Chapter 20 - Tyler
I can't stop running, clinging to adrenaline as it pulses through my veins, setting fire to my wolf paws and stopping me from losing my mind.
Noah is my son.
The curious, smart little boy who'd somehow nestled into my heart simply for being who he is, is my son.
It all makes sense—why I've always felt protective over him, and why my inner wolf is drawn toward him.
The blurring trees on either side of my vision as I race through the woods act like a portal for memories to come flashing into my mind. Memories of the first time I met Noah, the night he found me in the hallway and asked for a late-night snack, building a house with blocks.
Then there's the memory of his conception, the night I tasted Arianna's lips for the first time and couldn't resist going all the way.
There's also the way I brutally rejected her when she brought up being true mates, denying the existence of a bond that led to the creation of a child between two very powerful creatures.
An alpha werewolf and a witch.
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.”
“Why?” Delilah frowns. “Do you not believe that you're special? Damn…you two have that in common,” she chuckles dryly, patting my shoulder. “Night, Ty.”
I respond with a brisk nod, sauntering toward the window when Delilah leaves, and I feel the talons of emptiness clawing at my chest, only my mind filled with thoughts.
Fears?
Arianna has been afraid of being rejected again; I've gathered that much. It doesn't help that I turned cold on her after we shared another passionate night, thinking that the man's name she murmured was the name of the mate she had Noah with.
Can I blame her for keeping a secret?
Considering it's a big one, I just can't seem to find the forgiveness to move forward.
Delilah's right, I need to speak to someone, and I'm glad she called Dominic and Nicholas over, and that reminds me about the stash of wolfsbane Dominic brought over when they visited the other day.
I sigh despondently, hanging my head and briefly glancing at the empty bed, recalling the first night Arianna slept there, and I came in to find her tossing and whimpering in her sleep. She was having a nightmare that would eventually lead to the discovery of her mystic heritage.
Another wave of emptiness settles over my body, turning me numb as I leave the bedroom, wanting to leave behind the memories of Arianna, along with the nagging reminder that she's special.
Still, it gave her no right to deceive me the way she did, and that's why I end up at my liquor cabinet, pouring out a drink and sprinkling the dried, crushed wolfsbane like powder into the glass. It's just enough to help me pass out for the night, not enough to be lethal.
Death would be a welcome escape if it meant I didn't have to face being hellishly mad at my true mate. I chug down the drink that burns my throat on its way down, hearing a message tone ring out from my phone, which I'd left in the living room before going out tonight.
Dragging my feet over to it, I open the text to find a message from my father, informing me of my parents’ return on the weekend. I sigh out an irritated breath, knowing that I'll have to pull myself together before they arrive.
They'll probably meet with the council when they're back, and I'll be faced with more questions about my intentions of picking a mate from the high-ranking she-wolves.
Now more than ever, I don't want a mate. I can do without anyone who has the power to break my heart.