#11 Meet Me in the Emerald Forest

Lukas

Clementine shutting me out was killing me. I was almost pushed over the edge when Caleb showed up at the house late last night and went straight for her room. I was so close to ripping his head off that I had to go for a run with Mateo just to keep it together. By the time I got back, Caleb was gone and I could hear Clementine snoring softly in her room. I sat down in the hallway and pressed my back against the wall beside her door, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

I woke up early this morning and took a quick shower. I knocked on Clem’s door but, as usual, there was no answer. I sighed and went downstairs to have the house staff make her some breakfast. I decided to skip breakfast at the center and morning training. Instead, I took the tray upstairs to Clem’s room and knocked again.

“I have breakfast.” I told her, but she didn’t reply.

I sat down on the floor and picked at my food, not really having an appetite. After twenty minutes, I was too nauseous to eat anymore and she still hadn’t come to the door. I could hear movement inside so I knew she was awake.

“I’m going to leave your breakfast out here and go out to handle some business. If you need anything….” My voice trailed off and I dropped my forehead against the door, “I’m here, Clem, I’ll always be here.” I whispered just loud enough for her to hear me.

I heard her sigh and knew she was just behind the door. I waited a second but there was no sign of her opening the door so I left, like I said I would. I went to my office and locked myself inside. A few hours later, there was a soft knock on the door.

“Luke?” Lily poked her head in with Garrick right behind her.

“Come on.” I told them both.

Lily sat on the comfy sofa off to the side while Garrick stood behind her protectively.

“I’m sorry about everything that’s going on.” Lily frowned, looking genuine.

“It’s not your fault.” I assured her.

“I know, but I still feel bad that I can’t do anything. I tried to convince her to talk to you but she’s just so broken.” Lily said,

The look on Lily’s face made Bastian whimper in my head and my heart sink to the floor. I knew that whatever was bothering Clem was bad, but I had no idea that it was this bad.

“Will she ever tell me?” I asked, mostly talking to myself.

“I don’t know, honestly.”

“I just wish she would talk to me, about anything.” I groaned in frustration.

“She will, I’m sure of that. She cares for you, Luke, she just needs some time. This has all been a lot.” Lily’s face perked up a bit as she tried to convince me.

“She definitely does care about you, man, we can all feel that.” Garrick chimed in.

“Really?” I’m not going to lie, it felt good to hear that even if they were just buttering me up.

“Yeah, Caleb even said something to Mateo about it. They’re doing really good, by the way, which is good for you, too. If Caleb is all in, then he’ll say good things to Clem and she’ll come around.” Garrick grinned.

That added a little bit of cheer to my attitude. Just a little.

“Thanks, guys. Lily, will you check on Clem again today? I have a feeling she’ll be shutting me out today, too.” I asked and Lily nodded immediately.

“Absolutely, I don’t even need to be asked. That girl is my sister.” Lily teased, hopping up, “You should go check on your niece. She always cheers you up.” She added before skipping out of the room.

Mateo eventually showed up for a few hours so we could get some work done. He said Caleb was visiting Clem again which had me both grateful and pissed off. I welcomed the distraction of handling pack business, at least until dinner rolled around and my Beta and Gamma both had mates to get back to.

I wandered off to the center for dinner. I wasn’t in the mood to see anyone, but I also didn’t want to go back to the house and continue to get the cold shoulder from Clem. So, I decided to try and put on a good face and eat dinner with some of the pack and hide the fact that anything was wrong with their Alpha and Luna. I piled my plate high with food and forced myself to eat it, chatting with the other members at the table.

Everything was going fine until I caught the familiar scent of Avery. I literally had zero patience for her today. As usual, she came striding over to the table and leaned over the back of the Luna’s chair.

“Oh no? Where’s your ‘Luna’ today?” She put air quotes around her title and that immediately pissed me off.

“Don’t disrespect my mate, Avery.” I growled.

“I’m not.” She fluttered her eyelashes innocently, “I was just wondering where she’s been? I heard she was at breakfast yesterday but hasn’t been seen since.”

“She’s human, she has other things to do than sit around the pack.” I lied.

“What can be more important than the pack?” Avery’s eyes went wide and she spoke much louder than was necessary. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to remain calm.

“Now is not the time, Avery.” I warned her.

“You seem stressed.” No fuck. “Let me help.”

Avery walked up behind me and put her hands on my shoulder, trailing them down my chest. I growled and violently shoved my chair backwards, wrapping my hand around her throat and shoving her down on the table.

