Elizabeth
The sun was shining, the birds chirped, and the sound of laughter filled the air with joy.
Eric’s friends and family were enjoying themselves in the pool. Anna seemed to be having a blast playing with her mate. They looked so cute together that I couldn’t help but smile. Others were also having fun with their mates and friends. There were a lot of werewolves—many mateless—doing silly pranks with their friends, like men do when they want to get a girl’s attention.
Water was spilled everywhere, and there was a lot of girls chasing boys and vice versa. I wondered who those people were friends with. Anna seemed to know all of them as did Shane. I was just glad I didn't have to be introduced to everybody. They didn't seem to be too keen on meeting me either. It was as if I wasn't even there. I sat in my wheelchair, in the shade, like a spectator of other people's happiness. It was a sensation I was all too familiar with.
My mate had been next to me and had even complimented the way I looked. Then, he left to talk with Shane when I told him I would be okay on my own. The truth was that I thought I looked boring and dull. I wore jeans and a top. I didn't dare to put on a bikini like the other girls were wearing. They all looked gorgeous and fit. I felt insecure next to them. Skinny and extremely pale. I lacked their happiness to give life to my body.
Eric, on the other hand, looked striking. He was not in a swimming suit either. Apparently, he wasn’t planning to sunbathe or get wet. My mate was there to be next to me and to show me the garden later. So, he was wearing a blue marine polo and a pair of jeans that complimented his legs and butt. He would often catch me staring at him, drooling. I would glance away and blush like a silly teenager with a huge crush. Still, I had all the right to blush. Eric was drop dead gorgeous, and he had an aura that made me shiver and sigh. I knew what lust felt like, what attraction was. With him, it was one hundred times worse than I've ever felt before. It was like other men, as gorgeous and sexy as they were—and there were plenty of them here—seemed boring and uninteresting next to him. I couldn’t help but think that all of that was mine and mine only. I wished I had the guts to be able to claim him.
My attention was stolen by the arrival of a sexy, curvy, and blonde doll. She was beautiful beyond words with oceanic eyes, straight hair, glossy, plump lips, and a body to die for. She was texting on her phone while cat-walking her way to the pool. The moment she dropped her phone in her bag, and she saw Eric, she shrieked with happiness and ran to his arms. My mate smiled back and opened his arms to embrace her.
I saw red! A jealousy monster overtook me. Before I could understand what I was doing, I was in front of the blonde chick, grabbing her neck and choking her.
“Do not touch my mate,” I growled.
“Beth, let her go,” Eric begged.
Then Anna screamed. “Grandpa, no!”
“Who the hell is she?” I snarled as I looked at my mate and noticed the horror in his eyes.
“She’s my mom!” Eric replied.
My grip faltered as I looked at the woman. “But she’s not a vampire.”
“Release her,” he requested.
His hands grabbed mine, and I let the woman go. I bent forward, filling my lungs with air. That was when I noticed an attractive, tall, and mad as hell vampire next to us. He looked frozen since he seemed incapable of moving. He was also looking at me like he was going to kill me. Then I saw that the blonde woman’s hand was up facing her left, while her other free hand was holding her throat that I had bruised.
I was mortified at what I had done. That vampire was Eric’s dad. They looked alike. And I had just attacked his mate. If Eric’s mom hadn’t stopped him, with some sort of magical power, he would have ripped my head off.
Eric held me before I could fall on the floor. I was feeling sick and weak again.
“How can she be your mom? She’s a human witch girl!” I protested, fully aware of the consequences of my mistake. I had just infuriated the king and harmed my mate's mother.
“Second reincarnation,” the girl clarified as if it all made perfect sense.
“Your dad wants to kill me,” I whimpered.
Eric's mom laughed as if I had said something funny. She should be mad at me. Why was she laughing? Why wasn't she hurting me back?
Her hand on her throat glowed, and after clearing her voice, she spoke to the frozen vampire king that was clearly annoyed for being frozen. “My fault, honey. I was going to touch her mate.”
“You are his mom!” he growled. The witch had just unfrozen his head so he could speak.
“Beth didn't know,” Eric retorted. “I won't let you hurt her.” He held me tighter. I didn’t complain. His dad frightened me. “You'll have to take me down to touch her.”
I looked at him with widened eyes as terror flooded my body. He was defying his own dad, the king, to protect me! Was he crazy? It was my fault. His dad had every right to hurt me. Besides, I didn't want him to hurt Eric.
“It's my fault,” I whined. “Please, don't hurt Eric. I'm sorry if I hurt your mate. I didn't know.”
All eyes were on me. It was odd to be once more the center of attention.
“Fine,” he growled.
“Now, say it like you mean it,” the blonde teased the king.
I thought she was pushing her luck. However, if he was her mate, he wouldn’t harm her. Or at least I used to think that. Now I was not so sure. The jealousy attack I had was … insane.
My thoughts froze with the epiphany. Only then could I begin to understand a small percentage of the jealousy and craziness Marie felt each time she witnessed her mate with another. With me.
I wanted to run and hide. Scream out loud and destroy everything in my way.
“Calm down, sweetie,” Eric whispered in my ear, caressing my hair.
My body tensed with mixed feelings of fear and bliss for being close to my mate. By then, the vampire king already had the gorgeous blonde in his arms, seeming the less frightening person in the world.
I looked at my own mate with pain in my eyes.
His words caressed my face. “You don't need to be scared. I'm here. He won't hurt you.”
I nodded, still analyzing my reaction to the other woman trying to touch him. “I don’t know what has gotten into me,” I confessed. I was clenched to his chest, feeling good and safe, but conflicted. Eric smiled. “Why are you smiling? It's not funny at all!”
“You like me. You called me your mate,” he explained, killing my bad mood and making me sulk with reddened cheeks. “No one will touch me but you. No matter how long it takes for you to heal.” He lifted me in his arms in a bridal style and took me to my chair.
“And if I never heal?” I asked with gloomy eyes when he sat me down and crouched by my side.
“I'll wait for the next reincarnation to meet you. But, please,” he added with sadness in his voice, “don't you die on me. Give me a chance to heal you.”
I shivered. It was hard to think straight when he looked at me like that. He always said the right words to warm my heart.
“But your parents hate me now!”
The need to cry surfaced again. I’d acted insane.
“Of course not, they can't possibly hate you. You are my mate. You just have to spend more time with the others. We could dine together with them today.”
“Dine?”
“Yes, we gather at dinner time. The wolves eat, we drink. Sometimes we eat undercooked meat or even actual cooked food for the fun of it. Mom always brings or makes sweet desserts for us to taste.”
He seemed happy to talk about that. It actually sounded fun. “How old is your mom in this new form?”
“Twenty-one, I believe, but don't be fooled by her age. She remembers a lot from her past life, so she seems older, much older, most of the times.”
“Your dad seems like your age. Shouldn't he look older, since his mate was killed and … I don't know. I’ve never heard anything like that before. How can she even remember? Is it because she is a witch?”
“Oh, that’s such a long story! I can tell you all about it while we go for a walk in the garden,” Eric said, with a soft smile and hopeful eyes.
I nodded in acceptance. Talking about his family might help me forget my own problems, temporarily.