Filed To Story: Their Bullied and Broken Mate by Teri Petry
The first time he came home after being with someone else, I questioned him. The only response I received was a punch in the face. He told me that anytime I chose to open my mouth to question him, the same thing would happen, or worse.
There would be days when I wouldn’t say one word to him, and he would come home in a rage and take it out on me. The worst part of it all, my sister, Adelina, knew about all of it and never said anything. She never tried to help me. When Miles pulled Simon, Addie and myself into a meeting a little over a week ago, I wasn’t expecting it to go like it did.
Miles informed us of his intention to take down his dad. He wanted the Alpha title, but didn’t want to wait for him to hand it over. He said he didn’t want his babies born to a father who wasn’t already in charge. It was terrifying how his demeanor drastically changed.
He then looked at Simon, and told him that by blood rights, Maddix had no claim over Blood Moon. That one of us triplets, or my brother Phoenix, is entitled to it. I shook my head and said that my parents chose Maddix for a reason, and he had as much right as the rest of us. That earned me a beating when we got back to our room.
After Miles suggested that Simon and I take over Blood Moon, my sister started to agree with her mate. I was flabbergasted at her behavior. “Addie? You agree with them?” I asked. She nodded her head and said she fully supported her mate, and that I should support my mate as well. However, I couldn’t.
It was settled between the three of them that it would be laid out before Maddix to either relinquish the Alpha title to me, or face a war. Giving my brother an ultimatum wasn’t going to fare well for the three of them, and I’m surprised Adelina didn’t see that.
I was instructed to pack Simon and my things, because we were leaving for Alette’s Luna ceremony in the morning. I was also told that we were to pretend nothing was wrong, and act as if things were perfect in our relationship. More so, I was told that the plan for the Alpha takeover in either pack was to be kept quiet. If I didn’t keep the secret, Simon would have me killed. So much for the strength of the mate bond.
I just wanted all of this, all of my pain and suffering at the hands of my mate to end. I was too scared to tell my dads or brothers, and I didn’t want to trouble Alette and Damian. I had figured I was put in this situation by the Moon Goddess for a reason, and I would honor it until she saw fit to remove me from it.
During the ride to Spirit Mountain, all the three of them could talk about was the takeover. The plan of how Miles and Addie would use the guise of her pregnancy as an excuse for us not visiting sooner, the story of Miles’ father handing over the pack to him, and even the fact that Miles and Simon would dip out early to challenge his father.
I hated lying to my family, and the fact our mates were leaving us at Spirit Mountain while they completed the challenge felt odd to me. Especially leaving Adelina in her condition.
At the after-ceremony dinner, it was sickening to me how nice they were being to Maddix and Damian. The lies coming from all three of them caused me to shut down and keep quiet. After they ate, the guys excused themselves and took their leave. No one knew they were actually leaving the pack grounds other than Addie and me, and thankfully, there was a distraction to where we wouldn’t be questioned about it right away.
Micah’s water had broken, and everyone was scurrying to get her to the hospital. At the same time, my mom and my dads had gotten a call about grandma. While my siblings tended to Micah, Addie and I went with our parents.
It turns out my grandma was in her final moments. As each of us took turns going in to say our last goodbyes, I hoped that I would be able to go in alone. My gran was one of the wisest women I had ever met, and even though she had transferred all of her magic to my cousin Luke many years ago, she still held a special type of magic within her.
One by one, my family went in, stayed awhile, and then came back out. I was sitting with my cousin Ginger when my dad, Loki, came up to me. He stooped down in front of me and said, “Asteria, your grandmother wants to speak to you. She requested you come alone, or with your mother. She said it was up to you. Are you ready?” I nodded my head and told him I would like to go in alone, and away I went.
As I walked in, I noticed the room was only lit by the fireplace and candles. It was beautiful and suiting for her. She had a simmering pot of lavender and vanilla on it, and the scent filled the whole room. I took a deep breath and inhaled the calming smell before she took me out of my moment. “I figured if it was my time, I at least wanted to feel myself. The candlelight and lavender makes me feel good,” she said. I gave her a small smile, and she patted the spot on her bed next to her.
I went to sit, and she pulled me in closer to lie down next to her. I started to weep, and she just wrapped me in closer. “Gran, please don’t go. We need you, I need you,” I cried. She gave me a squeeze and replied, “Asteria, my runt. I may be gone physically, but in your heart and memories, I will always be there with you. You are the strongest of the three of you girls. You just have to find it within you to remind you that you are my grandchild, and like your old grandmother here, you take no shit from anyone,” she laughed.
I knew she was right, but I was so beaten down inside, how did I find that strength again without having to fake it?
“Sit up sweetie,” she said, and I listened. “I have something I want you to know. In this time of turmoil and battle, you are going to lose more than me. You will have to make what seems like a hard choice, and in the end, you will realize it wasn’t hard at all. Trust your gut and your heart. Do you understand?” she asked.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.