Chapter 8

Rose's Pov

The tears kept rolling down my cheeks as I pushed open the bathroom door and rushed inside. I couldn't bear to face anyone, not even my Mom or Dad. The humiliation and shame were just too much to handle.

I heard my mom's voice calling out to me from the hallway, but I couldn't bring myself to respond. Instead, I ran straight into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me. I leaned my back against the door, my chest heaving with sobs.

How could I have been so stupid? Sleeping with a stranger was a mistake, but now being tailed by unknown men was a nightmare. I couldn't imagine what they wanted from me, but I knew it couldn't be good.

As I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I couldn't believe what I saw. My hair was a tangled mess, my mascara was smudged and my dress was wrinkled and stained. I looked like a complete mess.

My eyes were bloodshot, and my cheeks were flushed with alcohol. My body was swaying slightly, a sure sign of my drunkenness. I felt ashamed of myself, especially with all the danger that was surrounding me.

I took a deep breath and splashed some cold water on my face, hoping it would help me sober up a bit. But as I looked at my reflection again, I knew there was no hiding my disheveled and drunken look. I needed to get myself together and face the reality of my situation.

I couldn't believe that my life had turned into this chaotic mess. I never imagined that I would be running for my life from unknown gunmen, trying to protect myself and the people I loved.

I splashed water on my face, hoping it would calm me down, but it didn't help. I felt like I was spiraling out of control, and I didn't know how to stop it.

As I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my mind went back to Brandon and Mia and their mating ceremony. The rejection still stung, but now it was compounded with the regret and shame of my recent actions. I couldn't believe I had let myself get into this mess.

"I wonder if they even had sex last night," I chuckled to myself, forgetting the worried mother in my room.

Suddenly, I heard a knock on the bathroom door, and my mom's voice came through. "Rose, please open the door. We need to talk," she said, her tone gentle but firm.

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself, and then slowly opened the door. My mom looked at me with concern, and I could see the worry etched on her face. She hadn't seen my face clearly and I wondered how she'd react when she finally saw me.

"Rose, what's going on? Why are you so upset?" she asked, coming closer to me.

I could feel the tears welling up again, but I fought them back. "I messed up, Mom. I made a huge mistake," I said, my voice cracking.

My mom put her arms around me, and I broke down, sobbing into her shoulder. For a moment, it felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders, and I knew I wasn't alone in this mess.

I turned slowly to face her, the light clearly shining on my face. I tried to put on a calm face, but my disheveled appearance gave me away. My mom's eyes widened at the sight of me, and she took a step back.

"Rose, what happened? Why do you look like this?" she asked, concern etched on her face.

I sighed and sat on the edge of my bed, my head hanging low. "Mom, I messed up. I made a huge mistake, and now I don't know what to do," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mom came and sat beside me, placing a comforting hand on my back. "Talk to me, Rose. What happened?" she asked.

"I didn't spend the night with Sienna," I told her and she didn't look surprised.

I took a deep breath and told her everything, from being rejected by Brandon to running in the woods, to sleeping with a stranger and being followed by unknown men. My mom listened patiently, her expression changing from concern to worry.

"Rose, you need to be careful. You are an Alpha's daughter. A soon to be Alpha at that. You can't just sleep with anyone and not expect consequences. And these men who are following you, you need to be careful," she warned.

I nodded, tears threatening to spill again. "I know, Mom. I messed up, and I don't know how to fix it," I said.

My mom hugged me tightly, and I leaned into her embrace, feeling a sense of comfort and safety. "We'll figure it out, Rose. I'm here for you, and we'll find a way to make things right," she said, her voice soft and soothing.

In that moment, I knew that no matter what happened, I had my mom's love and support, and that gave me the strength to face whatever was to come.

As she left the room to get me hot soup to help with my drunkenness, I went to the bathroom for a long bath.

I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the tub, letting the warm water soothe my body. The hot water washed away the grime and dirt of the day, and I closed my eyes, letting out a sigh of relief.

I needed to wash off all the dirt and grime, both physically and emotionally. The hot water was a soothing balm on my skin, and I submerged myself in it, feeling the tension slowly leaving my body.

As I lay there, I closed my eyes and tried to calm my mind. I needed to think clearly and figure out how to deal with the mess I had gotten myself into. But my thoughts were jumbled, and I couldn't seem to focus on anything.

But as I soaked in the water, I realized that maybe it was time to talk to my wolf, Eve, although she had been ignoring me.

I had always felt a strong connection to her, and I knew that she could help me sort things out because she was the one who put me in the condition in the first place.

I stayed in the bath for a long time, letting the hot water wash over me, and my mind slowly cleared. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing, trying to clear my mind of all the clutter. And then, I called out to my wolf, Eve, speaking to her in my mind.

"Hey, Eve, it's me. I need your help. I don't know what to do, and I feel like I'm losing control. Can you guide me through this?" I asked.

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence, and I began to feel like I was talking to thin air. But then, I felt a strange sensation, almost like a nudge, and I knew that she was listening to me.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I didn't mean to put you in this place. I couldn't resist his…" she said and trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"I understand, Eve. But I don't know what to do," I said, sobbing. "It's all going at a faster pace."

As I continued to speak to her, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I knew that I wasn't alone in this, and that my wolf was there to guide me through it all.

After a while, I opened my eyes and looked around the bathroom. The water had turned cold, and I knew it was time to get out. When I finally got out, I felt refreshed and renewed, ready to face whatever was to come. I stood up and wrapped a towel around myself, feeling refreshed and re-energized.

As I wrapped a towel around me and looked at my reflection in the mirror before walking back to my room.

"Rose!!! What happened?" Eve screamed and I closed my ears and eyes from the noise. "Did this happen to you because of me?” she asked, teary.

"I'm fine, Eve. This isn't me and I know that. The events of last night remains there." I breathed as I couldn't bear to see my wolf in pain.

I felt a sense of determination building inside me. No matter what happened, I was going to be okay. I had the strength of the wolf within me, and that was all I needed.

As I stepped out of the bathroom, my mom was waiting for me with a bowl of hot soup, and I knew that everything was going to be okay.

I knew then that I couldn't give up or give in to the fear and shame. I needed to be strong, to face my problems head-on, and find a way out of this mess.

I quickly pulled a gown over me and sat beside my mother, "Thanks Mom." I said to her and she smiled.

She was about to hand over the tray to me when her hands froze in mid air and her gaze focused on my neck.

"Rose, is that a mate mark?" She asked and my heart sank alongside the tray, breaking every ceramic in it and the soup, spilling on the floor, staining the white tiles.