Chapter 184: Chapter 184

Alpha's Hated Mate

Santiago's pov

Adrian and I were supposed to take the kids to the park but we couldn't. We have a Meeting we can't cancel. Camilla called two days ago and told him he has to take care of Arieya and Karla till she gets back from lord knows where and if he needed anything he should call Kingston and he'd handle it.

I was watching Arieya while Adrian went to the bathroom.

“Cutie race me.” Arieya pouts batting her long lashes at me.

“You want to race me?”

"It’s a trap." Karla says running to us.

“What trap?" I ask.

“She convinced someone to take this off here.” Karla provides a bracelet on her palm.

“Her bracelet?”

Karla didn't respond. “Gimme ya hand.” She instructs a terrified Arieya.

“No it hurts.” Arieya cries.

“Arieya you promised mommy.”

Arieya nods begrudgingly. “Okay here.” She says putting out her arm and Karla puts on the bracelet.

“You'll see.” Arieya threatens.

"I'm older than you." Karla uses her elder tone.

“No more hugs for you." Arieya says, turning her head away.

“The drama between you two is entertaining." I laugh at their childish display of sisterhood. Mini cam and Belle 2:0.

The little girls hugged out their differences minute later as silence ensued and later on Karla tugged my arm.

“Can we go play outside?” her voice soft and tender unlike the dominant Karla minutes ago giving instruction.

“Sure, let's go.” I oblige. I'm a people pleaser, Beta Santiago, as always.

“Finally a good suggestion.”

When we got downstairs we were met by Annalise.

“Hey.” She said smiling. I wonder what she wants from me these days. She's always here. One minute I was so crazy in love with her and now I'm so tired of love totally.

“Annalise what are you doing here?”

“I just came to visit.” She shrugs, smiling at the kids in a way to be liked. When did she grow this desperate?

“Rachael isn't here, she's out and Belle and Camilla aren't here.” I kept my pose, my voice hard as steel.

Her lips formed an O. “Oh I'm here to see you.”

“Okay but I'm on my way out.” I try to walk past her with the children.

“Yea we are going to play outside.” Karla chips in and for a second I wished I had a lid over her running mouth. She has no idea how much I want baby love to leave. I was done chasing her. It was her turn to do the chasing.

Annalise gasps flashing her sets of beautiful dentition. Something snapped in me urging me to taste her lips. “Can I come play too?”

“Umm I didn't mean to play. I have a meeting in an hour so I'm waiting for Adrian so we can get going. It's not serious really.”

“Where's your meeting?”

Why is she suddenly caring?

“Overhills.” I replied.

“Oh then I'll just wait for you here.” she folds her arms akimbo, no backing down from making my life a living hell.

“Beta, is she your girlfriend?” Karla asks, shocking us. She gasps and bit her inner cheek to stop herself from laughing as I fought the urge to run away from her and them.

“No.” Arieya speaks in reply to Annalise.

Annalise clicks her tongue jealously annoyed at Arieya’s boldness. “Looks like Arieya wants you all for herself.”

“Come let's go play before Adrian comes.”

“Mine.” Arieya says, tightening her arms around my neck as I lift her off the floor.

“I'm here.” Adrian says coming down the stairs looking dapper than usual. Since the re entry of Camilla he has been on his game looking more handsome than he did years she left. Was he trying to get her back?

“Adrian.” Arieya squeals.

“My darling.” He says kissing her cheek.

“Missed you.” The little shining beam of light giggles. The only thing that means the world to him. His sanity and pride.

“Hey Annalise.” Adrian waved over to her.

“Hello.” Annalise tucked a loose strand of hair safely behind her eyes and bat her lashes seductively. My blood ran hot from that act. Was she into Adrian? No, I don't think so. She's trying to make me jealous, which I won't fall for. She'll be the one to demand for my attention and not the other way round.

“Surprise seeing you here.”

