A Love Lost

Maggie looked over her bags and clothes thrown haphazardly across her room. Her stomach was turning, she felt a strange mix of guilt and relief to be going back to college to finish the year. She missed her friends and the craziness that went along with her classes. These past few months have been chaotic and problematic. She grinned when she thought of her brother's mate, Destiny, and how far both Eric and Destiny had come. With Destiny learning how strong she truly was and her brother no longer feeling guilty for something he'd kept hidden for so long and allowing himself to be the alpha he could be. Showing that he wasn't as weak as others had assumed. The little secret of having another mate before Destiny had surprised the whole family, she thought as she shook her head. The feisty young woman zipped up her bag and looked around her room. She gave it a cursory check to ensure that she had everything.

The gentle knock on her door startled her, she had planned on being gone before most of the pack knew she was leaving. Opening the door, Maggie was surprised to see Jeremy on the opposite side.

"So, you were just going to leave and not say anything?" he asked softly. Disappointment was evident across his face.

Maggie sighed, "You're my friend, Jeremy. Nothing more." She hated doing this to him, they were friends, nothing more. The love she felt for Jeremy was more brotherly than romantic. Maggie suppressed a grin when she remembered her brother thinking she was sleeping with Jeremy. She wasn't, it was Jeremy's cousin, Austin.

Jeremy let out an exasperated breath through his pursed lips. He cupped Maggie's face, "Fine," he lowered his head and kissed her cheek, "If you change your mind, you know where I'll be." He pushed past her. Walking into her messy room, and lifted her bags easily. "Your room is a hot mess," he teased.

"I can do that, you know," she insisted, playfully scowling at his assistance. "And as for my room, it'll be fine. The omegas won't mess with it. Everything is clean on the bed and I never have food in here." She scrunched her nose at the thought of disgusting things crawling around her room.

Jeremy smirked at Maggie, "I know. Let's go." As he adjusted the handles of the bags before heading to the door.

"Oh, no, you're not coming with me!" Maggie protested, putting her hand up to stop the wall of the beta as he walked down the hallway with her bags.

Jeremy hid his sad smile and was thankful she was behind him. "I'm not." They made their way out the door to the roundabout in front of the mansion where a car awaited for Maggie to take her back to college.

He put the luggage down and looked down at the woman before him. "Be safe out there." He hugged Maggie tightly and inhaled deeply wishing the moon goddess would have given her to him.

Maggie returned the hug, "You know I will," she winked at him. "Besides, we have an interesting new foe out there."

Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, I hope Aggie has some information at this point about Cybill."

"I'm sure she will," Maggie said.

"Magnolia Rose!" Abigail called out to her daughter. "Were you trying to leave without saying goodbye?"

Maggie groaned at her mother's use of her full name. "Mom, really?"

"What? That's your name and you were trying to sneak back to college without saying goodbye," Abigail scolded her daughter gently.

Maggie feigned innocence, "You knew what time I was leaving."

"Maggie!" Destiny called, running down the stairs to her friend and wrapping her in a hug. "Why are you leaving without saying goodbye?"

Jeremy moved off to the side so that the family say their farewells to Maggie a smirk on his face. "So she was trying to leave without telling anyone," he said to himself.

Abigail looked down her nose at her daughter, "When you said five o'clock I assumed you meant this evening."

Maggie rolled her eyes at her mother, "Mom, the traffic would be more than horrible tonight. At least if I leave now, I'll make decent time. This is going to be a seven-hour drive," she reminded her mother.

"That's no excuse to try to sneak away! There's a lot of bad things going on out there," she pointed to the vast openness of the world.

"Mom, I'll be okay," Maggie reassured her parent. "Where's Dad?"

Julian chuckled as he came out from behind the door, "Did you think I would sleep through my daughter leaving?"

Eric followed behind his father, "Or your brother?" He waited until his father released Maggie and then wrapped her in a hug.

"I wish you'd reconsider this," Abigail said, her soft features etched with worry over her daughter's departure.

Maggie smiled, "Mom, I'll be fine. You'd have to be crazy to mess with me," she flexed her arms, showing off her biceps and growling teasingly.

The smile on Abigail's face belied her concerns, "At least take someone with you," she pleaded.

Maggie's expression darkened, "No, I will not change my mind on this, Mom." She crossed her arms, refusing to budge on this matter. "I am not going back to school like some self-entitled rich bitch snot that I would rather punch in the face than make friends with. It's bad enough you're making me take a driver and not drive myself."

Abigail scowled, while Destiny was behind the Luna Queen biting her lips to keep from laughing out loud at Maggie's bluntness.

"That was before all this happened!" Abigail argued. "Look what's going on now! And as for the driver, that's for your safety too, young lady. It isn't safe for a beautiful young woman to drive alone that far." Her mother shuddered at the thought of all the trafficking going on with humans. Those poor parents have to be beside themselves with worry.

Maggie crossed her arms and tilted her body to the side, "What's going on, Mom? Some crazy fucker out for world domination? No, some weirdo who thinks they can control people. I'll be fine at school." This was her last chance at independence before coming back home, and possibly finding her mate. Something she wasn't ready for just yet.

"Language," Abigail corrected. "You are still a royal lady. Even if you don't want to act like one."

Her daughter's eyes rolled hard, "Fine, Mom. I'll try to watch my language, but I have to get moving or I'm going to be late."

She gave out one last hug to everyone, before climbing into the backseat of the car.

"Ready, Miss Maggie?" the driver asked with a kind smile.

"Yes, finally," Maggie said as she popped in her earbuds and settled into her seat for the long ride back to school.

Twenty minutes after the car drove away, Eric turned to Jeremy, "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Jeremy smirked, "Nothing." He hurried toward a nondescript pack SUV and hopped in, going in the same direction as the vehicle that carried Maggie.

Destiny turned to Eric, "Do you think it's a good idea to send him? After all, he does have a massive crush on your sister."

Eric's face dropped, and so did Julian's, "What?" they asked in unison.

The women exchanged a knowing look before bursting out with laughter. "You didn't know?"

Julian growled, "He better not try any monkey business with my daughter. Is that why he volunteered to do this?"

His mother rolled her eyes, "Please, I had to beg him."

"Wait, if he has such a crush on her, why did you have to beg him?" Eric asked.

Destiny giggled, "You really don't understand, do you?"

"No. Explain it to me," Eric said.

"He may have a crush on her, but he won't act on it. She doesn't reciprocate his feelings," Destiny put a hand on her mate's arm, "He's a really good guy."

Eric smiled and nodded. He looked at his dad, "I hope they both find their mates soon."