After Rejection: A wolfless Omega's Comeback

TWENTY

Rowena’s Pov

The flower, although it had no name on it, shattered my peace and I couldn’t think of anything else.

Throughout that day, I was filled with immense irritation. It got to a point that I couldn’t bear it anymore and asked the workers one after the other if they knew who delivered the flowers.

Of course, like I expected, none of them had any answer.

I carried on with my day, the fear of being watched now implanted in my head. For the flowers to have ended up in my room without any of the guards’ knowledge, I no longer felt safe.

But nevertheless, I took my kids to school the next day. Like Alexander had ordered, some of his men followed us for security purposes. I might have rejected the idea before but with what happened yesterday, I couldn’t bring myself to make them stay behind.

After dropping my kids off at school, I strolled back to the car but I couldn’t help but notice the judging, hateful looks passerbys threw in my way. They whispered words among themselves and my ears managed to catch a few.

“Is that not the woman the Alpha crowned?”

“Gosh. How could she walk around in public without feeling any shame?”

“If the children aren’t the Alpha’s, I see no reason why she shouldn’t be deposed.”

“Goodness. The mere sight of her irritates my eyes.”

Their voices carried so much disdain, a stark contrast to the kindness and care they have always shown me.

I could barely breathe now. I increased my pace and the moment I finally reached where the car was parked and slid into the backseat, my shoulders slumped and I released the breath I had been holding back in my lungs.

“Start the car, now!” I half yelled when the car still wasn’t moving.

“Sorry, ma’am.” Startled, the driver apologized quickly. Just before kicking the car to a start, and speeding off.

Throughout the suffocating ride back home, my head wouldn’t stop spinning, the gossips flashing in my mind.

I expected anything but this. It was shocking to hear gossips were spreading like wildfire across the pack and I was completely oblivious to them. Or maybe it already reached the pack house and even the workers already knew but keeping it away from me.

My stomach clenched with a familiar fear at the thought. Oh no. I didn’t know how they got to know, or how the rumor began in the first place but this wasn’t any good. I have this feeling it wasn’t going to end well.

As soon as we arrived home, I stepped out of the car immediately. The first place I headed towards was the workers’ quarter. I needed to get through with the guard I assigned to keep a tab on Sébastien for me.

I somehow have a hunch he might have had something to do with the rumors spreading around. He was the only suspect I had in mind.

Aside him, there’s Alexander who knows about the biological father of my children but there was no way he would blow the whistle on me when we were both going to be affected.

“Have any of you seen Jace around?” I asked them, my tone serious. Some of them gave a blank stare, while some shook their heads negatively.

“We haven’t seen him around in days.”

As I turned away, I let out a sigh in exasperation, pressing my fingers against my temple.

For him not to show his face here for days now, could it be that he’s still doing his job? Or maybe he hasn’t come back to report to me because he doesn’t have any information on Sébestien yet.

Not knowing what else to do now, I slowly walked away. I soon got to the front door, and the guard standing there was about to open the door for me when the sound of a car honking at the gate pierced the air.

I paused, tilting my head back just in time to see Alexander’s BMW drive in.

That was when it dawned on me that I didn't spot his car in the parking lot this morning. Does this mean he didn’t come home last night?

I stood there and watched him as he stepped out of the car, a guard shutting the door behind him.

I told myself to look away but as he strode over, his face devoid of any expression, my gaze only fixated on him.

And then when his eyes connected with mine, I couldn’t help but notice the way his pace slowed, becoming measured and somehow hesitant.

It was as if he was hoping to keep walking but shouldn’t reach me. That made my stomach stomach clench hard.

I have a feeling he has heard about the rumors, and couldn’t bring himself to see me now.

“Good morning, Xander.” I was the first to break the tension as he got to where I was standing.

“Morning. How are the kids?” He casually asked, walking towards the front door.

“They are at school.” I replied, closely following him.

I didn’t know how to bring up the conversation and just kept following him. He knew but didn’t say a word. Not until he reached his study.

“Are you coming inside?” He asked, holding the door open for me and I gulped down the thick bile in my throat.

I didn’t realize how far I had followed him. But f**k it. The more this pressing matter stays in my mind, it felt like I was gradually losing my breath.

“Yes, if you don’t mind.” I told him. I passed him a tight smile as I stepped inside, and he closed the door behind me.

