Chapter 145: New Reality

ARIEL

“Have I told you how much I appreciate you letting my dad stay with us after Dianne left?” I ask Alex, idly tracing shapes on his bare back.

“You have,” he replies. “But I won’t say no to you showing me again just how much you ~appreciate~ me,” he teases.

“You’re insatiable, my Alpha,” I say, pulling him closer to my body and breathing in his scent. We’d already made love once that morning. “But who am I to say no to such a pretty face…”

***

When Alex and I finally force ourselves out of bed, I walk downstairs and find Natalia in the kitchen where she is trying and failing to make cupcakes.

It’s hard to believe that Xavi’s first birthday is tomorrow. And that Natalia and I are peacefully making cupcakes together for the pup she had with my ex-destined mate.

No one can ever say life is boring around here.

But still, a strange sense of calm has filled the pack after all the drama we had with Fate and Selene last year.

“I can’t believe she just left like that,” Natalia says as we load the cupcake trays out of the oven and start to decorate them.

“It’s Mom,” I reply. “The things she does have long since stopped being shocking to me. But I do wish she would have thought of the impact it would have on our family.”

I snort, knowing that’s ridiculous.

“Dianne’s never thought of anyone but herself,” I add. “To leave Dad for some rich wolf she doesn’t know anything about...”

Natalia sighs at the mess we’ve made. “She always liked pretty things... Unlike these disasters.”

We poke at the lumpy and misshapen cupcakes that now have icing running down the sides.

“Maybe we should’ve hired a professional. Or at least asked for help,” I say.

“Well then, it’s a good thing I thought ahead and arranged for a nice spread of sweet treats from our bakers,” Maria laughs from the doorway.

My mother-in-law walks in, with Xavi and Camelia clinging onto her dress.

Xavi runs to give Natalia a hug and she accidentally drops a cupcake on him.

“You are a lifesaver, Maria!” Natalia says, trying to clean Xavi to his immense displeasure.

“Not at all, dear,” Maria says. “I’m simply good when it comes to organising a party.”

“I wanted to talk to you about those organising skills,” I say to her, thinking about the million things I need to get done that day.

On top of all my Queen and Warrior duties, I have decided to host another mating weekend after all the drama that was caused by the breaking of the existing bonds.

“Have you seen my dad since breakfast, by the way?” I ask, before leaving the room.

“No, darling,” Maria replies. “He said something about going to visit Steve at the training center, though.”

Natalia frowns, “He’s been spending most of his time at the training center. I don’t know if that’s such a good idea at his age.”

“Dad’s still young enough to be a great warrior, Natalia,” I say. “But I’ll make sure he isn’t overdoing things.”

I leave the two of them to deal with the mess while I head over to the training center.

I wish I knew how to help my dad deal with Dianne’s sudden leaving.

He helped me find a new pack to settle in after Xavier’s rejection.

I feel so useless not being able to help him the same way.

He flat out refuses to talk about Dianne or even returning to his home, the Crescent Moon Pack.

***

The training center is as busy as always, with our warriors going through training exercises or just working on their own skills.

A few new recruits fumble their way through an obstacle course while Steve shakes his head and yells instructions.

~I should be over there with Steve. ~

~As General it’s my duty to be involved with the new trainees, but I didn’t even know about this group... ~

~I should really sort through the mess on my desk and act like a proper General if I want to honor Dave’s memory.~

My dad’s beating the shit out of a punching bag in the far corner with a few other warriors eying him warily.

There’s another bag in tatters at his feet.

~Oh, Dad...~

I grab hold of the bag as he keeps landing punch after punch, not even acknowledging my presence.

This goes on for a few more minutes before I step around the bag and grab his hands.

“I think that’s enough, Dad. Let’s get some water?”

He blinks a few times as if only just realising who I am.

“I’m fine, little warrior,” he huffs. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

I toss a bottle of water to him anyway.

“I’ll always worry about you, Dad. You’ve been there for me my whole life. I just want to help you, too. You haven’t spoken about what happened with Dianne...”

“And I still won’t. Your mother made her choice and now all we can do is move on,” my dad interrupts, as he always does when the conversation turns to Dianne’s departure. “Let me deal with things the way I know how, Ariel.”

“At least let me wrap your hands. You're going to wreck them completely if you aren’t careful.”

“If it’ll make you feel better,” he smiles indulgently.

I wipe the blood from his hands and wrap them carefully with tape.

He ruffles my hair like he always did when I was little. Then, he walks over to the sparring mats, waiting to find a partner.

“Nice of you to join us, General,” Steve says, walking over to me as I watch my dad spar with one of the younger warriors.

“I’m sorry, Steve. I completely forgot about the new intake today. My desk is a disaster-zone.”

“No worries, I have it handled. Paperwork is the main reason I never wanted to be promoted. I'm much better at training than filling out forms and Goddess-knows what else,” he laughs.

“Tell me about it!” I say. “I never knew how much paperwork it takes to keep a pack running. It feels like I’m drowning in General and Queen duties...”

Steve frowns, “Are you alright, Ari?”

“Yeah... Mostly anyway. I just need to get to work.”

“Don’t forget to ask for help when you get stuck.”

“I will, don’t worry,” I say.

I turn to leave but then remember one last thing.

“Hey, Steve?” I say. “Could you keep an eye on my dad while you’re here, please?”

Steve nods at me, reassuringly.

PETER

~Empty. ~

That's all I feel these days.

I return from training to find an empty room. An empty bed. A gaping hole where our bond used to be.

It's been weeks since Dianne left but I still reach across the bed in hopes of pulling her closer to me…feeling her curl into me like she used to when we were young and still in love. Everything was simpler back then.

We used to spend our days sneaking off to the drive-in when we were supposed to do our homework and going for ice cream after my training sessions...

Who knew a little stick could change a person's life as much as that pregnancy test changed ours?

I loved Dianne even after our eighteenth birthdays when we realised we weren’t fated mates.

I loved her even more when she told me she was pregnant.

I thought we did the right thing by claiming each other as mates...

I was filled with nothing but love and joy when I first held Ariel and then Natalia, immensely proud of my chosen mate and the family she gifted me with.

Now all that’s left is emptiness.

“Why Dianne? Why was I not good enough for you to stay?”

I shake my head and grab the blankets from the bed.

The couch by the window looks like a better place to try and sleep.

I don’t want to spend another night reaching for someone who isn’t there.

Someone who won’t ever be there again…