Proven Heart

Sixteen: Choice

Roark often wondered how his own child would turn out. There were a few things he had allowed himself to feel.

Love for a wolf continuously a mile ahead of him.

The pride in protecting his people.

And the paralyzing happiness he was under when he watched his nephew smile at him.

Those were the few things that strummed the strings of his hallowed heart. But one emotion was brighter than the others, stronger and more fulfilling.

And that was Gabriel, always staying by his side.

He failed to understand how much he missed out, and the pain of losing the boy suddenly hit him.

One day, Gabriel will go back to the wolf that sired him and the boy would forget about him. Having the thought caused a phantom knife to appear bared against his heart.

He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly.

“Uncle Roark.” Gabriel looks up at him.

The boy sat in front of him, his tiny hands holding a pencil and paper. He was drawing a picture of himself, colored in bright crayons.

“Yes?” He arched a brow, using a board tone, pretending he was in deep work.

One thing he learned from the boy is that he was clever. It only took one puppy eye to make him obey what the boy requested. Thankfully, they weren’t outrageous, nor were they physically and financially taxing.

The boy wanted sweets and snacks, but perhaps the thing that Roark enjoyed hearing the most was whenever Gabriel asks to sit on his lap to watch him work.

“Are you okay?”

He nods.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you look sad and tired and angry.”

Perceptive. Roark thought. That, or maybe the little boy, was just concerned for him. At this point, Roark didn’t know. He was only glad that the boy was with him and happy.

Though the truth was, a sting of guilt prickles his chest every time he saw himself adoring this child.

He could never love his little niece the same way he marveled at the boy.

Not when the child, Rosaline, was his mate’s child with his brother. Her heart and his wolf didn’t want to accept it.

The kid was innocent, but whenever his wolf gazes at her, it reminded him she resulted from Bella’s spite and his brother’s recklessness.

He sighed.

“I’m okay, just don’t mind me and keep drawing.” He says, taking his attention back to his computer screen.

He made an agreement with his brother. Harrick was the one going to train the new recruits while he gathers intel and plan their next mission.

The job proved to not be at all easy.

He might have underestimated Harrick in so many ways.

“But I’m bored,” Gabriel spoke, prolonging the last word as he threw his head back. “Please uncle Roark, let’s go out and play.”

“It’s pitch black out there and freezing. I don’t want you to get a cold.” He said with a tight smile.

He couldn’t understand how the boy worked. All-day every day, his day was filled with running up and down the halls and then tailing Roark like a puppy.