“If you ever touch me again, I will kill you on the spot, do you understand?” Bastian’s voice mixed with me.

“Y…yes, Alpha.” Avery gasped for breath, baring her neck to me in submission.

“You will not disrespect my mate and your Luna by touching me, speaking of her, or saying my name, is that clear?” I snarled.

“Y…yes.” She stammered again.

“Yes, what?” I shouted.

“Yes, Alpha!” She cried out.

I released her and she dropped to the ground, clawing at her throat as she tried to breathe.

“Let that serve as a message to anyone who still thinks the title of Luna is in question.” I roared to the room, knowing that there were other she-wolves out there like Avery.

Everyone showed me their necks in submission and I stomped off. I ran back home and took the steps to the second floor two at a time. I knew I was too enraged to even think about knocking on Clem’s door because I would probably break it down, but I had to be around her scent. I shoved my face against her door and breathed in deeply, using every ounce of Bastian’s strength to fill my senses with her scent. Lavender and daisies filled every inch of me and I immediately felt my anger subsiding.

I focused on my other senses then and heard that Clem was talking, laughing even. My sister’s voice responded and I relaxed further, knowing that if it was Caleb on the other side I would have turned murderous again.

Days went by like this and it was absolute freaking torture. By day four, I was a mess. I hadn’t slept, barely eaten, and hardly focused enough to get through a shower. I had to avoid going home during the day because I knew I would rip Clementine’s door off the hinges if I did. I only went home when I was sure she was asleep and I sat beside her door, allowing her scent and soft snores to lure me into some sort of peace.

Lily and Caleb visited her everyday, and I had stooped to befriending Caleb just so I could hear about their conversations. I knew I was barely holding on and that, at any moment, I was going to blow like a volcano. I avoided the community center and the entire pack, locking myself in my office all day long and in the house all night. It was killing me, I was dying, slowly. But, I would accept my death if it brought Clem closer to healing. Caleb and Lil both said that she was getting better, day by day, and opening up more, so I continued to stay hopeful.

As usual, I fell asleep next to Clem’s door last night and awoke to the sounds of her moving around. I sighed, my bones and body were aching and I didn’t have the strength to stand, yet. Instead, I stayed still and listened to the sounds of her feet moving and her breathing. I could even hear her fluttering heartbeat and it soothed me.

I thought it was a dream when I heard the bedroom door open. I kept my eyes closed, wanting to continue to live in that dream, when I heard Clem clear her throat quietly. My eyes popped open and I looked up. Scrambling to my feet, I nearly threw myself into her arms. I have no idea how I resisted as I stood in front of my beautiful mate for the first time in five days.

“Lukas?” She whispered my name and it was like Heaven opened up and angels were singing down on me.

“Oh, Goddess, it sounds amazing to hear my name from your lips again.” I sighed.

“Have you been out here all night?” She asked.

“All night, every night.” I replied.

Her eyes pinched together and she looked upset. I was about to assure her that it was fine, when she took a step back and nodded her head inside her room.

“Are you….do you want me to come in?” I wasn’t sure I was understanding her correctly. She nodded,

“Please, come in.” She said those words and, in a flash, I was flinging myself inside her room.

Her giggle made my heart flutter as she closed the door behind her and turned to face me. The laugh didn’t reach her eyes but it was still enough to set me on fire.

“Clem.” I started to move towards her but she scurried away, shaking her head and putting her hands up protectively in front of herself.

“If I’m going to do this, you’re going to have to sit there and say nothing.” She said, pointing towards the bed.

I had no idea what she meant, but I did as I was told anyway. I threw myself down on the bed and sat with my hands in my lap, waiting patiently. She stared at me for a second, frozen, before she shook her head with a little smile playing on her lps.

“I want to tell you the truth, but I’m scared. I can only do it if you promise to sit there quietly and not react until I’m finished.” She warned me.

“Whatever you tell me to do, I’ll do.” I promised.

She nodded slowly, gnawing on her bottom lip. I kept myself from staring at the action for too long, knowing now was not the time to think about my dick. I shook my head slowly and brought my attention to her eyes. They were full of pain and uncertainty, it was almost impossible for me to stay still and away from her.

“This might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Clem confessed, mostly to herself.

“I’m here for you, my love.” I assured her.

She focused on me again and seemed to come to some sort of decision. Her eyes hardened and determination was written all over her face. She nodded once and released a heavy breath.

“Okay, here it goes.”