Chapter 131: Chapter 131

It's been a while, so I decided to visit the packhouse and see my mother. She must have difficulty adjusting to the new place with so many strange scents and people. As soon I stepped inside, I could hear voices from the kitchen at the back. Pups were running around in the living room as always, but I stood there, taking in their giggles and crinkled eyes.

For a long minute, I couldn't help but imagine watching my pup in the near future, acting the same way. A weak grin stretched across my lips, and I rubbed my belly on instinct before walking away.

I dodged the other people and slumped on the barstool, pouring a glass of water, humming under my breath. The sudden presence of someone on my right had me stilling slightly. The heavy scent of lemons and the slightest bit of flowers hit me all of a sudden.

"You are here?" My mother called out, a bunch of flowers in between her hands. I noticed a healthy flush on her face, cheeks tinged with dirt and eyes glimmering.

Turning on the stool, I gaped at her, noticing Beth rushing in from behind. "Mom? What's going on?"

Before my mother could open her mouth to answer, the housekeeper beat her to it, smiling softly. "I went to pick some flowers to replace in the vases outside, and your mother helped."

"It's fun!" My mother preened, settling in front of me while dearly holding on to the stems of those flowers. I automatically broke into a smile, chest filling with a strange feeling at that.

"I am glad, mom. Did you have something to eat?"

"Yes. Beth fed me delicious pancakes."

The housekeeper shook her head, turning around to face us. "Oh, come on! They were alright. Rose, do you want some?"

"Umm, no thanks. Aiden already made me some breakfast today."

Beth made a leering sound, wiping her hands with the tissues before leaning against the kitchen island. "Did he now?"

My cheeks turned red at that as I slowly nodded my head, thinking back to our time in the morning. The Alpha avoided talking about our pup, knowing the fight after would be inevitable still; for the time being, I appreciated his efforts.

"I am happy for you, Rose. You both deserve this." The housekeeper's eyes shifted towards my belly, to which I gasped, a hand flying to pull my coat together.

"H-How did you know?!" I turned to my mother, raising my brow at her. She shook her head, equally surprised at those words.

"I saw you from the window earlier, and that glow on your face...so I made a guess, and you just confirmed it," Beth said with a teasing smile before rushing to envelop me in a hug. I sank in the embrace, my eyes fluttering shut as her scent washed over me. "Congratulations..."

"We don't want to make it public yet." I cut her off, pulling back with a sheepish look on my face. "I—I know this is too much to ask, but please, can you not tell anyone, Beth? Please?"

The housekeeper gave an understanding nod before sitting in front of me, rubbing my clasped hands. "Absolutely. I can understand it must be not easy with this situation right now...You are strong, Rose and I am sure you got this too!”

Tears burned in my eyes at those words, a lump in the back of my throat as I nodded. "T-Thanks, Beth."

"So, how far are you anyway? Did you go to the clinic?" At her question, I averted my eyes, staring at my mother, who let out a sigh. She gave me a shrug which probed me to tell the housekeeper about the story so far concerning my pregnancy. By the end of it, Beth was moved to tears, tightening her hold on my hands.

"I-I am so so sorry, Rose. That's scary. But do not lose hope. I am sure good things are waiting for you both after everything you endured. Just pursue Aiden and get a check-up from our pack doctor."

I meekly nodded my head.

***

"You're cooking again?" I asked, barely above a whisper, leaning against the wall, my lips curving in a smile.

After a long talk with Beth, I showed my mother around, and we met Ellen. The omega trainer was pleased to see her, and they both caught up on certain things. We all tried to avoid the looming topic of war upon us; instead, we watched the pups trying to shift into wolves all day. They were adorable and stubborn, not ready to give up after their continuous failures.

I was thankful for Aiden's sharpened reflexes because the man barely startled at my sudden voice. Taking a step inside, I greeted him, watching as the Alpha self-consciously fixed his hat atop his head. It was of no use because I instantly removed it upon permission, running a timid hand through his soft curls.

"Mhm...I love your hair like this, Aiden." I said quietly, thumbing at the delicate strands falling on his forehead. He grunted at my touch, his eyes rolling back and an arm coming to wrap around me.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips when he looked up to meet my eyes, "I am making dinner because I know you must be tired after having such an eventful day with your mother."

"You saw us?!" I could feel the tension from the day begin to dissipate so easily in the mere presence of our banter. And for a moment, I couldn't remember why I ever hesitated coming back home.

"Mhm...you were being a proper tour guide, hmm baby?"

Blushing, I walked over to the edge of the fire to soak in the whips of flame, slowly dying down as the Alpha finished charring the meat. I turned on the balls of my feet, eyeing him. "Were you stalking me, Alpha?"

He rolled his eyes. "No. You passed by the Council three times today."

"Right." I winced, my eyes shifting back to the board filled with diced onions, salsa, tomatoes, cheese and bell peppers. "What are you making?"

"Tacos."

"Sounds yummy. What's the occasion?"

Aiden took a bite off of his makeshift skewer before handing it to me, "Must I have an occasion? Can I not simply make them for my omega?"

