Chapter 5: Chapter 5

"What happened?" Jayden asked me in his calm voice, but I wasn't able to tell him. He was the one who kept warning us about this situation and although I never believed it, it really happened.

The companion of my great love had knocked on our door. Plus, he didn't look like a guy who would just give up. I knew how much Lou loved me, but I wasn't sure if that love would last.

"Chace?" I heard Jayden right next to me, but he seemed further away than ever before. My body felt numb as my heart pounded and blood rushed through my body.

I turned away from him and left the hut. I immediately took a deep breath of fresh air and took a few calming breaths until Jayden drew my attention back to him.

"Tell me what's going on," he said and I hesitantly turned to him to look into his eyes for a moment and quickly direct my gaze back to the forest.

"Your mate was here," I whispered, and immediately I felt the deep hate inside me again, which crept bitterly up my throat and ended in a menacing growl.

Jayden said nothing. He was probably just as shocked as I was and I only casually noticed that he sat down on the floor.

"Who is it?" he asked calmly and I sat down on the floor too.

"His name is Alec. I don't know him."

"From the other pack?"

"Yes."

And again it got quiet. The only audible were the few birds that had not yet migrated south.

"What should I do?" I turned desperately to Jayden, who was staring thoughtfully into space.

I knew as well as he did that Lou could only find true happiness with him, no matter how much she might fight against it. It was a curse and a blessing at the same time. If she stays with me and finally rejects him, she will never be completely satisfied because she would always be missing a part. But if she chooses him....

I shook off the thought and got up frantically, trying not to endure the feeling of suffocation.

"Shall I take Darya home and we go to the Wialtrama tonight?"

"You think I'll leave her here alone? Especially since the guy knows where she lives?" I growled at him angrily, whereupon he got up and put his hand on my back.

"Then we'll take them with us. Who knows how long they'll be here. Maybe he'll leave quickly, after all his mate is here with the alpha," he smiled at me encouragingly, but I didn't feel like laughing.

I knew what this guy looked like, how fit he was. I knew the message he had left her on the rose and I also remembered the destructive look he had given me in the market square. He wouldn't go, on the contrary.

Jayden pulled his hand back and took a few steps forward to take a deep breath. Then he turned back to me and looked at me sympathetically. I crossed my arms and nodded to him.

"Then let's just go tonight."

"Then see you tonight and don't worry."

He disappeared in the direction Lou's scent was coming from while I ran back into the cabin, still furious at everything.

I flopped down on the couch and stared at the wall until Lou walked through the front door and I immediately got up to take her in my arms.

"You know I won't leave you, so don't worry," she whispered, snuggling into my chest, which put me at ease immediately.

"I know," I breathed, but only fate really knew, and that didn't exactly speak for me.

I stood in my boyfriend's strong arms and thought about the situation that had happened just minutes before Jayden had taken Darya from me.

After hearing the rustling, I stood up cautiously and looked around the tree for the source of the noise.

Alec slowly walked towards me and I wanted to run immediately, but he blocked my way and put a finger to his lips while looking at the sleeping Darya. He probably wanted me to listen, but inside I was screaming so loud I just stood there, stunned. It was a terrifying thought to know that he seemed to be following me.

"Just listen to me for a moment, okay?" he whispered, taking a step closer. My heart was beating so hard against my chest that it was hard to breathe and I quickly took a step back to put enough distance between us again.

"I'm really not here to destroy your relationship or force you into anything, but let me tell you one thing, I'll be waiting for you and if at some point only loneliness surrounds you, then I'll be there."

He looked deep into my eyes and I wasn't able to say anything in return. Darya slept so peacefully in my arms and I closed my eyes to listen to her calm, even breathing. I was burning inside and I hoped she could calm me down.

When I opened my eyes again, he was gone, along with his smell and everything else. I took a deep breath, not letting my turmoil show, even when Jayden suddenly came toward me through the trees.

"Are you alright?" he asked, looking at my stony face.

"Yes," I breathed, handing him the little sunshine to just run. I wanted to go to Chace, I wanted nothing more and this Alec could be stolen from me. He had just said it himself that he didn't want to break anything and I was just happy about that.

My quick footsteps could be heard from miles away. I just ran through the trees, not paying attention to branches or anything else, until I stopped in front of our cabin and opened the door.

Chace was sitting on the couch looking just beautiful. He was my moon and once again he brought the light into the darkness for me as he stood up and walked towards me and hugged me tightly to his chest.

"You know I won't leave you, so don't worry," I whispered, snuggling into his chest.

"I know," he breathed, and I immediately felt safe and secure again.

We reluctantly pulled away and he pulled me by the hand to sit on the couch with me on his lap.

"Your brother wants to go to Wialtrama with us tonight," he said, and I nodded to him.

It was a nice idea to go out for a drink, out of the shack where I started feeling more and more watched, like Alec was just waiting to pounce on me. But did he really want that? His words didn't give the impression that he would bother me, but then he showed up constantly and always seemed to know where I was.

We spent the rest of the day cooking together, eating in silence in front of the TV, and fixing up the cabin until Jayden and Ethan came over and sat on the couch waiting for us to get ready.

"Shall we go for a picnic tomorrow? So if the weather stays nice?" Chace asked me as we stood together in front of the bathroom mirror and I was busy putting some color on my pale face.

"Sure," I smiled at him in the mirror, watching him style his brown hair. He looked fantastic once again and when I looked at him in his dark blue shirt that accentuated your green eyes, my heart felt warm and I forgot everything else around us.

As soon as the last strand of hair sat perfectly on his head, he turned to me and kissed my forehead while I closed my eyes and just sighed to myself with happiness. Of course, Ethan knocked on the bathroom door at that moment, it would have been too nice to have a little rest before I had to endure his presence all night.

"Come," Chace took my hand and preceded me through the door to leave the hut together with the others. I tried to do the last touches on my purple dress with my free hand so that it fit well and then concentrated on not running into a tree in the dark.

But I didn't have to pay attention to anything because his hand was guiding me and he would never let me fall or stumble. My light in the dark...