“I just came to talk to Santiago but it seems your daughter wants me to fight her for him.” Annalise points at the little girl wrapped around me tightly stubborn to let go as I chuckled silently. It feels good she isn't getting my attention the easy route.

“Karla take Arieya with you to the kitchen and tell whoever is there to watch you till we get back, we'll be back in a few hours.” He ordered, checking his wristwatch. I'm sure we are late to the meeting.

“Noo!” Arieya rebels.

“Don't worry sweetheart you'll be fine.” Adrian pecks her cheek again.

I tried to put her to the floor so we could leave but her hold became tighter. “I want to come too.” she whines.

“How about I take you out for ice cream once I'm back?”

Arieya shakes her head stubbornly. “No, I want to come with you.”

“Arieya, come on, you love ice cream.”

She shakes her head crying.

“What do we do with her?”

Adrian sighs in defeat. “I guess the babysitter is coming too.”

“I can babysit her if you want.” Annalise jumps into the matter uninvited as I rolled my eyes mentally at her new found busybody.

“Umm it's fine you probably have lots to do.” I disagree. The new Annalise meddles too much got me wishing to see the unbothered her.

“Not really.” Annalise countered.

“Okay then I guess we're going together.” Adrian exclaims.

“Yay!” Arieya exclaimed, jumping to her feet excitedly that she got what she wanted.

“Come on Karla, let's go.” Adrian beckons to Karla who looks lost.

“Me too?” Karla asks. She seems scared and uncomfortable around Adrian but with time I think she'll get used to him as the girls grow.

“Do you want to stay? I can find someone to watch you. I'm sure the girls in the kitchen wouldn't mind?”

“No.” Karla disagreed.

“Let's go then.” I urge her.

“Wait Arieya falls asleep in the car a lot and when she's awake she wants Guava juice.” Karla reveals playing Mom.

“We'll get some on the way and whatever else is that okay?” I responded.

She nods. “Yes.”

“Come on, we're running late.” Adrian almost snapped this time.

We all go out to the Car Annalise sits in the back with Karla and I'm driving us. Adrian in the front seat with me. Karla and Annalise are busy watching something on Karla's tablet and they're giggling with their headsets.

“Step on it we'll be late.” he ordered his gaze fixed on his wristwatch.

“We started off an hour earlier than we should have.” I defend my driving speed. I won't endanger our lives and that of the kids to please a short tempered Alpha.

“Drive faster still you're driving like an old woman.” Adrian snapped irritably.

I chuckle and go an extra 5m/h.

“You should make another one of those.” I say looking at Arieya sleeping peacefully on Adrian's chest.

“The playlist?”

“No, the little package in your arms.” I chuckle.

He chuckles and strokes her hair with his hand.

“Oh Arieya my love I don't know what I did before her. You know she's what I never knew I was missing.”

“You said that about Camilla.” I remember.

“I did but that chapter is closed and she's just using me for sex,” He says with hurting.

“Funny how the tables turned.”

“Indeed but my Arieya makes it all worth it at least that's something we can both agree on.”

”You're doing great” I cheered on. This version of Adrian is the best I've ever seen of him and I can't help but admire his growth all thanks to Mia.

“Since we're on the topic, what do you think is happening between Camila and you know who?” he asks looking behind. Karla and Annalise are lost in whatever they're watching; they can't hear us.

“It’s complicated with those two.” Sincerely, King and Camilla are both fond of each other to the best of my observation but it seems they don't want to take things further than it already is.

“Definitely because I know he knows I'm hitting it and judging by Camilla's interest in sex with me I doubt they're having any.” Adrain says.

“Even if they are, she'll still crave you in every sense that's the curse of the mate bond.” I say giving him hope of getting her back. They complement each other in so many ways that I can't help but hope the ship sails once again.

“Speaking of mate bonds.” His gaze moves swiftly to the backseat. Annalise was busy watching some movies.

“Don't go there.” I say glancing at Annalise in the mirror. this woman is up to something she probably plans on using me to go back to her lover. I used to think I got her back easily until her lover called and sent her some foolish texts that had her grinning like a fool then I took my revenge. She can't have two men at the same time she either chooses me or him.

