“Pregnant, what the fuck Caroline, how are you pregnant, when did you…. why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” he stammered releasing his grip on me and I quickly massaged the affected area, he glared at her and she didn’t answer
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” she didn’t answer, he grabbed her by the shoulders
“Answer me!” he said shaking her, I inched slowly to the exit
“Where the fuck are you going?” he glared at me, and she chuckled
“Sit the fuck down, you’re not going anywhere”
I really want to leave, why does he want me here, this is just too fucked up
“I’m really not comfortable…. witnessing all this” I said clutching my purse
“Oh! But you’re comfortable seducing another woman’s husband?” she smirked at me
“Don’t talk to her, look at me, are you really pregnant” his voice low and deep, she sighed and looked away
“You’re not pregnant are you?” his voice more hurt than relieved
My eyes started to well up with tears and I ran
“Ali wait” I felt my wolf starting to take over
“Don’t you dare!” I barked at her
“But that’s the mate call” she whimpered
“I don’t give a fuck” I turned the handle and dashed into the street
I wondered through the streets of Korea; I have finally found my mate, but I feel more alone than ever
“Am I cursed? I have watched everyone I know find their mate and get married, they made it seem so easy, just find your mate and it’s smooth sailing from there, look at me I can’t do anything” I stumbled onto a park and sat on the swing watching everyone else live their lives, they all seemed so happy
“Why is it so hard for me?” I sighed seeing my life pass me by
My phone buzzed and I ignored it “probably Kein calling for the umpteenth time, I can’t deal with him right now”
It buzzed again I took it out and switched it off
***
My alarm rang “thank goodness it’s Saturday” I covered my head back over with the blankets and drifted off to sleep
“Knock, knock, knock”
“Five more minutes”
“Knock, knock, knock”
“Go away mom”
“Knock, knock, knock” I growled and walked to the door with my eyes closed
“Hey sis” my sleep daze disappeared; my eyes popped opened revealing April with the biggest grin on her face
“Aaaaaaaaaghhhhh” I screamed jumping up and down, I leaped into her arms holding onto her for dear life, tears streamed down my face and my body pulsated echoing my sobs
“Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on, what’s wrong?”
“I…I…” my strength left me, and I couldn’t speak
“It’s okay” she said patting me on the back “let’s go inside I’ll make you some tea” I grabbed her huge blue bag and dragged it in closing the door behind us
“So are you ready to tell me why you’re crying so much, I know it’s not about me” I gave her a quizzical look
“oh, I know you love me, but this…” he finger circled my face “is not about me”
I have missed her, I have kept the events of what has happened the last couple of days pressed down suppressed by denial, so much has happened in such a short space of time, I didn’t want to burden her, but oh my goodness I have missed her, I put the cup of tea on the table and pulled her into a hug again
“I missed you Sisi”
“I missed you too” she pulled away handed me back the cup of tea
“Now spill” she smirked
I looked at her and told her everything, I poured my heart out to her,
“I found my mate Lil, and he is perfect, but everything is so fucked up… I should be happy, but all I do is cry” I started crying again
“I’m so sorry Alee” she breathed taking a tissue and handing it to me, I wiped the fallen tears and continued
“My life is so empty Lil, each time the doorbell rings I run hoping that he is on the other side… I end each day the way I start it, crying my heart out, I can’t stand it…what I’m I going to do?”
I snuggled up in her lap and cried while she gently stroked my hair
“I’m all cried out now” I chuckled
“I’ll say” we burst out in laughter
“Okay, you’ve been here an hour and I’ve been here a week, so it’s safe to say we don’t know Korea at all, lets fix that shall we”
“I like the sound of that” she shook her hips at me
“Tina, hi…sorry to bother you on the weekend…listen…where can one go to unwind in Korea… have any ideas for me…really…thank you…shit I forgot, what time does the bus leave?”
