Chapter 148: Chapter 148

Alpha’s Hated Mate

Kingston's POV

I don't know what occurred with Camilla and Mirabelle at the hospital, but for the past few weeks, Camilla has been like a robot. She seems sad, more so than she was when I first met her. These days, she has the same routines, she wakes up, gets Karla ready for school and does her Alpha duties, if her schedule allows, she picks Karla up and they go to lord knows where for a few hours, but one of them is always happy, one of them being Karla.

Eating is another thing she forgets to do, but I always make sure she does eat. Using Karla as a pawn to assist me when Camilla doesn't want to eat.

According to Mirabelle, Maya didn't perform the abortion and if so, I'm glad they didn't. Camilla will make a great mother, she's already a good one to Karla, she's committed to her and she's invariably making time for her despite her busy schedule.

An hour ago, Belle picked Karla from school because neither Camilla nor I could do it. I had something to do with Camilla's brother, Michael. Since my arrival ten minutes ago, I haven't seen Camilla and I've been informed she hasn't been out of her room all day today.

Karla is tugging at my jeans, while I press type a message to Mirabelle. “Yes pumpkin, how was school ?” I ask her, my attention still fixed on my phone.

“Awesome, I'm moving to first grade next week.”

First grade?

“You are?” I ask, veering to her as I'm taken aback by the sudden change, Karla should be in first grade next year not this year.

Karla nods, “Yep, teacher called mommy to ask if I can, she was so happy.” she giggles, dancing in a circle.

“My little big girl, well done.” I tell her giving her a high five before returning to my phone.

“Can I have a pet?”

“That's not a good idea.” I tell her, my finger pressing on the send button text to Mirabelle. Karla pouts, the water works getting ready to flow. “Fine, you can get one for your fifth birthday.” I tell her, knowing full well she'll be on and gone from the idea by then.

“It's soon so let's get it today,” she whines, her lips quivering.

“Yeah, that's not going to happen.” I snort.

“You're making me sad,” she quivers, tears threatening to fall.

“No, your outrageous demands are making you sad, I don't have time to take care of a pet.”

“Okay, bye.” she nods.

That easy? No, nothing is ever easy with Karla, especially not when she's made her mind up about what she needs. Her hand flips her hair over her shoulder, as she turns, her little fit quick to run.

“Where are you going, are you running away?” I ask, a smile playing on my lips.

Karla stops in her tracks, “No,” she scowls. “I'm telling mommy you're making her baby sad,”

“No,” my smile falls, my hand pocketing my phone. “Let's get ice cream.”

Karla laughs, “You scared of Alpha Mommy.”

“No,” I laugh. “I'm not scared of Camilla.”

“It's okay, daddy everyone is scared of someone.”

“Let's get you pancakes and ice cream,” I begged, not wanting her to run and tell Camilla.

I don't know what mood she is in and surely don't want to see what she'll do when this little traitor goes to her crying.

“I will still tell mommy,” she frowns.

“Fine, how about you me and mommy go out together and get a pet. I think she needs some air,” I tell her, hoping I can bribe the shop keeper to talk her out of it because I can't get her a pet, Karla isn't old enough to be responsible for one the duties of it will be left to me and Camilla, neither one of us has that free time at hand.

“Yay!” she squeals, once again running in the direction of Camilla's room. I follow behind her, entering right after she does, wondering why her door was open.

Camilla is sitting on her bed when we walk in, her hands wrapping the long strands of her hair around her hand.

“Mommy, Mommy, guess what!” Karla squeals, jumping onto the bed next to Camilla, her feet dangling off the bed.

“Hello to you too sweetheart,” Camilla grins faintly, her finger gently tapping Karla's nose.

“I want a pet, so we can get one.” she says excitedly.

Camilla's gaze shifts to me, “Hmm, a four year old and a pet? That doesn't seem like a good idea.”

“Oh, okay.” Karla says simply, looking down at the sheets.

Okay?

So Camilla says no, and it's fine but I say no and it's crying time? Just when I think I could not get more betrayed by my daughter, she surprises me.

Camilla cups her face, holding it up. “What pet did you want?”

“A little puppy doggie, or bunny cute.” Karla retorts merrily.

