The Runaway Mate

Chapter:34

Carly

I slowly ran my hands down my skirt, smoothing out any wrinkles that remained. I pursed my lips and observed the black dress that adorned my body.

It wasn't flattering in any way but I didn't mind. The black heels gave me an extra inch or two but I also didn't mind.

I sighed and turned from the mirror, pushing my blonde hair out of my face.

Today was Masons death ceremony. In the werewolf world when a person dies they are given a death ceremony, it is very similar to a funeral but it has its differences.

After Mason had taken his last breath the fighting immediately stopped. His pack had felt the death of their alpha and had arrived at the scene a precise two minutes later.

It had been hard to watch wolves that I had grown up with, known my whole life, mourn the alpha that I had killed.

Pack laws state that if an alpha is killed the person responsible for the death is then given the alpha title. In this case, that person was me.

I had stood and watched as all two hundred or so wolves bowed to me, showing respect to their new alpha. I had been overwhelmed and would have fainted if Xavier hadn't been there do catch me.

Arrangements were still being made but it had been decided that I wouldn't take the alpha position. While I would still have final say over any decisions for the pack, Zach, Masons beta, would stand as acting alpha.

Xavier and I had come to the decision together and after a few phone calls we have been working it out.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I glanced at the digital clock that sat on my night stand. We had two hours before we had to be there.

I left our bedroom and made my way to Aidens. I carefully peeked my head in and saw that my son was sitting on the ground, coloring in a book.

I entered and watched as he glanced up at me for a few seconds before turning back to the book. I hadn't told Aiden exactly what happened but I could see that he understood enough, he understood that his father was gone.

"Are you ready to get dressed baby?" I asked him as I crouched down next to him. I glanced at his sloppily colored picture and the corners of my lips rose.

Aiden nodded and got to his feet, not speaking. I could tell that Aiden wasn't handling the situation very well because he had temporarily stopped talking.

Melinda had explained to me that it was perfectly normal for children to react this way to certain situations, it was a sort of defensive mechanism.

I walked to the closet and reached in to pull out the black suit that had only been bought yesterday.

After helping him out of his pajamas I pulled the small, black dress pants onto his legs, followed by a crisp, white shirt and finally the black overcoat.

I helped him into a pair of dark shoes and clipped on a black bow tie. I brushed his brown hair back and smiled at him when I was finished.

It pained me to see Aiden dressed like this, especially considering what it was for, but it was the reality of things.

The smile slowly slipped off of my face as I thought about this and I quickly plucked Aiden off of the ground and placed him on my hip, banishing the thoughts.

I shut the door behind me and made my way down the stairs. Aiden rested his small head on my shoulder and gently played with the ends of my hair.

I sighed and hurried my pace when I saw Xavier waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. Xavier was watching us with a worried expression and when I reached him he quickly bent down to place a kiss on my lips.

"Are you ready love?" He questioned after he placed a soft kiss on Aidens head. I nodded and silently followed Xavier out to the car.

I gently strapped a silent Aiden into the seat in the back before climbing into the passenger seat and strapping myself in.

Xavier pulled out of the driveway onto onto the road, heading in the direction of Blood Bound pack.

I silently watched Xavier as he drove and I couldn't help but to feel guilty when I saw the dark bags under his eyes.

I had been feeling a lot of guilt as of lately and I was having a hard time dealing with all of it. We had lost eight pack members in the battle.

Xavier had tried to explain to me that it was a small number and in the end only a small casualty but I still felt heartbroken for their families.

We attended the death ceremonies for those eight men yesterday and the guilt that seeing their families brought was almost unbearable.

Though that was one thing amongst a lost of things that I felt guilt for the thing that I regretted the most had to be killing Mason.

I had never intended to kill him. I was simply trying to save Xavier from the death that I knew Mason had planned for him but somewhere along the like my pent up rage exploded from within me and I couldn't stop myself.

Only after he had died did I realize what a terrible mistake I had made. Though it pained me, for a reason unknown to me, knowing that I had killed my true mate nothing compared to the pain of knowing that I had taken my sons father from him.

Mason hadn't been the greatest of people, he wasn't even close to making the list, but he had loved Aiden, this much I was sure of.

I loved Xavier, as did Aiden, but he isn't my sons biological father and knowing that it was purely my fault that Aiden would never have a relationship with his real dad killed me.

It killed me knowing that it was my fault that Aiden was feeling the way he was, not speaking and building barriers. He's far to young to have to deal with all of this.

I sighed in exasperation and pushed my hair out of my face, giving it a gentle tug as I did so. I felt a hand reach over and grasp mine and slightly relaxed as warm tingles emitted from the spot.

"Stop beating yourself up Carly, it won't change anything." Xavier spoke quietly but I knew his words were true.

I pursed my lips but remained silent. Even if it was true I was still going to think it.

We drove the rest of the way in silence, a comfortable silence. I felt it the moment we entered Blood Bound territory.

Now that I was technically alpha of Blood Bound I had a slight connection with the pack members and I felt it come full force as soon as we crossed the border.

I gasped quietly as the feeling washed over me and glanced to Xavier when I heard him chuckling.

"It's a strange feeling isn't it?" He questioned, obviously knowing what I was feeling.

I nodded my head in agreement and looked out the window, watching as the trees flew past.

The familiar pack house was soon within view and my breath caught as Xavier pulled to a stop. Memories flooded back to me as I stared at the building in front of me and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

I could feel Xavier's eyes on me but he was letting me have this moment to myself, that I was thankful for.

"I'll get Aiden." Xavier spoke quietly before stepping out. I stared up at the large house for a few more moments before climbing out and softly shutting the door behind me.

Xavier joined my side, Aiden in his arms, and took my hand. We began walking forward and I watched as the front door was thrown open and out stumbled two of my favorite people.

"Carly!"