Surprise

Seven days had already passed and things weren't getting any better. Well, for me at least.

On the outside world, things were just fine and were already back to normal. It was like last week didn't even happen.

By now, word had already gotten around that the Alpha found his mate, and most knew the real reason why I came here which always made me nauseous when I thought about it.

What pack would accept a Luna who had a plan to overthrow them just two months ago? I didn't deserve their respect.

But somehow it seemed like Ace's pack adapted his heart. When I walked around and saw a few people, instead of scowling or resenting me, they smiled shyly and said sweet nothings. It had me confused.

Lilly had said most people believed that no relationship starts perfectly, and that they were a very open minded and welcoming pack. They were too good to me.

Even the ones I lived with in the house, who I was right under their noses digging around for information about them still didn't hate me. Ryan seemed to like me even more, Calum and Lilly were just Calum and Lilly and Scott was more impressed than upset.

It just wasn't realistic.

I kept looking out for someone to say something, anything to call me out, but they all seemed so normal. At first, I thought they were plotting secretly against me. But when the suspense got too much for me and I asked them if they were, they had just laughed and assured me that they knew exactly who I was, and that Aiden sorta cleared my name. Plus, they already considered me as family, and I'm carrying the pack's heir, so they had 'no reason to hold anything against me'.

I eventually just brushed it all off as a pack of golden hearts and moved on.

Dad had already given up his title to Aiden. One, because people had lost respect for him since he lied to them about mom's death; and two, he had all he really needed again, and Aiden was more than ready to step up.

As much as I was still furious with him, I was happy for him. I knew I'd be at his Alpha ceremony, upset or not. If he asks, I'll just tell him that I was supporting Jace and whoever they chose for Gamma.

So far they were doing a good job, and he and Ace had finished with the transactions. People were already respecting him, and he seemed to be right where he belonged.

So yea, the world was okay. The packs weren't at each other's throats and everything was fine.

But in my world, there was no progress. Ace has yet to talk to me, and I was getting tired of his constant rejection when I tried to talk to him.

I've cried myself to sleep every night since that day, and I ensured to keep my walls down so he could feel all the pain I was feeling. He had his walls up, and I partially knew he didn't want me to know what he was feeling.

However, in the middle of the night, he would sneak in my room and sleep beside me, then he would leave early in the morning before I got up. He confused the hell out of me. Why sleep with me if you don't want to talk to me?

But deep down, I knew he did it so we both could get some sleep, so I never really said anything. I didn't want to mess it up. But today, the seventh day after the whole almost war thing, I had enough.

I ensured to stay awake until he snuck in here like he usually did late every night. I was always asleep by then, so I was planning to use the element of surprise. My eyes stung for sleep, but I dared not to close them.

Finally, the door squeaked open and the heavy scent of my mate flooded my senses. My body grew tense and my heartbeat increased, but I ensured to keep my breathing steady so that I didn't give myself away.

I felt the sheets being lifted, then the right side of the bed dipped as he crawled beside me slowly, immediately wrapping his arms around my waist like he always did. I prepped myself to turn around, but he sighed deeply and rested his chin on my head.

"Why Roxy?" He whispered, though I didn't know whether or not he knew I was awake. "Everything was so perfect"

And then he did it. He let his walls down, and as much as this sounds selfish, I wished he had kept them up.

I suddenly knew why he kept his feelings from me. He knew that it would've destroyed me. And that it did.

Everything that I feared from the first day I met him to now was exactly what he was feeling. Hurt, betrayed, used, deceived, angry, afraid, sad, heartbroken, and worst of all, disappointed.

I knew right then that he didn't know that I was awake, because as much as he was angry with me, he wouldn't have let his walls down. He would've still wanted to protect me from this feeling that I'm feeling right now.

