I got more visions. I knew what they were saying was true.
Mr Donovani, my history teacher, was a vampire. I knew this, I remembered it. They told me right after they showed me their wolves. Told me about the world they lived in, how I was their mate. Their soulmate and true love. How we would be a family together one day. The sex dreams I had weren’t dreams at all… They were my memories. Of us together.
But they had done something so unforgivable. They wiped my memories of them… they took away my right to grieve a breakup and took the last two years of my life from me. But then they came here and put not only that on me, but Frankie’s lies too.
Frankie… god. Drug dealer.
I didn't have words, how the hell did I not see that. I should have known, right? How was he out late at night to rescue me? He was dealing drugs. Maybe that was why he was naked, deal gone wrong? I bet the guys who scared me were other dealers and that’s why he told them they couldn’t be there. It was his territory.
He was taking the whole vampire thing well… I looked over to him and I saw his brown eyes glow for a moment. I gasped, shaking my head.
“What are you?” I backed up from him. Was he a vampire too? No… they weren't the eyes of a vampire. Shifter… they glowed like that when they were close to shifting. He was a wolf shifter too?
His hands went out to reach for me but I kept backing up, shaking my head.
“I’m a panther shifter, Clare. But I’m not a drug dealer… not anymore at least. I stopped, for you Clare. I want to be a better man for you. Your mate. I love—”
“Nope,” I raised my hand not letting him finish. I couldn't let him finish that, I didn't want my heart involved. I needed to use my head here. I needed to be smart. because my heart seemed to be getting me into trouble.
I looked at the three of them. Mekhi still looked like a puppy that someone kicked. But I wasn’t going to feel sorry for him. He did this, he messed with my head and I needed space. I needed them to leave.
“Go.” I pointed to the door. Not wanting them to put up a fight.
“I will go now. But I will come back later. Explain more.” Jett replied as he backed away from me but I shook my head and laughed, it was laced with anger. My hands clenched as my teeth grinded together. Feeling like I might explode, i was seething.
“You stole my memories. Pretty sure there isn’t much else to say, Jett. Leave my house, NOW!”
Mekhi looked as if he was about to say something but I shook my head. I didn't need to warn him, I knew he would leave. He didn't like fighting. The two of them walked to the open door and slipped out.
I turned to Frankie and shook my head. This time I wasn't as angry. I was more disappointed in him. He might not have taken my memories but he lied… one huge lie.
“I want you to leave too. I don’t want to see you again. You lied to me about what you did and who you are.”
He dropped to his knees, his palms up as I watched his eyes glisten with unshed tears. I couldn't do this, not now.
“Please, Clare. Hear me out, it isn’t what you think.” I raised a brow. Holding myself together was all I had left and I wasn't about to fall apart in front of him.
“Did you deal drugs on campus?” He didn’t speak, but he slowly nodded.
“Did you lie to me about dealing drugs and being a student?” he gritted his teeth and nodded again as he opened his mouth to defend himself. There was no defense for this, nothing he could say would change the way I felt about that.
“Get up.” I watched him, his eyes never left mine. He didn’t smile, he didn’t blink. He just watched me. Waiting.
“You lied to me, you aren’t the person I thought you were. You need to leave now. I will call a taxi to take you to the airport. I don’t want to see you again. This is us over.”
I turned from him, my back straight and head held high as I walked back to my room. I held it all in until I closed my bedroom door. My back rested against it for a moment, before I crumpled to the floor and I broke down. I started to sob; my heart felt like it had been ripped in two. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn't believe that I had just done that. I stood up for myself against three guys who all lied to me.
I was surprised at myself. I was stronger than I thought. My memories might not be back, but at least I knew I wasn’t crazy.
I dated Jett and Mekhi in high school. They were wolf shifters; I saw the memories of them shifting. I wasn’t scared, I knew it to be real in my bones. We did everything together, even if I didn't remember it, I knew it. I knew they had all my firsts. Until they took them from me. That was something I would never be able to forgive them for.
Frankie. He was a panther shifter. I didn’t even understand how many shifters were in the world for me to have dated three of them. But he lied to me, he wasn’t a student. He made me believe he was. I had fallen for him… my eyes pricked again with tears, and I couldn’t stop them from falling.
I had no idea how long I cried for. Day turned into night. My mother’s voice woke me. Calling out to me, letting me know she was home.
I wasn’t close with my mother. But I wanted to tell her what had happened. I wanted her to tell me I did the right thing and hug me. But I knew she wouldn’t. She would tell me I was stupid for believing Frankie was a student. That he looked like a thug and I should have seen it too. That I allowed him in our house. She would be counting her jewels and blaming me for all her stress.
He wouldn’t have stolen any. I knew that in my heart. She wouldn't though.
