Unedited

***

Part 2.2

The headlights of my car illuminated a neon green sign, which indicated that it was just five more miles until I would reach Cedar Falls. I gripped the black, leather steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I should go back, I thought for the millionth time, I should not be going to Cedar Falls.

I had been aware that my plan was foolish. Braxton warned me that he would kill Magnolia and my parents if I dared to come back to Cedar Falls.

Gulping out of fear and anxiety, I tried to convince myself that Braxton would not do such a thing. My internal persuasion was a lost cause because it was something I already had been trying to do, each and every day since Braxton had threatened me.

I had told myself that he would not harm them if I was to go back. My method had worked a few times, causing me to gain enough courage to pack up my bags and attempt to go back. But, every single time I hesitated. What if he was serious? What if he really would kill my parents and sister?

This time was different. Angie's death and last words, right in my arms, had made a sickening feeling twist in my gut. Something was wrong; I could sense it deep in my bones. There was no shaking it.

With each closing mile to Cedar Falls, however, the excitement and anticipation of seeing Braxton momentarily dulled the feeling that something was wrong.

I began to jump on a familiar train of thought. Was Braxton safe and healthy? Had the year and five months treated him well?

Angie's words came to mind, in regards to Braxton. She had urged me to stop him. From doing what, I had no clue.

In addition to the things that I did not understand, Angie wanted me to find Dinah - a girl I had briefly met back in the hospital, after my werewolf attack.

At the time, Braxton had called her his deputy, which had made me wonder if she was in his pack or not.

However, I had a feeling that was deep in my gut, which told me that Dinah was not a werewolf. Mainly, I figured I had felt that way because Dinah did not get off the vibe I would expect, and did receive, from someone like Braxton.

In that moment, I told myself that after I found out what was going on with Braxton, I would make Dinah my top priority.

***

It was not long before my car pulled into Cedar Falls. Once more I was amazed at the layout of the town, with the main road, Parkside, leading straight into the town; only for the street to curve around and lead you back out the way you came, towards Greensburg.

I realized it was Braxton's ploy to get people out of the town. It was evident he did not just want me out of Cedar Falls. He wanted everyone out that was not part of his pack. I saw it as a means to protect his pack because strange, unknown people could not be trusted. However, I thought that Braxton should have trusted me. After all, I'm his mate.

I parked a few shops down from Red Moon Nightclub. I let out a shaky breath, feeling my nerves shot. Closing my eyelids, I controlled my breathing. "You can do this, Viva. He's not going to hurt your family. You're just going to walk right in there and make sure he's okay. And, you're going to figure out what Angie meant." I gave myself a pep talk, with the intention of calming myself down.

Immediately, I wished Magnolia was there with me. When my little sister was around, it always had made me feel courageous. The way we teased each other without fail had always brought a smile to my face and eased my nerves. I assumed it was a sister thing. And, in that moment I craved that comfort even though I knew that I could do what I was doing all on my own.

I was a strong independent woman; I told myself repeatedly.

Opening my eyes, I focused on two men that stood at the front door of the club. Both were dressed in black shirts and dark pants. Squinting my eyes, I studied the two. One was bald and appeared to be middle-aged with a love for lifting weights. The other was a skinny man but that did not change the fact that he was intimating by how tall he was. If I had to guess, the skinny, tall one looked as if he could equally kick someone's ass compared to the bald man.

In order to avoid the men, I considered going around to the back and getting in through the door Magnolia and I had used. But, because I did not have Magnolia with me at the time, I had no means of picking the lock. It dawned on me that I could always resort to learning how to pick a lock with YouTube videos, again. However, I knew that would take time and it sounded very plausible that Braxton would have increased security to the back door, in order to stop me from attempting once more to get inside the club.

Evidently, I did not have that many options. So, I settled on one knowing that time was ticking and as it did I only grew sicker with anxiety and worry.

I stepped out of the car and closed the door. "You can do this," I muttered to myself again with encouragement. "He's not going to hurt your family."

After turning on my heel, I marched directly to the front door.

The men immediately noticed me advancing towards them, as they stood up straight and locked eyes with me.

"Can we help you?" The bold one asked as soon as I reached them.

"Most certainly. I need to speak to Braxton," I said with a warm, gentle smile. I pointed to the door, "I'll just go in and see him."

"Sorry," the skinny man said with a toothy grin as he blocked the door, halting my intention to enter the club. "I've never heard of Braxton," the man's brown eyes glanced over at the other man. "Tell me, Marshall. Have you ever heard of Braxton?"

I looked over at the bald man to see him shake his head.

"No, Silas. I can't say that that name rings a bell," Marshall replied.

