The Forbidden Howl

29. I'm Already Mated

Sarah's POV.

I lie to Dane saying my brothers will be at home on Saturday and we'll be attending a pack business together.

He sounds sad and angry on the other side of the phone call, and I wipe my tears.

I hate this.

I know I always come off as the mate who seems to love the other less than the other loves them.

Every time I rush away from our date, every time I refuse to meet him because of my brothers, every time I ask him not to have sex, it all makes me look like I'm a cold mate towards Dane.

I know Dane understands my situation but I can't help but feel guilty that he even has to. As mates we are supposed to be together, not separated and meeting in secret.

Coffee with Nick goes well and honestly, I would've really enjoyed our conversation if I couldn't see and realise the way Nick looks at me.

A part of me wants to tell Nick that I'm mated, but another is scared that he'll tell Jordan.

After our date, Nick drops me off at home. Before getting in his car to leave, he suddenly kisses my cheek. I stiffen and then muster some strength to look at Nick and smile.

He leans more into me when I tell him, "I gotta go, it's late."

"Oh, yeah, sorry, see you later," he tells me sheepishly and finally leaves.

I get inside the house and let my tears fall down when Timothy comes to me and drags me away to the backyard, and asks me angrily, "why are you crying, now?"

"Why do you think I'm crying?" I ask him equally angry.

"Don't, Sarah. Nick is right for you, unlike that bastard," he says.

My crying is now full on. "I like him," I tell Tim referring to Dane.

He holds me by my arms and shakes me, "Sarah! Stop it! I already told you once, don't make me repeat. Forget about Dane. You're never seeing him."

I remove Timothy's hold from me using my powers and his anger frighteningly increases. He shouts, "Sarah!"

"You can't do this to me. You wanted me stay away from Dane, I did. But you can't push me onto someone like Nick like this!"

"Don't lie, Sarah! You think I didn't notice your absence from your classes or your frequent visits to Hanna's place? I know you've been seeing Dane, and it ends right now."

I look away, my gaze both stern and sad.

"What's happening?" Jordan, who has arrived just now, asks us.

I keep my eyes on the ground and Timothy says, "why don't you ask our sister?"

"Tim!" Jordan says angrily to Tim before looking at me. "Sarah, what happened? Why are you crying?" He comes close to me and lifts my chin. I lose all my strength and hug my brother and cry in his arms.

"What did you do, Tim?!" Jordan shouts at Tim.

"Like I said, why don't you ask her? Ask her what she did? Who has she been hanging out with?" says Tim to Jordan before saying to me, "you'll do exactly what I say, Sarah. You're dating Nick. It's not up for discussion."

I pull away from Jordan to look at Tim. "Tim, please! I can't date Nick! I don't like him!"

"I don't care if you like him or not. He's good for you, and you'll eventually come to like him. He's going to be your mate, Sarah. Get that in your mind."

"He can't be my mate," I say to Tim looking down, my voice now breaking. "I'm already mated." My voice comes off as a whisper but I know they both heard it.

"What?!" Tim's enraged question falls into my ears and I wince. He takes a step towards me but Jordan has already turned me around by my arms to face him and asks me in a wrathful voice, "what did you just say?!"

I keep my face down. Trembling, I tell him, "I'm mated."

Jordan's grip on my arms tightens and I use my power to keep it from breaking my bones. "What the fuck you mean by mated?! mated with who?!" Jordan yells at me.

"Dane," I murmur.

Even with my power holding Jordan's pressure off my hands, I feel acute pain in my arms.

Jordan lets go off me and goes to his car. Timothy follows him. "Jordan!" I call him with a frail voice, unable to raise it.

I want to use my power to stop them, but my whole body is terribly shaking to be able to do anything.

After they've left, my trembling hands manage to pull out my phone. My eyes, blurred from tears, search for Dane's name on screen. I call him.

He picks up.

"D-Dane," I manage to say his name in midst of crying.

"Sarah! What happened?! Are you okay?!" he asks urgently and worried.

"They know. M-my brothers know about us. I t-told them," I tell him putting the words together little by little.

"Did they hurt you?" he asks in seething anger.

"N-no. B-but they're coming to you. I'm so sorry," I tell him and bring my other hand to my face and cry into it.

"Baby, don't. They would've found out one way or another. I'm glad you told them! Don't worry about us, I'll take care of them," he says.

"B-but... they are so angry," I tell him remembering the anger I felt, when I didn't even look at his face, from Jordan.

"That's okay. I'll handle them. I won't hurt them and I won't let them hurt me. Don't worry, okay?"

I nod, as if he can see me. "P-please be careful, Dane."

"I will, baby. You stay at your place, okay? I'll call you later," he says.

I nod again.

After disconnecting the call, I get inside to find my parents and tell them everything.