THE ALPHA HIS LUNA AND THEIR MATE

REUNION: The Alpha

ARIA's POV

Leaving that godforsaken witches' academy was a breath of relief. I hated it there. Five years there and each passing day was unbearable.

"Are you going to respond to him?" Kimberly, my best friend, asked, startling me back to reality, as I stared at the message on a brown envelope from Alex.

It's been five years since I saw Alex, it has been five years of thinking of Alex every day.

"I don't know Kim, I don't want to get entangled in his complicated love life again," I paused, my mind trailing back to that day with Alex and Erin and all the tears I shed afterward. "I can't deal with that kind of messed up love."

"I think you should at least hear what he has to say, it's been five years, Aria," Kimberly muttered, reaching out to me, and placing her palms in mine.

"I am scared, Kim, I am scared that I will want him and he will suck me into a love I can't comprehend."

"I understand, but there is no harm in trying."

*****

Here I was seated, 'trying' not to take the next exit out of this place, when he walked in, he still had that captivating smile of his, and breathtaking charm.

"You are so screwed, Aria," I muttered to myself as he approached me.

"Aria," he spoke in a calm tone, a tone that melted all the defense I had built and it all crumbled down.

"Alex, " I replied with a smile, and he sat down close to me. I could feel my palms getting all sweaty and he signaled to the waiter to come and ask for a glass of champagne.

"What would you be having?" he asked me. I admire how confident and composed he was. While I was freaking out, I felt like he was going to pull me to him and take my mouth into his. I might probably slap him afterward, but I would welcome the kiss for a second.

"Red wine is fine," I managed to say, and the waiter nodded and disappeared back to the bar.

"You look…," he paused, and smiled, "Ravishing,"

I could feel my cheek flustered pink.

Get a hold on yourself, Aria, you shouldn't be feeling this way about him.

"Thank you," I responded, trying to sound casual, giving him a half smile.

"Where have you been hiding, Aria? I tried reaching you a thousand times and you never responded. Why?"

Why? Is he kidding me?

Why Alex, because you have another mate and wife.

"I have been trying to focus on being a better witch, practicing and all that," I lied, I hated witch academy, and I skipped a lot of classes because they were pretty basic. But I wasn't going to admit that to him.

"I am glad, and I love this version of Aria."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I didn't.

We sat there in silence and it seemed like time slowed down.

"Erin also left five years ago," Alex said, his voice slightly above a whisper, and my eyes widened.

"What…why…" I was struggling to get a coherent sentence out there.

"She left, " he paused, and I could see a hint of sadness in his eyes. It was hard to explain but I felt it too. I became sad. "When you rejected me, I became sad, depressed, and isolated," he let out an exasperated gasp, I could feel him struggling to speak.

"I pushed her away with my attitude, at that time, all I wanted was to have you back. I neglected her, "

"So she left," I completed it for him, noticing how hard it was for him to speak.

"Yes, she left without even saying goodbye, she wanted me to go after you,"

I felt a pang in my chest, all this while, I thought I was the only one suffering the pain of losing a mate and being forced to reject him. I had wished they would suffer the way I was suffering, but now that I know they did, I am not sure I feel any better.

"I am sorry about that," I whispered, and he stretched forth his hands and held mine, clenching them together.

"It isn't your fault Aria, she made her choice, I made mine, we are all living with the consequences, "

That sounded really sad. I gazed at his hands still holding mine firmly, I could feel a tingling sensation coursing down my body. I wanted this man, but I also felt guilty, his marriage didn't work out because of me.

"I have to go, " I said abruptly, the guilt was eating me raw and somehow, I felt it was wrong, being here with him, wanting him this much.

"Did I say anything wrong, Aria?" he asked, and I could see the perplexion in his eyes.

"It is not you Alex, I just feel all this is wrong, I came into your life and everything changed."

"Aria, it isn't your fault."

"Whose fault is it then? The moon goddess? We can blame her for giving you two mates, but I shouldn't have shown up in your life. You are an Alpha and I am a witch, that alone should have been a warning to me," I was becoming tensed and my breath was lapsing and I tried to pull my hands away from him, but he held on tighter to me.

"Aria, please don't do this, don't blame yourself, it isn't your fault, we are here now, aren't we?" his tone was still calm, while I was trying not to freak out.

"What about Erin? Where is she? Didn't you even try to look for her?"

"I did, but it was almost like she disappeared from the face of the earth. At one point, I thought she was dead, but a wolf sniffer told me he could scent her, plus I can still feel our wolf bond strongly,"

That didn't make me feel better, he was still strongly bonded to her.

"I have to go, Alex, I can't deal with this, you will always have a mate out there and I will always be the other woman who stole you from her. I don't want that."

I didn't wait for a response from him, I pulled my hands away and stood up from my seat, I ran out of the bar and I could hear him calling my name, I turned to the other side of the road, a more isolated route, it was closer to my dorm, instantly, I felt a strong hands on my waist pulling me close and my back pressed on the wall.

"Alex," I whispered.

"Damn it Aria, can't you see how much I desire you, can't you see how I long for you,"

"Alex, this won't work."

"Aria, I desire every bit of you, you are everything I long for."

"I can't, I…"

"f**k it," Alex muttered right before claiming my mouth into his, his mouth devoured mine with a passion I had never felt before, and his hands moved to envelop me around my waist pulling me closer to him and leaving no space between us. I couldn't resist the feel of his lips inside of mine. I took his lips as his tongue explored the corner of my mouth. And as the kiss gently slowed down, I could see him gently pull his mouth away from mine.

"I want all of you, Aria,"