Chapter 19: Chapter 19

“You’re really leaving in the middle of this chaos? I can’t…” she halts and breathes out shakingly. “I can’t handle this without you, Ryan,” she spoke, her voice trembling.

Ryan smiled through the fury and misery he felt, and held her hands. He massaged her knuckles with his thumbs as he observed her face. Unhappy lines etched up deeply on her face. She ducked her head and bite down on her lower lip to stop herself from crying.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he assured her as he used his index finger to raise her head to his face. “You’re better and stronger than this. You’ve fought before when I wasn’t here. And I believe you can do that again and you’d win. You’re not a loser, Alice. You’re not weak—you are the most dominant girl I’ve ever known. Don’t let them break you, don’t let them get to you and see your weak side.”

She nods her head as she held in her tears and smiled. “I’m strong,” she mumbled, still nodding her head.

He plastered a smile on his face as he brushed off locks of hair from her face. “Yes, you are.”

Alice stared up at him. She stared at the man that has been with her for as long as she could remember—supported her and always gave her the benefit of doubt. He never judged her, never blamed her for her mistakes. He loved her through her best and worse. He made sure she was okay and always assured her things were going to be fine—she always believed his words even though sometimes they don’t sound convincing. He always smiled at her even at the times she doesn’t smile back, even if she was to take a knife and stab him… he’d still smile at her and tell her she’s the best.

She can’t imagine a day without Ryan. She can’t imagine having a life without Ryan. She has grown so fond of him than she did when they were kids.

“You’ll be here for Christmas—you promise?” She affirmed, holding his face in her palm. He placed his hand over hers and caressed it. “Don’t doubt me for a second,” he told her.

She could hold the heartbreak no longer and fell on his chest. His breath was taken away, not from the realization that her arms were finally around his torso but how dejected she really was just because he was leaving for a couple of months. He folds his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tight as if he was going to lose her.

He felt a knot tie up in his throat, clogging his air way just as his eyes welled up with tears. He didn’t want to leave also, but he had no choice. He had to go back to work; he has a mother to take care of. He has to work for her.

He strokes her hair gently, thinking of how she’d cope with everything that has been going on. She has been through a lot and she deserves nothing but happiness and peace of mind. She deserves someone that’d treat her like the princess and goddess she is.

“Alice,” he calls out softly. Her head was still on his chest—she could feel his heart beating steadily with hers. She exhales gently and closed her eyes. Somehow, Ryan took away her pain and made her feel safe.

“Promise me one thing,” he began. His body was wordlessly saying that he loved her but she couldn’t take that guess.

She raised her head up and rests her chin on his chest.

“Promise me that… you’ll make the right decision. You’ll have a happy ending. Even if it means not ending up with Aaron,” he said. What he wanted to tell her was he hated seeing her together with Aaron. He’d prefer she ends up with Dominic even if it meant he’d lose her for himself—her happiness is what matters the most.

She stared into his eyes for what seems like forever. She doesn’t completely comprehend what he meant by making the right decision even if it meant not being together with Aaron. Was she the only one that really wants to be with Aaron? Everyone seemed to be against it but her. “I don’t know…”

“Just promise me,” he insists, holding her closer. It never seemed to end, but she didn’t mind.

“Okay, I’ll try… I promise,” she says and he smiled at her. He kissed the top of her head before letting go of her. She heaves a sigh, still feeling him even after he has let go.

She accompanied him out to the gates and watch him leave.

He stood beside her and she didn’t bother to look at him. She had her eyes on Ryan until she couldn’t see him anymore. She heaved a sigh, feeling the urge to run to him and ask him to take her with him. Only if she could do that—only if she had the means to. The only thing keeping her away from running was her mother. She couldn’t imagine leaving her mother alone.

She doesn’t care how the man standing beside her would feel. She doesn’t care if he’d be broken. He had done so much damage to her and if not because of her mother and Ryan, and her friends, she would’ve lost it. possibly committed suicide.

“I had a long, interesting conversation with Ryan this morning,” he said to her. “About your boyfriend, Aaron.”

She quickly averts her gaze to her father as her heart dropped to the floor. She doesn’t know exactly where this was going but when he mentioned Ryan, she knew it was going to be something good.

He folds his arms over his chest as he faced her. “I honestly hate him and I’d do anything to keep you away from him. I would never trust him… but… I don’t like how things are between us and I hate how you’ve been ignoring me. So, Ryan talked me into it. I want you to present your mate to me within a week.”

Her eyes suddenly lit up like the glowing stars, a gigantic grin spread across Alice’s face. “You mean it?” She said, happily stumping her feet on the ground.

He nods, smiling at her contagious grin. “But only under one condition…”

“Anything you say,” she cuts in, knowing she could do anything to be with Aaron.

“If you fail to bring him within a week, I’ll choose your mate and you don’t have the right to argue, agreed?”

Alice came to a standstill, taking aback by her father’s circumstance. She hesitantly nodded, knowing there was no way she’d fail to bring Aaron home.

**

She looked at their hands clutched together and raised her head up to look at him. He smiled at her and pecked her lips. “I love it when you do this,” she said and tip toed to kiss him again.

“I love it when you do it also,” he replied, looping his arms around her waist. She bites down her lip, the smile never leaving her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and just stared at him, imagining how life would be after they get married. It felt so serene to daydream about that, especially now that her father has finally agreed to the idea of being with him.

Her fantasy was finally going to come true and she was finally going to have a happy ending. She ran her fingers through his curly, black hair. She could get used to doing that every night—caressing his hair and attacking his face with kisses before they sleep or whatever they decide to do in bed every night.