I bit into the chicken in an attempt to alleviate the smile that was beginning to pull at the corners of my lips. My omega. I could sigh just thinking about it. Though it's not the first time that Aiden has claimed me as such, it still caused a pull in the pit of my stomach, sending my nerves firing into the most enthralling beginning hints of pleasure.

"Mmm," I hummed, pretending to consider it, "No, but I do smell an underlying condition. Are you trying to butter me up for something?"

His face paled at that, a sigh escaping his lips, head bent down for several seconds. I narrowed my eyes at that, closing the distance between us. Cradling his jaw, I lifted his head.

"What is it?"

"I don't want to upset you, but I met Sylvie today in a cafe."

The breath knocked out of my lungs at the mention of her name, chest tightening painfully. Why did they two meet again? That omega already left a profound impact on his life, and her sudden appearance might cause trouble to Aiden. The thought of that happening caused my stomach to sink. Despite the hitch in my breath, I cleared my throat.

“W-What happened?”

Aiden made a wounded sound. “Baby, it’s not what you think. Trust me. We just talked. She was waiting outside the border for me and pleaded to talk for old times sake, so I couldn’t turn her away.” Exhaling loudly, he continued, “I took her to the cafe, and she explained why she left me all those years, which doesn’t matter now. It did not affect me but only upset me that she did not have any faith in us. That’s all. We won’t be talking about it again now. I promise.”

"I," I let out a quiet breath, but I had no clue of what to say. Or what I wanted, or what the Alpha wished me to say. Instead of talking, I lifted my chin, pressing my lips against his, hoping to pour all my answers into it.

A low growl escaped his lips at that, an arm coming to grip on my side, and Aiden moved impossibly nearer, closing the minuscule distance between us.

His mouth was hot, soft lips wrapping around mine in slow, heated movements. The Alphas tongue nudged the seam of my mouth after a minute, thrills causing my skin to shiver as they rushed down my sides. My entire body felt ticklish, and my muscles loosened, body pliant as his hand settled against my jaw. His hair brushed over my forehead, and our noses dug into one another's cheek, my tummy tingling with something that resembled desire as his front teeth bit into my bottom lip, tugging on it lightly.

"Interesting way to answer," He decided on, exhaling the word as my mouth traced his jaw. The edge of the kitchen counter was cutting into his back as I leaned over him, but it was easily neglected in favour of the way my lips felt trailing over his skin.

"Good interesting?" My teeth scraped against his pulse point.

Aiden’s breath stuttered. “Definitely, baby.” The Alpha pressed a kiss onto my closed lips before sinking to the curve of my exposed shoulder, his breath warm against my skin. His right hand fell from my waist to my thigh, nearing the inseam of the pants.

“A-Aiden…” His head lifted, pupils blown, but eyes altogether gentle as he regarded my wrecked and swollen mouth. “Thank you for being honest with me. I appreciate it. I was scared in the beginning when I saw you two together but got reassured that nothing is going to happen again.”

“No, thank you for trusting me.” With that, his lips reattached to mine, and I felt his hand round my hip, palming at my round bottom. He squeezed it, almost making me jump at the spot. “I think tacos can wait.”

***

The following morning, the Alpha gave me an extra jumper and a coat that's too big on me, as well as some mittens and a hat because it hasn't ceased to snow; heavy flakes are falling from the sky.

We were going to visit the pack clinic discreetly, so what better than sneaking out bright in the morning.

I pulled a face as we stepped outside, already ankle-deep in snow, my flimsy sneakers soaked through and wet in an instant.

Aiden slightly chuckled, folding his lips. “I told you to wear ankle boots.”

“They are not comfortable, Aiden. Also, it takes a lot of time to take them off.”

It's a slow journey, to say the least. The journey from our cabin to the clinic took at least ten minutes, maybe fifteen tops, but today, it took longer than that. Thanks to the snow and the ground, it lay on, making it frozen and slippery

By the time we reached the connecting road, my face might already be frozen, snowflakes melting on the cold cheeks, but I guess I should be grateful that it's not storming as well. The wind felt harsh, but it was not whipping around my head.

When the clinic came into view, barely distinguishable, I noticed Aiden going stiff next to me. The Alpha was fixated that the Pack doctor would have the same opinion as Jade, so he thought it to be futile. My gut told me otherwise, so I managed to convince him to accompany me.

Without a second thought, I reached for his hand, entwining my fingers with his and squeezed. I tried to smile when the Alpha’s eyes flicked to my face, but I couldn’t open my mouth. There was a significant amount of unease swirling in my belly when I looked at the old wooden building, weighed down with snow and barely visible.

Aiden cleared his throat, turning to look at me and blinking. “Is it stupid that I feel terrified to go inside?”

I exhaled, shaking my head. Nerves gripped my insides as well, belly swooping and an ache in my chest that I could not pinpoint. Still, I managed to muster a weak smile, “No, it’s not. Do you remember what we talked about?”

“Yes. Everything will be alright.”

***