Alpha Aidan's Rejection Chapter 98

TARA

　　"Oh, I'm fine. Just got back from a session with my doctor. He says I have to rest my legs and eyes more, so that's what I'm trying to do now. How's my grandbaby? Is she there with you? I would love to hear her voice again."

　　I shook my head once. "Nadia is fine, but she has been with her Dad throughout the day, although they're about pulling up at the house now. I'll call again soon, so you can see her face."

　　I couldn't put into words the feeling that described how I felt. For the first time in years, it felt like me and Nadia were a part of a complete family, as dysfunctional as it was.

　　My mother was there…her grandmother, my father was there too, still tolerating our existence all for his mate's sake, and a whole lot of other people—Aidan, Jenna, Esme—.

　　It was more than I could wish for years ago.

　　"Thank you," Mom said, pulling me from my well of thoughts. "That is kind of you. I'm happy things are working out all around, Tara. And for those that are not, a matter of time is all it will take to get them to the right place," she said, making reference to my dad.

　　I believed her, but I didn't put my faith in it.

　　My dad also hurt me by turning his back on me at my lowest time ever, so if anyone should have been angry, it was me.

　　Pushing those thoughts away, I said a quick goodbye to Mom when I heard Aidan's car outside.

　　"I have to go now. Be safe, Mom," I said, pouring my love into my words. Actually, life was too fragile to bear around the bush, so I said it. "I love you, Mom."

　　The line went quiet, and after a few long seconds, I began to question if I had made a mistake.

　　Then she spoke, sniffing, voice cracking like she was on the verge of tears. "I love you too, nukaq," Mom said. The word she used translated to "child", but that wasn't what cut my breath off. The dialect itself was an ancient language that werewolves of old spoke. They said it was associated with the moon goddess, and it represented everything that she was.

　　Love, light, and life.

　　I pulled myself together, sniffing back my own tears, and I said goodbye to my mom.

　　Just as I was tucking the phone in my purse, the front door burst open, and Nadia's shriek was what I heard first as she tried to get away from Aidan who was basing her down.

　　I couldn't hide my chuckle, even if the joy wrapped around me so tightly that the laughter shook me.

　　Nadia ran headfirst into me, and I picked her up, hiding her head in the crook of my neck.

　　"Looks like you both had fun," I said to no one in particular as Aidan walked in, but by the heavens, I completely lost track of what I was about to say next when I took Aidan in.

　　He had a new outfit on. Just a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt, but his gunslinger walk made him ten times hotter in my eyes. I gently let Nadia down.

　　Aidan was dashing.

　　Wait.

　　Was I ovulating?

　　Maybe I was ovulating.

　　I was definitely ovulating!

　　Aidan stepped inside the kitchen, setting the bags on the counter, and it was only then I realized that something was tucked between his arm and side. It looked like the stems of…flowers.

　　"Aidan," I muttered, shaking my head.

　　This man did not just give me something that I could not put a price on, and still go ahead to bring me flowers.

　　He ignored my whining, and pulled the flowers out, asking instead.

　　"Did you sleep?"

　　The answer should have been easy to let out, but the sight of the flowers Aidan was passing to me shut me up.

　　Like Aidan had said the last time, it was a different type of flower that was wrapped up in the pile.

　　They were the most beautiful shade of red I have seen, and their petals curled up over each other, to end up in slender cups.

　　"Red tulips," Aidan said when he noticed my attention was on the flowers now, and my eyes snapped up to him as I wordlessly accepted them.

　　He passed one to Nadia, and she took hers, skipping her way up to her room immediately.

　　"I think these will be my favorite. I love them, Aidan," I said, sniffing the buds, and closing my eyes as the sweet, yet subtle fragrance trickled up my nostrils.

　　"That's the second type I've gotten you. There should be at least ten others before you can decide." Without waiting for me to respond, Aidan repeated his earlier question, leaning on the counter, and bringing himself closer to me. "Did you sleep?"

　　I nodded. "For hours and hours. Thank you, Aidan, genuinely. And before you say that one more chance is gone, I want you to know that even if you did this just because we're in it together, it doesn't elude the fact that you took a load off me that I or anybody else's would not have been able to do, so thank you."

　　Aidan studied me for a second, and his eyes softened. "You are welcome, Tara."

　　I nodded, turning around to put the flowers in some water, but not without collecting a stem that I was going to stick in my hair.

　　"You ready for dinner?" Aidan asked, and I nodded.

　　"I packed bags…if that's okay…"

　　"Oh, that's exactly what I wanted, Tara," Aidan said, chuckling as he opened the fridge beside us to grab a water.

　　"Fine, then," I said, smiling. "I'll have Nadia freshen up, and we can leave.