“You know what Belle told me?” Adrian cocked a brow.

“What did she say?” I try to maintain focus on the road and the conversation.

“A few days ago before they left she told me to get Camilla pregnant and she'd come on her own.”

“That's not a bad idea.” I mutter peering at his side of the car window.

“It’s the worst idea Santiago I love Mia but I can't keep her with me like that she would despise me even more as much as I'd love to have a thousand kids with her I have to respect her decision she might not love me like she did but at least she doesn't hate me anymore.” The words hung at the side of his lips too heavy to lift down. It disgusts him that she once hated him, the little attention she gives him makes his dark world a living reality.

“Since when are you so mature?”

“All credit goes to Arieya, she's made me a better man and all thanks goes to Mia she made me a real man.” He says with the bride clutching his doting daughter even tighter.

Arieya murmurs softly in her sleep. The child is too precious to the pack and everyone around her. “You and Cami should give me Arieya.”

“No, she's way too precious to give away.” he chuckles.

“So there's zero chance you knocked the Alpha up?”

“I'm always strapped man she won't let a nigga dive in without a swimsuit.”

I laugh at his way of explaining the situation.

“Didn't your swim suit have a leak?”

“I was only teasing her, I wasn't sure.”

“What if you take Belle's advice?”

Adrian contemplated for a second rubbing his visible stubbles and sighs. “When she wants a baby she'll come and tell me we'll have one on her terms. We discussed it. She would want her kids to have the same father so it's either me or King.”

“I hope it's King.” I jokingly say

“As long as she's happy I'm happy too.” Wow Adrian has really grown a lot. I expected a reaction, an angry jealous growl or some sort of fit. It's Adrian Carter we are talking about the selfish and ruthless Alpha but each day he kills a part of him to be better.

“You came to this realisation years ago so much would be different. Why didn't you act like this then?"

“I was scared of her. She was fragile. My biggest fear was I'd break her and I did... I broke her.” He snorts his vulnerability coming to the open. They were both victims of their past; they both suffered and the healing is just getting started.

“Breaking her is the best thing you did. It gave her a push to find herself, her true self and you as well.” I reason from the whole madness birthed the real Camilla Mia Burton- The Phoenix Alpha.

“We've both grown in so many ways I just sometimes wish we grew together.” His eyes clouded by tears as a tear slipped through his rear duct to his right cheek. In a flash he pushed his tears back in and with his left palm wiped the pea sized tear.

I didn't say a word and faced the remaining part of our journey in silence. We finally arrived at our destination. Adrian gives Arieya to Annalise and I also hand her the keys to the car.

“You can take the kids to the mall nearby and just be back in one hour.” I instruct.

“Okay.” She says putting Arieya in her car seat, Arieya is still asleep. Adrian and I walk away from the car and into the hotel. We come across Sheryl before entering the manager's office.

“Sheryl you're everywhere.”

“Nice to see you two handsome and more handsome.”

“Radiant as always, Sheryl.” I praise.

“Thank you.” She smiles at me.

“And what are you doing in these parts?”

“Nothing important but I have something to tell the two of you it's a good thing I've run into you.”

“Both of us?” We answer in unison.

“Yes and I can save myself the dream travelling and tell you right now.”

“A warning?” Adrian asked, perplexed.

“Enjoy love don't let it slip through your fingers it won't be easy Adrian there's going to be highs and lows but more highs so have patience and if you hurt her again you'll ruin her for good. Santiago use Adrian's past mistakes as an example don't go astray from yourself, you won't regret it, your life will be filled with nothing but happiness.”

“Huh?”

“That's all I had to say.” she smiled at us and sighed. “I think my job is done. I've said more than I should have. I broke the rules but it's worth it so don't let me down. I want to attend that double... Bye.” she says walking away leaving us bewildered and shook from what we just heard.