I sighed. "Well, I'm in need of a drink." I tried to slide past the tall guy who I assumed was named Silas. He maneuvered again so that I could not get in.

Taking a couple steps back, I realized that he was not going to let me in. "Really? I'm legal. I can get a drink." I confessed as I pulled out my wallet from my back pocket. I went to show them my I.D. when I noticed that both men had their eyes focused on my shirt.

Looking down, I saw that my jacket was open and it exposed my white t-shirt, which contained splotches of Angie's blood. With everything that had happened, my mind was placed in a fog. Changing my clothes was the last thing on my mind.

Even still, I mentally cursed myself for not taking the time to change outfits before showing up.

Marshall, the bald man, took a step toward me. "That blood on your shirt. It's not yours."

I moved back feeling threatened by the tone of voice he used with me. "No. It's not my blood," I wearily replied, feeling as if I was on thin ice. "That's why I need to talk to Braxton. If you would just let me inside," my eyes flickered between the both of them, hoping they would let me inside.

"Braxton is not here," Silas told me, angling his body to face me.

"So, no getting inside," Marshall remarked as the corner of his lips twitched up into a smile. He enjoyed feeling like he had authority.

"I'm confused," I said, "I thought the two of you had never heard of Braxton." I allowed a bewildered expression to come across my face.

It had been clear to me that I caught them in a lie. "Either you have never heard of him or he's not here. Which one is it?" I raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

Both men looked irritated at what I had said to them.

"The truth is whatever we want because we choose who goes in or not. You're not allowed in, Miss," The bald man said with a stern, unwavering look.

"Who's the blood from?" Silas asked with a curious expression.

"I'll only speak to Braxton," I defiantly replied.

"Like we said," Marshall responded, vexation evident in his voice. "Braxton is not here. It's time for you to leave," Marshall took a large stride towards me and was about to take another, which would have put him at arm's length. However, a voice cut through the air causing everyone to freeze in place.

"Enough."

Both men paled.

Silas was the first to compose himself and gain his color back. "Braxton. We were only doing what you asked."

I looked over my shoulder to see Braxton standing on the sidewalk, several feet behind me. The air escaped my lungs at the mere sight of him. In the year since I had seen him, he had not changed one bit.

His hair was still short and jet-black. As for Braxton's eyes, they were as dark as they had ever been.

While he had not changed, I could sense that he was somehow different. Something was not the same.

"I'm aware of what I asked of you, Silas," Braxton said with pure authority as he stared directly at the men.

It annoyed me how he appeared to be avoiding making eye contact with me. Instead, he kept his sole attention on the two men. "And, I want you to know that I appreciate you doing exactly as you were told. Very few do," Braxton stated, this time allowing his eyes to drift over in my direction.

"Braxton, I can explain," I told him as I spun around so that we were face to face.

"I don't have time for your explanations. You were warned," Braxton's dark eyes showed no mercy.

My fears had become reality. "Braxton, please. Don't hurt my family. I had to come here," I tried to tell him.

"Is your family interested in dying, so you offered me up as their means to an end?"

I could not believe his words. He had a screw loose in his head. "What? Are you kidding me? No!"

Braxton studied me for a minute before he spoke up, "Marshall. Silas. Go inside."

"Brax-"

"Are you about to question me, Marshall?"

Marshall cleared his throat, "No, Sir."

Without saying anything else both of the men went inside the club.

I wasted no time in saying something because I was afraid that Braxton was going to send me home. "I came here because Angie is dead," I spoke with as much strength as I could muster.

Truth had been told, thinking about Angie nearly brought me to tears. It was not that I had known her. In fact, I had hardly known the girl. However, the traumatic memory of Angie saying her last words and taking her last breath, all in my arms, was enough to send me over the edge.

It was not because I knew her that well, but more so the shocking experience. It had been a nerve-racking few hours, in which I had yet to process all that transpired. I couldn't. I was on a mission.

Braxton shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Who's she?"

I cocked my head to the side, wondering if he was really serious. "Angie. She works at the herb shop, here in Cedar Falls. When I was visiting last year, I think you might have sent Clifton and Ares to the shop. I believe you were looking for Dinah but Angie was there instead. I assume she works for Dinah."

"I've no idea who this Angie girl is," Braxton said without blinking. "But, you seem torn up about it. So, how about this? I let this one visit slide. You obviously just lost someone close to you and you're torn up about it. You drove here - who knows why - out of blind grief-"

I cut him off, "No. I drove here because Angie came to my apartment. Dying. She collapsed on my doorstep, bleeding." I pointed to the blood covering my shirt. "She took her last breath in my arms. Angie even said her last words to me. And, you know what she said?"

