Chapter 17: You Can't Leave Us

Tori’s POV

When hearing Lilyanna’s voice does Rune move to growl. Clearly not a huge fan of hers from all her years of torture and pain. My body slowly shaking at the thought of her being there. Jake’s arm still wrapped around my waist gently as Zak and Alex move to stand closer. Neither one of them happy with her presence.

“Lilyanna… what a nice surprise. What brings you here?” questions Layla to the girl who now stood within the doorway. My mother clearly shocked at seeing her as Lilyanna never once came to any of my past birthdays. Only my mates.

“I just wanted to wish Tori a happy 18th birthday, Gamma Layla. I hope that’s okay” admits Lilyanna, her eyes still locked on mine even as she speaks to my mother.

“Of course. We actually hoped that more people would have shown up today as it’s Tori’s big day. After all, turning 18 only happens once and we wanted it to be special.”

Special? More like nightmare. Mom has no idea just how much she bullies me. Between her, her friends and of course, Dylan and Sam, it’s all they seem to do. Bully me, come my stray thoughts as I continue to eye up Lilyanna, Lilyanna secretly eyeing up Jake like he was a piece of meat.

‘She’s going to be trouble’ whispers Rune, clearly not having any of it.

‘I know… but I’m afraid of what she’ll do if I tell her to leave’ I move to tell Rune.

‘Don’t. She can’t touch you so long as I’m here. And now that we have our mates I’d like to see her try and touch us’ replies Rune, as if daring Lilyanna to try.

Chewing on my bottom lip do I move to excuse myself quickly from within the room. “Sorry, but I need to go check on something.” Then before anyone could say one word do I move to leave. My body now retreating towards the kitchen as Jake watches in concern. Zak and Alex each doing the same.

‘We need to stay close to him… Lilyanna is up to something, and I don’t like it. Neither does Vox’ whispers Jake to both Zak and Alex. Their bond stronger now that each of them have found their mate.

‘Why is she even here? She’s never once attended any of Tori’s birthdays so why now?’ questions Zak. His eyes now bouncing from Lilyanna and to where there mate had run off to.

‘Not sure. But we better stay close. No telling what kind of trouble she’ll cause if left unattended with Tori’ admits Alex, clearly not happy about her either.

Now worried for their mate does Zak move to gaze towards the kitchen. His blue eyes still bouncing from the kitchen to Lilyanna’s and then back towards the kitchen. ‘I think.. I think I’ll go and check up on him’ replies Zak before turning around to leave. Leaving both Jake and Alex to defend the room against Lilyanna should she decide to follow Tori.

Zak’s POV

The moment I move to leave the room do I instantly here Lilyanna move to speak up. As if waiting for that golden opportunity. “Actually Jake. If it’s okay with everyone here, I’d like to speak to you in private. It’s kind of important and only for Alpha ears only.”

Rolling my eyes do I move to pause. My eyes now on our mate. And while Tori had no current scent to call his own or for me to follow, just his presence alone was enough to calm me down. Including Ash’s. Something about Tori’s aura soothing.

‘Go. Go to Mate. Go to mate now’ whispers Ash, wanting to touch his mate.

‘What if he doesn’t want us though?’ I move to ask back. My eyes still trained on Tori’s even as he moves to look out a window. His eyes trained on the outside.

‘Mate will. Mate will always want us’

Smiling to myself do I move to approach him slowly. My hands moving to settle along his hips. Tori jumping at the contact only to realize it was me.

“You scared me” murmurs Tori as he moves to lean against me. Ash now practically leaping for joy at the feeling of having Tori against us. “I thought you were somebody else.”

Chuckling, I move to pull him closer to me. “I’m sorry little mate. But if I were somebody else would I freely give away all my attention. No. Instead, I’m giving you all of my attention instead.”

