Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)
“I’m from Winter,” she said, blowing on her drink, “I’m familiar with how hot chocolate works.”
Galen grinned.
“My bad,” he said.
Selene sniffed the warm and sweet aroma. She glanced toward the third cup. Did Alexander like hot chocolate? She couldn’t remember ever having seen him drink anything other than water, alcohol, or coffee.
She took a drink, and the velvety warmth spread over her tongue. Having enjoyed hot chocolate many times throughout her life, she didn’t expect much in the way of flavor. It was warmed chocolate and milk. How different could it be?
When the richness of the chocolate hit her taste buds, she smiled. It was pleasant, delicate, and not cloying. But her eyes went wide momentarily from the surprise of the unexpected spiciness that hit her.
“Oh, I probably should have mentioned… this is Fiona’s special recipe… it has a kick,” Galen smiled.
Selene set her mug down and wiped her mouth. She was only slightly annoyed. The taste was surprising but pleasing. She glanced at the other mug again. This time she noticed that the drink’s color was different than hers.
“Do all the mugs have the same drink?” she asked.
Galen nodded as he sipped from his mug.
“Then why is the other one paler?
Galen looked at the untouched mug and gave a gentle smile.
“Alexander, if you couldn’t tell, can be a bit impatient,” he said.
Selene smiled to herself. As patient as Alexander had been with her coming around to accept their bond, he lacked that same patience in most other aspects of his life. He was an Alpha, and very few enjoyed waiting for anything.
“When we were little, Alexander burnt his mouth more than a few times when Fiona made cocoa for us. She tried to make us wait, leaving the mugs on the counter until they were cooled, but Alexander being Alexander, just waited until she had turned around or walked away and took it for himself.”
Selene chuckled softly, imagining a small Alexander sneaking behind Fiona to get his sweet treat.
“So, eventually, she came up with a different solution,” Galen continued.
He smiled, looking at his mug as he recalled those moments of their shared childhood. The trouble they would get into together, and the adventures they had.
“What did she do?” Selene asked.
Galen looked over. Selene was sitting back in her chair, her head tilted against the back as she looked at him. He could almost see a faint smile on her lips.
“She put a small scoop of ice cream in his mug,” he said softly.
He smiled, remembering the day Fiona pulled out the ice cream. She had just finished cooking a fresh batch of cocoa when Alexander had already pestered her for his mug.
“You are a terrible listener, Alexander, and your impatience will burn a hole in your mouth!” Fiona shouted in frustration.
“I can’t help it, Mother, you just make the most delicious hot chocolate!” a small Alexander replied with a charming grin.
Fiona let out a soft growl. She reached down and grabbed his chin to look up at her as she leaned down to meet his eye.
“Don’t you use your adorable smile as a weapon against your mother,” she said.
A young Galen giggled. Fiona turned her eyes to him.
“You think it’s funny?” she asked.
Galen straightened up and shook his head.
“You listen to me, Galen,” Fiona said, letting go of Alexander and turning her attention to him. “It’s too late for Alexander, he is a brat and a troublemaker, but you are still a sweet young man that knows how to listen. Don’t let him influence you too much, all right?”
Galen grinned and nodded.
“Traitor,” Alexander huffed at Galen.
Galen shrugged his shoulders and let out a chuckle.
“Mom!” Alexander objected with a pout, “you could at least pretend that Galen isn’t your favorite!”
“Why should I?” Fiona huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “He listens when I tell him the cocoa is too hot. He doesn’t make me worry that he will always hurt himself.”
Alexander sighed and moved closer to Fiona. He hugged her around the waist and laid his head against her.
“It’s not that I am trying to make you worry,” he said sweetly, “you just make such delicious cocoa I can’t wait to drink it. It’s mom’s special recipe, made just for me and Galen.”
Alexander caught Galen’s eye. He motioned for him to help.
Galen sighed but hurried over and wrapped his arms around Fiona.
“It really is the best,” Galen said. “Even I have a hard time waiting to drink it.”
Fiona tried her best to hold her position, but she was helpless with both her boys charming her. She reached down and hugged them both.
“You know I can’t stay mad at the two of you…” she said softly. “All right, all right. There is one more idea I can try.”
Fiona pulled away and went to the stove where the cocoa still sat. It was still too hot to drink, but she poured it into the waiting mugs anyway.
Alexander and Galen sat at the table, eagerly waiting. She brought over the tray with their mugs and set it down. Immediately Alexander reached for the mug closest to him.
“Don’t touch!” she quickly shouted. “Alexander, if you grab that mug before I tell you, I will never make cocoa for you again, do you understand?”
Alexander quickly pulled his hand back and nodded.
Fiona stepped away and went to the refrigerator. She came back with a small container and a spoon.
“Ice cream?” Galen asked.
Fiona smiled and opened it. She scooped out a small spoonful, dropped it into one of the mugs, and then did the same for the other. She stirred each one briefly.
“Now, you may take a mug,” she said.
The boys each grabbed their respective mugs. Galen looked curiously at the last bits of melting ice cream that floated in his chocolate. Meanwhile, Alexander grinned happily and almost immediately took a drink.
Fiona and Galen observed as Alexander pulled the mug away from his lips.
“Delicious, and no burns!” he laughed.
Fiona sighed and shook her head. She pointed out that he still grabbed the mug without fear or concern for his hand. She and Alexander continued to bicker back and forth for a few more minutes as Galen watched them with a warm smile.
The memory faded as Selene’s voice called Galen back to the present.
“So, you still put the ice cream in his mug… even though he isn’t here to drink it?” Selene asked, looking at the full mug.
Galen took a breath, looked at the mug, and nodded.
“I make it just like I would if he were here,” he said. “I serve it and drink mine while I talk to him, just like I would if he were here.”
Selene looked at Galen.
“What do you talk about?” she asked.
“Everything,” he said. “And nothing.”
Galen smiled, looking her in the eye.
“Just like I would if he were here.”
Selene swallowed. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and then she smiled. She looked away and took a breath.
“This is your offering…” she said softly.
Galen nodded. The only other person that he had told about his offerings was Bell. Not even Fiona knew.
“You don’t burn anything…” she said.
“No,” he said, shaking his head.
Selene leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and smiled as a tear fell from her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Galen looked at her.
“For what?” he asked.
Selene turned her head and opened her eyes. Galen was surprised by what he saw in them. Relief.
“For sharing this with me…” she said. “For showing me that someone else believes he isn’t dead. He just… isn’t here.”
Galen swallowed.
He had agreed with Fiona and the rest. Life had to move forward. As much as they missed him, they couldn’t stop living for Alexander.
He wanted to search, but the fact was, they needed somewhere to do so. But there were no leads, no traces… there was nothing. Six months of nothing.
It made sense to believe that Alexander was dead.
But Galen could not believe it. He couldn’t accept it. Galen had tried, if for no other reason than to help Fiona get through her grief, to process it together. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not think of Alexander as truly gone.
He just wasn’t here.
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?