I Rejected You, Alpha

FLASHBACK

AIDEN’S POV

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Laying sleepless alone in bed while Eleia and Rosie are still partying at four in the morning feels like I am going to lose my mind. When she suggested Stefan and I go for a guys night out, I thought she and Rosie would be going out too, but she said that they would be staying home and I felt more relieved and agreed.

It’s not that I don’t trust her, I know that she can handle herself, she can fight and punch a guy’s lights out if she wanted, but I prefer she didn’t need to, so I thought this was going to be a relaxing time.

Stefan and I had a good time, until around one am when two girls came up to us and started flirting, we said we’d buy them drinks and then just left. It was funny, Stefan and I laughed all the way to the car and we both decided it was time to go home to our mates, because we missed them.

On our way home, all I could think about was holding Eleia, to have my arms wrapped around her while she slept, but that did not happen…

When we walked into our home, we could hear their loud muffled music and pushed the living room’s door open to find them drinking shots off the floor with the hands behind their backs. I was stunned to see her like that, her cheeks were red from the alcohol and so was her eyes.

I said we could go to bed, but she said no, it would break one of their rules for the night and she’s see me in the morning. Rosie on the other hand was super excited to see Stefan and jumped into his arms, kissing him passionately and I grew jealous of the sight.

I wish Eleia was so happy to see me.

Eleia peeled Rosie off Stefan and held her, demanding that we left and so we did.

Stefan went his way and I went mine. I stopped at the kids room, checking on them before going to bed and I laid here ever since, wide awake, missing my mate and wishing she would just come to bed.

My throat begins to feel dry and when I lazily drag myself out of bed and make my way downstairs, I hear faint sniffs and cries coming from the bathroom across the kid’s room.

I halt in front of it, knocking lightly, “Hello?” I ask, unsure if it were Rosie or Eleia. The cries stop, but the sniffing remains, as if the person behind the door wished that I’d continue my way and ignore them, but I couldn’t.

I crack open the door and when no one tells me to stop, I open it fully, finding Cleo sitting between the toilet and the wall, her knees against her chest as she stares up at me with her bright icy eyes, “Cleo?” I ask confused and crunch down in front of her, “What’s wrong sweetie?” I sit down, not wanting to hover over her like she’s in trouble. Her chin starts to wobble, her l*p trembling along and my heart aches at the sight of this sweet girl crying.

More tears swell into her beautiful bright blue eyes, lose strands of hair sticking to her warm and damp cheeks. I reach for her face, brushing the strand away, “Talk to me.” I urge on and she drops her forehead to her knees, burying her face in the shadows that her body provides.

“Hey, you’re not in trouble.” I tap her, hoping that it would lighten the mood and make her trust me enough to tell me what’s wrong.

She glances up at me, her eyes glassed over and tears streaming down her nose from the way she tilted her head down.

“I miss my parents.” she croaks out, her voice breaking mid-sentence and she start to cry. My heart aches for her.

She suddenly stops crying, “Are…are y-you m-ma-d at-t me-e?” she stutters and I frown, shaking my head, “Of course not sweetie. Come here.” I hold out my arms and she doesn’t hesitate to climb into my lap, her hands tightly gripping at my white t-shirt.

I hold her and let her cry until she calms down, “I’ll never be mad at you for missing your parents.” I comb my fingers through her thin hair, “They are your family and it’s unfair that they were taken away from you.” I whisper, hoping she’d get tired, but instead, she cries even more into my chest.

I take her back to our room and I let her lay in my arms as I begin to talk, “You know…Eleia also lost her parents…except she didn’t know them because she was just a baby.” I tell her, not wanting to get into detail with my personal life.

“Really?” she asks through sniff, “Yes, but she misses them too because even though we never knew or remember our parents, they are still a part of us, a big part and your heart and brain will always remember them for you, even if you can’t.”, “But doesn’t my brain make me think?” she asks confused, “It does, but it also locks memories away for safe keeping and as you grow older, you will forget them, but your body, heart and brain will forever remember them.” I tickle her side and she giggles, “I will always remember them.” she smiles. “Yes, you will.” I tell her even though I know it isn’t true. Children forget their parents and it will hurt, but she will always be loved, by Eleia and I, and Felix and Arlen. We might not be related by b***d, but she is family.

