28. Silas
Chapter 28
Silas
I told Ava how I felt and she’s not once given me a sign that she wants me, and that fucking hurts. I let down my guard, showed all my cards, and she trumped me with silence.
I expect she blames me for her failed escape attempt.
“We need to deal with Ava differently,” I say to Max as we sit on the balcony of his office and stare at her as she strolls around the grounds.
She’s in deep contemplation. Hopefully considering my words. “Let her feel she could have alphas if she’ll give us a chance.”
Max chews on the corner of his lip. “I thought she’d want us by now, but she’s holding back. I think it’s because of the beta.”
“Then we need to do something. You’re getting what you want if she walks away from us, but I’m not.” I twist to him. “You and her are bonded for life now. But me—”
Max stares at me for a considered moment. “I thought you only wanted revenge.”
“It was never her fault.” He still thinks I’m angry at her for being the reason my wife died. And I know he’s still angry at me for my past choices. But I had to save Ava that day.
“It wasn't.”
“And I want a mother for Lily. She’s more important than my feelings. And one day—” I swallow because it’s a damn lie.
“One day, when you’re ready, you hope she falls in love with you,” he finishes.
“Isn’t that what we all want? An omega who loves her alpha? And a scent matched omega at that.” I admit my true feelings for the first time to him. Because if Ava wants me, eventually, I’m taking it.
“You told me you hated her.”
“I don't hate her." I sigh. "And now I accept she wasn’t to blame. My wife made the decision that day. She drove the car, not Ava.”
Max nods.
“And Lily loves her so much, and I think Ava loves her, too.”
“It has to be more than being for Lily.”
“It is.”
Max chuckles. “Ava never wanted children. Yet, I’ve seen her with Lily, and you’d think she was hers.”
My heart thunders in my chest as Ava turns our way and stares at the two of us as we watch her.
Max gives her a small wave and I smile.
She lifts her hand and smiles at us both in return.
My heart is like a wrecking ball in my chest, beating at the bars, keeping it in. “What if she doesn’t want us?”
“She wants us,” Max says adamantly. “And Lily.”
He’s right. I’ve seen the way Lily reacts to Ava. Ava treats her beautifully.
Finding Lily asleep in Ava’s bed, tucked underneath her blankets while Ava reads to her, despite my daughter being sound asleep. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever witnessed.
“Her nurturing of her is highly unexpected but so wanted,” I admit.
Max nods, but the silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
Finally, I break the silence. “We both want what’s best for Ava and Lily,” I say, my voice low. “And for ourselves.”
Max nods slowly. “We do. But how do we make this work? How do we both win her heart after we started off so reprehensible?”
I lean back in my chair, considering his words. “Maybe if you hadn’t made this all about getting her pregnant and more about her. But it’s done. From now on, we have to work together.”
Max raises an eyebrow. “What are you suggesting?”
“A pact,” I say, the idea forming as I speak. “We both want Ava in our lives. We both want her to be happy. We tell her she is ours. Our pack omega. We tell her how much we want her. Like we did in her heat. We make her feel special and not like she’s a vessel to bring your child into the world.”
“Are you blaming me?” Max retorts.
“Yes. You took advantage of the pact we made. We’re a pack Max, but you forgot that somewhere since her heat.”
Max is quiet for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. “What do you suggest?”
I smile. “We’re honest with her about our feelings, about our intentions. We give her the space to make her own choices, but we also show her the best of ourselves. And we sleep with her ... together.”
“And if she chooses one of us over the other?” Max asks.
“She’s an omega. She’ll choose both of her scent matches when she’s ready. But—” I take a deep breath. “We respect her decision. And if that happens, the other steps back, but remains in her life. For Lily and the baby’s sake, and for the sake of the pack.”
Max considers this, then slowly extends his hand. “Here’s to winning Ava’s heart, together.”
I reach out and grip his hand. “Together,” I agree.
As we shake hands, a glimmer of hope lights up inside me.
“Now,” I say, releasing his hand, “we just need to figure out how we win her stubborn heart.”
Max laughs, a determined gleam in his eye. “And when we do, we’ll show her she has a place here. With us, with Lily, with the pack.”
“And Seb?”
Max sighs as he watches a laughing Lily chasing Ava around the garden. “If that’s what it takes. Though he might shoot us the next time he sees us.”
“Do we tell her we want her to stay and we’ll accept Seb, too?” I ask.
Max shakes his head. “Not yet. We’ve got a lot of making up to do first.”
I’m not sure that I agree with Max, but right now I have to trust he knows what he’s doing.
I can’t help but picture Ava reading to Lily again. The two of them curled up together. It’s an image that fills me with so much longing that I’ll take it with me to my grave.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to make that image a reality again.
Later that day, I’m checking the cameras and spot Ava and Lily walking around the garden. Lily’s legs are wrapped around Ava’s waist and her arms are around her neck.
Ava points beyond Ibiza, to Majorca. I presume, she’s telling her where she lives.
“She’s locked up on this island but never grumbles to Lily,” Max says, standing beside me and watching the screen.
“What are you saying?”
Max sighs, his eyes fixed on Ava. “Everything you said earlier was correct. And I’ve made too many mistakes already.” He turns to me. “I want her Silas. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. I should’ve told her. I should’ve made this about her and not a baby.”
