Killian’s POV.
Two years rolled by quickly and I was still mateless, but I wasn’t bothered the least. It was a sentence I passed on myself.
Once in a while, I sent out my warriors to secretly search through the neighboring packs but they always returned empty-handed.
I never gave up the search. Somehow I had a feeling that she wasn’t dead and every day, I kept hoping that I’d run into her. Universe knows that I’m never letting her out of my sight once I do.
I froze on my spot as my gaze landed on Emily seated in the dining with my mom having lunch.
Emily is my child with Aria. It’s been two years and she has grown into a pretty little girl.
Mother always invited her to the house for breakfast or lunch, though without Aria. She knew how much being in the same space with Aria messed with me and so she avoided that.
I had truly fulfilled my promise of getting a fully furnished mansion for them, far away from my house, Aria hated the idea but she couldn’t defile my orders. Of course, rumors were bound to spread but I threw my ears out. The situation affected Aria greatly as well. No one wanted to mate with her seeing that she already had a child with the Alpha. I never for once felt any ounce of pity for her. She brought this upon us anyway.
I tried so hard not to let it affect Emily but that was impossible, there was a huge void between us since her birth.
Despite how guilty I felt, the situation was completely out of my control.
All I craved was for Elena to return to me and take away all the pain.
“Grandmother, can I ask you a question,” I heard her suddenly ask.
I stood back and strained my ears to listen keenly.
“My child, what troubles you?” Mother asked.
“Have I done anything wrong to father?” My heart tightened in my chest as I heard her speak.
Those were the words I dreaded to hear from my child.
My eyes drifted to my mother, I watched as she twitched in her seat. I could tell she was speechless.
“Emily darling, why ask such a question? Of course, your father loves you.” She managed to blurt.
“No.” Emily shook her head, with a bitter look on her face. “I think he dislikes me so much, he never visits me, and whenever I’m here, he leaves, you know, I watch other children in the pack play around with their fathers and wonder when I’ll ever have that.”
Her words brought me close to tears. Hearing her express her feelings was the saddest thing ever. She looked really sad. Emily doesn’t deserve the messy situation that Aria and I have placed her in.
I felt a pang of guilt wash over me as I watched her sad face, I was overcome with self-disgust, it just slapped me in the face how much of a terrible father I have been.
I exhaled a deep breath, maybe I could put my feelings aside and be a good father to Emily.
“Don’t ever say a thing like that Emily, your father can never dislike you, he’s just going through a lot right now, give him time, okay?” Mother tried to cover up for me.
I retraced my steps quietly, walking back into my room, overcome with shame and guilt.
*
A while later, Mother walked into the room with an unreadable expression on her face.
“She’s gone right?” I mumbled.
“Yeah, I took her back some minutes ago,” she replied.
There was a sudden moment of silence. I knew she wanted to speak to me about Emily but didn’t know how.
“Darius, we need to talk.” She finally blurted out.
“About Emily, isn’t it? I heard everything she said.” I cut in immediately.
“She thinks you dislike her.”
“I know, anyone in her shoes will think the same,” I chuckled dryly. “You know, at this point, I think I dislike myself more.”
“All this is happening because you have refused to let go of Elena.” She came to sit beside me on the bed. “Killian, Elena is gone, you’ve mourned her enough, it’s time to move on with your life, get back on your feet, this isn’t the son I raised, do the right thing please.”
I drew out a long breath and turned away from her.
If only it was that easy, Elena was the only woman I felt genuine love for, and then I ruined everything with my hands, how do I possibly forgive myself and move on?
And how do I forget about her when a day never passes without me thinking of her? And what is this tingling feeling that she could still be alive?
But then, Mother was right. I needed to do the right thing, for the sake of Emily. She has been through a lot for something she knew nothing about.
“I understand that it is hard, but you can’t keep letting the little girl suffer for an unjust cause,” she continued.
I stared at her without uttering a word, at this point. There was only one way to fix everything, and even though I’d be hurting myself with this decision, Emily also deserves a chance of happiness.
“I’ll be right back, I need to do something real quick,” I stood from the bed and dashed out.
*
I placed a soft knock on the door and awaited a response.
Surprisingly how I haven’t been here more than thrice since Aria and Emily moved in.
One of the house workers pulled the door open.
“Alpha.” She bowed slightly and opened the door wider, stepping away from the entrance to allow me in.
Aria was braiding Emily’s hair when I walked into the living room.
“Killian?” She blurted in shock immediately she sighted me.
“Hey… Uhm… I need to talk to you.”
She stared at me for a short while before turning to Emily.
“Go to your room baby, we’ll continue your hair after,” she pecked her cheeks and Emily nodded obediently and walked towards her room.
“Is everything okay?”
“I have decided that we should get married,” I blurted out the words I never knew I could say to another woman that isn’t Elena.