A child who's now being sought by a wretched creature simply for existing because of Arianna and me.
Once I reach the top of the mountain, I let out an anguished howl toward the full moon as it illuminates the night sky, wondering if this is all just part of the Moon Goddess's test for me. Once I've emptied my lungs of my pain, I sink onto my belly, letting out precious tears from my wolf eyes.
I refuse to believe that Arianna could be so cold and heartless that she'd keep this secret from me. Sure, she was hurt when I acted like a jerk and rejected her in the past, but when I found her on the Moonshine border that night with Noah, surely it must have crossed her mind to tell me that was my son.
She lied, and I can't forgive such a despicable thing when it cost me precious time with my son.
My flesh and blood.
Almost four years after his birth, I just learned that I have a son, and it kills me inside to know that I wasn't there for all his precious milestones. Once I'm done emptying my eyes, I pick myself off the ground, begrudgingly climbing back down the mountain, and entering the town as I pass by the graveyard.
I let out a pained whimper as I glance at the site where Tyson lies, wondering how I ended up in this position. I'd been so determined to do everything right to appease my family and fill the void my brother left behind when he died that I'd lost sight of all my own desires.
Deep down, I always had a feeling that I was destined for so much more than this. Even before Tyson was murdered, I thought I'd grow up to leave a lasting impact in Moonshine, even if I wouldn't become the alpha.
Things changed drastically when he died, and I haven't been the same since. If I weren't so fueled by my determination to fill his shoes, I wouldn't have rejected Arianna in the first place.
My only consolation is knowing that she wasn't with another man. She didn't have Noah with another wolf, and it brings my inner wolf relief from the jealousy that's been gripping me since her return.
It doesn't change that she lied to me and kept my son a secret from me. Blowing out furious breath through my nostrils, I let my wolf recede to stand on human feet that drag me back to my house.
I'm not even sure how I'm meant to face Arianna after learning the truth, her deception blurring the lines of our mate bond. Betrayal of this extent is unforgivable, even if I was the one who rejected the mate bond in the first place.
Torn and barely able to keep my head up, I enter the house. A gust of cold, indifferent air greets me when I step inside, causing me to frown and march inside with panic steadily rising like bile in my throat.
I push open Noah's bedroom door, only to find that it's empty. Crossing the hallway and noticing that Arianna's bedroom door is left slightly ajar, I cautiously push it in, half-expecting to find Noah inside with her.
But I find Delilah crouched at the foot of the bed, stuffing some clothing into a bag.
“D…what are you doing?”
Delilah sighs as she stands up. “I'm taking Arianna's things to her place,” she says as she comes over to me, carrying the bag.
“H-her place?” I frown.
“Yeah, some run-down cottage on the other side of town. She says it was her parents’ house. I'll still be at the guesthouse, but I'm gonna stay overnight. I think Arianna needs someone to speak to, someone who knows about…you know…and won't tell anyone else.”
“Yeah…” I nod absentmindedly. “So, she left again…”
Delilah sighs. “Look, Ty, I don't know what's really going on, except what I found in her vision, and what I heard tonight. I'm sorry that I'm the reason you found out, but—”
“No, D. It's not your fault.” I shake my head. “I was bound to find out, anyway. I'm just…” I press my temples. “I'm just going through a lot, and have a lot to think about.”
“If it makes any difference, she bears a lot of guilt. And fears.”
“Fears?” I frown, removing my hand from my face.
“I think you know why,” Delilah offers. “It's why you two aren't a thing yet.”
I purse my lips with contemplation, still unable to get over the feeling of being deceived. “Thank you for being there for her, D.”
“And you look like you need someone to speak to as well, Ty.” Delilah pats my shoulder. “That's why I called Dom and Nick over. They'll be here tomorrow. Sean is tied up with pack stuff, so he can't make it. But you need your friends, while I'm there as the friend your mate needs.”
“She's not my mate…” I murmur begrudgingly, but Delilah shakes her head disapprovingly.
“When will you stop denying what the Moon Goddess Herself has ordained?”
“It shouldn't have happened to me.”
