Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(117)

"Mena," he said, and went to her, stopping a few feet from where she was when he caught the warning in Ace's eyes.

He really wanted to punch that big son of a bitch in the mouth, but he'd heard how powerful the bonding could be, and he knew hitting the guy would only make Mena angry with him. It was killing him to see her, hand in hand with Ace, but he knew her being mad at him would only make things worse.

He stared into her beautiful, tear-filled eyes, and waited for her to end things, to say she couldn't be with him anymore because the bond had made her fall in love with Ace, to completely shatter his world.

Mena released Ace's hand and took a step forward. Phoenix waited, not daring to rush things that might cause her to bolt from the room, the house, his life forever.

"Mena," he whispered, again. The blood in his veins came to a screeching halt as he waited for her next move.

Her nervous smile spread as the tears brimmed over and fell down her cheeks. She took two steps, and then she was in his arms, sobbing.

"Oh, dear God," Phoenix breathed as he enveloped her in his embrace, squeezing her extra tightly. "I've been worried sick about you, Mena. Are you okay?" She shook her head against his chest, and he pushed her back enough to frame her face in his hands and look in her eyes. "We'll get through this," he said. "This is just a problem. We're good at problem solving, right?"

She nodded, but her face twisted in anguish as she sucked in a ragged breath, and more tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

It gutted Phoenix seeing her like this. Ace had been right; she was miserable. Phoenix glanced over Mena's shoulder at Ace. The guy had his back turned to them, one hand rested on the wall above his head, the knuckles in his fist turned white with tension. He really was feeling everything she was, Phoenix thought, not that he had doubted it, but seeing the bond in action was more real.

"Andra," Ace said, his voice strained, "may I leave? This is f*cking torture!"

Mena turned to look at him, worry immediately taking residence in her expression. She left Phoenix to go to him. She placed a hand in the center of Ace's back, and Phoenix watched as his rigid frame instantly relaxed under her touch. She wrapped both arms around his waist and molded the back of his body with hers. Ace sighed as their bodies relaxed even more.

"You can go," Mena said quietly, and Ace only waited half a second before grabbing the door handle and rushing from the room.

There was a loud thud a moment later as if the guy had punched a wall, followed by a strangled cry, like he was being tortured to death.

Mena's hands flew up to cover her nose and mouth, and then she took a step in the direction of the door.

"Mena," Phoenix said, "let him go. We have to start somewhere. It will only be harder later if you go to him now."

She clutched at her chest as a sob racked up her throat.

Phoenix was by her side and wrapping her back in his arms in an instant, but it didn't seem to help her, the way Ace's touch had. This was killing him inside, but he knew she was going through far worse agony than he could ever imagine.

Picking her up, he walked to the bed and laid her down gently, and, lying down beside her, he tugged the cover over them and pulled her in close to his body, feeling each and every tremor and tremble that raked and tore through her body.

Without saying a word, he just held onto her, brushing her hair back with his fingers, whispering soothing words and let her cry herself to sleep.





v''''v





Phoenix





Sometime later, Phoenix woke and sat up in alarm when he realized Mena wasn't in the bed with him. Even knowing it was a waste of time, he looked about the room and called out her name, hoping she was in the bathroom, but knowing she wasn't before her name even left his lips.

Her cell phone was missing from the nightstand, but there was a sheet of paper in its place. He snatched it greedily.

Phoenix,

I am sorry I had to leave, but I knew you would talk me into staying if I woke you up to say goodbye. This is so hard for me, but I will overcome this. I just need more time. The bond is so scary, and I don't have a clue how to explain it to you, but I promise I will be me again someday. I can fight it. Please bear with me. It would kill me if I lost you.

Love Always,

Mena

P.S. Daryn wants to meet tonight. It's time to find Jessica and put this behind us. I need my pack back. We leave at sundown.

Phoenix sighed, letting the paper fall to the comforter as he ran his hands through his hair and gripped the tresses in frustration. Glancing at the digital clock by his bed, he discovered that he had slept through the night with Mena and it was now a new day. He only had three nights left to figure out how to keep from breaking Mena's heart and shattering his own in the process.


Ace had told him how strong the bond between them was, but, after seeing the condition they were both in, Phoenix couldn't really argue the fact that he was only hurting her more by trying to stay in her life.

She would get over him. She had Ace. With as connected as the bond forced them to be, it was only a matter of time before they fell in love. She would be happy again someday, but not as long as she was still holding onto him.

An unnatural tightness filled his chest as his eyes burned. He looked back down at her words and watched as a tear stained and smeared the ink.