Mateless: A Short Story

Publicity

"Hey, Smiles."

I looked at Kalgan.

"What do you think our first kid should be called?"

Kid? I stared at him for a moment, surprised. He's thinking that far ahead already? A small smile came in as I lowered my gaze to hide it, shrugging as I got back to work on weeding Luna's flower garden. I wondered what spurred this on. "If it's a girl, Carlotta sounds like a good name. If it's a boy...."

"Keagan?"

I grinned. "Like the legacy?" Every first born son had a name starting with a "K". Alpha's first name was Kris.

Kalgan nodded, smiling back as he absentmindedly rocked the porch swing with his heels on the ground. "Keagan.... It sounds charismatic and classy at the same time. I'm sure he'll be as crazy as you."

"But as classy as you?" I guessed, huffing. "Excuse me for having character."

He laughed and I smiled at the warm sound. It filled me. Glancing up, I saw him chuckle as he relaxed into the cushioned seat, his eyes bright. I liked the fact that I was the one to make him laugh.

Then I saw movement from behind the back glass door. My heart stuttered painfully as my gaze locked with Luna's grim, but still ever-graceful, gaze. Unknowing, Kalgan shrugged.

"Well. I guess Carlotta's nice.... I hope it's a boy though.... Keagan..."

Keagan...Keagan Moon.

He was a beautiful child. I was sure the blonde locks would've been redder due to my own red-brown curly locks. Either that or Kalgan's rich dark brown. A smaller part of me was glad the child had blue eyes. Besides the gall he had to name the child Keagan, he'd have blue eyes like I do. Kalgan would always remember me.

Why?

Why would he do that to himself?

Was this meant to be redemptive? A form of reconciliation? I hid many things in my book Mateless, but our children's names were not one of them. Everyone could read between the lines. I can't even imagine the embarrassment Luna Moon must be feeling right now. Everything aside, she truly was a sweet woman. The media had quite a bit to say about this besides the expected felicities and congrats.

I wanted to die, but I couldn't. I posted my well-wishes on all my social sites with the circulated photo of the baby attached, wondering if I should feel happy I'd reached this point of moving on. I could wish my first love well-wishes about the child he'd brought to the world with the woman he'd chosen me over....

What does someone say to that?

I felt like a dead man for lack of better words. I couldn't feel. Saying I felt like the undead was probably a better description.

A door slammed shut. "Rony! Rony?"

The house was quiet.

I stared silently at the photo of Keagan on the plasma television, the remote control somewhere on the couch near my hand.... He was a beautiful child. I could see it now: holding him for the first time with a beaming, teary, Kalgan by my side. He'd feel so warm in my hold...so precious.... There would be that bond parents talk about tying me closer to Kalgan, and pulling Keagan even closer than that towards us. Our wolves would be endeared to him and I'd be enraptured by how his unique scent had vague hints of mine and Kalgan's as one.... It would be the happiest moment in my life. It should have- it would have....