A New Beginning (New Version)

Chapter Eight: What?

"I was wondering if I could have a word with Gamma Henler." I can feel my pulse jump. He looks  serious. 

"Sure." I answer, sending Eric a panicked look before walking towards Alpha Cale. I make sure to keep  at least a foot between us. I don't know if the gummies will still work if he touches me. Alpha Cale leads me away from the picnic and towards the side of the house. My palms get sweaty and I wipe them on my pants.

"I want to help." Those words snap me out of my panic.

"What?"

"I want to help with whatever you need." I stare at him in shock. "If you need to track down your mate, need another male figure in their lives, if you need a friend. I want to help."

"Why?" I hiss. Alpha Ryker looks away from me.

"I... I can never have what you have. I had a mate but it ended in disaster. My mate left and she isn't ever going to come back. She hated it here, she hated me. You have a family, two beautiful kids, a good job, I just want to help in any way that I can." My blood boils.

"You act like it was my fault! You act like it was my fault I left! You rejected me! I didn't leave, I ran! And thank the goddess I did! You would have taken the twins from me the moment I had them!" I slap a hand over my mouth and stare at him in horror.

"Mackenzie?" He whispers.

"No, Ryker, it's the Easter Bunny." I hiss with a glare. He moves before I can react, crushing me into a hug.

"I thought I lost you for good." He whispers. I shove him away.

"You did. I have a good life now, I'm finally happy. Are you that selfish that you would take that from me? I suffered for eight years. I took every hit, every kick, every burn without a word. I cried every night because it was my fault. I waited for you. I waited for you to take me away from all the pain. I waited for someone to love me. But you didn't, the only good thing you ever did was give me the twins." Tears threaten to spill but I stubbornly hold them back.

"Mackenzie..."

"No. You don't get to say you're sorry. You don't get to say you suffered. You don't get to say that you would have accepted me when you found out I was pregnant. Because we both know you wouldn't have. I was sixteen, you were nineteen. You didn't want a mate. You would have kept me under lock and key until I had them. Then they would have been taken from me before I even got to hold them. You wouldn't have let the doctor save me. I would have died like I almost did." I growl, tears finally falling. I keep pushing him, keep shoving him. He doesn't fight back.

"You almost... died?" He asks, barely over a whisper. I glare up at him.

"I was an omega. I was underweight. My wolf was dying. I was rejected. I had two healthy babies. It's a miracle I lived." I reply. He reaches for me but I whack his hand away.

"And now. And now you offer a stranger help?"

"I prayed for you. I prayed for the Moon Goddess to bring you back to me. I didn't think she would... I thought I was doing the right thing wanting to help you..."

"You abandoned me Alpha Cale. You abandoned my kids when you rejected me."

"That isn't fair Mackenzie. You never gave me the chance to be a dad." He argues.

"If I gave you that chance, they wouldn't have had any parents. You wouldn't have been there for them. They would have turned out like me! I was a Beta's daughter. I was loved. Until I wasn't anymore. Your kids would have been an Omega's children. You would have despised them. Because we left you, my kids have known nothing but happiness and love." I inform him.

"If I could, I would have never come back. But I gave my word when I became Gamma that I could help people. As soon as I am done here, me and the twins are leaving." I hiss, turning on my heels and storming off.

Ryker calls after me and I hear his approaching steps but something causes me to run and makes my heart stop. Something that chills me to the bone.

"Rogues!"

Word Count: 766

Date Published: 12/10/16

It's a short chapter but I'm pretty happy with it! Update will be next Saturday as usual. Remember to vote and comment!