Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)
“Your mother… and sister,” Alice said, “will join us as soon as they are ready.”
Axel furrowed his brow and clenched his jaw; he didn’t want to leave Selene. But he understood that he needed to be the Alpha, not the brother.
He reached his hand to Selene’s shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. She looked back at him.
“I will see you soon?” he said. It was a question rather than a statement.
Selene swallowed, but she nodded.
Axel nodded and moved to leave. He stopped and turned back to Selene. He pulled her into another tight hug and kissed her head.
Just as quickly, he pulled away and walked past her down the hall.
Alice closed the door of their room and turned to Selene.
“The dark place inside… is temporary, so keep your visits short,” she said softly. “I look forward to the day you abandon it fully and return to those who still wait for you.”
Selene lowered her eyes, feeling a heavy weight in her chest.
Alice reached out, placing her index finger under Selene’s chin, and lifted her until their eyes met.
“There is no shame or weakness in getting lost in your pain,” she whispered. “Or in holding on to hope when it seems hopeless.”
Selene swallowed.
Alice smiled and pulled her hand away. She turned to Corrine and gave her a nod before she left to follow Axel, who waited just around the corner.
He looked at her with a warm smile.
“You keep claiming you don’t like her…” he said quietly, “but it’s getting harder and harder to believe you.”
Alice rolled her eyes and walked past him.
“I have lived in the dark,” she said, “I don’t have to like someone to hope they can find their way out of it.”
“True,” he said. “But that didn’t seem like just a simple warning. It felt more like encouragement.”
Alice sighed.
“Maybe becoming a mother has softened me.”
Axel caught up to her, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips to place a warm kiss across her knuckles.
“I don’t think so,” he whispered, “you’ve always had this warmth to your nature.”
Alice raised a brow.
“It’s one of the things I love about you,” he continued. “Now, you aren’t working so hard to hide it.”
Alice took a deep breath and turned away, continuing down the hall.
“Maybe I’m starting to realize this life is real,” she said quietly, “and not just another role I’m playing.”
Axel stopped, pulling her back into his arms and looking into her eyes.
“This is real,” he whispered, “I am real, you, our children, our life. All real.”
Alice swallowed with a warmth beginning to grow in her chest.
“The doll is gone,” he continued, tenderly running his thumb over her jaw. “Holden, Roman… the lab… they are gone… forever. All those years you spent trapped inside….”
Axel paused, swallowing and looking into her eyes with warmth and affection.
“That’s all over,” he said. “A horrible nightmare that you’ve now woken up from. This life with me, this is what is real.”
He leaned forward and kissed her with a delicate brush of his lips.
“There are no more roles,” he whispered. “For the rest of our days, you are Alice, just Alice. The love of my life, and whatever else you want to be.”
Alice swallowed, the warmth in her chest spread out over her body.
“Whatever I want to be?” she asked.
Axel nodded.
Alice let out a soft laugh.
“I’ve never really thought about that before,” she said.
“We should get you cleaned up,” Corrine said.
Selene nodded.
“Do you want to come to my room?” Corrine asked.
Selene swallowed. The room she shared with Alexander was just upstairs. Her clothing, her favorite shampoo, and body wash. They were still there. But the idea of entering that room without him made the tightness in her chest even more prominent.
“Yes,” Selene whispered.
Corrine nodded.
“It’s just down the hall,” she said, turning to lead the way.
Selene stood near the front door, waiting as Corrine filled the bathtub. When the sound of the running water stopped, Selene’s heart jumped.
“Come on in, darling,” Corrine called out.
Selene hesitated, but after taking a deep breath, she went to the bathroom. The room smelled of lavender, it was warm, and the tub was filled with bubbles.
“I could have taken a shower,” Selene said quietly.
Corrine tilted her head.
“A bath is more relaxing,” she said. “Also, I have a feeling that the layers of dirt on your body will need to be soaked through. You will take a shower after the bath.”
“The sun has already set,” Selene said, “the ceremony—“
“Will go all night,” Corrine interrupted. “Axel will let Fiona and Galen know you’re here, but there is no reason you need to rush down.”
Selene swallowed. While she didn’t particularly want to rush to join the ceremony. Corrine reached out, grabbing the pack off Selene’s back and helping her to remove it.
“The start of the ceremony will be filled with speeches and memories,” Corrine said softly, helping Selene remove her jacket. “It’s for his people. You don’t need to be there to hear every word.”
Selene closed her eyes and clenched her jaw.
When she agreed to come, she was momentarily numbed from her pain. The disappointment and guilt of being unable to save the scout made her feel like she no longer had a right to refuse the vigil.
But in the two weeks since, as she traveled down the mountains of Moonguard and fought against the fae, she had regretted agreeing to come back.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to give the Summer wolves a chance to say goodbye to Alexander, but rather that she didn’t want to hear them do it.
To have to listen to all the happy memories of him, to see them weep at the loss of him.
Selene had already accepted that she needed to move forward in her life. That she could no longer spend every day searching for Alexander. But it didn’t mean she had given up or felt any better about it.
“He…” Selene began, hesitating. She licked her lips and swallowed her anxiety. “He would have wanted me there.”
Corrine looked at Selene. She grabbed her shoulders and turned her so they faced each other.
“No,” she said.
Selene furrowed her brows.
“He wouldn’t have ever wanted you to have to attend this event,” Corrine continued. “He would have rather had to do it himself a hundred times over than let you face this pain.”
Selene felt the heaviness in her chest and looked away from her mother.
Corrine took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Don’t worry, darling, you will attend,” she said. “After you’ve cleaned up.”
Selene nodded.
“I will go find you something to wear,” Corrine said, “you go ahead and get in.”
When Corrine left the bathroom, Selene took a deep breath and stripped down. She climbed into the warm water and was surprised by how quickly her body relaxed.
***
Selene quickly finished her shower and got into the robe Corrine had left on the counter.
Corrine told her to get dressed while she rinsed out the tub. As Selene approached the bed, she saw a long gray dress was laid out for her. Selene furrowed her brow.
“That’s my dress…” she whispered.
It had been three years since she wore it. It was long with a high collar and long sleeves. A mourning dress she had worn when she attended the funeral of Jackson’s grandmother.
“I brought it from home,” Corrine replied as she entered the room. “I don’t think your size has changed much since then.”
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?