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Chapter 22
- True Colors -

-Demarco-

It's was the first time in a long time since we've all hung out together.

All the boys. With no work.

It's that time of the month.

The beginning of a new moon cycle. Usually there was a shift in my mood during this time period, however, this time around, I wasn't experiencing its effects.

I've been focused on the rouge for weeks now with little to no progress. Everyone has been busting their asses trying to caught her but whoever it was, was very strategic.

I've even questioned if we had a trader on our hands. Catching rouge wolves was not this hard, and certainly didn't take this long especially with two packs searching to it.

But maybe the reason why we weren't catching the rouge was also my own fault. My focus has been slightly skewed constantly thinking about her.

I took a long swig of my beer before taking a deep breathe, I was ready to consume myself in as much alcohol as possible, just so that I wouldn't think so much about anything.

Not the rouge. Not her.

"So what are you going to do?" Denziel asked plotting himself besides me on the couch.

All eyes were on me.

"I'm not going. End of story".

Everyone had their own opinions. Denziel, Oscar and Patrick all thought I was stupid in my actions, or the lack of action.

While Cleon and Jordan understood where I was coming from completely even though they didn't necessarily like seeing the other side to the situation.

"It's been two weeks" Patrick pressed on.

"Two weeks and a day".

"Your keeping tract of time, to the last second since you've seen her and you're telling me that you won't do anything about that?" Denziel fought.

"He has reasons " Jordan defended me. "With this rouge on the loose we don't know what it's looking for or what it's intentions are".

"But once this issue is taken care of there'll be another. So when will it ever be 'safe' enough".

"I'm with Demarco even though I know how much it hurts her feelings. God forbid the rouge finds out about her, and goes after her to get to him?" Cleon asked. "I'd rather her alive thinking I don't give a rats ass about her than dead".

They kept arguing back and forth.

I wanted a guys night to distract we from my problems and here they were discussing my problem.

My beer ran out, so I grabbed another from the fridge. When I returned, it was as if they didn't noticed I felt the room in the first place.

Denziel snickered sarcastically.

"The house warming was two weeks ago and he was a no show, she's texted him throughout the week and he's never bothered to respond. That's a great way of romancing her?"

"We all know she's hurting, of course we don't like it but there's nothing we can do about it for her own good".

Oscar who usually kept himself out of any debates spoke up, making a point that none of us considered.

"We all want to keep her safe, but in the process it's hurting her. When she moved out, nothing was officially established between you two, right?"

Oscar question was directed towards me, and I simply nodded my head. "It's better that way".

"True, but with the way that you're behaving it's confusing to her. It's like showering someone with love and then stepping out on them".

I lowly growl. "I'm not stepping out on her".

"And as much as we know that. No matter how much we reiterating that 'you'll come around eventually' or 'you're just busy'...actions speak louder than words".

Patrick nodded. "If she hasn't lost faith for the two of you yet, she's losing it by the minute".

I closed my eyes shaking my head.

I knew I was hurting her but not to this extent. I still had the boys check on her on a daily basis.

In the end I gave her what she wanted which was her freedom, she certainly must know that I care for her.

Not talking to her, not seeing her was only a precautionary measure. I can't risk exposing her as my mate to anyone other than the five men that sat in front of me right now. I was in fear of the unwanted mutt sneaking in and out of my territory.

My moment of reflection was broken and adrenaline pumped through my veins at Denziels comment. "So if she moves on, you can't be mad at anyone but yourself".

"Is she seeing someone?" I growled out.

The boys shared a look between one another, Denziel had a smugged smile on his face.

"She's not actively...trying...to talk to anyone" Oscar said unsure on how to word his sentence.

"Don't be mad at him, we just found out today" Denziel defended him.

Oscar sighed, putting his drink down on the table to face me directly. "All I know is one of her students father, has been trying to take her out on what sounds like a date".

"Is she?"

The wolf inside of me was awakened. I could feel my claws scratching the skin on the inside of my palms as the slowly darkened.

"I don't think so" Oscar said. "My point is, she's loosing faith in you and sooner or later she'll probably take a chance with someone else".

It wasn't until the conversation drifted off to something else that I was able to calm myself down.

I played with the glass bottle in my hand, chugging its contents down my throat before discarding it for another bottle.

Minutes turned into two hours later and the boys begun to go their things to leave for the night.

After five drinks and some serious deep thinking it was clear what I had to do.

"I won't let the rouge situation determine whether or not I'm going to talk or see her...not anymore".

"That's what I'm talking about" the now drunken Denziel spoken up. "I think you should go over there right now. Tell her about everything and then mark and mate her tonight".

I laughed at his response as well as the rest of the boys.

"That's a horrible idea!" Cleon laughed.

"I'm gunna pass by to see Nola before I head home" Oscar said as he popped up from the couch as the game ended on the TV. "If you want, you can come with me. Spend a little time with Clover, she'll be happy to see you".

As eager as I was to see her, and talk to her I declined his offer. I was pasted the point of tipsy and I didn't want to go over there and make our situation any worse then it already was.

Fuck around and I'll do exactly what Denziel suggested.

"Not tonight, I should probably sober up before I see her".

He nodded, understanding before heading out the door with both Cleon and Patrick.

Then there was three, Jordan, Denziel and I.

"What are you thinking about" Jordan asked, knowing me all too well.

"Honestly...I'm just afraid. Once I tell her about being a werewolf how will she react? Will she even want to be with me knowing the truth?"

"You won't know until you try".

At that moment I was jealous of my best friend. He never had to go through the struggle of telling his mate that he was whole animal since she grew up in the werewolf world.

She already assumed I was apart of a gang. She was well aware that I was capable of things I was not proud of.

Maybe this won't be as a big of deal as I was making it.

But as of now I had to get through the obstacles  of reinstating her faith in the possibility of an us.

"What should be my first move? How do I approach her?" I asked out of the blue.

Leave it to Denziel to have a plan.

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Hope you liked!
Happy Anniversary to my baby!
#4yearstoforever

K_26ss