Her Alpha King

Chapter 41

Titus' POV

Life has a way of dangling what I want right in front of me and then snatching it away the minute I get close enough to taste it. The last three and a half years have been both the best and worst years of my life. I'd met my mate, found my real mother, found two little boys that claimed my heart, fought a war and in some sense won. In the same time though, I'd died and come back to life, nearly lost my children, and ultimately held my mate in my arms as she took her last breath.

I wondered if this was how she felt when I died, empty and barley holding onto sanity, wondering if life was worth living anymore. I knew that she'd had my funeral soon after my death, but I just couldn't bring myself to do so, so her body was sitting in the morgue, but the coroner had already relayed the message through Michael that she had to be buried soon. Avery decided to take over the planning as I couldn't manage to do much of anything other than lock myself away and wallow in my misery. Sleep didn't come easy either, the scene of her face when she realized that she was going to die constantly replaying in my dreams, my nightmares. And as I fell into a fitful sleep, they came faithfully.

Avery's POV

I was fucking livid.

How dare he do this to them? They are innocent children that are sad and confused about what's going on in their life and he's locked away in his room, wallowing in self-pity and ignoring his children.

A gentle tug on my dress brought me back to the present.

"Hey Stevie, what can I help you with?"

The boy had the most heartbreaking look on his face, blue eyes watery and red as if he'd already been crying.

"Auntie Av'ry, is daddy mad at us? He hasn't come to bed time or dinner or play time in a long time."

I watched as his face crumpled and a pitiful, heartbroken sob escaped.

"I- I miss my mommy and daddy doesn't love me anymore."

"Oh Stevie that's not true, your daddy is just sad right now."

I felt the anger intensify as he buried his head in my neck and let out pitiful little whimpers between his sobs.

I picked the boy up and brought him into the living room where Michael was keeping an eye on the other kids, he looked mildly alarmed as his eyes fell on Steve.

"What happened?"

He walked over, closely followed by James who was sucking his thumb furiously, something that I noticed he did when he was feeling anxious.

I set Steve on Michael's lap and straightened up, with what I hoped was a look of confidence on my face.

"I'm going to go and get him; this has gone on long enough."

"Avery, he's grieving."

"And so are his children, so is her family, so are we! It's been two weeks and he hasn't even checked on their kids. That's why Steve is so upset, he thinks his father has stopped loving them."

He looked down at the tearful boy in his lap.

"Is that what you think buddy? That your dad doesn't love you anymore?"

He got a shaky nod in response.

"Did we do something bad? Is that why he doesn't want us anymore?"

He hugged the boy tighter.

"No buddy, you didn't do anything, your dad's just sad right now."

While Michael comforted the distressed little boy I started to make my way up the stairs.