"I'm dying?" Braxton answered with a raised eyebrow.

I fought the urge to punch him square in his face. "Are you seriously making a joke out of this? Someone died."

Braxton released a low, animalistic growl, that I would have commented on had I not be so outraged by the way he was acting. "Do not raise your voice at me," Braxton threatened. "And, as far as I am concerned, people die every day. Does it look like I'm worried about this one girl?"

". . .No. It doesn't," I replied with a frown. "You should. She was part of your pack."

Not a word was shared for a minute. Just by looking at Braxton, I saw that he was planning his next move and what he was going to say. His thin lips parted to speak. "Pack? What do you mean?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose for a brief moment. "Why do you insist on still playing dumb?"

Braxton smirked. "I call it playing smart, not dumb."

My mind buzzed with curiosity at what he had meant. "How so?"

"I think it's time you leave," Braxton nodded his head in the direction of my car. "Hurry, before I tell Marshall and Silas to pay your parents and sister a visit."

I swallowed. "Why? Why are you being this way? I'm your mate, Beau," I told him, using his first name. I had hoped that it would stir some kind of reaction out of Braxton. It did.

His composed facial features washed over into shock. "It's Braxton," he quickly corrected.

I paid no heed to what he had said. "Don't do this, Beau." I held back the tears as I kept eye contact.

In my mind, I could not help but plead over and over that by the fates he would give in. "Please. I love you," I spoke confidently.

In an instant the air around us changed. It had felt like the night's breeze held an electric current. The dark orbs of Braxton's eyes flickered to blue.

One.

Two.

Three.

Three times his eyes changed their color before Braxton inhaled deeply and controlled himself to the point that his eyes were an unwavering pitch black.

"You should have stayed away. And, you most definitely should have not said that, Viva."

The way my name rolled off his tongue made me involuntarily smile as butterflies erupted in my stomach. "It's true. After all, you are my mate, Beau."

Braxton narrowed his eyes at me. "If you're going to stay in Cedar Falls for a bit, I have rules. Number one rule is that you call me Braxton. At all times. No exceptions."

I gasped in utter shock. "You're letting me stay?!" I shrieked with joy and I jumped up and down with uncontrollable happiness.

Braxton groaned. "I'm already beginning to regret my decision. Maybe, Marshall and Silas should just go visit your family."

I froze in place at his words, which caused Braxton smiled from ear to ear.

"I can't remember," He continued with a playful tone of voice. "Do your parents live at 538 Woodlane Drive or 583 Woodlane Drive?"

"No, Beau - I mean Braxton, please! I promise to call you Braxton."

A pleased expression came across Braxton's face. "Good. Now, rule number two. You always remember that I am allowing you to stay for one reason and one reason only."

I corked an eyebrow. "What's your reasoning for letting me stay, your Highness?" I sarcastically asked.

Braxton gave me a mischievous grin. "It's simple, Viva. I'm going to break you."

I held back a shiver of fright. "Break me?" I nervously questioned back.

Nodding, Braxton replied. "Yes, I'm going to break you of this delusion you're living in. I'm going to show you that I'm not your mate. You'll go running back to Greensburg in no time."

I sighed in relief at what he said. "Whoa, when you said that you were going to break me, I thought you meant like you were going to physically hurt me." I paused, "that's not what you meant, right?"

"I'm not going to physically hurt you," Braxton explained. "But, emotionally? It's what you signed up for the moment you said 'I love you.'"

"I'm your mate, Braxton. You can't hurt me," I firmly said.

Braxton took a few steps over to the front door of the club. He grabbed the doorknob and swung the door open. Immediately, I could hear the loud thud of the music's bass from within the building. "I believe this is when people say, wanna bet?"

I knew this was my one and only chance. It was a now or never situation.

It only took me a few long strides to reach Braxton. I made sure to stop at the point where our chests were a few inches apart. "You can't hurt me," I repeated as I tried not to drown in the dark orbs of his eyes. "I know you won't hurt me. So, because of that, I say game on. If I have learned anything from reading werewolf books it is that you can rarely fight the bond." I leaned in a little, which made our chests slightly bump into each other.

"You feel our bond, Braxton. You can't hide it. At least not for long. It's all written across your face." It was my turn to give him the victorious smirk.

He needed to be reminded about who had the real power here.

Braxton looked befuddled at what I had done.

"You've already lost," I confidently stated before walking into the club, not looking back to see if he was following me because I already knew the answer. He was.

***

A/N:

Sorry for the late, late, late, late update but school and my internship are keeping me super busy. However, I appreciate all the people reaching out and asking me to update. I'm grateful for the support and encouragement.

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