Chapter 66 #2
I bit my lip. No wonder the elders wanted it hidden away. They warned that this was all risky business and highly addictive. People would start trying to control their own destinies if this device became public knowledge. Aiden seemed to be living proof of that.
“No one’s doing anything with this,” I spoke up firmly.
“It’s too risky... to mess with time. The past is supposed to remain the past, and the future is meant to be unknown.
And if it got into the wrong hands, think what havoc they could wreak.
” I looked at Aiden. “What if someone like Alistair or Evercore got a hold of it?”
“Alistair had a massive stroke according to his daughter. He’s in no position to do anything,” Aiden argued.
“Rose is right,” Tony spoke up, looking at Aiden. He could tell Aiden was sorely tempted. “Give it to me, Rose. I’ll make sure it goes somewhere no one can find it.”
I handed it over to the beta, trusting that Tony had very few regrets in life compared to Aiden. And with that, Tony left the room. I locked a censorious gaze onto Aiden. He really should know better.
Aiden had the decency to look abashed.
“There’s just so much I could change,” he defended. “My father passing away, my defeat at Alistair’s hands, stuff I messed up with you—”
Iwalked over and placed a finger to his lips, cutting him off.
“Everything that happened, happened for a reason,” I whispered. “And no matter how much we want to, we can’t change anything. We shouldn’t.”
I leaned into him for a comforting hug.
Aiden didn’t argue further, letting his jaw rub against my temple pensively.
“So I think yellow for the nursery is a good color,” I murmured into his shoulder.
Aiden smiled, momentarily distracted by talk of nurseries and baby names.
Rose's POV
“Did you really mean it?” I asked one night as we lay in bed together, Aiden tracing patterns over my stomach.
I was five months pregnant now and was starting to feel uncomfortable.
None of my clothes fit anymore and my boobs were starting to leak milk.
If Ilaughed too hard, Ipeed a little in my pants and had to go to the bathroom almost round the clock.
I felt disgusting but Aiden, Aiden still found me beautiful.
“Mean what?” Aiden asked, gaze roving from my stomach to my face.
With my help he’d found the EIA report along with the name of the company that had been contracted to conduct the study.
Earlier today it had been submitted and pretty soon, after a detailed government assessment, our lands would become protected areas.
All in all, today had been a very successful day.
Now we were enjoying time together, Aiden placing kisses along my stomach as he tried to talk to our baby.
“That you only pretended to not like me because you hoped to convince yourself? And that you never really loved Lexia?”
Aiden gave me a pained look.
“Of course, I meant it. I meant every single thing I told you when you didn’t have your memories.”
I gave Aiden a watery smile.
“You did it, you know. You made me fall in love with you all over again.” Igave a small helpless shrug. “I think what really did me in was the fact that you said you’d love any child of mine and you didn’t care if we had all girls.” My face sobered. “That was really sweet.”
“But it’s the truth. I just told you how I felt,” Aiden argued.
His hands came up to pull me into his side.
“Thanks for sticking by me, Rose. I never had any reservations about your feelings. I knew you’d given your all to me.
But sometimes I wondered, what if I wasn’t the alpha?
Would you still be with me? And now I have my answer.
” His eyes darkened. “However, I hated what you did. I still think you should have left.”
“I think we’ve already agreed to disagree on that aspect.” I gave Aiden a withering stare.
“I mean it, Rose. I don’t ever want you putting yourself in harm’s way again,” Aiden asserted.
I rolled my eyes. “Aiden—”
“No! You don’t get it do you. I don’t think I could handle it if something happened to you! I nearly went ballistic trying to get back to you. And it’s a good thing too because look what Alistair did to you!”
“I think we’ve already established that I’m made of stronger stuff. I can handle myself. I’m the luna.”
“You’re not invincible,” Aiden huffed.
Not for the first time, I wondered why we continuously started this argument.
Aiden was firmly convinced that I needed to save myself first, always.
And I was convinced that that’s not what being a luna meant.
So instead, I did the one thing I knew would stop the conversation.
I yawned, exaggerating the droop of my eyelids. Aiden’s eyes softened.
“I’m sorry. You must be tired.”
He was immediately pulling up the covers to my chin and kissing me good night, asking if I needed anything else. He'd already placed a glass of water by my bedside.
I gave a half-smile. My alpha was always trying to spoil me and take care of me. I was carrying his pup after all. But even if I wasn’t, I knew that look in his eyes of love would never change.
Rose's POV
“Don’t over exert yourself,” Aiden warned, helping me out of the car.
I wore a cameo pink, off-the-shoulder, long flowy satin dress that emphasized my growing bump. There a crown of pink roses settled in my curls. Today was the baby shower the entire pack was throwing for us. It had been arranged by Josie and Auntie Hilda.
“I’m pregnant, not an invalid,” Ideadpanned as Ilifted the skirts of my dress to walk into the event hall. I quirked a smile at Aiden. “Who would have thought you’d be such a caveman? I thought you weren’t a possessive alpha?”
“You bring out the wolf in me,” Aiden teased. He leaned down to kiss the spot behind my ear. “In more ways than one.”
I giggled at his naughty reply. I had known that Aiden had always been so proud of never giving into his wolf side. Now here he was, proudly stating that I was the only one capable of tapping into his baser instincts and I was feeling to be over the moon.
When we reached the entrance to the event hall, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had been decorated with a theme of pink roses.
A bouquet of pink roses stood as the centerpiece for the round tables.
The table of brownies and cake pops was also decorated with a string of pink roses along its edges.
Tea-pink gauzy fabric was the backdrop for pictures where a tea-pink and white cake proudly stated, "Congratulations Aiden and Rose. "
Josie and Auntie Hilda had put a lot of effort into preparing this.
