoying a few of them this semester. Last semester was rough because it was mostly general education stuff; it felt like a repeat of everything they tried to teach me in high school.”
“Oh, yeah.” Mia nodded her head. “General education—what I like to call the ‘pad the bill’ classes.”
“Exactly,” Aaron said. “College is a huge business. Why else would they charge thousands of dollars for something you can get just by reading the book and doing your own independent research? It’s a sham.”
Mia nodded. She felt a little guilty, and also a bit silly, for putting down education, but everything Aaron had said sounded a lot like her college experience. Sadly, that was the game the world had agreed to play.
“But it will be worth it when you can slap that degree on your resume, right?” Mia said, trying to lift his spirits.
Aaron sometimes needed a bit of a kick in the pants when he was a little down. She’d long ago learned to recognize the symptoms in his body language and in his words.
Aaron paused for a moment and then smiled at her. “I know.”
He leaned back and turned on Netflix.
“So, what are we watching?” Mia asked.
“I’ll let you be in charge of that while I order pizza,” Aaron said.
“That’s a plan. I’m thinking something very chick flick…” Mia teased.
“Funny,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at her.
“Yeah, I’ll find a funny chick flick,” she said.
An hour later, they were in the middle of the latest Reese Witherspoon movie and eating themselves into a pizza coma. As Mia finished her last slice and leaned back on the couch, feeling absolutely full, she swore that she was going to lay off fast food for a bit.
Aaron was one of those people who could eat what he wanted and never gain even an ounce. If anything, the more he ate, the thinner he seemed to become, as if his metabolism switched into hyper drive the moment extra calories were consumed.
“I’m getting another soda,” Mia said as she started to get up from the couch.
Walking back to the kitchen, she pulled open the fridge and grabbed a soda, noticing the stack of overflowing trash. She groaned and sat her soda down on the counter. She took the trash bag out, tied a knot at the top, and set it aside to be taken to the garbage chute later. She then reached under the sink to grab another bag from the box.
As soon as Mia reached her hand into the box full of garbage bags, she saw a half-empty glass bottle, the label facing her. She snatched the bottle and pulled it out into the light.
Whiskey.
Mia couldn’t believe it. Even as her mind processed what she was seeing, she still struggled to comprehend it. This wasn’t real; it had to be something else. But there it was. There was no denying that Aaron was drinking again.
“Ready to get back to the—” Aaron walked back into the kitchen, but his sentence was cut short as Mia turned around to face him, the whiskey bottle in her hand.
Aaron was silent as he stared at her, his expression full of both surprise and shame. He couldn’t hold her glaring gaze longer than a moment.
“Care to explain this? Is this why you were so eager to see me tonight?” Mia said, her hands shaking with rage.
Aaron rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not—”
“What it looks like?” she finished for him. “Come on, try again.”
“I just needed a little bit to take the edge off.”
Mia took a deep breath to keep her voice even. “Oh, boo hoo. Everybody gets stressed out. There’s no excuse for this,” she said.
“Mia, please,” Aaron said, taking a step towards her. “I can explain. I bought that bottle over a week ago. I just took one drink each day to calm my nerves so I wouldn’t fall apart.”
A drink a day. A drink a day for a week, maybe even longer. Mia threw the bottle into the sink, where it smashed to pieces.
“No!” Aaron blurted out.
“No?” Mia repeated, barely holding herself back from screaming. “No, what? ‘No, don’t destroy my precious drug’?”
“Babe,” Aaron began, and fury made Mia’s hands shake even more. They weren’t together now, he had no right to call her that. “Please, you have to listen to me. I’m doing great! I’ve been going to AA and I’m going to counseling. I’m doing it all for you. I’ve worked so hard!”
“Maybe that’s the problem!” she exclaimed. “Stop doing it all for me and do it for yourself!”
Tears began to well up in Aaron’s eyes, and Mia turned her head away. It was so hard to see him cry, but she’d seen it before, and she was tired of the puppy-eyes routine. He had used it too many times in the past, and she was the only one who ended up hurt by it. She was done with that.
It was then that Mia realized that she had to get away from him for good.
This relationship—this friendship, even—was toxic to her; it had been since the very beginning. The best thing she could do, both for Aaron and for herself, was to let him go. It was over between them.
Aaron seemed to know what she was thinking, because he spoke again. “I know I messed up,” he said. “But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. Please, baby, let me make it up to you.”
“No,” Mia told him, shaking her head. “I’m tired, Aaron. I’m so tired of picking you up and watching you fall again. You have to stand on your own feet. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Please believe me,” Aaron went on, his voice growing more desperate. “This will not happen again.”
“You’ve said that over and over until your face was blue,” Mia replied, and she swallowed back the tears stinging her eyes. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Aaron ran his hands through his hair. “Let’s take a moment to relax. I’ll call Max. He’s my sponsor; that’s what he’s there for. I should have called him when I started to relapse, but it’s not too late.”