I nod, understanding the weight of his words. “It’s not too late for either of us.”
We continue to watch the monitor, my heart swelling at the sight of Ava and Lily together. Ava’s gentle movements, the way she points out to the horizon, explaining something to my daughter with such gentleness.
Lily drops her head on Ava’s shoulder and says something I can’t pick up on. Ava replies and I wish there was a microphone nearby to pick up the conversation.
Lily wipes a tear from Ava’s cheek.
It’s so beautiful to witness that my heart aches with a longing I so desperately need.
We stand in silence for a moment, both of us watching Ava and Lily on the screen. The love and care radiating from Ava is undeniable, and I wish I could bottle this moment.
“We need to do something,” I say finally. “Something to show her we see her. I don’t mean as an omega or a potential mother, but as Ava. Make her realize how much she wants this. Wants us.”
Max nods, a small smile forming on his face. “What if we set up a surprise for her?”
I feel a spark of excitement at the idea. “Didn’t your brother say she used to love baking? That she used to bake all the time with her sister, Ella. And Lily’s always asking to make cakes.”
“She also loves stealing and fancy shiny objects.” I laugh.
“I think Ava is more down to earth than she’ll ever admit.” Max’s eyes light up. “We’ll set up a baking station for her and Lily. Show her we’re paying attention to what she loves, not just what we want from her.” He laughs. “If she hates it, we’ll hide the jewels around the island and let her find them.”
I chuckle as Max picks up his cell. “Can you prepare the kitchen with all the ingredients to make cakes?” He listens. “Thank you.”
He disconnects. “Ten minutes and we can take them.”
“Daddy!” Lily yells as she sits on a swing and Ava pushes her from behind. “Mommy said we can bake cakes.”
Mommy?
Ava’s worried gaze lands on mine. “Sorry,” she mouths.
“Did I hear you wanted to bake cakes?” Max interrupts, but I’m still whirling over ‘Mommy’.
“Yes!” Lily shrieks.
“Come here, you,” Max grabs Lily by her waist and hauls her until she is sitting on his shoulders.
As Max gallops away with Lily laughing her little head off, I turn to Ava.
Her eyes are glazed as she stares back at me with her teeth digging into her bottom lip. I’m not sure if I see fear or something else.
“Mommy?” I ask. My voice is quiet so as not to alarm her.
“I’m sorry. I misjudged my reply to Lily. She asked me if I would be her mommy and I told I’d love to and was about to say, ‘but you already have a mommy’ when she wrapped her arms around my neck and told me she loved me.”
Lily loves Ava.
My lungs feel like they are desperate for air, but it is my heart that thrums. “It’s fine,” I murmur.
She shakes her head, worry coats her face. “It isn’t. I should have handled the question better. I should’ve spoken to you first.”
I slide my arm around her shoulder and whisper, “You’re mine, Ava. Not for nine months, not for the time you planned to be on this island. You’re mine for life. You’re my mate. My scent match and even if you had escaped, I would have found you.”
She shivers in my embrace, but it doesn’t stop her smile. And as her perfume emits in the air, I know it is purely for me.
“I can’t decide if that’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever told me or if I should run for the hills.”
I chuckle and pull her close to me, pressing a kiss against her temple. “Try it. I’m up for the chase.”
My cock jerks at the possibility.
“Mommy, watch me,” Lily shouts from up ahead as Max takes her to the kitchen.
I take Ava’s warm hand in mine, entwining our fingers, and we follow them to the kitchen.
Ava’s eyes widen as she takes in the scene. There are bowls of different sizes, measuring cups, fresh ingredients, and even a tiny apron for Lily.
“Wow,” Ava exclaims, her voice soft with surprise as she looks around at everything needed to bake a muffin-baking extravaganza.
“Who organized this?” Ava asks.
Max and I exchange a glance before I speak. “We remembered how much you enjoyed baking with your sister. We thought you might like to share that experience with Lily.”
“No pressure, no expectations,” Max adds gently. “Just a day for you to enjoy something you love, Ava.”
For a moment, Ava is silent, and I worry we’ve overstepped. But then, slowly, a genuine smile spreads across her face and reaches her eyes.
“Thank you,” she says, looking between us. “This is ... it’s wonderful.”
Lily squeals with delight, immediately reaching for the little apron. “Can we make chocolate chip cookies and then muffins, Mommy? Please?”
Ava laughs, a sound that warms my heart. “Of course we can, sweetie. Let’s get started.”
As Ava helps Lily to measure her ingredients, Max and I share a look of composed triumph.
It’s a small step, but an important one. We’ve made Ava smile at us, and for now, that’s enough.
We know we have a long way to go and we’ll have to take each moment one step at a time. But we’re ready to show Ava that we care about her happiness, and not just what she can give us.
Lily squeals with delight as Ava plonks the cake mixture on her nose, taking me out of my musings.
I turn and smile at Max. His gaze is different, like he’s seeing Ava for the person she is.
“Can we do this again tomorrow?” Lily asks Ava.
There’s a look of uncertainty crossing Ava’s face before she says, “As long as Daddy agrees.”