The Alpha's Daydream ✔️

Chapter 6

1818 words

Ariella was grounded for a month.

She didn't feel upset or resentful towards her parents for the decision, because she knew she deserved it. Understanding it was for the best, Ariella put the extra time at home to use. She poured more energy into practicing her violin, planting an entire new section of herbs in the vegetable garden, helping her dad build a new fence for the chicken pen, and of course drawing and writing in her diaries.

Sitting on the swing that hung from the large and spreading oak tree in their backyard was one of her favourite ways to spend the afternoon, the last rays of sunlight splashing on the leaves above her before creeping up the trunk and disappearing as the sun fell below the horizon.

As she lazily pushed back and forth, daydreaming about everything and nothing in particular, her imagination would envision a handsome wolf coming to claim her as mate. His eyes a blue colour and inky hair to match the starry night sky, he'd sweep her off her feet and carry her into the violet dusk. Her dreams would overlap with reality, and she would watch with a tender smile as Charles wrapped his arms around Lexi's waist, lifting her easily and spinning her around as they kissed as he came home after a long day of work.

Her days passed slowly, unable to go visit her friends or wander very far from home. For an unexplainable reason, Ariella was too uneasy to leave the house by herself anyway.

So a couple times a week, she would go into town with Lexi for shopping, social outings, or checkups with expecting mothers. She always enjoyed playing with the young children, and met two new babies who decided it was their time to greet the world. Watching the delight on the family's face after the pack doctor and Lexi helped with the births always moved Ariella, and sent a thrill through her young heart.

What she wasn't prepared for was actually being present for a birth, and when her mom gently pulled her into the room and placed the mother's hand in her own, she suddenly blanked out and froze in shock. Coaxing the mother to take deep breaths and push at the right times were actions coming from somewhere outside her body, and Ariella watched as if absent from the terrifying yet completely natural and beautiful scene. Then when her mom grew excited and guided her hands to between the mother's legs, she felt squeamish at the sight of blood. But that all changed when a warm little body wriggled in her hands, a gentle cry pierced the air, and Ariella held on dearly to the newborn pup. Tears pricked her eyes and she gasped, a smile splitting her shocked face as she held up the little squirming baby for his mother to see.

"You have a beautiful baby boy, Sandra! Congratulations," Lexi cooed, and urged Ariella to place him on his mother's chest. She was in awe as she watched the bond strengthen  immediately, mother and child clutching each other in the miracle of life.

It filled her thoughts for the next few days, along with dreams.

They were mostly dreams of far away castles and daring princes, vanquishing dragons that watched over a princess entrapped in spells and enchantments. Carefully drawing the images of love and heroism in her diary, Ariella would block a vague remembrance of her own past, of her own birth mother and the pup she had been carrying at the time of her death. That notion of a lost baby brother or sister was too painful to fully recognise, so by staring at peaceful trees and meadow flowers, and the dreams on the back of her eyelids, Ariella managed to not think about it.

A pang of loneliness stabbed her in the heart, but by paying attention to her dreams, she saw a little baby snuggled in the arms of the rescued princess, her prince holding them both wrapped in his arms as they lived a peaceful happily ever after. The prince's blue eyes, framed by a tousled inky fringe, lingered in her mind as Ariella helped with household chores, relaxed in the evening with her parents, then slept soundlessly under a moonless sky.