His denial was more painful to hear than Mia could have imagined. “It’s too late for us. I’m sorry, but I’m done,” she said.
She took out her key to his house and left it next to the sink. Then she walked past Aaron and headed for the door. Before she could even get out of the kitchen, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him.
“Don’t,” he said, and he sounded like he was begging. “Please don’t go. I’ll do whatever it takes, baby, please…”
“Let go of me,” Mia said, her teeth clenched together. “My mind is made up.”
She jerked herself free, and Aaron followed her as she walked to the door and opened it.
“If you leave,” Aaron called, “I’ll spiral out of control. Don’t you see that, Mia? You are going to kill me by walking out that door!”
Mia glanced back at him. She’d never seen him looking so miserable, so desperate. She felt like he might be right, but she could not be responsible for him anymore. He wasn’t a child, and he had to look out after himself, just like she had to look out after herself.
Mia didn’t say anything. She closed the door behind her and walked towards her car.
8
Mia awoke with a startled gasp. Her dream was still fresh in her mind, echoing around in her brain, as if trying to permanently imprint itself there. Her head was slightly spinning. She tried to adjust her eyes to the dark, and she became aware of how t
hirsty she was.
She pulled back the covers and slung her legs over the edge of the bed, reaching for a bottle of water on the nightstand. Maybe Jack had placed it there for her at some point while she was sleeping. She ignored the impulse to turn on the light. Jack was still asleep beside her, his gentle breathing the only sound in the house. Mia took a huge gulp of water and sat the bottle back down.
Wow—it had been a wonderful night. She’d never had sex like that before. It was unbridled and chaotic, yet all the time remaining beautiful and focused. She was still tingling from the memory of Jack’s sensual touch on her body.
Now, where had that damn dream come from? It had all been Aaron’s fault. Mia had given him every chance she possibly could, but eventually she’d just had to face the fact that he was holding her life back. And she’d moved on.
But the psycho wouldn’t. Thinking about it now, Mia realized she didn’t know Aaron at all, she never had. He could have turned into a wolf that day and just ripped her to shreds. There was still hope in him for them. That was the only reason he hadn’t killed her back then.
Even though he had appeared to be completely broken, she knew now that he had just been doing that for show. He’d really thought that she would get over it and take him back. When she didn’t, he had begun to spiral off the deep end.
Mia laid back down on the bed and closed her eyes. According to the clock on the nightstand, it was still only four in the morning, and she really needed some extra sleep after all the physical activity of the previous day. As she drifted back to sleep, she was startled by a strange sound.
It was a creaking noise, immediately followed by the sound of breathing. The only breathing she had heard was Jack’s and her own in the dark bedroom. This one was neither. These thoughts processed through her mind in a fraction of a second. She quickly shot out of bed, bolting upright.
Mia flipped the lamp on the nightstand on, and she was instantly frozen with horror.
Standing at the foot of the bed was Aaron, holding a gun. His face was unshaven, his eyes were wide and unfocused, his body was shaking slightly, and his brow was furrowed. He looked… confused—crazed, like a cornered animal ready to fight back at any moment.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said.
Jack woke up immediately. He leapt to his feet but froze the moment he laid eyes on the gun Aaron was now pointing directly at him. Mia felt her insides coming apart with fear. She wanted to vomit, scream, and run all at once. But she didn’t dare move. The psycho had a gun pointed at the man she loved.
All doubts she’d had about loving or being in love with Jack were gone from her mind. In that precise moment, seeing Aaron pointing a gun at him, she was sure. She wanted to protect him the same way he had protected her, even if it meant having to take his place in front of the weapon.
“What are you doing?” Jack demanded.
Aaron laughed. “Oh, I was out for a stroll and thought I’d pop in to chat.” He raised the gun higher, aiming it at Jack’s head. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Please don’t!” Mia pleaded.
Aaron turned to her, glaring. “Don’t what? Don’t destroy the man who thinks he can take my woman?” Then he turned to Jack and shouted, “She is my mate!”
“You don’t need to do this,” Mia said. “This isn’t right!”
“Do you think I care about right and wrong anymore?” Aaron cried. “You destroyed me! The both of you have taken all I have to live for away from me, so I’m going to take all you have to live for away from you. That seems logical to me.”
“What’s wrong, Aaron? You know you can’t take me in a fair fight? You have to use a gun?” Jack taunted.
Mia gasped. What was he doing?
“Jack,” she murmured, “don’t…”
Aaron chuckled. “Well, being alpha has its perks, right? Maybe I could take you, but maybe I couldn’t.” He gestured to the gun in his hand. “The silver bullets in this gun will damn sure take you out with minimal effort, though.”
“Wow, silver,” Jack said, and Mia wondered if he had a plan to stop Aaron. Why was he still taunting him? “Sounds like you came prepared. I’m surprised you were able to think of that through your drunken stupor.”
“Don’t test me!” Aaron yelled.
“Test you? You came here to kill me. I say you do it. Just get on with it!”
