Chapter 37: One.

*Present Day*

Henry stilled, gripping Eloise to him like his life depended on it. His nose was still buried in the crook of her neck inhaling as much of her scent as he could, he would give his soul for this to be the only thing he smelled for the rest of his life. After all these years spent searching he had finally found her again.

Eloise's ragged breathing matched her racing heart as she leant on the wall Henry had her pinned to, and all of a sudden she was swamped with regret.

Regret at having so easily let this man near her again. Internally she cursed herself for being so weak.

"Get off me," she ground out between her teeth, pushing Henry back.

Henry's growl echoed in the alleyway, and his grip on her only tightened. He was at the complete mercy of their bond and even though he hated it, he couldn't let her go.

"No," Eloise cut him off, "You have no right, get off of me now, Henry Gray."

Eloise managed to push him back enough to make eye contact, his cold glare meeting her soulful eyes and reminding her of everything she had to give up because of him. It gave her anger more fuel, and before she realised what she was doing the sharp pang of the slap she gave him echoed louder around them than Henry's growl had. He staggered back, more out of shock than anything else as Eloise quickly began rearranging her understandably disheveled clothes.

"Are you kidding me, Eloise?" Henry asked incredulously, "After all these years, and you're slapping me?"

"You chose this Henry!" She snarled, moving to walk away, before stopping. Something snapped inside her and she decided it was time to give him a piece of her mind. "And I lost all that mattered to me because of it! Don't you dare appear in my life, and dare act the victim. You are not worthy of my time, certainly not worthy of your Alpha status, and I only wish it was Bast the gods chose to mate me with! Not his self-centred, arrogant, asshole of a brother. Stay the fuck away from me, Henry. I want nothing to do with you!"

Henry had to fight the urge to shift at her words, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to grab her. Spinning her in one fluid movement flush against his own body again. He hated how good she felt in his arms, how perfectly she fit. How she flushed under her dark skin at the contact between them. But no matter how much he hated it, he wouldn't let her go again. Not to anyone, and definitely not to his little brother.

"You are mine, Eloise! Not my brother's!" His jealousy raged out, pulsing across his skin. "That mark on your neck only proves it."

"No," she pulled away from him. "This mark on my neck only serves as a stark reminder of what a pathetic excuse for a mate I have. You walked away Henry! You! I didn't turn my back on you, you did that to me. So, don't get pissy because I didn't chase after you like some lovesick pup!" Eloise spat back at him, cursing as she ripped herself away from Henry and tore the sleeves of her chef's whites in the process. "I'm going back to work. Do me a favour and walk away again, I actually have a life here, and I don't plan on giving what's mine up a second time for you!"

Eloise was making her way back to the doors of the restaurant when it opened, revealing a quickly confused Sammy and Daniel, who has come in search of her brother now their meal was over.

"Lara?" Sammy asked concerned, just as Henry turned his back on the others, needing to rearrangehis own clothes. "Are you okay? What happened to your sleeves?"

"Hey Sammy," Eloise tried to put on a brave face, "I'm okay, just need to get back to work."

Daniel was stiff beside Sammy, taking in everything around him, as he blocked the entryway.

"They had sex," he blurted out, "And an argument, I can smell the cortisol and the adrenaline in their system. Fuck, and they're mated." He added on a large inhale.

"What?!" Sammy shrieked.

"Shut the fuck up, Columbo." Henry growled out, turning around.

"Wait, after all the shit you have given Daniel and me, and you mate of your other half just like that?" Sammy said, her anger vibrating off her, despite Daniel's hands on her shoulders.

"Actually no," Eloise chimed in. "We mated years ago, and he lost me the minute he walked away after marking me. Left me alone to clean up the damage, avoided me for a fortnight, and then when I did see him again... Well that doesn't matter anymore, he doesn't matter anymore. Wait, you have a mate, Sammy? Congratulations! You look so perfect together. He is obviously an amazing man, who makes you very happy." She stated, more for Henry's benefit, smirking.g at the low growl that left his lips.

