Alpha Wilson’s POV
I sat on the edge of my bed, fingers absently tracing the grain of the wooden headboard, my mind drifting in two different directions.
On one side, there was my sister and the mess she was entangled in with Caleb, her mate. I’d been worried sick about her, torn between wanting to protect her and knowing that, as her brother, there was only so much I could do.
The other side of my thoughts, though, was consumed with Kiara. And that… that was a different kind of turmoil altogether.
Kiara was nursing a baby that wasn’t mine, but it didn’t seem to matter. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Every day, every night, she was there, in my mind, in my heart.
It was a pull that I couldn’t explain but felt deep in my bones. I’d never felt this way before. Not even with Pandora.
I chuckled quietly to myself, shaking my head. It was funny, in a twisted sort of way. There was a time when I thought I was in love with Pandora.
She’d been pregnant then, glowing with life, and I’d convinced myself that what I felt for her was love. But now, standing here, I knew better.
Whatever that had been, it wasn’t this. This thing with Kiara? It was more. It was real.
Smiling foolishly at the thought of Kiara and her daughter, imagining what our life together might look like if I could ever work up the courage to tell her how I truly felt, even though we had been sneaking around.
A family, laughter, warmth, and everything I’d ever wanted, but had been too afraid to reach for. And yet, here I was, daydreaming about a future that wasn’t even fully mine yet.
A sharp knock on the door snapped me out of my reverie, pulling me back to reality. I frowned, glancing at the door. It was late. Who could possibly be visiting at this hour? I hesitated for a moment before getting up and opening the door.
And there she was. Pandora.
My stomach clenched, and for a split second, I wondered if she’d come to confront me about Kiara. Of course, she’d seen us. We hadn’t exactly been discreet the other night.
The kiss had been unplanned, and spontaneous, but it had felt right. Pandora, of all people, wouldn’t let something like that slide without a comment.
I leaned against the doorframe, bracing myself for whatever scolding or judgment was about to come my way. “Pandora,” I greeted, keeping my tone neutral.
To my surprise, she smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. “I saw you the other night, Wilson. You and Kiara.”
Ah, there it was. I forced a smile, unsure of what to say. Was she angry? Jealous, maybe? My history with Pandora was weird, but I thought we’d moved past that. “Yeah… I figured you might’ve.”
But instead of the anger I was expecting, Pandora’s smirk widened, and she let out a soft laugh. “Honestly, Wilson, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
I blinked, genuinely surprised. “Wait, so you’re not mad?”
Pandora rolled her eyes, leaning against the wall as if she’d expected more from me.
“Why would I be mad? Kiara’s my friend, sure, but I’m not here to play some chaperone or whatever nonsense you might’ve been expecting. I just came to warn you, don’t toy with her heart. Kiara’s been through enough, and if you screw this up, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension easing out of my shoulders. “I… I didn’t expect you to take it so well. Not at all, actually.”
She raised an eyebrow, studying me for a moment before shaking her head. “Wilson, I care about people being happy. That’s it. As long as no one’s getting hurt, I don’t see the point in holding grudges or getting upset over the past. I knew about your feelings…”
She paused, a distant look crossing her face for a brief second before she shrugged. “It was what it was. But it’s over. I hope you have moved on.”
I took a deep breath, nodding. “I have. More than I ever thought I would, actually.”
Pandora smiled, a softer expression this time, more genuine. “Good. Then make sure you don’t mess this up with Kiara. She deserves better than that.”
“I know,” I said, my voice quieter. “I won’t. I promise.”
She studied me for a moment longer as if weighing the sincerity in my words. Then, with a nod, she pushed off the wall and turned toward the door.
“I just wanted to make sure you understood that. Kiara’s a good woman, Wilson. She’s been through a lot, but she’s strong. Stronger than most. If you’re serious about her, then do it right.”
“I’m serious,” I assured her. “More serious than I’ve ever been about anyone.”
Pandora paused at the door, turning back to look at me with a raised eyebrow. “Even more than you were with work?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You know the answer to that.”
She smiled, the kind of smile that spoke of closure, of things finally being put to rest. “I’m glad we had this talk, Wilson. For what it’s worth, I’m rooting for you.”
The weight of her words hit me harder than I’d expected. Hearing her say that hearing that she genuinely wished me well with Kiara, meant more than I’d realized it would.
“I appreciate that, Pandora,” I said softly. “I really do.”
She gave me one last nod before stepping out the door, leaving me standing there, feeling lighter than I had in a long time.
As I closed the door behind her, I couldn’t help but smile. It felt like a Chapter of my life had finally come to an end.
A messy, tangled Chapter that had left me with more questions than answers at times. But now, there was something different. There was hope. There was clarity.
And most importantly, there was Kiara. The future wasn’t so uncertain anymore. It was still messy, and still complicated, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was heading in the right direction.