Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Sierra pov.

As we both sat down, staring into each other's eyes, the door suddenly opened, and my mother walked in. I quickly stood up and walked over to her.

"Mom, you're back?" I said, and she smiled and replied, "Yes, dear, I am."

As she walked closer, she caught sight of Henry, who was standing there looking at her.

"And who might you be?" She asked him, her eyes full of curiosity. He smiled and looked at me, then back at my mother. Just as he was about to speak, I cut in, "He's a friend, Mom, and he was about to leave."

Henry looked at me, but I quickly looked away. My mom smiled and walked over to Henry, pulling him into a warm hug. "Thanks for being a friend to my daughter," she said as she pulled away from the embrace.

I didn't know what to say, but I felt a sense of sadness wash over me as I looked into Henry's eyes. I couldn't explain why, but it felt like I was about to lose him forever.

After my mother welcomed Henry warmly, I was waiting for him to leave. But just as he was about to walk towards the door, my mother's hand reached out and pulled him back.

"Sierra, why don't your friend stay over? I was about to make dinner, and I would like him to stay for dinner," she said, looking at both of us.

I looked at my mother, then back at Henry. Why did my mother want him to stay for dinner? She didn't even know him.

Without saying a word, I walked away to the kitchen and started washing the dishes. I could hear my mother bombarding Henry with questions, but I decided not to eavesdrop on their conversation. As I washed the dishes, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease brewing inside me. It felt like something was about to change, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

After about an hour of cooking and bustling around the kitchen, my mother finished preparing our meal. I eagerly helped her bring the steaming dishes to the dining table, and once we were all seated, we began to eat.

I found myself sitting next to Henry, but for some reason, I felt uneasy. I kept my hands tightly clasped together, as if to shield myself from his gaze.

My mother noticed that we weren't speaking to each other and decided to address the tension. "Are you guys okay?" she asked.

I forced a smile and nodded, not wanting my mother to discover the truth - that the person I thought was my dear friend was leaving to meet his mate.

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to give in to the sadness. I closed my eyes and reminded myself that Henry was just a friend, not my mate. But why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel like everything was wrong?

As we began to eat, I focused on my food and did my best to avoid looking at Henry. It took me hours to finish my meal, and my mother kept watching me, concerned. "Sierra, are you sure you're okay?" she asked.

I nodded and looked at her, but the tears were starting to come now. I stood up abruptly and faced my mother. "Excuse me, Mom, I need some fresh air," I said, before quickly making my way outside.

As soon as I was alone, the tears flowed freely down my cheeks. If Henry left, who would I talk to? Who would be my friend? It felt like the world was collapsing in on me.

I placed my hands over my face, feeling the pressure building up inside me until I felt like I was about to explode. The tears started to roll down my face as I looked for some way to ease the pain.

Looking up at the sky, I saw that it was a half-moon night. I often prayed that I could be like the moon, free from everything in this world and just be myself. The cool night air hit my face, and I breathed in the scent of the night, the scent of the earth, and the scent of the stars.

I was sobbing silently until I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Henry looking at me. I pulled my face away from him and wiped away the tears on my face.

"What are you still doing here? Don't you have a mate to go to?" I asked, looking up at him.

He lifted his hands up and placed them on my face as he moved closer to me. "I'm so sorry," he said, his voice filled with regret. I stared into his eyes, feeling the warmth of his hands on my skin.

Was I pushing him too hard? I should be happy for him. I should be glad that he found his mate. I should feel happy that he found someone he can spend his moments with.

I kept looking at him, feeling guilty all of a sudden. Henry had been my friend, and he had stood by me, but now I was just getting angry for something that I shouldn't be angry about.

I felt as if all this was my fault, not his. If I had rejected William from the start, then I wouldn't have known Henry, and Alex could have been my friend until now.

I closed my eyes, feeling regret for what I was doing, and then I opened them back up and looked into Henry's eyes. The world around me fell away, and I was lost in the depth of his gaze.

"I should be the one sorry, Henry. I didn't think about what I was doing before I started judging you. The sight of you leaving me made me feel so bad, and it breaks my heart to think that I may never see you again."

Henry embraced me, holding me tightly in a warm hug. His hands rested on my head, and his touch relaxed me even more. "Even I will miss you, Sierra," he said, causing me to look up at him. "I understand that I am leaving you, but I promise that I will always come to visit, okay?"

As he said that, I found myself staring into his eyes, unable to look away. I moved my face closer to his, and I reached out to touch his face gently.

Suddenly, my face was just inches away from his, and without even thinking, I placed a kiss on his lips. I didn't want to pull away, but then I heard a loud growl behind me, snapping me back to reality.

I turned around and saw Williams standing there with a hurt, sad, and angry look on his face, staring at me. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest, and the only words that came to my mind were, "What have I done?"