I wanted to turn around and tell him how sorry I was, and how he's the best thing that ever happened to me and I needed him to forgive me. That I love him with every cell of my being, and I would do anything to gain his forgiveness and trust again.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't bring myself to even move. I just laid there, trying my best not to give into the trembling of my body. I couldn't find the courage or resist the guilt or shame enough to open my mouth.

He had a right to be upset, even if it doesn't bother him that much anymore with the others, I was his mate. And that made all the difference.

As much as I tried to deny it and just thought that he was just being difficult and unreasonable about not talking to me, I understood now.

I should've just told him the truth long before. It was stupid of me to keep the truth from him and try to come up with my own plan. The minute I saw how reluctant he was about talking to me about my pack, I should've seen it as a sign to tell him.

That's the thing with should haves-- they are in the past. And you can't change the past. You just have to do right in the present to make a better future.

But even in my current present, I couldn't say or do anything. So, I laid still as long as possible, until I felt his thoughts subside and his breathing level.

Then I cried.

I tried really hard not to make my body shake too much, and I tried my best to swallow my sobs.

I messed up. This one was on me. And I couldn't blame dad or John or Aiden. It was just me.

***

I woke up, as expected, to an empty bed. My memory of the night before was still pretty clear, and I tried my best not to cry again. Ace's walls were up again, and his scent was still heavy in my room, telling me that he left not too long ago.

I sighed as I got out of bed to take a long, warm bath. My body needed it.

Feeling somewhat relaxed and refreshed, I wrapped myself in a robe and headed back inside my room without drying off. Sometimes I preferred to sit and air dry.

I almost screamed and broke Aiden's neck when I saw him standing beside my desk. Didn't he know he shouldn't do such things?

I suddenly remembered that I was still very upset with him, and worse now that I had nothing or nobody to channel my guilt to, him being here wasn't the best--for him at least.

"I'm pretty busy Aiden" I snapped as I moved some hair from my face.

"Come on Rox" He pleaded, already looking defeated. "By the time you're finished drying I'll be done with what I have to say"

My heart clenched at the fact that he knew exactly what I was doing. It made me remember that nobody knew me like he does.

I mustered up my sternest face and folded my arms over my chest. "Speak"

"Will you listen to me this time? " He asked slowly. I gave him a short nod, and I watched as he readied himself.

"The last thing I wanted was to hurt you"

"Yea right and-"

"Just listen to me Roxy, please" I shut my mouth and watched as he gave me a pleading but pointed look. Huffing, I plopped down on my bed and did a zip impression across my lips.

"What I did was disgustingly terrible and I know that. I had a lot of time to think about it, and I saw ways how I could've gone about doing things differently now. That plan was stupid. So so stupid. I'm a big idiot"

I almost chuckled at that, but managed to keep my mouth in a thin line.

"I'm gonna tell you what happened okay? But you have to listen" His tone changed to a bit more serious as he took a different stance. I shifted on my spot as I felt a little bit more nervous.

"The day I tried to.." He cleared his throat but didn't say exactly what he tried to do. "I was panicking. I had just gotten off a call with Jace, and what he told me made me go crazy. I couldn't think, so I just did the first thing that came to my mind."

I knew he said no interruptions, but the look on his face prevented me from keeping my mouth shut. "What did Jace say Aiden?"

"I didn't know that Jace knew about you, so I was confused at first"

"Yea the day Ace and I fought for the first time and I ran to the border, he saw me. He told me that he overheard Jane and I talking."

"Well when he called me, he was all panicking and shit. He and Jane were talking about you, but they thought they were alone. Jane told Jace that you were pregnant, and they spent quite a while talking about it. Jace said that after a while, he noticed that they weren't alone. Do you remember Dennis?"

I nodded impatiently. Of course I remembered Dennis!

"Well, Dennis heard them. When Jace found him eavesdropping, he went totally 'Dennis crazy' on them. He was furious"

I cringed at the thought. Angry Dennis is a scary Dennis. The guy was six-five, bulky and bald. Even the smallest scowl gave anyone shivers, not to mention when he was angry.