Cleo soon falls asleep in my arm and I am left unable to move, but then again…I wouldn’t want to because it doesn’t matter if I’m not her real dad, I will be her dad still.

She shifts, groaning, “Goodnight daddy.” she mutters and my heart feels like it’s about to explode in my chest. I just freeze, unable to move and can’t think of having a girl of our own, because she is ours, now until forever.

I fall asleep soon after and is awaken when the door creaks open and my eyes lazily pull open, the room filled with light and it’s bright. It’s already morning and Cleo is still asleep in my arm, her head resting on my bicep and the rest of my arm is dead. It tingles when I wiggle my fingers and I slowly sit up, moving her to the side. “Go back to sleep.” Eleia whispers loudly and I struggle to hold in my laugh, but instead I g***n when my arm starts to feel alive again. I get up from the bed, shaking my arm quietly as Eleia stands in front of the bed, staring at me, “I’m sorry I woke you.” she sighs, “Shhh.” I hiss and she frowns, her plump l*p curling into a pout, “You’re going to wake her.” I whisper like a normal person and her eyes flick to the bed and I could see in her eyes that’s when she only noticed Cleo.

“Why is she here?” she asks with a deep frown, “Because I found her crying in the bathroom in the middle of the night.” I rub the sleep from my eyes, a yawn dragging through me. “Why was she crying? Why didn’t you come get me?” Eleia suddenly turns sour and I know it’s not because she’s mad at me, but she’s mad at herself. She loves the children, that is why she stayed home in case something was wrong and now she feels guilty.

I could see the guilt eating her from the inside, her eyes are dark and her lips are pressed into a thin line.

“Because Eleia…” I pause, sighing, “You were having fun and I am their parent too. I handled it.” I shrug, “Did you?” she asks, her tone full of judgement as if I were incapable of handling a crying girl.

“Yes.” I grit out annoyed, I want to tell her off, I want to tell her that she was so drunk that I wasn’t going to risk it, but it wouldn’t be true…I know her, she can’t be rude even when she’s drunk, well except for now, to me.

I love her too much to hurt her, because even though she might not remember it by the looks of her swaying side to side as she tries to stand perfectly still, I will remember it and I am not going to let this little moment get worse.

“Okay.” she backs down and I’m surprised that she does, she’s always so strong headed and now she’s so…chilled.

Perhaps she should get drunk more often.

“Do you think I could sleep next to her?” she yawns, “I’m tired.” she crawls onto the bed and goes to lay down next to Cleo, making herself comfortable under the covers. I watch with admiration as she tucks Cleo’s shoulders under the duvet again, shielding her from the cool morning air before she snuggles into the pillow, laying face to face with Cleo and closes her eyes.

I forget that she was rude just a minute ago and enjoy the sight of the two most important girls in my life, sleeping next to each other, in our warm bed.

I glance at the clock and notice that it’s six am before I make my way downstairs to start breakfast and when the boys wake around eight, I get them to help before sending them upstairs to wake the girls up.

Eleia looks grumpy as she descends the stairs with all three bombarding her with questions like, ‘Where did that music last night come from?’, ‘Where were you last night?’ and ‘I wished you tucked me in.’ coming from Arlen as he holds her hand lovingly.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

The sight in front of me makes my heart feel full and euphoric. It’s nothing like I have ever felt before and I realize that this feeling I am feeling is me being complete.

It’s a feeling of being happy with my life and if I die tonight or in the next week, I would have no regrets, just love and pure happiness.

“Good morning.” I grin as Eleia puts the children up onto the chairs one by one, not because they can’t reach, but because they love it when she does that. She plops down next to them, her head resting in the palm of her hand while her elbow is propped up onto the counter. “Hi.” her eyes slowly fade shut and I slide the children their plates dished with scrambled eggs, bacon and a pancake each before sliding Eleia her breakfast.

“Eat and then go back to sleep.” I demand her and a lazy, tired grin creeps up her face as she picks up a piece of bacon, “Thank you.” she smiles before chewing on it and even though her hair is a mess, she still looks exotically beautiful, as if she holds the beauty of the world.