The Alpha's Rogue ✔️

The Alpha's Abandonment

4057 words

Clear drops of water streamed down the window in lines of parallel anticonformity. Victor stared beyond them at the grey skyline as black pavement rushed beneath the wheels of the public bus he was riding.

The school kid beside him coughed, holding a hand to his mouth for such a brief moment that the effort to catch germs was futile. A young baby whimpered in his mother's arms two seats ahead, while another young pup bounced on the seat beside her and shrieked excitedly at cars passing them outside the window.

Sighing heavily, Victor rested his head back and closed his eyes. If only it wasn't raining, so he could run to work and not worry about getting his only suit drenched. If only his car hadn't needed fixing today. If only he hadn't been rear-ended by a distracted teenager on a provisional licence. If only...

He shut down the negative thoughts and tried focusing on the day head. Auditors were coming to inspect his factory, and if he didn't get all his paperwork in order, they might find something against him. He'd been so careful, deliberately meeting every regulation the council had in place for small businesses. His employees weren't so conscientious, often urging him to put profit above principle.

But Victor had too much to lose now if he was caught for tax evasion, illegal trading, or worse. In only a few months, he'd be a father, and he wanted a good and honest future for his child.

The bus rounded a bend and his stop came into view. Pressing the stop button, he rose and shouldered his way to the door. It didn't take long to walk the last couple blocks to his factory, but his impatience was building at how late the bus had been. Pedestrians streamed around him, giving wide berth to his dark scowl and determined strides.

The bittersweet scent of roasted coffee was familiar since cafes abounded on the city streets, but the hint of hazelnut that gilded this particular scent had him stopping in his tracks.

A face caught his eye, the skin pale and lips drawn in a straight line of resolve.

His heart quickened and steps resumed hurriedly. "Safiya?" He reached her just before she disappeared into a building entrance.

The startled look in her eyes stabbed him in the gut. "Victor? What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to work. My car's at the mechanic and I had to take the bus because it was raining and I couldn't afford to... You know what? Never mind about me." He abruptly stopped his rambling, caught his breath that had been stolen by the sight of his mate, and focused entirely upon her. "What about you? Weren't you going back to your province?"

She'd visited him in his city, tearfully telling him about her recent discovery of pregnancy, and they'd come up with a plan of how to proceed. As Queen of Vinlarhk and soon-to-be bride of Lord Khaan, she had admitted complete uncertainty of her future. Everything had been so clear before, once she'd broken things off with Victor and agreed to her parents' arrangement of marrying the lord. Her province was her future; her people her priority-- until the pregnancy muddied everything.

"I just...I just needed to have a check-up... to check my health, you know, before I flew back."

She nervously tucked her strands of her long, dark hair behind her ear, and Victor noticed the diamonds that dangled from her lobe. They were another reminder of how socially distant she was from him, how impossible any notion of them being together was.

He also noticed the way her breathing hitched, her heart raced, and her eyes dropped to the pavement between them. Looking at the fertility clinic beside them, at the frosted glass that kept patients private and procedures secret, his heart raced. "Why don't we go for a short walk together?" He motioned ahead of them down the street