“Nah,” he said. “I think I’ll let you and Mia squirm for a bit.”
“Why are you doing this?” Mia screamed. “Why can’t you just accept that you are not who I want to be with?”
“Because I love you!” Aaron shouted. “You love me! You are mine!”
“No, I don’t!” Mia replied, shaking her head. “I don’t love you, Aaron, I love Jack!”
Jack locked eyes with her, and by the serene way he smiled in their desperate situation, she knew he felt the same way.
Aaron’s eyes widened in shock. He paused for a moment, and he looked down at the ground as if he were considering his options. Mia braced herself for what he was about to do. She thought about lunging at the weapon, but there was no way she’d be fast enough. Jack was an alpha wolf, and even he hadn’t tried to take the gun away from Aaron yet.
“Well, then,” Aaron said, his voice strangely calm after how desperately he had been screaming just a few moments before. “That just makes this so much easier.”
He pointed the gun at Jack’s head again. Then he pulled the trigger.
Time stood still for Mia as she waited for the gun blast that would surely end Jack’s life. How had this happened? Wasn’t there anything that could be done? Was she about to watch the man she loved die in front of her?
But the blast never came. In its place was a soft metallic click.
Aaron glared at the gun as he continued to pull the trigger. The gun, however, wasn’t responding. He quickly shook the weapon, as though the bullets were simply stuck, and tried again.
Mia looked over at Jack in disbelief, tears of relief stinging her eyes, just in time to see him transform into a wolf, leaping at Aaron in the blink of an eye. Aaron’s body crashed into the wall across the room. Jack didn’t give him any time to respond, or even take a breath.
Jack was on him in a second, punching, biting, clawing, ripping, and slamming the other wolf’s body against the floor and the ceiling. Hell was being unleashed upon Aaron, who tried in desperation to fight back. His efforts were futile, though, as Jack threw him across the room, where he slammed into the opposite wall.
A moment later, Jack jumped on Aaron’s back, grabbed him by the neck, and jerked.
Mia winced as she heard the crack of Aaron’s neck. He collapsed onto the ground, his body slumping against the wall.
Jack was breathing heavily, gasping for air.
“He’s gone,” he said slowly, walking over to Mia.
She fell into his arms and allowed her tears to fall down her cheeks. It was over. Finally, it was all over.
9
This is it. Don’t panic. You know what to do.
Mia smiled and started to walk as the music began to play. It was surreal. Everyone in the church was all dressed up and staring at her as she made her way down the aisle. She’d never been the focal point of anything like this, but now she was. All eyes were on her. Even though this was her special day and everyone was here to celebrate her union with Jack, it was still nerve-wracking, but in a beautiful way.
She had to keep it together and remember that everything was going to be perfect. It was perfect because that beautiful, caring, wonderful man who had chosen to spend his life with her was right at the end of the aisle, waiting for her to come to him. He was the only thing that mattered—not the flowers, not the beautifully decorated cake, and not the thousands of dollars that had gone into the wedding.
Jack looked striking in his black tuxedo, standing in front of the minister. He had the sweetest look on his face, with soft eyes and a half-smile spread across his lips. His eyes were filled with lo
ve and happiness.
Mia reached the end of the aisle and took her place next to Jack. Her heart skipped a beat—she had never been so happy.
Mia had dreamt of her wedding day since she was a child, and everything had gone just the way she’d imagined. Jack had told her that money was no object, and every time she’d try to cut corners, Jack would smile and talk her into getting exactly what she wanted. The man was going to spoil her rotten, and Mia was not one to complain.
The next morning, Mia and Jack boarded their international flight to France for their honeymoon. Jack had let Mia pick the destination, and she couldn’t imagine a more romantic place than Paris, the city of love.
That night was going to be extra special, and Mia was both nervous and excited.
After a wonderful dinner, the newlyweds headed back to their hotel room. Neither one of them spoke as they contemplated what was about to take place.
Jack closed the hotel room door behind them and locked it before slowly sliding the straps of Mia’s dress down her shoulders. Her dress fell and pooled at her feet, allowing her to step out of it.
As she stood in only a pair of red stilettos and red lace panties, Jack’s eyes traveled from her face to her chest, down to her abdomen, and finally to her legs, taking in every inch of her.
Mia stepped towards Jack and unbuttoned his shirt. Then she helped him to remove his pants and boxers in one quick motion. His hard body was warm and inviting, and she couldn’t wait to feel his hot skin pressed up against hers.
But first, they had something else they needed to do.
“Are you sure?” Jack asked as he gently stroked the side of her face with his hand.
Mia swallowed. “Yes. I’m definitely sure.”
“You can’t take it back once it’s done,” he reminded her.
“I know. I want it,” Mia replied.
Jack leaned forward to kiss her, and he laid her down on the bed while he climbed partially on top of her, his lips still pressing against hers. He worked his kisses from her mouth over to her neck and then onto her shoulder, where his mouth lingered for a moment.