“How’s your ankle?” He asked. She rolled her eyes as she chuckled. “It’s been a month now, Aaron. I feel better than before,” she said. He heaves a sigh of relief and nod. “I was just making sure.”

She stares at him for a moment. Who could possibly hate this guy? He’s so caring and loving. His personality was amazing and he always does whatever he can to make sure she was happy.

“I love you,” she confessed and his dark almond-shaped eyes sparkled. He didn’t say anything back. His eyes just calmly searched hers. How was he possibly going to hurt this girl? How did he let himself get convinced? Why would he ever want to see her in pain when she had done nothing but showed him how much she loves him. Forgave him so many times for the craps he had done.

“Aaron…” She called out and halt. He snaps out of his reverie and put his focus back on her. She looked away for a moment, as though to think of the right words to say to him. “You will always be my first love, not like the first guy I liked or the one who took my breath away… you have taken my breath away but what I want to say is, you are my first strong feeling. I knew from the moment I first saw you that my heart would belong to you even when I was in doubt. You got the best of me; I will never regret loving you…”

I will never regret loving you…

Those last first words six words she uttered stung his whole body more than her father’s punches. She saw when his eyes flashed with misgivings but he masked it up with a smile.

She breathes out softly—she wasn’t going to let a slight eye gesture ruin this lovely moment they were having. She couldn’t wait to see how he’d react when she tells him the good news.

“What was it you wanted to tell me?” He asked her. He didn’t want to reply to her words because he didn’t know exactly what to say to her. Not after how he feels about her now.

She nods her head as she lets out a shaky breath. “Yes, about that…” She murmured under her breath as she dropped her gaze. He raised her chin up with his finger to look at him again. “You can tell me anything, Alice,” he said, offering her a promising smile. She beamed back, feeling slightly relieved after his assurance. Why was she even nervous to tell him the news they’ve been wishing for, for months?

“My father wants to see you.”

“He wants to see me as in kill me?” He asked jokingly but she shook her head. Her face holding a stoic expression. “He wants to meet you. Because he has finally agreed we could be together,” she explained further.

His smile instantly dropped as his eyes gaped. He could swear his jaw had just dropped to the floor just as a chill ran down his spine. Slowly, he moved his hands away from her body. She looked down in disbelieve. “Wha—” She stammered. “What’s wrong? I thought that’s what you wanted?” She panicked.

“No, no, of course that’s what I want. Of course, I want to marry you, Alice. You are still the girl of my dreams.” He smiled at her but his eyes betrayed him.

Her eyes searched his for a while. They didn’t match the smile on his face. They didn’t match his words. He was doubtful… maybe he didn’t want to do this anymore.

He gently clasped their hands together and caressed her knuckles with his thumbs. “Look, I love you, so much. I’d do anything to be with you. But…”

“But you don’t wanna marry me?” She cuts in. Her voice laced with anger and disbelief.

He briskly shook his head and cup her face in his hands. “Don’t say that, Alice. I love you. And I do want to marry you. But I haven’t told my family about us yet. I haven’t even told them about me yet. My mother knows about us but… it’s just complicating.”

She stared at him, her heart stinging with each beat. Her minds felt like it was taking a fistful of tranquillizer. She blinked back the tears, thinking of any possible way to comprehend what he meant. It felt like he didn’t want her at the same time doesn’t want to admit that he doesn’t want her. It felt as though he was with her because he didn’t exactly know how to get out of the relationship.

“Hey,” he said, cutting her out of her endless thoughts. He firmly grabbed her shoulders, obliging her to look up at him. “I didn’t fall in love with you—I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we’d choose. I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.”

“He only gave me a week to present you. We don’t have much time, Aaron. He’s going to marry me off to Dominic if you don’t come home with me.” As she spoke, her heart raced, like a runaway train going faster and faster. A great sob escaped her, and she covered her face with her shaking hands. “No, no… no, this isn’t what I want… you don’t…” she sobbed into her face while he stood there unmoved.

He couldn’t think of a way to convince her that he still loves her and he does want to marry her. There were things he knew even if he explained, she’d never comprehend. He had a lot on his plate already, being with her included.  And there were things he couldn’t control. They’re out of his power and boundaries.

“Look, Alice…” he halts upon the sound of an intruder. He looked around, narrowing his eyes. It was already getting dark and they weren’t standing in the safest part of the woods.

“What…”

“Shh,” he shushed her, prudently surveying the place.

The petrifying, tall shadows came out from the trees. They stood by the trees, watching them before one of them walked forward.

Terror sucked the very breath from Aaron’s mouth as the tall shadows approached them at once. Alice gasped, hiding behind him and clenching his shirt firmly like her life depends on it. It does depend on it.

“Oh, did we scare you? We didn’t mean to do that. We only came here to talk,” their leader said and let out a humorless laughter.

Aaron narrowed his eyes, sensing the mockery in his voice.

“We just want the girl, not you,” he said when he suppressed his laughter.

Aaron looked behind him to see her already looking up at him. She shook her head ceaselessly as Aaron grabbed her wrist. “No… no… Aaron,” She cried out lowly.

“If you want the girl, then you have to pass through me.”

She heard the familiar voice she dreads hearing. The voice that made her stomach churn in ways she doesn’t want to feel. The voice she hates the most until now that she knew she’d be safe with him.

“Alpha Dominic of Umbris Pack…” they murmured incoherently, retreating before their leader even ordered them to.

Things escalated faster than she could comprehend. The only thing she felt and saw was the strong arms wrapped around her petite body. She gasped for air, looking around despite her tears blurring her vision and it was already dark.

“It’s okay. They’ve left… including your boyfriend.”