April rushed to my side; worry plastered all over her face
“What’s wrong” she whispered, I shook and hung my head at the same time, the phone went silent in my ear as Tina talked to the driver
“Sorry Alicia, I tried but the bus is leaving in five minutes” Tina said with a hint of frustration in her voice
“What is the name of the place again? Maybe I can take a cab there”
“Are you sure?”
“I can’t miss the first event on my first week here”
“Alright it’s called Noeoul Park”
“Can you text me the address? Thanks …see you there” I hung up and rushed to take a shower, April right behind me
“What is going on Alee?”
“Sorry Sisi, but I have to go to a work thing”
“What work thing?”
“It’s a company retreat… we are going to a park…it’s sort of a team building thing”
“Cool, can I come?”
I thought about her offer for a bit, I mean it is the weekend, what would it hurt, and I know I would feel better if she was with me and not all alone here by herself
“Sure, why not”
***
“Shit, they’ve already started” I grabbed April’s hand and ran with her towards my team
“Slow down we are only twenty minutes late” April huffed
“Sorry I’m late everyone, this is my sister April”
“No worries…nice to meet you April, I’m Tina and this is Louren, in fact it’s great you’re here, Dave couldn’t make it so… if you don’t mind will you be our fourth member…here” Tina handed me two yellow shirts and I gave one to April
“Hurry, we’re up next” Louren huffed with her game face on
“What are we doing exactly?”
“We have to fill up that barrel with water before the other team does”
“Seems easy enough” I said feeling confident
We walked up to the starting line and took the bucket
“You didn’t tell me that the bucket is full of holes, this is more difficult than I thought” I took my hair and tied it in a high ponytail “let’s do this”
The whistle blew and we took off running to the other side scooped up as much water as possible, Louren carried the bucket while the rest of us plugged up the holes with our hands, by the end we were huffing and puffing but we did it, we beat the other team by a quarter of a barrel, we got to the Sami finals and the game was tug of war
“Come on girls we can do this!” I shouted in the most cheerleading tone I could master
“How? The other team has four guys in it, granted they’re not masculine… but they’re guys none the less, how are we going to beat them” Tina pouted
“Yeah I think we need to call this one, we’ve made this this far…I mean that’s something to be proud of right” Louren added
“Don’t worry girls, we’ve got this” Tina and Louren looked at me like I was crazy, I winked at my sister, and she smiled back knowing exactly what I was thinking
“Let’s just say we’ve got more muscle than you realise” April said taking her place at the top of the rope and I took my place at the end, Tina, and Louren in the middle
The whistle blew, and my wolf growled, I heard April’s wolf growl as well,
“Let’s Go!” I pulled as hard as I could the sheer force from our wolves made the other team fall face first into the mud
The audiences’ mouths were on the floor, no one was betting on us wining this one, the entire group fell silent and then a roar of applause filled the air
“How…how the hell did you do that?” the referee stammered
“P90X” I said with a weak chuckle
“Wow, don’t know how you two did it and I don’t care, because we made it to the finals” Tina squeaked jumping up and down clapping her hands frantically
“So, what is the final game?”
“Canoe racing, you have to make it to the other side of the lake and back first” Tina said pointing at the start and finish with enthusiasm
“Sounds exhausting” Louren sat on the grass sighing deeply
“Only one person is needed for this, and I nominate you Alicia” Tina said squeezing my hand
“Fine, who am I racing?”
“Him” I followed her pointed finger
“President Keng?”
“No… no way, why don’t you take this one? I’m feeling a bit tired anyway” I said inching back as he walked over to our team
“Congratulations ladies you were great out there” he leaned in and whispered in my ear
“One might think you had help” he smirked
“Shall we” he offered his hand, Tina pushed me forward, I took his hand and followed close behind
“Call your wolf out sweetheart, summon all the help you can get” his face tightened, his eyes challenging me
“You’re on” I glared back at him
“If you think this is going to be an easy win you’ve got another thing coming” I smirked
The whistle blew
“Game on babe”