"What? You can't seriously be thinking of trying to avoid her even while she's currently in town?"
"If you were her, would you want to talk to me right now?"
"No, but I also have no idea what it's like to have a mate. What the two of you share is supposed to be stronger than a little argument."
"Little." Ken laughed. "I called her a liar in front of the entire town council. The Beth I knew wouldn't want to talk to me for days after a stunt like that."
"True, but she's not the Beth you knew anymore, is she? It's been fourteen years, Ken. You still love her," Rick said, not asking a question.
"Of course I do. She's my mate."
There was a long moment of silence between them as they each took another drink of their beer and let Ken's words sink in.
"And she probably still loves you."
"Is that even possible? I ... I always thought I wasn't like all the other men in this town, cursed by the aggression and hate that tore up relationships because of the treasure sickness. But what if I was affected by it that whole time? What if Beth was too, and she really left because I treated her like shit, but her memories are muggy because of the goblin magic?"
"I don't think you were like that at all, but in the end, does what you and I think matter? This is about Beth, and how she thinks you treated her. And you're sure as fuck not going to get the truth from me. You have to talk to her if you want any closure, good or bad."
With a heavy sigh, Ken nodded. He knew Rick was right. He couldn't go on living in this agonizing limbo of not knowing what had happened between him and Beth. He needed to talk to her, no matter the outcome.
But as much as he dreaded stepping up and settling this once and for all, he had to find out where he stood with her. He also couldn't wait to see her again and find out once and for all if they could be together again after all these years apart. Would her heart still belong to him? Could they start rebuilding the relationship they'd once shared?
Or had she grown close to another man?
Would he be able to contain himself around her long enough to get the answers he needed? The truth of what happened fourteen years ago?
As Ken sat there mulling over what to do next, he couldn't help but feel a deep stirring inside of him, like something powerful was calling to him. It was almost as if Beth herself was trying to reach out to him through the depths of his soul. And despite all of his fears and doubts, he knew that no matter what happened next, he had to follow that call and seek out Beth once again.
Chapter 6 - Beth
The house that the new alpha of the Silvercoast pack, Ryel, set up for Beth and Joanna on short notice was small but quaint, and more than enough on such short notice. There wasn't much of a view to be had in this part of the country, not for miles. The trees were close to the house, making it feel small and closed in, almost claustrophobic.
And yet it was so utterly, unforgettably,home. How could she have ever forgotten about the small town she'd grown up in?
Beth looked around the room and couldn't help but smile. The walls were freshly painted a combination of warm cream and grey with matching carpet and a few tastefully placed framed pieces of art. There was a small living room and dining room combination, two bedrooms, and one bathroom at the end of a short hall. It was more than enough space for Joanna and her to get settled into while they awaited more news about the goblins, and until Beth decided what they were going to do.
Could she give up her life to move back here?
What about Joanna's life? Her friends, her school?
Things had been tense enough between Joanna and Beth since they'd packed their things and driven off on an impromptu road trip. It wasn't like Joanna could go 'haha, just kidding' after passing out in the car, sobbing uncontrollably as she was attacked by the memories the goblins had suppressed, and then declared that they had to leave at once because they were in danger.
She couldn't imagine just taking away every small piece of stability that she'd built for Joanna and starting over. Granted, things at school weren't going that well for her ... maybe moving back to Silvercoast would be the right move.
Assuming Ken accepted them back, or could even tolerate being in the same town as her. Could she live in the same town ashimif he decided that he couldn't be with her after so many years apart?
The thought of finding him again and not being able to have him made Beth's heartache, but she wasn't going to give up so easily. Ken needed time, that was all. She'd sprung a wild shock on him and the whole town.
The floorboards creaked and Beth looked up from unpacking her things to find Joanna standing there, her arms crossed. "So, mom, I think I'm owed some answers. You made me sit in that office for hours while all you old people argued. Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"
"Language, please, angel," Beth sighed, although she knew it was futile where there was so much happening around them. "I know, I owe you a lot of answers, I'm just so tired. Can't it wait until after I have a nap?"
"No, it can't." Joanna crossed her arms. "You either tell me now, or I'm going to stomp around town until I find someone who will explain what's going on."
"I don't even know where to start, Jo."
"How about with where we are? I checked my GPS, and the maps show that we're in the middle of nowhere. Forests everywhere. There's no town on the map, but clearly there's one here!"