Alex's POV
"Aw come on, Zee! There's no way in hell you really thought that would work." I say disbelieving, and James laughs beside me as we all chill in Zee's office, lounging around after a decent meeting. David had gone missing for the first part, much to my satisfaction, always hating having the wolf around. What creeped me out however, was the overly friendly smile I was given when he can in and sat back in his seat which I tried to shake off.
"You never know, Rain is up for some crazy shit!" She tries to defend herself but it's too late. The damage are already done as she sits in her lovers lap and we laugh at them.
"The only person here that would let you put acrylics on them in this room is Sloan. I don't even know why you tried it with me." Rain grumbles to her blushing Mate in her lap and I shake my head at the thought.
"You know, Alex, I've been meaning to talk to you about something." Zee says and James and immediately glance at each other never really being ones for her ideas or plans. "Oh don't look at each other like that, it's not even that bad." She scolds and James scoffs.
"Says the person that tried to put nails on Rain in her sleep!" He says and I can't help but snicker, though the look on my friends face has me at least attempting to swallow it down.
"Okay, okay, what did you want to talk to me about?" I say, trying to placate her and she beams at me completely unaware of her girlfriend rolling her eyes behind her.
"Well, Cody and James go on a little mini vacation every month and Thomas and Ares have their date night every week. I was thinking maybe you and Chloe could do something to. And I think the best thing would be for you guys to take a trip to disney land!" She says excitedly clapping her hands and I raise my brow about to object but she interrupts me. "It's not just for kids and I figured with him being your princess and all, he would like the chance to get treated like a real one. Just look into it." She tells me and I reluctantly agree, excited, though I'll never admit it, at the idea of spending a long vacation with my lover before the babies get here.
The four of us talk and joke for a few more minutes before I can't hold it back anymore and I get too impatient to stay quiet. "As much as I would love to continue this, I want to get home to Chloe." I say standing up and the others chuckle as James shakes his head but follows me to his feet.
"Alright guess it's time to take the big baby home." He says and we say our good byes to the girls before we're making our way out of the office and down the hall to the front door. We're quick to walk down the stairs and get to the car as James unlocks it and slide in, making sure to put on our seat belts. He starts the car and immediately pulls out of the parking lot and makes our way down the road to my house.
"I see I wasn't the only one ready to leave." I tease laughing and he shakes his head glancing at me only a moment before he makes a left hand turn.
"I've been ready for ages but I didn't want to be rude and rush ourselves out. It's a good thing you don't care." He says as we pull into the driveway. I unbuckle my seat belt and give him a wide grin.
"Not one bit. You still going to bring Jonah over at five?" I ask him, climbing out the car only to duck my head inside for an answer.
"Yeah. Just let me help Cody with Jonah's hair and I'll be right over." He tells me and I nod before pulling out of the car and closing the door. I walk up the stairs to my door, turning to wave at James as he pulls away before I open the door and step inside, shutting it softly behind me. It's quiet in the house and I assume that Chloe is sleeping, his body probably worn out from carrying the twins around all day up and down the stairs.
I try to be as silent as possible as I make my way to the kitchen to hang my keys up on the refrigerator. I turn around to get a cup for some water and something on the counter catches my eyes the afternoon light reflecting off of.... Chloe's locket?
I quickly stop whatever I'm doing to walk to the counter, my frown deepening as I find a note tucked under the locket I got for Chloe as a promise to our future. I slide the necklace carefully off of what looks like a tear stained paper and my heart drops to the ground as I open the letter and read the last words Chloe left behind.
Dear Alex,
Before I say anything I want to say thank you for everything you've ever done for me. You taught me how to forgive, learn and understand that true love is real and something to be cherish. You taught me how to love myself and that I'm more than what people make me out to be and I love you for that.
But that doesn't mean the people in the world and even in this pack who will except me so graciously into their lives like the rest of you have. I realized today at the pack house that I'm a burden to you and James when it comes down to managing the pack. I'm not a good example to help lead the kids and I don't want you to face any backlash over something that I am.
I still love you and Tobias and the life that I built you with you two, but I can't be responsible for the hate and spiteful gazes that are thrown at you.
