I Only Want One

Chapter 4

Natalie

I turn to walk into the house when Jude reaches out to grab my arm and stops my movement. I feel the tingles shoot up my arm and he gasps at the sensation. I rip my arm from his and glare at him.

"What do you mean not good enough? What does that mean?" He asks desperately.

"It means your reasons aren't good enough. They don't justify what you did and I don't forgive you." I seethe and his face falls.

"I know but could you ever forgive me? Could you give me a chance to make this right?" He asks inching closer to me and I shake my head.

"I don't know, but definitely not right now. We've talked about this, Jude. You said yourself you would never be with a mate who didn't save herself for you. You couldn't even live up to your own expectations! And what? I'm just supposed to accept that? Hell no. I waited for you, Jude. And if the positions were reversed I can say with absolute certainty that I would have waited for you and Eli. Two years, five years, hell I would have waited ten years. Because you were worth the wait. But apparently I wasn't." I shrug and bite back my tears as I slip back into my house, slamming and locking the door behind me.

He knocks again and fiddles with the door knob only to find it locked. He pounds harder and I collapse into a heap on the floor, crying as silently as possible. His pounding doesn't let up and my parents rush down the stairs. My mom lifts me off the floor and carries me towards the stairs as my dad whips open the door and growls at Jude.

"I think you've done enough damage for one day. Best you get home before I call your dad. You know he'll be worse to deal with than me." He says before closing and locking the door again. My mom gives him a reproachful look as he approaches me. He shrugs and swings me up into his arms.

"The boy looked like someone died. Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to make him remember his poor decisions." He says as he carries my still sobbing form in his arms and lays me gently on my bed. Both my parents sit with me while I cry, whispering platitudes and stroking my hair. I eventually calm down enough that my cries turn into pathetic hiccups and my mom gives me a somber smile.

"Things will look better in the morning, baby. They always do under the light of day." I nod and take a few deep breaths before my parents leave to their own room.

I check my phone again, multiple missed calls and texts from both Eli and Jude.

'I'd like to see you tomorrow if that's ok. Let me know.' -Eli

I can't help the silly smile on my face as I respond.

'I'd like that too.'

I put my phone down and close my eyes. I toss and turn most of the night, but when I wake up I have a firm resolve for what I want to do. I bound down the stairs where my mom and dad are in the kitchen, dad cooking and mom drinking her coffee.

"Can you call Eli, Jude, Alpha and Luna over please? I know what I'm going to do." I say firmly and they both look at me shocked before my dad simply nods. I can tell he's mind linking and looks at me when he's done.

"They'll be here soon." He says.

I sprint upstairs to shower and dress in something pretty. I put on a little make up, but don't overdo it in case I cry. I'm putting on the finishing touches when I hear the doorbell ring. I hear my dad talking and walk down the stairs slowly.

Eli is the first one I see and he smiles at me before walking up to me. I smile back and he reaches out to hold both of my hands in his. The tingles travel up my arms and I savor the sensation. His eyes are bright and excited before he leans over to peck my cheek. I look into his eyes, unable to look away. It's like we're the only two people in the world and we stay like that until someone clears their throat. I stutter out of my daze and look around. My parent's and Eli's parents look at us affectionately while Jude looks like he's going be sick.

"How about we discuss things in the living room?" My mom says diplomatically before walking into the other room. My dad sits in the armchair with my mom on his lap. The alpha and Luna sit on the couch with Jude while Eli takes the other armchair. I stand in front of the fireplace facing everyone. My heart starts beating out of my chest and I have to wipe my sweaty palms off on my pants.

"Well, sunshine. How about you tell us why you summoned us all here this morning." Eli says with a grin and I take a deep breath.

"Well, I've decided what I'm going to do about our... um... situation." I say delicately avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"And what are you going to do, little one?" My dad asks and I swear everyone is holding their breaths, waiting for my answer. I sigh and twist my fingers together as an anxious ball forms in my stomach. I take another deep, shuddering breath before I look at Jude.

"Jude and I are not going to be mates." I say firmly and I hear shocked gasps throughout the room.

"Sunshine." Eli starts. "If you reject him, you'll reject me too. You know that, don't you?" He says sitting on the edge of the chair. I nod and look at him.

"I know, that's why I'm not going to reject him."

"What?" The alpha asks, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't get what you're saying." Jude says.

"Eli and I are going to be mates. You and I are going to be.... acquaintances." I clarify and I see his jaw tense before he shakes his head and stands up.

"No. I don't accept that." He says angrily.

"It doesn't matter what you accept, Jude. You're the one that messed things up so you need to live with the consequences." Luna says and Jude growls under his breath as he starts pacing the living room.

"This is bullshit." He mutters under his breath and I scoff.

"If you don't like it, reject me. I can think of someone who would be happy to be your choice mate." I spit at him and he stops pacing to face me.

"I don't want to reject you, Natalie. I want you. As our mate and our Luna. We're twins. We're a packaged fucking deal." He snarls and I shake my head, crossing my arms over my chest and squaring my shoulders.

"I don't care." I say. "I only want one."

"Please, just... give me a chance." He begs as he reaches out to me. I recoil and snarl viciously at him causing him to snap his hand back in surprise

"Don't touch me with that hand. Who knows if you've washed it since you touched her." I seethe and his face hardens.

"I apologized, Nat. What else do you want from me?" I laugh with no humor and shrug.

"Nothing." I say. "Because nothing you say will fix what you did."

He runs his hands through his hair and starts pacing again while everyone eyes us warily. Alpha sighs heavily and rubs his face with his hand tiredly.

"Considering the situation, son, this is about the best you could have hoped for. Your mother and I taught you better than this. We taught you to respect your mate and how important it was to have these experiences with her. Not some pack floosy who was probably only sleeping with you to vie for the Luna position." He says honestly and Jude scoffs.

"Yeah. I get it. I fucked up. You don't have to remind me. I'll be living with the consequences for the rest of my pathetic life." He says before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

I feel myself begin to break down, my eyes barely holding the tears from falling. Eli jumps out of his chair and has his arms around me in less than a second.

"Hey, hey. It's okay sunshine. It's okay. Everything will be alright. He'll come around. He'll understand just give him some time. Okay?" He says and I nod, wrapping my arms around him and nuzzling my face into his chest. His wolf rumbles in approval and I feel him kiss the top of my head.

"You're doing the right thing, sweetie." Luna says kissing my cheek.

"She's right." Alpha says patting my head. "That's about the most diplomatic solution anyone could have come up with. He'll come around. Just wait." He says as they both exit the house quietly. I look around to see both of my parents have left so it's only Eli and I left. He tightens his arms around me and leans down to whisper in my ear.

"How about we talk about our first date?"