"Thank you, and yes he does, when he behaves," Sammy smiled, making Daniel roll his eyes. "It's fun, because I out rank him." She added with an eyebrow wiggle.

"Thats hilarious," Eloise laughe, "But wait, how does that asshole get to give you shit? Are you part of his pack now?" Eloise asked, hoping she could then ask Sammy about Carson, maybe she had seen him.

"What? Not a chance, I met Daniel at a haunted house in Montana. That's where we live, despite my father's side of the family's objections. See it turns out that brooding idiot there, is my half brother." Sammy answered, frowning at Henry and his strange behaviour.

"Wait, what? How?" Eloise asked in shock.

This new knowledge did not make sense with what she knew about Alpha Martin.

"How about we head on in and get a drink? I'll explain everything. I'm sure Dax, Dionysus, Dax, fuck tjeres been so much fresh information tonight. Anyway, I'm sure my lovely brother will give you the time off." Sammy stated, taking Eloise's hand.

"You think?" Eloise laughed.

"If he doesn't I'll kick his godly ass." Sammy smirked. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"Not funny." Daniel chimed in, as he let them pass. "No fighting."

"Well aren't the next nine months going to be so much fun with you Mr. Weston." Sammy stated, rolling her eyes at her mate who suddenly seemed taller.

"Wait, are you?" Eloise asked.

"Apparently so." Sammy shrugged. "One of the afore mentioned fresh pieces of information."

"Oh, wow! Congratulations?"

Sammy smiled, "Thank you. Although between you and me, I'm fucking terrified. I helped Daniel's Luna give birth to their son Harvey six months ago, and that shits gruesome!"

"You were amazing." Daniel stated, squeezing Sammy's hips as they walked.

"Yes, and you can give a detailed description of the paint strokes on their bedroom ceiling. Don't you go buttering me up mister." Sammy teased.

Eloise laughed at the pair as they all walked together through to the restaurant. Dax was back in the kitchen, and the three took their new spots at the bar.

"So Lara right? Your Henry's mate then?" Daniel asked, standing protectively at Sammy's back.

But before she could answer, Sammy frowned turning to him.

"Should I have worn bigger shoes, Daniel, and you could stand in them with me?" She asked him abruptly.

"What?" Daniel asked confused, as Eloise snorted a laugh.

Sammy pressed her hand against him, shoving him lightly, "Personal space, Daniel. You're over crowding me."

"But...I,"

"Daniel, if ifs and buts were whisky and nuts we'd all have a merry Christmas. Now step back please." Sammy interrupted him.

Eloise burst out laughing, as Daniel's face sank.

"Girl, you've got nine months of this to get used to," she smirked, as Henry joined them, followed by Dax.

"Lara, I'm giving you the night off it seems," Dax stated, smiling dotingly at Sammy.

"Thank you," Sammy mouthed.

"Lara? Why is he calling you Lara?" Henry growled his anger swelling again.

"Because it's my name now, Henry. Eloise died a long time ago. Not long after you came back from college in fact," she smirked at the moody male standing uncomfortably close to her, before moving to take a swig of her rum and coke.

But Dax's hand snatched it from her before she could.

"D?" Eloise asked confused.

"You're going to want to pass on that." He responded, calmly.

"No, I very much would like a drink while Sammy here explains how she got lumbered with this idiot as a brother." Lara responded, reaching for her glass.

Dax looked at Henry raising an eyebrow, "Yes well, as much as an idiot as he is, his swimmers are potent, and you my dear will need to wait nine months for that drink."

Eloise's face turned a strange shade of green, and she may have vomited if it weren't for the sudden anger rising in her body at feeling Henry suddenly pressed as close to her as Daniel was to Sammy a moment ago.

"I already asked you to leave, Henry." She seethed.

Henry sighed, "It's taken me eight years to find you, Eloise! Eight fucking years! I wasn't planning on letting you go before hand, now I'm definitely not losing you again." His voice had changed to a growl, his Alpha's aura slipping into place with his next words. "You are mine."