Chapter 44: Chapter 44
Sierra pov.
"Henry," I exclaimed, feeling as if I was about to pee on myself with excitement. He smiled warmly at me, and without a second thought, I rushed towards him, throwing my arms around him in a tight embrace. Overcome with emotion, I felt tears pricking at the corners of my eyes, and my heart swelled with joy.
As we pulled away from the hug, I gazed at Henry in disbelief, unable to contain my happiness at seeing him again. I had assumed he had left for another pack, but now I knew that I had a friend I could confide in and talk to.
"How?" I asked breathlessly, and Henry simply smiled, placing his hands gently on my shoulders.
"Sierra, you don't think I would leave without seeing my friend or saying goodbye, do you?" he said with a chuckle.
My heart leaped with gratitude as I realized that Henry was still the same funny and caring friend I remembered. As we walked together, I noticed that people were staring at us, but Henry lifted my chin gently and encouraged me to hold my head up high, not to pay attention to their looks.
I felt grateful to have Henry by my side. When we arrived at my mother's house, I walked inside, but to my surprise, Henry stayed outside. I turned to look at him, feeling puzzled.
"Come in, Henry," I said, but he only stood outside, smiling at me.
"Sorry, Sierra, I can't stay. I have something to do, maybe some other time," he said apologetically.
I felt my heart sink at the thought of Henry leaving and leaving me alone again. I nodded, turning to walk inside, but just as I was about to close the door, Henry's hand touched mine, and he pulled me close to him.
"Do you really think I would leave you alone?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
I laughed, feeling relieved and overjoyed that Henry would not abandon me. With his touch, I felt a sense of comfort and security, like a child holding the hand of a parent.
As he walked into the house, I followed him and we went straight to the kitchen. I dropped off my mother's belongings and waited for her to return. In the meantime, I had a burning question that I needed to ask Henry.
After Henry and I sat down, I couldn't stop staring at him. He was absolutely perfect, and I felt a pang of guilt knowing that I was responsible for disrupting his happy life with William.
As I looked at him, tears welled up in my eyes. When he turned to look at me, I quickly averted my gaze, looking in another direction.
But he reached out and gently held my face in his hands, turning my head so that I was looking at him once more. I wanted to apologize and express my remorse, but the words wouldn't come out.
"Are you okay?" he asked, and I nodded, trying to act as if everything was fine.
He wiped away the tears that were about to spill from my eyes, drawing me even closer to him. After a minute or so, he pulled back slightly and made me look at him.
"Why do you always cry, Sierra?" he asked, and I wiped the tears away with my hands, looking at him with a sad expression.
Feeling ashamed of everything that had happened, I looked down and felt as though I was to blame for everything.
"I'm sorry," I said, meeting his gaze. "I'm sorry that I caused all of this to happen to you. Because of me, you were thrown out of your place, and I just don't know if I can ever forgive myself."
The more I spoke, the closer he pulled me to him.
"You know, Sierra, I don't blame you," he said softly. "From the moment I saw you, I saw not only beauty but also a girl with a heart of gold. Although I thought that William would be happy to have someone like you, but sometimes what you see and believe in isn't always what will stand by you."
As I listened to him speak, I knew in my heart that he was right. But what should I do now? Should I continue to dwell on William or should I try to forget about him? It seemed clear that he no longer loved me; all he saw when he looked at me was a "bitch," nothing more.
I closed my eyes tightly, trying to banish all the memories of our relationship - the good and the bad - and focus on a new life with just my mom and me. The darkness behind my eyelids was a welcome relief from the turmoil in my mind.
Gradually, I began to feel calmer, just by being in Henry's presence. I hoped our friendship would last a long time. After a while, it seemed as if all the thoughts that had caused me so much pain were being purged from my mind.
I looked up at Henry, and he returned my gaze with a warm smile, placing his hand on my head.
"I pray you find happiness, Sierra. I hope you find someone who can ease your pain. I really do," he said.
I smiled, my heart full of gratitude for his kind words.
"You know, Henry, I'm so glad you're here. Being with you makes me happy again, and I just hope this day will never end."
Henry smiled back at me, but I could see a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked him, concerned.
"Sierra," he said, stepping closer to me. "I have something to tell you."
As he spoke those words, the air around us seemed to grow heavy with anticipation. I braced myself for whatever he was about to say.
I slowly lifted my hand, extending it upwards until it reached his face. My fingers brushed against his skin, trying to sense what was wrong and why he had suddenly become so sad. "What's the matter, Henry? What do you need to tell me?" I inquired, my voice laced with concern. As he placed his hands on mine, I could feel his warm palms pressing against my skin.
"I've found my mate," he revealed, causing me to withdraw my hand as though I'd been burned. My heart began to beat so rapidly that I thought it would burst out of my chest. "You found your mate?" I repeated, a wave of sadness washing over me.
Henry's eyes flickered with emotion. "Yes, Sierra. I found her, and she belongs to another pack. I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I'm going to the Shadowclaws pack because that's where my mate is."
I felt a strange mix of emotions: happiness for Henry that he'd found his mate, but also heartbroken that he was leaving me. I looked down, unsure of what to say. It was as if the world had once again pushed me into a dark corner, far away from the light.