Most of the pack had shown up with gifts for the newest addition to their alpha’s family.
Auntie Hilda and Dad had gifted us with a baby bassinet that also had an automatic rocking function set into it.
Josie had given us a baby stroller. Tony’s gift was really the one that Iappreciated, especially since he probably didn’t know a single thing when it came to babies.
He’d gotten us a baby monitor with audio and video functions on it so we could keep an eye and ear on his little niece when she was in her nursery.
Not that our werewolf hearing wouldn’t be able to pick up on her little cries but Tony assured us that being able to see the baby through the monitor was definitely an added bonus.
“At least that’s what I’ve heard.” He quickly averted his eyes, a little uncomfortable at the way I looked at him with newfound respect before giving him a bear hug. Tony returned it with a nervous laugh, patting me on the back during the sentimental moment between us.
My heart was full and my eyes alight with happiness as I looked at my pack members, all gathered around to celebrate the impending birth of their alpha and luna's first child.
Never in a million years had Iever imagined this day would come.
A day where there was an entire village of people who had my back.
What a contrast from the days it was just me and Auntie Hilda. I loved it.
Later, I sat and watched happily when Tony, Aiden, Dad, and even Dylan were given the task of changing a baby doll’s diaper blindfolded.
Aiden ended up wrapping the diaper over the baby’s head.
Tony gave up half-way, visibly shaken about having to do something like this.
Dad and Dylan were the only two who did it properly, with Dylan winning since he completed the task the fastest.
Tony was a little embarrassed, mumbling that it had been awhile since he'd had to change diapers.
The regret in Dad's voice seemed palpable as he spoke about only changing my diapers a handful of times. It wasn't just about changing diapers; it was about being a parent who was there for their child.
“I’ve helped Mom change a ton of Tanya’s diapers,” Dylan said, shrugging off the praise.
“Your mate’s going to be lucky all right,” laughed Auntie Hilda.
Dylan just scratched the back of his head a little embarrassed.
Then it was everyone’s turn to start guessing the weight of the baby upon birth.
“Ten pounds!” exclaimed Josie, eyeing my girth. “I’ve seen many pregnant females, but this one, she’s gonna be a chunky monkey.”
“I think eight pounds,” Auntie Hilda cut in, writing her guess on her own piece of paper.
Whilst other people from my pack joined in on the game, I made my way to the headband making station set up by Josie. Layla was busily making a cute red headband with a big red bow on the side whilst deep in thought.
“You’ve been quiet lately,” I spoke up.
Layla looked at me startled. “Oh, you surprised me,” she said by way of explanation.
“I’m surprised I was able to. You’re usually quite hard to sneak up on.” I looked at my friend happily, a small smile playing across my lips.
Layla couldn’t quite return the smile. Instead she gave a wistful sigh, looking back down at the headband.
“What’s bothering you?” I could tell something was up and was determined to get to the bottom of it.
“I just…sometimes I think waiting for my mate is futile,” Layla confessed quietly as she fingered the red bow she’d just made. “I’m already eighteen and haven’t found him yet. Maybe…maybe I’m not meant to find him?”
“What brought this on? You’ve never been worried about it before,” Iargued.
I didn’t miss the way Layla’s eyes momentarily rested on Tony before looking away. Tony seemed to have not noticed as he stood off to the side laughing at something Dylan said.
“Sometimes, I just feel alone.” Layla shrugged.
I looked closely at Layla. Did she have feelings for Tony by any chance?
They’d known each other since they were kids, but Layla had always been one of the guys to him.
She was one of the guys for everyone. Even Aiden.
And until now, Layla had never shown an ounce of inclination towards Tony or other pack members as a matter of fact. What had changed?
“You’re still young,” I assured. “There’s still time to find your mate. But there’s nothing wrong with enjoying yourself and trying to be happy.”
“I don’t want to get attached to someone only to find my mate later on.
Look how that worked out for Alpha Aiden.
It’s too complicated,” Layla said stubbornly.
“Until recently, all I’ve ever thought about is being the best pack warrior out there but…
now…I just…want more?” Layla struggled to describe her feelings.
I had an inkling all of this had to do with the fact that most of the girls were finding their mates and I myself was about to become a mother.
Layla was starting to feel like the odd one out.
Baby fever had kicked in among them. Many of the she-wolves were trying to get pregnant with their mates after my pregnancy became common news.
The pack was going to have a baby boom six months from now.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. And I think you should go for it,” I hinted, trying not to be completely transparent in my bid to push her towards Tony.
Layla merely played with the tips of her pin-straight short brown hair that framed her face just below her chin.
Usually, she wore a severe bun piled atop her head, held in place with an inordinate amount of pins and clips.
Today she’d left it open to reveal the artfully cut layers that ended right at the nape of her neck.
She looked…nice. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was all for a certain beta.
“Babe.” Aiden spoke up from behind. I smiled when he stepped into me from behind, arms coming around my waist and chin settling atop my head. “Are you feeling alright?”
I nodded with a smile he couldn’t see.
“Well, they want us to cut the cake,” Aiden said.
I thought back to another time where we’d cut a cake, in this same venue.
A time where I’d thought he didn’t want me.
How wrong I’d been. And when we cut the cake and clapped along with everyone else, I decided I wouldn’t change a single thing.
Because all of it had led up to this moment.
This moment where I had a beautiful daughter on the way and a mate who adored me.
I playfully swiped a smidge of frosting across Aiden's cheek. Aiden caught my frosting covered finger in his mouth with a roguish glint in his eye and sucked off the frosting. People hooted; I simply looked at my mate sternly while trying to hold back a laugh.
Life was perfect. Too perfect.