Chapter 17: Chapter 17

"In another life, I’ll make you stay...so I don’t have to say you were the one that got away..."

Her clothes clung tighter to her skin, as she watched him through half closed eyes, her mouth slightly open. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say to the man in front of her, or of it would even make a difference. The rain was slowing down, and she realized they hadn't even cared to move from it. "Aiden." He only turned to face her, and even his eyes as wolves showed a sort of disdain. "Change." Her voice came out sharper thank the intended, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to see how his widened. Of course she didn't want to rub her position on his face or use it against him, but the emotions rubbing at her heart were too sharp for her to handle too. She opened her eyes and he was gone. She'd noticed him leaving, actually. The scent of wild roses and pinewood wasn't very hard to trace. She took in a sharp breath, hoping he had gone to carry out her simple command, and not decided she was a waste of time, and had left her again. Time seemed to drag on, and she felt disappointed with each passing second. "I hope you don't expect a picnic." His voice pouted toward her as if in slow mo. His voice. The perfect combination of husky, yet gentle. Deep yet soothing. Musical. She turned towards him, and there he was, standing in a grey sweats, with a black shirt. The rain was mere drizzle now, and she could open her eyes clearly. "Aiden." She said, moving forward. She half expected him to step back, but he didn't. She came closer till only stretching an arm would avail his face to her. "You were the one that day." She said. "You should have... "I would have recognized you in a bar full of girls, from your scent, Lyn. No. Kaitlyn." She didn't blink. She knew what he was going to say, and she couldn't deny it. How could she have been with him without ever noticing that he was the one? He shook his head. "Crazy, right?" She let her head down then sniffed. "I don't know why..." "You moved on, that's why. You were never the type to be stuck in the past, with anyone, for anyone. So you moved on. Went ahead to soil the lips I took for mine...did everything we ever shared with other people. .did you make teddies for them too, Kaitlyn?" His words hit home immediately. The clouds were parting slowly now, the rain had come to a complete stop. "Aiden...I.." He shook his head and gave a smile, but his dimples didn't surface, so she knew he was faking it. "Its fine. I wished that night never happened either. You've always belonged with Chris. No one in this park.." "Can you let me speak?" "No, Kaitlyn. Nothing you say will ever be coherent, or meaningful to me. Nothing." Her eyes widened, and he closed his eyes against them, against the allure it created, so he wouldn't find himself running after her like a lost puppy. "Aiden...you were.." " I am sorry, Kaitlyn. The top of the hierarchy wouldn't have work to do, but I do." He said backing away. "That what you're good at, Aiden. Leaving. All the time." He out nodded and continued. "Wouldn't you want to be alpha?" She said. It was a last desperate attempt, but she regretted it immediately it left the confines of her lips. He gave a half lopsided smile. "No, your highness. I do not wish to be alpha. I am content with the restaurant." He chuckled darkly, putting his hand through his hair. "Thanks, Kaitlyn." And this time when he turned, there were no words she had to stop him.

A hush fell on the restaurant as Aiden walked in, his head hanging low. The tears were threatening to spill and sometimes he hated himself for the softie he'd grown up to be. But he couldn't blame growth. He'd always been soft, and he wished he could attribute that trait to what he currently felt for Kaitlyn. It hadn’t been his softness that had made him fall so hard, or burn so hard for her. It was just her effect, and he didn't even know which was worse. "You're back." The chief said, literally dripping sarcasm. " I am." Aiden said calmly, and without Staying to exchange word or hard feelings, went to the back. He put his back to the wall, his face watching the semi dark clouds. His heart felt even darker, as he watched the clouds move slowly, farther away from each other. Every single tine he'd convinced himself he was over her, something always happened. Something that would show him just how enamored he still was, and just how badly he missed her. He gritted on his teeth, flexing his hand to stop his tears. "It's Kaitlyn, isn’t it?" He didn’t have to look. It was Tom. "Obvious much?" He laughed, but he could as well not have. "Do it." He turned to Tom, his lower lip between his teeth. He could almost feel the metallic taste of blood as he pressed his teeth down on the soft flesh. "Cry. Cry, Aiden. The tears are already in your eyes.." Tom looked about to cry too as he said it, and Aiden shook his head, attempting to laugh it off and say things he didn’t believe like she wasn’t worth his tears. But instead of a chuckle, a snicker or even a low laugh, all he got was a whimper. Maybe she was, and his tear glands, his heart knew too much. He fell to his knees, his shaky hands covering his face, the tears obviously waited for a long time, there was no gradual process as they fell in torrents, racking his body, messing up his mind and breaking his heart over and over again. But the fact he hated the most, was not that he was crying, or she might not even care, but that when Tom put his arm around his shoulder to comfort him, all he could say was; "I want her here with me..."