“You sure? Because I'm getting you whatever pet you'd like,” Camilla tells her.

“Camilla?” I call out.

Camilla looked up at me, tossing me a wink. I relax, letting her do whatever she wants. “Hmm, I want a Unicorn or Pony.” Karla giggles.

“Okay, let's go to the pet store, but if they don't have a unicorn or pony we come back home right?”

Karla nods, jumping off the bed. Camilla caresses her hair, “Go tell Aunt Kendall to cancel Mommy's meeting.”

“Okay mommy,” she grins, heading out with a smile.

Camilla laughs, watching her leave. “Hmm, is it just me or do we have the easiest toddler to deal with?”

“Easy who?” I scowl.

“Karla, she's so understanding and grown for her age.”

I smile, watching her smile. I stare at her, imitating her smile, I don't know what is going on with us, this connection, it's more than just sexual attraction. She isn't in love with me and I'm not in love with her either, but there's definitely love between us. The possibility of falling in love is zero for us. My heart isn't open to falling in love again. I believe you can only love that deeply once in your life, and both Camilla and I have both loved like that.

“What King?”

“Nothing,” I smile, shaking my head. “I'll be in the car.” I tell her, my feet carrying me out of her room. She looks okay, I know she's probably cried all night but she seems okay to me, aside from that.

I wait for her and Karla in the car, playing some music as I wait. When they finally do come, they have a bag of chips each, and a water bottle in hand. The drive to the pet shop is short, with Camilla and Karla singing their hearts out to the songs they prefer. I told myself I wouldn't budge, I wouldn't let them talk me out of playing my choice of music but that lasted about ten seconds after they got in the car.

Karla is the first out the car, and into the pet shop, her excitement uncontained.

“Karla, be careful.” I warn, shaking my head as she ignores me, running wild in the store.

Camilla laughs, “What if unicorns exist?”

“Then we are in trouble,” I tell her.

Camilla sighs, “Karla can have anything, she's my future Alpha.” she tells me, going into the pet store.

I follow behind her, walking down the bird aisle. Karla seems to appear out of nowhere, a chicken in her hand. “Daddy, mommy, this is perfect.” she squeals, holding it closer to her chest.

Camilla and I turn to each other, surprised by the choice of pet. “A chicken?” I ask.

“Yes,” she nods. “Can I have it please?”

“Go and ask that nice lady,” I tell her, pointing her towards an employee of the store, aiming to get rid of her for a while and it works.

“Are we getting a chicken?”

Camilla shrugs, “There's literally nothing I love more than KK's smile.”

“I agree, but I don't want to babysit food.” I whisper, my gaze veering to Karla and the chicken for a second before going back to Camilla.

Camilla lifts a finger, gesturing for me to lean in, when I do, her lips crush onto mine, laying a soft tender kiss on me.

When she pulls away, I'm stunned at the random kiss, especially in a pet store. My hand rests on her waist, watching her blush red. Her gaze drops and I follow it, Karla stands before us once again, an even bigger chicken in a cage she's holding.

“So, what do you say?” Camilla asks me.

“Well, I think you should make the decision here.” I tell her, knowing full well I'm still against this pet and all other pets.

“I named her smoked because she has feathers, like smoke.”

A snort escapes me, Camilla elbowing me in the sides when it does. “Okay, you can have smoked.” she tells her.

****

Now back at the park house, with Karla introducing her chicken to the surrounding of our home. I'm confused by the whole chicken pet fiasco, Karla's favorite dish is fried chicken, does this mean she's not eating chicken again?

Shaking off the thought, I sigh, my focus shifting to Camilla, she's walking a few feet ahead of me and way more behind Karla.

“Beautiful,” I call out.

“Yes King,” she passes in her tracks. “Do you need something?”

I nod, my hands resting in my pocket. “Let's go and start cooking dinner.”

“What do you plan on cooking?” She smiles, excited to learn how to perfect whatever dish I plan on making for us tonight.

“Karla's pet,” I tell her, my lips curving into a wicked grin.

Camilla gasps, a finger raised at me, “Don't you dare,” she whispers firmly. “ Karla loves her smoked chicken..” she pauses, “Hmm, I can't believe I said that with a straight face but you heard me.”