I'm too selfish to get rid of our bond and I promised from the very beginning that I would never reject you and I never will, because you'll always be the light in the dark for me. The least I can do after you've given me so much is allow you to live your life without the burden of me being an Incubus on your shoulder.
I don't know what to do about the twins, they might make you look worse in the eyes of your pack and I don't want that for you. I don't know what I'm going to do when I leave here. I want you to be happy and I hope you're able to find peace.
I love you and you'll always have my heart.
Signed,
Your forever Princess
I stare at the words in the paper and read the words over and over again the meaning slipping my mind because there's no way that this is real. It can't be. It can't be. The paper gets balled in my grasp as I race through the house trying to prove to myself that he's not gone.
"Chloe!"
I look inside the living room but there's no one there, Chloe's blanket still thrown over the back of the couch where it was left this morning. I turn away to race up the stairs and check the twins room that he was so so excited to work on today.
"Chloe!"
The room is empty, the paint cans resting on the floor with my lover no where to be seen and no indication that he's been in here at all today. My heart is wrenching in my heart as Tobias just stays still in my mind, even his growls and howls silent as he holds his breath and waits for us to find our princess somewhere. Anywhere.
"Chloe!"
I burst into the room and see the bed made and empty, the closet is no longer overflowing and all his stuff is missing from his side of the sink. I rush back downstairs and open the front door, wishing, waiting crying out as I realize that the words on the paper are real and he's gone.
"Princess." I sob falling to the floor as I curl into myself no longer having any motivation or will to do anything other than lay there and pray for my pup to come back.
✨✨✨
I don't know how long I was on the floor, but I heard the door open and looked up thinking it was Chloe finally coming back to tell me it was all a sick prank but to my disappointment it was James and his family. No longer holding on to hope, I had curled back into myself on the ground, the note still held to my chest as the three of them looked down at me in fear and shock.
That was almost thirty minutes ago and now I'm sitting in the living room surrounded by all of my friends that have quickly turned into my family over these past seven months. They are all quiet as they pass the crumbled note from one to the other. James had had to pry the paper out of my hands, before he had quickly made calls to everyone once he read the heart breaking words in the paper.
Tobias went silent about an hour ago after howling his heart out for a long time. I can no longer feel his presence in my mind and as much as I should be worried, I can't find it in me the strength to care.
"This doesn't make sense." Ares says as he sits his elbow on his knees as he thinks. "Chloe was happy with you and excited about the twins. He wouldn't just up and leave like that." He says and Graves scoffs.
"Well please tell that to the empty house and the missing space beside Alex on the couch!" He says holding on to Cora who's crying quietly in his lap, his anger the only thing holding him together.
"No." Thomas says and everyone turns towards him as I continue to stare off into space. "No. As much as Chloe loves to overthink this isn't something he would second guess by himself. Someone said something to him." He says standing up to take the abandoned paper from the coffee table.
James stands up as well and takes quick stride to stare at the paper as well before he gasps. "The words he used. Those are the same words David used a couple months ago at a pack meeting!" He says and the words instantly gets my attention as my head slowly comes up to stare holes into James' head who gulps nervously.
"How would he get the chance to talk to him today?" Cody asks, cuddled up to Jonah next to Graves as the kid holds Cora's hand to help sooth her.
"He left today. Right after Chloe did and he was gone for ten minutes. And when he came back.... when he came back he look so fucking smug as he smiled at Alex." He says speaking slowly as the realization hits him and the others turn towards me nervously as I stand up from my seat, Tobias showing up to growl and snarl at the new information.
I don't say anything as I take steady strides out of the the living room, leaving my keys in the kitchen to head out the front door, ignoring the calls of my name as I shift and begin to make my way back to the pack house. I hear the group scrambling for their cars as I run away but I don't care. Nothing matters anymore as I make my way back to the pack and back to David.
This time, I'll make sure he doesn't walk away.
~~~~~~~~~
Fuck man. This hurts. So fucking bad this hurts. I promise I won't let them hurt for long. I'm sorry if you guys are crying I love you.
Thoughts?
Comments?
QOTD: Cora or Cody?