"My pregnancy is none of his business" I retorted with a scoff.

"Yea but he thought it was very much his business. He went on and on to Jace about the mateship being an abomination, not to mention what he said about the baby. Roxy you know that apart from you, me, dad and Phillip, the mission was the most important thing to the guy, and you know how hard headed he is"

I bit my lip and nodded. I've never spent much time around Dennis like Aiden has. Dennis was our top warrior and trainer apart from Phillip. He taught us to fight and be tough. Hell, the guy broke every bone in my body at least ten times already.

He was mean, stubborn, determined and closed minded. I heard that he used to be nice, but when he lost his mate in the same war eighteen years ago, he toughened everything about him, inside and out.

I guess that was why this mission meant so much to him too. So I knew exactly what Aiden meant about how hard headed he was.

"He said that you already ruined the mission by accepting Ace, and that you were gonna pay. But he also didn't believe that you were pregnant, saying that you couldn't be 'that stupid'."

Ouch Dennis. Ouch.

"He told Jace that if you were pregnant, he would... -he..h-"

"Tell me Aiden" I urged, though it wasn't that hard to guess.

"He was gonna kill the child, but spared you since you were the Alpha's daughter. But he promised it would be painful and dreadful. He said that even if things worked out fine, he would still do it to punish you"

Anyone would think that he couldn't have ever gotten away with hurting an Alpha's daughter and another Alpha's mate, but I knew Dennis. And if he really really wanted to, he could've and would've.

"Jace promised to warn us before Dennis could plan, but that was hell of a mistake on Jace's side. Why do you think dad attacked two months early?" My eyes widened as I snapped my eyes to his. Dennis really wasn't playing around.

Our pack had no current Gamma, but Dennis basically played the role. Somehow, he always seemed to wiggle his way into dad's mind and make him do things that weren't originally planned. I had no idea how one man could be so persuasive.

"Jace said he marched off in our house's direction, no doubt going to convince dad, so he called me immediately" Aiden sat beside me on my bed, by now I was dry, and took my hands in his.

"Roxy I panicked. I know Dennis and I knew one way or the other, he was gonna get to you. He has his little posse in our pack and some of them know this pack all too well. I knew that once he got onto the lands, he would've immediately went looking for you, with help of course"

I nodded in a little understanding. Dennis had his little mini pack of about twenty wolves, who were solely loyal to him. Dad knew but he didn't mind, since Dennis was loyal to him, so automatically they would too. I never liked it though, and see what it brought?

"He had swore to Jace that he would find you and kill that child if you were indeed pregnant, and I got scared, Rox. That's all I heard. 'If you were indeed pregnant'. And I snapped"

My eyes met his, as I heard his voice break. He was on the brink of tears, but if I knew my brother, I knew they wouldn't fall.

"I was actually scared that he would somehow find a way and complete his mission. And Rox, I knew he would've. So I - I "

"You tried to get rid of the pregnancy so he wouldn't hurt me" I finished for him lowly.

You see, that was always Aiden. Protecting me at all costs. No matter the damage, he would pull any strings to ensure my safety. But there could've been other ways.

"And I knew there were other ways." He started again, wording my hidden thoughts. "But my mind wasn't working Roxy. I just knew I had extra wolfsbane and I knew the baby would..."

I smiled slightly and urged him to continue without saying it. I could see how much it pained him to even think about what he almost did.

But no doubt that once I swallowed that wolfsbane, the baby would've been gone within thirty minutes. I would've had to get him removed immediately so that I wouldn't get poisoned, and by the time Dennis found me, I would've been baby free. Aiden knew what he was doing.

"It was after you kicked me out, when I was running back home I saw numerous other ways that we could've dealt with it. But Roxy please forgive me. Please. I was just so scared and I-"

"Panicked" I said before he could repeat it for the tenth time. " I know Aide, I understand. And though I'm not okay with what happened, I can see how you would have resorted to that"

He sighed as I pulled him into a short hug.

