Azaire POV
“What are you doing here Holly?” I growled.
She had some nerve to show up here after the bomb she dropped on me.
“I wasn’t satisfied with our meeting.”
“That doesn’t mean you can just show up at my house!”
Holly crossed her arms. “Oh, your girlfriend is here and you don’t want her to see me. It’s not me she should be worried about. You have a son!”
“And he’s almost two years old and you kept him from me. You’re sick if you think you’ll paint me as the villain here.”
She looked away and hiked her bag up to her shoulder. “You broke up with me, Azaire. I wasn’t exactly happy with you. You went on to date a bunch of other girls and I didn’t think you could be a stable Father.”
“Excuse me?” I scoffed. “You had no way of knowing that?”
She flipped her wavy blonde hair. “None of this matters, Azaire. You have a son and I think he needs to know his family. Richie’s expecting a child and your Mother will be happy to have another grandchild.”
“No, no, you’re not telling her about this. I’ll tell her in my own time.”
Holly scowled. “My Mother and I are in the Blood Moon Pack Women’s Society. Janet already knows.”
“Shit!” I fisted my hair.
I’m screwed. It’s a wonder she hasn’t tackled me yet and demanded to have the boy here. This would crush my mate. I didn’t plan this.
“Holly, are you sure he’s my son?” I looked into her eyes.
She clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes. “I have half a mind not to let you see him. Is that what you want?”
“Of course not, I have to be sure.”
“You’ll know he’s yours the second you see him. Get your affairs in order because my son has rights and I will make sure he gets them.”
I licked my front teeth and nodded. “Rights, huh?”
“You heard me Azaire. I’m bringing him over tomorrow morning and I hope you’ll respect me and keep your cousin Fran and your girlfriend away from my son.”
He marched into the house and I was left to rattle my brain for a plan.
“I have a son,” I confessed.
I didn’t know the first thing about having a child. The clock was ticking and Elaine had to know. It would be better if she found out from me.
***
Elaine sat in front of her dresser as she brushed her rich brown hair. I loved this woman I didn’t want to hurt her. I loathed the arrogant people who didn’t see how charming and amazing she was. I swept her hair to the side and kissed her neck.
She leaned into me and sighed. “Is it too early to call it a day?”
“Are you that eager to get in bed with me?” I teased.
“No, I just want this day to be over. Your Mom wants me out of the house.”
Damn.
“And says you’re practically single.”
“Where the hell would she get an idea like that?”
“Because we’re not married. Without a ring, you can still be snatched.”
I made her stand and took her seat. She sat on my thigh and rested her head on my shoulder.
“Do you even want to get married like ever?”
“Of course I do. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I knew that with every fibre of my being.
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to change your mind later.”
“I won’t Elaine. I love you. You’re my endgame but I’m in no rush and I won’t let my Mother bully me into anything.”
“I don’t want that either, babe. I just need to know these things. Because what if we want different things in life?”
“You mean like having children?”
She nodded and sadness clouded her eyes. Curse the moon goddess for doing this to us.
“I don’t know anymore, mate. I just feel it’ll be better if we don’t.”
She sniffled and nodded. Elaine looked away and it made what I was about to say even harder.
“We’ll still be okay, right?” her voice cracked.
“Of course, we will. If you’ll have me.”
She gave me a watery smile. “You’re all I have silly.”
“Elaine, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t know about him.”
She blinked and tilted her head. “About who?”
“Fuck… Holly and I have a son. His name is Leon and he’s turning two. Babe, I-”
Elaine stood and paced to the window. “Wow, this is funny. Totally hilarious. You won’t have a child with me but your ex has a son? Just wonderful. So you get to have children and I don’t? Incredible.”
“Leon’s here now there’s nothing I can do about it!”
“That doesn’t make things better, Azaire.”
“You’re right it doesn’t. Now I have another person to worry about losing. I’ve come to realise I’ll never heal from Aiden’s death not even after killing his murderer. I worry every day about my brothers and you! I didn’t sleep a wink because you were half-caught in a cemetery!”
“I didn’t plan it!” she threw her arms in the air.
“If you just told me where you were going I would have found you. If you told me about the abuse this wouldn’t have happened. I don’t want to lose any more people. I’m not bringing a child into this world just so I can lose it.”
“What if the child grows up to be happy and healthy? You risk your life every day don’t you think I worry?”
She didn’t understand. Elaine didn’t grow up in a loving, close-knit family her own Father made her live with the omegas until his wife passed away. No matter what I said she wouldn’t understand.
“Holly’s bringing him over tomorrow,” I confessed.
Elaine nodded. “Does Janet know?”
“Yeah,” I confessed again.
“Now, I see. So in her head, you’re going to marry Holly and live happily ever after.”
“That’ll never happen,” I growled.
I’d rather bite off my right arm than marry Holly. The fact that I’ve met her twice already and haven’t been hit with anything is astonishing.
“I need some air.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist and threw her on the bed. I was on top of her in an instant. I crushed her with my weight.
“You’re not going anywhere. I’m not losing you again.”
“I need air,” she groaned.
“We’ll open a damn window but I’m not letting you walk out of that door.”
“Why not!”
“Because I’ve seen what you’re capable of when you’re mad. Take your anger out on me if you have to.”
Her eyes glossed with tears. “No…”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
I rolled off her and brushed her hair out of her face.
“Don’t be sorry. You’re right, your son’s already here.”
I didn’t have the words to make things better. I couldn’t carry Elaine’s pain away so the two of us lay in our bed as the world around us carried on.