Second chance mate

chapter 8 (final draft)

It had been two days since she had arrived and she hadn't stepped out of her room. She was basically hibernating in her room.

She slept in Adrian's shirts and ate whatever snacks she had in her room if she for hungry which was rare for her. Because of her pregnancy, Adrian had stocked the room on her cravings. She was getting used to the place and the fact that Adrian was gone. And she couldn't do that by avoiding the mention of her mate or his death. She needed to get used to it and learn how to handle it. She couldn't be taken off guard every time someone mentioned him or the event that took place. She was desensitizing herself in a way.

She was also giving them time to discuss and decide. They needed that too. She knew that she had duties as their alpha, and the biggest duty was to put them before her. And she couldn't do that right now. She had her son and she had herself to work on. IN a way she was being selfish and in another she was being selfless. She couldn't help them unless she helped herself. She just wasn't ready to put them first and if she did put them first, shed be making it much worse.

She was lying on the bed with a headache from all the crying when there was a knock on the door. She sat up slowly, confused. They had left her alone as much as she had left them alone. They all had their own things to work through. So who could it be?

Even as she asked herself that question, she had an inkling as to who it was. So she didn't really work on making herself look presentable as she leaned against the headboard. Then she called for them to come inside.

"May I come in?" Axel asked her, half inside the door.

She nodded and looked just below his eyes.

"I can leave if you don't want to see me or aren't ready to?" He asked her, sadness covering his voice and his shoulders slumping as if a weight was suddenly thrown on them.

She closed her eyes as she exhaled heavily before opening them and meeting his eyes. "Come sit, Axe."

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him before taking a seat on the end of the bed in front of her. "I am so glad to see you."

She smiled tiredly. "You too, Axe."

"It doesn't seem like it." He scoffed.

"It is." She said, her smile wobbling.

His eyes softened. "Who am I talking to, Ariel or Alpha Ariel?"

"I am not the alpha." She said, shrugging.

He moved closer to her and took both of her hands in his and squeezed them tightly. "Then I am talking to my sister in-law, okay?"

She nodded, knowing he was asking her permission to speak freely.

"I am sorry. For the loss of your family, your wolf, your mate and your pack. We are here for you, no matter what happens, whether you take the oath or not. We are here to share your grief and we are here to love you." He said firmly.

"Thank you, Axe. I love you guys too. But understand, I can't." She shook her head.

"I can't understand, Ariel. You are still the most worthy to become our alpha. We don't want to break the rest of us apart and have to join other packs. We want to remain one pack, this pack and we want you as our alpha."

"Maybe it would be better if you did join other packs." She said to him.

"Maybe but we don't want to." He replied.

"I can't." She said, desperation showing in her voice.

"But why? Why do you think you cant?"

"I am not stable, Axel." She said. "I am not stable mentally or physically. There are days I cant get out of bed or convince myself to eat or drink. There are moments when I cant breathe and there are days I don't move an inch. You don't get it."