Chapter 38

Terra's POV

The house loomed in front of me.

Home.

Finally I was home.

I ran up the steps, pushing the door open and walking in.

"Hello?" I called out, "Is anyone there?" I got no answer so I walked straight up to my room.

Things had changed. They weren't quite right. The duvet was a different colour and the walls were the wrong shade. The desk had moved against a different wall and the wardrobe was made of pine, not ceder.

Those should of been the clues to tell me something wasn't right. The clues to tell me to get out and not come back.

But I didn't pay attention to those.

I payed attention to the fact I was home. Finally. Or at least I thought I was.

At the sound of a door closing down stairs I started walking there.

A smile plastered on my face I ran into the sitting room.

Only to see Forest. On the sofa. Making out with a random girl.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and I started to yell, "How dare you, how could you, how dare you!" Tears flowed freely down my face and through my curtain of hair I saw Forest stop and look over at me.

But the expression I saw on his face wasn't one of guilt. It was one of absolute rage.

"Who on earth are you and what are you doing in my house," He asked, poison coating his words. I just stared at him.

"Who am I, WHO AM I!!" I screamed, "I am your mate you cheating pig," It was his turn to stare, his face morphed from anger to confusion.

"My mate? This is my mate," He said, motioning to the girl next to him, "If you don't get out this house in the next two minutes I'm calling the police.

All I could do was stare. My mate, just called a random girl his mate. He'd replaced me. Was I really that replaceable to him. That worthless.

Just then the door behind me opened, "We heard shouting, what's going on," I nearly cried with relief when I saw Atlas and Isla standing in the doorway.

"Atlas, Isla," I said, hoping they could beat some sense into Forest, "Forest is saying I'm not his mate, please correct him," Desperately I begged, "Please."

They just looked at me, a confused look plastered on their faces, "No, this is Forest's mate, Aria,"

They just called the random girl Aria. "But I'm Aria," I begged, "Why have you replaced me?" I called out desperately.

"No," Atlas corrected, "This is, and always has been, Aria," He said, motioning towards the fake Aria.

I sank down in the corner, my vision blurred as I tried to process what they were saying.

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The next thing I knew I was being led away, into a police car. I was thrown into a cell and I just lay on the floor. Silent tears streaming down my face.

Why didn't they remember me.

My wolf was silent in my mind. It had been months since I last heard from her. So soon after getting her back, she was gone again.

I hugged my knees to my chest.

What was going on.

What was right.

What was wrong.

I lay there for hours, unaware of my surrounding, just thinking.

What's my name.

Who's my mate.

Who was lying.

Who was telling the truth.

Was Forest my mate. He said he wasn't, but I remember him.

Was Simon my mate. He said he was, but I didn't remember him.

I lay there. All the information, all the questions, all my doubt and fears, running round my head.

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Hours passed before the cell door opened up again.

I had moved to sit against the far corner and I was just staring at the wall.

I didn't look up until I heard the person at the door clear their throat. "Come on Terra,"

I looked up to see Simon standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Go away," I whispered, "Why are you even here."

He came closer to me and pulling me into a hug. I quickly pulled away, "We tried to warn you, I'm sorry. But I'm here now, I'm here now."

I stood up and started pacing, pacing the same three steps again and again. "Why do you care." I hissed at him.

He looked down at me, looking slightly sorry, "I care because, because you are my mate,"

I just sniffed, "You aren't my mate. You'll never be my mate." He looked depressed.

"Forest isn't your mate," He explained calmly, "And I am," I nodded.

Maybe he was right. Maybe he is my mate. Maybe he's been my mate the entire time.

Regardless, I was tired. I was lonely. I was lost.

Forest wasn't my mate, so maybe he was.

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Simon's POV

Finally. Finally, she was mine.

I just had to act nice for a bit longer.

I had to pretend I actually cared about this pathetic girl.

All I wanted was a mate. One who would do as I told. Not answer back or think for herself.

And soon I would have it.

Nathaniel was right.

All we had to do was break down her defences with a little magic.

A little magic that made her question everything she knew.

A little magic that made her see illusions.

She thought her mate had forgotten about her, moved on. Truthfully, he was looking for her, he wouldn't give up. Not unless she did first.

I never thought the plan could work. No one would fall for it, believe their loving mate had forgotten about them, moved on. Never believed the person who hated them loved them.

But Aria's different. That's why I chose her.

She doesn't know the difference between love and hate. After years of pain being the norm, she just doesn't understand.

She has lived with that family for long enough that she learnt the basic difference between them, which made it slightly harder to confuse her, but a few days of torture and pain soon broke her.

She shattered into a million pieces.

And soon she will be mine.

Terra's POV

After a few more hours I came to a conclusion.

It may not be right, but Simon is here and Forest isn't.

I didn't have my wolf to ask so I only had my own opinion on the matter. Maybe my wolf would have had a different opinion.

But she wouldn't talk to me.

So my decision was final.

Simon came to take me home, away from the police cell I had been sitting in for the last few hours, lost in my own mind.

This time I didn't resist.

I didn't fight back.

I just did as he asked.

I adapted to my environment and changed for my future.

My future with Simon.

I gave up on what I believed in, on my future, on my mate.

My third mistake.

One false move on it's own would be a mistake.

But all three together spelled my destruction.