Page 10 of Sweet on the Alpha

Can I reconcile that Aiden with the one from his story? The brash, arrogant young wolf who challenged his alpha, heedless of the consequences?

I don’t have the answers. All I know is that the trust between us, once so unshakable, now feels as fragile as spun glass. One wrong move, and it could shatter beyond repair.

As I crawl into bed, wrapping myself in blankets that still carry a hint of Aiden’s wild, woodsy scent, a single tear slips down my cheek.

I love him. Moon help me, even now, with the truth laid bare between us… I still love him. But is love enough? Can it bridge the chasm that’s opened up between us, heal the hurt and the uncertainty?

I don’t know. And that, perhaps, is the most frightening thought of all.

With a shuddering breath, I close my eyes, praying for sleep, for oblivion. But I know, even as I drift off, that my dreams will be haunted by piercing green eyes and the shadow of secrets left too long in the dark.

Chapter 6

Aiden

Misery clings to me like a second skin as I trudge through the days following my confession to Grace. Each morning, I wake reaching for her warmth, only to find cold, empty sheets. My wolf whines pitifully, restless and yearning for our mate.

I throw myself into patrolling the town borders, keeping a watchful eye out for any sign of Victor or his schemes. It’s a poor distraction from the ache in my chest, but it’s all I have.

One evening, as I prowl the edges of the forest, I catch the sound of voices on the breeze. Curious, I edge closer, keeping downwind to avoid detection.

“…telling you, the guy’s bad news…” Victor’s smooth, insidious tone makes my hackles rise. “I’ve known Aiden Donahue a long time, and trust me, he’s no hero.”

I peer through the foliage to see Victor holding court with a group of local shifters, their faces rapt with attention.

“I heard he challenged his own alpha, causing a bunch of deaths in his old pack,” one of them murmurs, shaking his head. “Can’t trust a wolf like that.”

“Exactly,” Victor agrees, his expression a mask of feigned concern. “And now he’s here, cozying up to that sweet human girl. It’s only a matter of time before his true colors show and she gets hurt… or worse.”

Rage boils under my skin at the implication, at the easy way Victor twists the truth to suit his agenda. It takes every shred of my self-control not to burst from the trees and tear his lying throat out.

But as much as it galls me, I know violence won’t solve this. Victor’s words, poisonous as they are, have a ring of truth. I can’t change my past, can’t erase the mistakes I’ve made.

What I can do is face them head-on. Own them, and prove that I’m more than the sum of my worst moments.

With renewed determination, I turn and lope back into town, a plan forming in my mind. It’s time to stop running from my history and start writing a new chapter.

The next day, I put my plan into action. I visit the mayor’s office and request a town meeting, inviting both the human and shifter residents of Maplewood Grove. The mayor, a matronly woman with kind eyes, agrees readily.

“Folks have been talking,” she confides, peering at me over her half-moon glasses. “Wondering about you, your intentions. I think clearing the air is a wise move, Mr. Donahue.”

I thank her and spend the rest of the day spreading the word, personally inviting as many people as I can. Most seem surprised by my openness but agree to attend.

The hardest part is staying away from Grace. Every fiber of my being yearns to see her, to explain what I’m doing and beg for her understanding. But I force myself to give her the space she asked for, even as it rips me apart inside.

The evening of the meeting arrives, and I pace backstage in the community center, my nerves jangling. I’ve never been one for speeches, preferring actions to words. But this is too important to leave to chance.

As the room fills up, a hush falls over the crowd. I step out onto the stage, the bright lights momentarily blinding. I blink, my enhanced vision adjusting, and scan the sea of faces.

There, in the back row, a flash of honey-gold hair makes my heart stutter—Grace. She came.

Our eyes meet, and for a breathless moment, the rest of the world falls away. In her gaze, I see a mingling of emotions—hurt and confusion with a tentative hope. It bolsters me, giving me the courage to begin.

“Thank y’all for coming,” I start, my voice carrying across the room. “I know rumors have been circulating about my past, and I’m here to set the record straight.”

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “It’s true that I challenged my former alpha. But what you may not know is why. Our alpha, he… he was a tyrant. He ruled our pack with fear and violence, abusing his power and his position. I saw firsthand the suffering he caused, the lives he destroyed. I couldn’t stand by and watch it happen any longer.”

A murmur goes through the crowd, faces showing a mix of surprise and dawning understanding.

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