I walked further into the study, and halted when I couldn’t hear his own footsteps. Feeling his presence behind me, I twisted my head and there he was, taking off his jacket.

As the jacket came off him, my breath hitched, my mouth parting slightly as his muscular chest came into view.

He was handsome, as always. His dark hair framing his face perfectly well.

“Xander. Are you going to stay like this, or you’re putting on something else?” I didn't know when I called his attention.

His head turned in my direction, his pale brown eyes staring at me. “It’s way too hot but I guess I’ll have to put on a shirt.”

He walked to the cabin to get the shirt, and my shoulders that I didn’t realize had tensed relaxed. Gosh, it was though he knew him being shirtless was doing something unexplainable to me.

Which is a mystery because I shouldn’t be seeing Xander that way. All I ever saw him as was my helper. The man who is the main reason why I am standing here breathing. So I didn’t know why my heart had skipped a beat just by the sight of his abs.

Or maybe it was just my heart malfunctioning. I feebly shook my head. I shouldn’t think too much into it.

“I’m back.” I soon heard his voice. But instead of standing before me, he rounded his desk and sat behind it. “Let’s get to it.”

Right. He knew I wouldn’t have followed him here if I didn’t have something bothering me.

By now, my wolf was on the edge. I didn’t hesitate and sat down across him.

My head raised higher to look at him and a chill shot through me as I saw he was already staring at me. My hands scrunched my dress nervously.

“The thing is…” I trailed off, the words harder to form than I thought. “I went to drop the kids off at school but there was some rumors flying around. I don’t know how it got out, but everyone seems to now know you ain’t the biological father of my—” As I spoke, my thighs pressed together, unable to contain my anxiety.

However, he cut in before I could finish.

“Yes, I’m already aware of the rumors.” He said with a brief nod to me and my eyes widened, almost the size of a saucer.

“You are?” I sputtered. I had assumed if he knew, he’d have brought it to my notice. I…I can’t believe he’s been keeping it from me as well. Now I am certain he was the one who ordered the workers to keep their lips sealed.

“I am,” He reaffirmed. The air crackled with sudden tension and I stiffened. Noticing my silence, he continued, his tone reassuring. “But you don’t have to worry. The way the rumors had spread over without our knowledge, it’ll die down soon.”

I was gradually relaxing until I heard that.

“You mean, you know nothing about it?” I burst out before I could myself, and I instantly regretted that.

“Wait a second, you thought I had something to do with it?” He questioned, the disbelief in his voice reverberating in the room. “You lost your trust in me so easily, Rowena?”

His eyes bored into me, not believing what he had just heard from me, and it filled me with guilt.

“No, I just…” I sighed with a brief pause, unable to meet his eyes. “You and I are the only ones who knows about it. Sébestien does too, but he’s been banned from entering this pack. So somehow, I had doubts but I never thought you did that. I would bet my life on it.” I murmured, my wolf restlessly pacing back and forth inside me.

I didn’t expect his face would lit up with my words or that he would dismiss the topic so easily.

“Don’t worry, I understand you.” He said, but he couldn’t stop smiling.

Which arose my suspicions.

“What?” I made a puzzled face at him.

“There’s still something you are not telling me.” He said softly, making me even more intrigued.

I gulped. “I don’t understand you. I already told you everything I think you should know.” I told him, skeptical.

He didn’t answer immediately. He leaned across the table, his eyes trailing my face slowly and causing a feeling of unease to prickle down my skin.

“I’m talking about the flowers. Did you not receive it?” He searched my face, hoping, praying that I understand where he’s heading with this.

A long silence fell between us before I managed to speak, voice barely above a whisper. “How did you know?”

He simply shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly, not answering and that was when it all dawned on me.

I held back a gasp. “Don’t tell me the flower was from you?” I almost couldn’t believe it.

“I can’t send you one?” He threw a question back at me, wiggling a brow and although he tried hard to hide it, I caught the hurt in his voice.

My heart raced like a drum in my ribcage.

I had spent all these years living with him without seeing him as anything more than Alexander Brown, a man far above my reach, who only made me his partner until he finds his true mate.

Thus, no way could I have imagined I had receive roses from someone like him.

“Or perhaps you probably thought it was from Sébestien,” A cruel laugh escaped him, bringing my attention back to him. “The man who still lives rent-free in your mind.”

My breath hitched, my face turning pale white at his last sentence.