Loss of Innocence

Chapter TwentyTwo

Chapter 22

Ella Grant

Rylan turned to me with his topaz eyes, burning a hole through me. I wiped my tears away and turned to him. Hesitantly, he walked over to me and just remained silent. Squirming under his scrutinizing gaze and deathly silence, I cleared my throat and prepared to break this suffocating, uncomfortable silence. 

“What is it that you wanted to talk about, Alpha?” I sniffled, watching his eyes fill with guilt.  My heart gave out a little squeeze, hating the fact that I was deceiving my very own Alpha.

“They need to learn,” Arabella’s voice filled my mind, reprimanding me. It shook me out of my trance.

“I just wanted to say how sorry I am about the death of your child,” his topaz eyes looked deeply into mine. His eyes were filled with a deeper sense of remorse and guilt.

“It’s not exactly your fault, Alpha,” I shrugged casually, placing my hand over my stomach. “There was nothing you could’ve done to save the child. You were probably still fast asleep the time of the attack.”

“It is!” He exclaimed, flailing his arms about. His fingers latched onto his hair, pulling on them in frustration. “It’s exactly my fault, Ella. Don’t you see? I’ve caused you and everybody else so much pain!”

“W-what?” I stammered, surprised at his confession.

“If it weren’t for the blood promise I made with Jake, you would’ve been happy together. He would’ve been able to go against me and fight for you. He would’ve been able to take responsibility of you. You wouldn’t be sitting here, wounded and broken. If I hadn’t asked him to make the blood promise… Your child would’ve been alive and she wouldn’t have been Austin’s…. She would’ve been Jake’s,” he broke out in a light sob, angrily wiping his tears.

“Blood promise….” I trailed, looking at him questionably. “What blood promise?”

“After Nicolai left with the love of my life, I wasted myself away in alcohol. I was so messed up that one evening… I made Jake do a blood promise with me,” he looked at me helplessly. My heart went out to him. He didn’t look like the intimidating Alpha who ordered the execution of my father. He looked so vulnerable and sad.

“But still, didn’t our mate bond mean anything to him?” It was still puzzling how Jake has resisted our bond for so many months. I thanked the Spirits that I wasn’t the product of a born Alpha. If I were, I would’ve died so many months ago. My father became an Alpha by challenging and fighting his way to the top. If Rylan hadn’t taken over, I would’ve until another wolf challenges and beats me. Of course, only the Alphas that are made are challenged. Those who are born Alphas are rarely challenged, because everyone knows that they are far stronger than Alphas who are made.

“He couldn’t have because I ordered him to stay away from you. He had to obey me because he pledged his loyalty to me through the blood promise,” he took a big gulp and met my eyes once again. “I didn’t know about it till earlier. I didn’t know how strong the effects were until Jake pointed it out. Our blood bond is stronger because the blood promise occurred under the full moon. If only I had known better, I wouldn’t have done it. I swear to you, Ella. I regret it.”

“It sure sounds like you do,” I nodded. “That explains a lot. Listen Alp-“

“ALPHA!” A doctor barged in, looking around frantically. Once her eyes landed on me, she gasped.

“What is it?” Rylan hurriedly stood up and walked over to the door. The doctor looked at me with worry in her eyes before turning  back to Rylan.