"Dennis apparently convinced dad that the warriors were ready, and since he had enough information about Ace's pack to have some advantage, he had affirmation. The jackass even used our names, saying that we would get to come home sooner. When you kicked me out that night and I went home, the three of them sat me down and told me the plan. The warriors were ready, and so they were too.

"I had given dad a lame excuse about why I was home, saying that I got in a fight with the Alpha and needed some home time. When he asked me why you didn't come with me, I might've told him that you refused to because you got attached. Sorry"

I smiled as I rubbed his hair. That explained dad's outburst and why he was so angry.

"Dennis knew I was bullshitting them, and so I came up with another plan--A sensible plan at that. I threatened him, telling him to call off his plan or I tell dad everything. At first he thought I wasn't serious, but I should've known he would be smarter than that"

He leaned up from my shoulder as he gave me an unbelievable look.

"He had already sent some of his men here from the night before, using the routes where no border patrol was. The little piece of shit threatened you again, saying that if I tell dad about him trying to hurt you, he would order his men to do the deed that same night in honour of the death he would've received." He sighed.

"And the dude watched me all night, so that I didn't contact Ace." He stopped to look at me and said: "He literally watched me all night, while I was sleeping"

I gasped at that. Dennis was really set out for me. I couldn't help feeling hurt. Yes I knew we weren't close or anything, but he was still sorta family. Not anymore though.

"So we had an agreement. I keep hush about his plan to get to you, and he keeps his men under strict orders not to touch you. And I couldn't even kill him there and then. I knew I could've, but it would've taken a fight. And he kept a few men in his mindlinking region so that if anything was happening and he couldn't get to make a call to the ones over here, he would've just quickly mindlinked the ones he kept behind, telling them to relay his orders to the attack team"

We both shook our head slowly and simultaneously, something we always did when we both couldn't believe something.

Quite frankly, I couldn't comprehend how one man could be out to kill an innocent child, just because its mother was the mate of the Alpha of the pack that killed his mate. I mean, if you have a twisted head you would have understood his reasoning, but nobody's head should be that twisted.

I knew he lost his mate and he wanted nothing more than revenge. Dad's intentions were somewhat pure, since we just wanted our rights back.

But Dennis didn't care about land or people, he just cared about revenge. And since one of the persons sent to help him get his revenge basically switched sides on him, he felt the need to punish me.

Hell, I don't wanna ever lose my mate. I fear the person I might become.

"Above all, I was just trying to protect you. I came along with dad that day with no intentions of fighting. I just wanted to talk to you and Ace before Dennis did anything"

"Why didn't he try anything? He stared me dead in the face that day" I just realized that I was still very much pregnant, without an itch or mark. He sighed with a grateful look on his face.

"He saw mom," he smiled. "Even if the bastard was willing to do that to dad, he wouldn't do that to mom"

I nodded in understanding. Dennis was basically a big brother to mom, from what I've heard. His mate and my mom were pretty close too, so I guess it struck a nerve of humanity and memory when he saw her.

"I still had to lock up the bastard though" Aiden added and I chuckled. "He's lucky he and his men are alive. Ace was gonna kill them"

My eyes widened. "Ace knows?"

Aiden gave me a 'duh' look. "He was the first one I told everything. Good thing he was willing to listen. He forgave me, which I'm happy for. We have a meeting about forming an alliance soon."

I rolled my eyes at his Alpha talk so soon, but I couldn't help the twinge in my stomach. That explained why Aiden was here the other day, and why he left looking not bloody and broken. But if he can forgive Aiden, he can forgive me. Right?

"So we're good?" He nudged me with a nervous smile. I nudged him back and kissed his cheek, then rested my head on his shoulder.

"We're good baby bro"

He groaned but held me anyways. I smiled at finally winning this argument. Mom must've told him that I was born first.

"In that case, I have a surprise for you"