Giggling at my words does Tori continue to lean against me, my lips now kissing his neck as he does. A piece of me already aware that Jake would claim that spot as his. For being the Alpha and all, Alex and I knew that if either of us had gotten a mate or ended up sharing a mate that Jake’s mark would always be visible for all to see, while Alex and I would secretly mark them in other places. As we weren’t too worried about heirs. Unlike Jake.

“Gods Zak” whispers Tori, clearly okay with me kissing his neck.

“Mmm, do you like this little mate?” I ask softly. A piece of me enjoying how well Tori responded to me and my touch.

“Yes” answers Tori back, his voice soft as another moan rises.

Both of us now lost in our own little bubble until suddenly, we hear it. Lilyanna’s words ringing loud and clear within the air. Tori freezing within my embrace as we move to listen in.

“But Jake. It’s true. I heard every single word that your father said. He even spoke directly to Tori’s parents. Your father wants to banish him Jake. The Elders have even demanded it because Tori’s so weak and useless. He doesn’t even have his wolf from what I’m told.”

“Enough Lilyanna! What your telling me is nothing but lies. My father would have told me if that was true. As I’m this packs future Alpha. And as future Alpha, I decide who comes and goes” snaps Jake, clearly annoyed by her lack of concern for our mate.

Tori now trembling within my arms as he moves to pull away from me, avoiding my gaze.

“I… I need to go, sorry” whispers Tori before dashing for his room. The sound of his bedroom now slamming shut reaching my ears.

Fuck.

Reaching for my bond with both Jake and Alex do I move to speak out. ‘Tori ran. He’s in his bedroom. He overheard you and Lilyanna talking about your father banishing him.’

Hearing both of them growl do we move to run after Tori, hoping we could talk some sense into while at it.

Tori’s POV

After quickly excusing myself from Zak’s warm embrace do I quickly move to run back towards my room. Slamming my door as I do. A part of me angry that Lilyanna would lie about me being banished from within the pack.

‘Tori, you have to stop running. Lilyanna is nothing more than a big bully. Your stronger than this. You’re a Gamma, a Luna. Your stronger than you think’ replies Rune, hoping to reason with me.

‘No Rune. I’m done with Lilyanna, and I’m done with this pack. Because it’s obviously clear that no matter what we do, we’ll always be the laughingstock of the entire pack’ I say, now moving to grab my duffle bag from within my closet before throwing clothes and anything else I had of value into the bag.

‘But.. what about our mates? We just found them. Surely you don’t want to leave them behind do you?’

‘Mates’ pausing briefly do I think about Jake, Zak and Alex. Remembering how I felt when knowing they were mine. Moving to shove those stray thoughts away do I go back to filly my bag.

‘They’ll be fine Rune. They can find somebody else to be their mates. Someone who isn’t weak and can give each of them an heir.’

‘But Tori.. you can’t possibly mean that.. do you?’

‘I do’

With that as my final thought do I move to zip up my bag before spinning towards the door. My body now pausing when seeing three large bodies now blocking my door and my only chance at escaping. Swallowing thickly does Rune move to do a happy dance within my head, happy at seeing our mate.

“Where are you going?” asks Jake, having been the first to spot me when entering the room. His eyes on my duffle bag that held all of my clothes and other miscellaneous items that held sentimental value.

“Out”

“Uh huh, sure. And your taking that with you?”

Standing my ground do I chose not to reply back, even as Jake moves to enter the room. Zak and Alex still blocking the door as I advert my gaze towards the floor. Shame filling my body at the thought of leaving each of them behind.

Grabbing my bag from within my hand does Jake move to take it from me. A gasp rising as I try to take it back from him. “Hey, give it back Jake. NOW”

“No. I think not little mate. Your ours, now and forever and we’ll never let you go, not without a fight” whispers Jake, now moving to cup my chin with his hand. Forcing me to now look into his dual color eyes. Vox on the surface of Jakes mind which causes me to shiver and Rune to purr happily.

Crap.