Tasting All My Mates by Alexis Dee

404-lt's Not Home Anymore.
"Is there something wrong between you two?" She asked again, just to clarify her question. At first, she was confused, and now
she is shocked.
"Things are okay," I lied, fixing my hair and gulping with a smile on my lips. The smile wasn't genuine; I was trying not to be
awkward with her.
"Just okay? I don't want to force you into talking about anything, but I noticed something about you two. I noticed the spark is
missing from your relationship," she said as she pouted sadly while watching my face.
"It is because I have lost my spark," I said with a weak smile plastered across my lips.
"Well, at least you ever had a spark. Look at me, I have only suffered all this time." She claimed when probably talking about her
relationship.
"What happened? Are things not okay between you two?" I asked, remembering what Lazio had told me. I didn't want to directly
talk about the differences they have because of me, but I wanted her to say it herself.
"Things are not going so well. I don't know if Lazio has told you anything or not, but things have been pretty rough between us
from the day we married," she uttered under her breath, looking all sad. I felt hurt watching her suffer so much.
"Why?" I asked and leaned back in the chair.
"Because of you!" she stated, and silence took over us. We shared a silent glance, and then she lowered her eyes.
"I should have known that would happen," she sighed.
"I am so sorry. I didn't know he would do that. But I promise you, Christina, I have not even stayed in contact with him," I swore to
her, feeling my heart pound in my chest.
"I know. It’s just that I don't know what to do anymore. I tried so hard to make it work for the first year but now—," she paused
when confusing me with her confession.
"Now? Now what?" I inquired, watching her pout and let out a sigh of exhaustion.

"Now I don't think I can make another effort. How long can I even hold him back? The heart wants what it wants," she shrugged
her shoulders, taking a big sip from her wineglass.
"I don't know what to say. Do you want me to talk to him about you?" I asked, hoping maybe I could do something for her.
"Enya! I don't think that would work. I wanted him to realize my love and accept me. My ego will not tolerate me making his crush
beg him to give me a chance. Besides, I suffered so much that now I don't even feel any pain. I got used to it," she said, with not
much emotion on display.
I was staring at her and realizing she was not lying. She looked like someone who tried her best, but it didn't work out for her.
"So, what is your plan now?" I asked her because I, too, wasn't happy in my marriage. She still had a wolf with her, but I didn't
have anything. So I wasn't sure how my life would turn out after I demanded separation from Lazio.
"We have been talking about separation for some time now. I think in a month or two, we will finalize it," she said casually. "I
might have to ask Lazio to take me in his pack. Would you mind if that happened?" She looked like she was requesting me.
Hearing her surprised me. I used to be so strong and in command, what happened to me taking decisions for myself?
Look at her, and then look at me. The thought of leaving Lazio had not crossed my mind until tonight, and that too because of
her.
"I am surprised." I grabbed the wine glass and took a sip from it.
"We have to make firm decisions sometimes," she confessed. "I am sorry, Enya, for ignoring you yesterday. I couldn't look at you
and believe Maynard isn't looking at you as well. It was just painful for me, but now I understand. It is not even your fault. I could
tell you are not living your best life yourself." She whispered in a sad tone.
"You didn't answer me. Would you mind if I came to stay here?" She asked again, and this time I put the glass down to hold her
hand to comfort her.
"You can be a part of this pack, and that will only bring joy to me." I gave her a soothing smile. It was nice to have someone I
could share a word with. Nobody has really wanted to hear me these days, so I kind of found a blessing in her company.
"Lazio calls me his sister," she added. "I know it is weird to talk about it, but he has been a better brother than Zander. Zander
lost his path and pretty much used me to hide his crimes and sins." She looked sad when remembering her brother.

"That seems like ages ago," I uttered.
"Do you still miss him?" she asked, making me raise my head to look her in the eye.
"Thiago?" She mentioned him by name this time. I steadily lowered my face and scratched a T on the back of my hand with my
fingernail.
"I do," I confessed.
"He truly was in love with you," she too confirmed there could be no one like him. I just couldn't talk about him with anyone. He
seemed to be my secret. I couldn't tell anyone about him.
"How do you know Valerie?" Instead of continuing to talk about someone, I questioned her; I couldn't even share his thoughts
with anyone.
"Oh! I know her from the times she and Lazio would visit us. I was pretty sad when Lazio told me you didn't want to visit us, but
then I understood you were not in a place to celebrate or enjoy anything." She explained everything to me in those few
sentences.
Lazio didn't take me to her place because he feared I would ruin their relationship. He just didn't want to take me anywhere.