Alpha Aidan's Rejection Chapter 14

TARA

　　I stared at Aidan after he asked us to go somewhere and talk, and I kind of panicked a little.

　　Eventually, Nadia and I were going to have a conversation about Aidan being her father. It was only a matter of time, but Jenna and Esme were also going to be aware of that too.

　　I couldn't also ignore the fact that Nadia shared an uncanny resemblance with her father. Just like Aidan, she had piercing hazel eyes. And just like him too, her hair was a deep brown color.

　　There were other minute but noticeable similar features that Aidan and Nadia shared, and one only needed to look twice to see it.

　　Eyebrows were bound to start raising soon, but I wasn't ready yet.

　　Aidan and I needed to have a conversation, but for some reason, I was pushing it off.

　　"Can we talk for a minute, please?" Aidan asked again, staring at me from his standing position.

　　"I don't think now is the time, Aidan. The party is about to begin," I said, gesturing to the crowd that was now settling down.

　　"You won't be able to avoid me forever. Why don't we just have a chat now before my time here runs out?" Aidan pressed.

　　"I might not be able to avoid you forever, but I could try for a week. I'd rather your time ran out so that you can leave. It would make all of this so much easier," I added with a tired sigh.

　　He fisted a hand to his chest, feigning hurt. "Ouch. I might just as well move to live out here, then we'd be forced to see each other every day. I really like the environment."

　　My eyes shot wide with shock before I realized that he was pulling my legs.

　　"You can't do that," I said, and he just chuckled, so why did I find myself smiling? "You have a pack to run," I continued. "Besides, I thought Attica pack and Vermont pack were sworn enemies?"

　　Aidan nodded. "They are, but the multipack moon meet supersedes all enmity and requires all the packs to be in attendance."

　　Aidan wasn't one for rules, so I answered. "Still, that shouldn't have made you show up here. You came on your own accord, am I right?"

　　With a smile that reached his eyes, Aidan nodded. "Still so smart. I did come here for some other business, but that's a topic for tomorrow if you'd like to have it."

　　I easily understood that Aidan wanted a reason to come around me again, but I just brushed it off.

　　"Chat?" He asked for the third time with hopeful eyes. When he noticed that I was hesitating, he added, "Won't take long, I promise."

　　Just because Nadia and Aidan were in the same place, and I didn't want to raise suspicion or have Jenna or Esme start asking questions, I decided to listen to him.

　　"Fine. But you have three minutes, and that's it."

　　Aidan smiled, revealing his dimpled cheek. "Let's go somewhere a little more quiet," he said, leading me away from the crowd by the small of my back.

　　The contact from his touch was subtle, yet I felt it like his hands were all over me. Forcing the ill thoughts away, I focused on the present.

　　When we found a quiet spot, Aidan opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.

　　"I've thought of what I would say if you eventually gave me a listening ear, and I even rehearsed before coming here, but it has all turned to dust within seconds," he said, laughing humorlessly.

　　So I crossed my hands over my chest and spoke instead. "Why are you here, Aidan? What do you want with us?"

　　"I need you to trust me when I say that I had no idea you were here all this time. If I knew…"

　　I cut him off. "If you knew, what would you have done? Come back to finish me off for good?"

　　Aidan ran a hand through his hair with a deep sigh, letting me know that this was difficult for him too.

　　"Goddess, Tara, no. If I had seen you after everything, it would have taken one look at her for me to know the truth, just like it did now. I was blind, Tara, and I messed up. I hate myself for it, but I want to try."

　　I shook my head. I was trying so hard to forget everything that happened back then, or even justify a fraction of Aidan's actions, but I couldn't.

　　"Try what?" I asked quietly, swallowing the thick lump that had settled in my throat. "What exactly do you want to try, Aidan?"

　　"I want to fix it. I want to try to give you half of the life that you and Nadia could have had if things had been different. Please, Tara, give me a second chance."

　　Goddess, was he serious?

　　A dry laughter broke out from my lips, and I stared at him unbelievably. "So that you could toss me aside like a rag the moment you hear some made-up news about me again?"

　　Aidan looked pained, but I didn't care. He didn't care about me when I was at my lowest, so I didn't care about him now.

　　Running a hand down his face, Aidan responded. "Everything you think of me, Tara, I am. And I deserve your anger and your hate, but what I also am, is sorry. I am sorry beyond words, and I want to show that to you. Let me," he said. "Please," he added with a whisper.

　　Him acting like a saint made it ten times harder to hate him the way I wanted to. Angry tears welled up in my eyes, and I quickly wiped it away with the back of my palm.

　　Aidan waited quietly for me to speak, but I said nothing. We just stared at one another.

　　When the sound of a microphone from the party setting cut through the silent battle between me and Aidan, I took a step back with a small gasp.

　　With whatever resolve I could muster, I took a deep breath to respond to Aidan's last words.