Chapter 102: Chapter 102

Waking up with a smile, I looked around the bed only to find it empty. The warm smell of Aiden still lingered in his bed, and the sheets carried his scent. I pushed the duvet off my naked body and slipped in his shirt, hurriedly buttoning them.

Last night was something else. I chewed on my lips, unable to stop smiling like a fool, cheeks hurting. The Alpha was so tender and careful, so loving that I almost wanted to cry at the change. Before, it was all about sex, but the night before felt different, passionate and achingly lovely.

Things between us shifted in a good way. I think ever since we managed to talk it out about Ria, a serene kind of atmosphere settled over us. The beta was no longer interfering or creating misunderstandings between us. I was aware that Aiden could not believe that she would hurt him this way, especially since they had been friends for a long time.

Moreover, we did not have a chance to argue or fight over silly things as the Alpha and I were busy doing our things. With a huff, I made the bed and slipped out of the room only to find Aiden.

For the first time in a while, I did not dread to step into the packhouse for lunch, knowing Ria would not be there. Sitting in front of him, I could stop the feeling of guilt eating at me. The Alpha has been nothing but open and patient with me and tried to earn my forgiveness. He involved me in his pack decisions, talked about his day at times, but I have been hiding several things from him.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered enough courage to look him in the eye and tell him about it. My toes curled around, thinking back to Caden and what the Alpha trainer said to me in the beginning. I was discouraged and scared to open up about my powers to Aiden in the past. He hated omegas, and that kept nagging me in the back of my mind. What if he shunned me? How was I going to handle that rejection from him?

The Alpha has proven that he can be understanding and supportive all these weeks.

With my hands folded in my lap, I looked up at him. “Umm…so you know how I met my birth mother a few days ago.”

The Alpha dumbly nodded his head. “Yes, you told me about it in the passing. I am so sorry, but I have occupied elsewhere and did not get the chance to ask you anything.” A regretful expression crossed his features, shoulders slumping down and lips pressed together in a pout.

I shook my head. “You do not have to apologise, Aiden. I am sure you went through a lot to prepare the surprise.”

He shrugged in response. “Anyway, how did you find your mother? Where is she?”

I swiped my tongue across my bottom lip, bouncing my leg nervously. “She is fine. I met her through Ellen.”

“The omega trainer?” He raised his brow, lines marring his face.

“Yes.” I held my breath. “Uhh…, I asked her to look into a wolf who shares my special abilities.” Static rushed in my ears, teeth gritted together as I slowly peered at his face from under my lashes.

“Special abilities?” His back stiffened, nose scrunching and lips parting as the Alpha stared at me without blinking. “Umm…what do you mean by that?”

Here goes nothing, I thought under my breath and raised my index finger. I had no idea why I was demonstrating it for him, but it’s easier. Folding the sleeves of my arm, I dug the sharp claw of my index finger through my wrist. A wince slipped out of my lips, but I watched the crimson liquid stain the tip of my finger before a drop gushed out of the cut.

“Rose!” He almost yelled, eyes widening as he slapped my hand away before holding it mid-air. The Alpha appeared bewildered as he stared at the nasty cut on my arm. “What the hell are you doing? Why are you hurting yourself?”

Shaking my head, I pulled back and motioned towards the cut. “Watch this…”

The colour of his face drained when he saw the cut healing within seconds. Aiden rubbed his eyes, blinking them several times as he kept staring at my wrist. He shook his head. “H-How is this possible? I mean, I know some werewolves heal faster, but this is insane, Rose!”

I let the sleeves fall back again, sitting around and resting against the chair. “Uhh…, I am a healer wolf. Well, part of me is. My mother belonged to a clan of wolves who had the ability to heal others and never get hurt.” With that, I started to explain to him about my mothers tragic past, her pack news and how she was the only one left now. Aiden could not believe his ears, appearing baffled by the time I was done with the story, his face paling.

“W-Wow, she is a strong woman, Rose. I would have never imagined an omega to withstand all of this and still live alone on her own.” He did sound impressed, the corners of his lips raised.

My eyes glimmered at the praises, and I basked into it, not realising the worse was to come yet. Silence settled between us as he took a noisy breath, hands resting on his knee.

“How is Ellen involved again?”

“Umm…she told me that there is a healing wolf in deep woods, someone like me, so I tagged along with her.”

“She knew?”

I flinched at his tone but barely managed to nod my head meekly, not meeting the accusing stare. “How long have you known about your healing ability? And who else knows?”

I clenched my eyes tight at that, internally praying for the ground to open up and swallow me as a whole. Why did he have to ask me that?

“Rose?” He called out again, his tone already sounding hostile to my ears. I slowly lifted my head and met his eyes, a lump formed in my throat.

“Hmm?”

“Who else knows?”

“Only Ellen and Caden know.” I quickly added, “You have to believe me, Aiden. I was so scared and had no one to tell. I thought it was normal for wolves to heal so quickly, and Caden was the first one to tell me that I had special abilities….”

“How long?”

My heart thudded loudly in my chest, the sound echoing in my ears. “For a while.”

“Isn’t that fantastic? Caden knows everything about you, doesn’t he?” He sucked a sharp breath through his teeth, shaking his head. The Alpha slowly stood, a hand raking through his tangled mess of hair before tugging on the roots. “I need some air. Excuse me.”

Before I could say a word, Aiden turned on his heel and stormed out of the door, sprinting at an inhuman speed. My face fell at that, arms falling by, chest tightening as the sudden gust of wind blew past me, harsh and cold.

***

I tried to ignore the weird tug in the pit of my stomach and got on with my task. After taking a long hot shower, I decided to meet up with my mother. She has no other means to reach me, so I have to inform her beforehand.

I wrote an apology note and stuck it to the freezer door before locking the cabin. My eyes roamed around the area in hopes of finding Aiden, but the Alpha was nowhere around. The faint traces of his scent still clung to my skin, almost making me tear up. No. I was not going to cry.

Determined, I reached my mother's place in record time and saw her picking wooden sticks from the ground. Perhaps to make fire for later. As soon as her eyes fell on me, her entire body froze. The few sticks she was holding dropped to the ground, a gasp leaving her lips, pupils widening.

“Mom?” I took a step closer in her direction, nerves gripping at me at the sudden change in her behaviour. Placing a hand around her wrist, I gently tugged on it and shook her. “Are you alright?”

Tears filled her eyes. “Rose!” She wheezed. “You are pregnant.”

***