Okay, so this is probably going to be tha last chapter until Dec 1. But after that, i'm thinking there's prob only going to be a few more chappies, sorry guys 3 I hope you stick with me.

Forbidden Chapter 9- The Problem With Families

"Ash, it's fine" he turned to me, anger evident on his face.

"It's fine? You've betrayed us! The moment I let you go, you let your guilt drive you into the arms of the man who usurped us? How could you! I thought you gave a damn about your family!" I flinched at his words, Kestrel's face flashing across my mind. I felt a surge of anger that wasn't mine, and felt Lucas's arms wrap themselves around my waist.

"Watch what you say, Redfern." the ice in his voice seeped through me, and I leaned back into the safety of his arms.

"Or what twit, you gunna have me staked. I want you to stay the hell away from Rowan. You have no right to lay a finger on her." Ash's face was red with anger, and his hold on his temper was slipping, that much was evident from his body posture. I went to slip out of Lucas' arms to appease my brother, but he just held on tighter.

"No I wouldn't do that, because it would hurt your sister. But I would advise you to watch your tongue. Rowan and I are soulmates, so you're going to have to get used to having me around, I'm not going anywhere Ash Redfern." Ash's face pinched in irritation, but then it drained from his face, and he looked at my with sad, broken eyes.

"Please tell me it isn't true Rowan, please, not him." I lookeds at my brother and felt my heart tear as I looked at the pain he was showing me, that which he had hidden for so long, and I realized that even though he didn't let it come across, he needed me just as much as Jade and Kestrel had. He couldn't bear to think of me having a soulmate because of all the hurt he'd had with his soulmate. And even though he had her back, the memory was still there, and he needed me. I pulled softly out of Lucas' arms, and I felt, rather than saw the hurt I was causing him. I started walking towards Ash, but I stopped halfway there, feeling pain on both sides, one that I'd caused, and both that I could fix. I was torn, between the family I loved and had always known, and this mysterious man who I knew I loved in some way, that could offer me a world I'd never seen, never known. My head spun, I didn't know what to do, but when I looked up into my brother's sad ever-changing eyes, I made my choice. I stepped towards Ash and wrapped him into my arms, pulling him close, as he wrapped his arms around me. Ash grabbed my hand and started tugging me back down the alley.

"Rowan..." I heard his whisper, and it took all my willpower not to turn around and run back to him.

"Goodbye Luke," I whispered it softly but I knew he had heard me, and as I walked away from this man, my soulmate, my only thought was "I'm so sorry."

We reached the Thierry's house, and not once had Ash release me, he'd kept a firm grip on me the entire time. Waiting at the gate was Mare, when she saw us a radiant smile spread across her face, and she ran to me, enveloping me in her arms.

"Thank Goddess you're okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked her, confusion furrowing my brow. Mare looked at Ash with the same look, and elaborated,

"Ash took off after you, said he felt like something was wrong. He took all of two minutes to tell me he was leaving and he was gone. He looked truly frightened for your well-being. I turned to Ash, anger seeping through my very bones, and I saw him cower.

"Ashton Redfern, were you keeping watch over my mind?!" Ash looked away, and I understood why he had been worried. The only time a vampire can't get into another vampire's mind if they are strong enough, is if the vampire was in peril danger, dead, or with their soulmate. So, in a way, a soulmate truly was the ultimate protection, as many people don't know that soulmates hide your mind, because very few vampires have tried to access a vampire's mind when they have a soulmate. It appeared to be a Circle Daybreak secret.

"Wait," Mare said, "so, if you aren't dead, and you weren't in danger... that means.. YOU FOUND YOUR SOULMATE!" Ash and I both cringed and Mare's excitement faded as I bitterly muttered,

"Not that I'll see him again, Ash took care of that." Mare turned on Ash,

"ASH REDFERN WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!?" Ash flinched under his soulmate's wrath and I saw that same pain creep up in his eyes, and a fear of losing Mare, so I stepped in and rectified the situation I had created.

"It's fine Mare, I walked away, it never would have worked because of who he was, all Ash did was bring me to my senses, he made me see that." Mare reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder,

"I'm so sorry Rowan." I plastered a fake smile on my face, and watched sadly as my brother and his soulmate linked hands and walked back to the house together. It stung knowing that I had gotten the short end of the stick, I had gotten a soulmate that I could never be with, it would cause too many problems. I felt a tear slide down my face as I watched the two in-love teenagers, knowing that I would never again have a chance to have something like that. My heart would always belong to the man I could never have.