I shake my head, my grin growing wider as my feet begin to move, walking past her and straight into the kitchen. Camilla follows behind me, warning me not to temper with Karla's chicken, which I wouldn't do. I'm not a monster, I wouldn't crush a little girl's heart by cooking her chicken and feeding it to her, especially not my daughter.

Camilla seems to take my joke seriously, lecturing me on all the seventy ways she will make me suffer if anything happens to that chicken. I'm already a suspect in any case pertaining to the chicken's well-being.

Despite the threats, Camilla is a good assistant in the kitchen. She is horrible in the kitchen, all she can make is Karla's favorite dish which is now her pet and a sandwich, three different ones in her defence and oh, a pack of plain noodles.

However, we are working on her cooking skills. She's learned a few recipes. It's only a matter of time before she perfected the recipes.

I'm heating some warm water, with Camilla across the counter, sitting down like I asked her to nearly thirty minutes ago. Her undivided attention is on the cooking stick I used earlier, licking my homemade pasta flavoring off it when Mirabelle joins us.

“Umm hey guys,” she says nervously.

“Hey Beta,” I grin, putting my spaghetti on low medium heat.

“Ugh,” Camilla whines, her hand finally placing the cooking stick down. “Who screwed up this time?”

“No one, well, technically nobody grown but umm, have you guys umm seen Karla?”

“She's in her room, with her pet chicken and before you judge me, it was worth seeing the smile on her face.” Camilla grins.

“Pet,” Mirabelle laughs anxiously. “I don't know what's going on but, I think you might want to go and check on her.”

Camilla looks at me, rising from her seat a little too fast, instantly heading for the exit.

Mirabelle and I follow closely behind her, at a level speed compared to the one that she's walking at.Upon entering Karla's room, I stumble back. “Oh my God,” I whisper, my hand clutching my chest as my gaze flickers from her to the chicken in her hands, trying to discern what happened here.

“Umm, Karla baby girl, what's happening?” Camilla asks, her gaze too flickering between Karla and the chicken, it's as if she is unable to choose one to focus on and honestly, I don't blame her, I too am finding it hard to focus on just one.

Camilla's breathing heavies, “Okay, I think I'm going to be sick.” she asserts, my hand covering her mouth, the other one placed on her stomach. “King, you take this one,” she tells me, running out not more than a second later.

“Is mommy okay?” Karla asks, her tone low.

“Yes, she's good, in fact, I'll go see her right now.” Mirabelle says, patting my shoulder as she walks out, a silent "Good luck" mouthed to me as she walks away.

“Karla,” I call out, demanding an answer.

“I am making a project,” she pouts.

“Okay, but what happened to your chicken?” I ask her, running my hand over my face, still unable to contemplate what I'm seeing, my daughter, with a dead chicken in her arms, its head nowhere to be seen but the stomach ripped, its feathers painted in pure red.

“I used her for an experiment,” Karla grins.

I shake my head, she seems so proud of herself right now but I'm not sure how to feel about it. She was in love with this chicken two hours ago, so much so that she talked to it the entire way home.

“Karla, what did you kill Smoked for?” I calmly ask.

“We can eat her now, don't worry she agreed to this.” she counters, her hands stretching forward to offer me the chicken.

“Karla honey, you can't just kill your pet chicken and tell me it was consensual. You know what, you're going to put that chicken in that trash can, take a bath and then take a nap. This behaviour is unacceptable, you killed a chicken, with what?”

“My hands, I promise she didn't hurt.” she tells me, her feet waddling to toss the chicken in the trash can we keep in her room. She's so proud of her first murder, imitating it's walk as she goes to trash her victim.

“Go on, to the bathroom, now.” I decree.

Karla pouts, “Daddy I promise she said yes, I asked her and she agreed I mean agreed to me. Smoked agreed. Chicken is for eating, she said if we make her tasty, she'll be happy watching us eat her from the sky, in heaven.” Karla tells me, too fucking smart for her age, that's what she is.

This little girl thinks she has the ability to convince a whole grown man like me that her chicken asked to die, telling her it'll watch over us as we have it for a meal?

She's delusional.