Chapter 5 - The Life He Had Built
2897 Words
By the time Adrian returned home, the rain had stopped.
The streets were still wet.
The lights of the city reflected in the dark pavement, stretching into long, broken lines beneath his feet.
He had spent the entire day in meetings.
Reports.
Territory disputes.
A shipment that had failed to arrive.
A disagreement between two pack leaders that had nearly turned violent.
And three separate matters that should never have reached his desk in the first place.
He was tired.
Not the kind of tired that sleep could fix.
The kind that settled deep inside the bones.
Adrian pushed open the door to his home.
He had barely stepped inside when he heard the sound of running feet.
“Papa!”
He looked up.
Two small figures came rushing toward him from the hallway.
Adrian barely had time to set his things down before one of them collided with his legs.
He caught the child easily.
The second one tried to climb him at the same time.
Adrian let out a low growl.
Both children froze.
His eyes narrowed.
“What is this?”
The youngest blinked at him.
“What?”
Adrian slowly lifted the child in his arms.
“I have come home to discover that two small creatures are still awake.”
The other child took a cautious step backward.
Adrian's eyes moved to them.
“Two creatures who should have been in bed a very long time ago.”
The children looked at one another.
Adrian lowered his voice.
“I see.”
He took one slow step forward.
The child took one step back.
“Perhaps I should investigate.”
“Papa.”
Adrian's expression became very serious.
“Perhaps there is something I should know.”
The child shook their head.
“Perhaps…”
He took another step.
“Perhaps I should ask why there are still children awake at this hour.”
The second child began to laugh.
Adrian's eyes narrowed further.
“Ah.”
He lowered the child in his arms to the floor.
“Then it is true.”
“What is true?”
Adrian leaned forward.
“The children have not brushed their teeth.”
Both children stared at him.
He inhaled deeply.
Then he growled.
The sound was low enough to make both children shriek.
Adrian lunged.
They ran.
Laughter filled the hallway.
He let them get away.
Of course he did.
He could have caught them in seconds.
Instead, he allowed himself to be defeated by two small children who screamed with delight as he chased them toward the bathroom.
“You cannot escape the bear!”
Adrian announced.
“Papa!”
“The great bear is hungry!”
“We brushed our teeth!”
“Lies!”
“We did!”
“I can smell unbrushed teeth from across the territory.”
“That’s not true!”
Adrian caught one of them around the waist and lifted them into the air.
The child squealed.
“Caught!”
“No!”
“Yes.”
He lowered his voice to a terrible whisper.
“And now I shall eat you.”
The child shrieked with laughter.
Adrian pretended to take a bite.
“Papa!”
He laughed.
And for a little while, he forgot that he was tired.
Forgot the reports waiting on his desk.
Forgot the meetings.
Forgot the weight of everything he was responsible for.
There was only the sound of his children's laughter.
And the warmth of their small bodies against him.
Eventually, both children brushed their teeth.
Adrian inspected them carefully.
He took his duty seriously.
“Again.”
“Papa!”
“I am not convinced.”
“We did it!”
Adrian leaned closer.
“Hmm.”
The children held their breath.
He nodded solemnly.
“Acceptable.”
They cheered.
Adrian shook his head.
“Into bed.”
There were protests.
There were negotiations.
There was a very serious argument about why one more story was absolutely necessary.
Adrian lost.
He always did.
A short while later, he sat between them with a book open in his hands.
The room was dim.
One child was already beginning to fall asleep.
The other was still fighting it with impressive determination.
Adrian continued reading.
His voice was low.
Steady.
The same voice that could silence a room full of arguing Alphas.
The same voice that could make warriors stop and listen.
Here, it was softer.
The story came to an end.
Adrian closed the book.
For a moment, neither child moved.
Then one small hand reached for his.
Adrian looked down.
The fingers curled around his.
He stayed.
He could have left.
He had work waiting.
A wife waiting.
There were still things that needed his attention.
But the hand holding his was small.
And warm.
And one day, it would be bigger.
One day, his children would no longer need him to chase them through the house.
One day, they would stop asking for one more story.
So Adrian remained where he was until both children were asleep.
Only then did he carefully free his hand.
He stood.
Quietly.
And left the room.
The hallway was dark.
Adrian walked downstairs.
He had expected the house to be quiet.
It was not.
His wife was sitting in the living room.
She looked up when he entered.
Her eyes moved immediately to the clock.
“You’re late.”
Adrian stopped.
He was too tired to answer immediately.
“I know.”
“You said you would be home earlier.”
“I had work.”
She gave a short laugh.
“You always have work.”
Adrian walked into the room.
His body felt heavy.
He lowered himself onto the sofa and leaned his head back.
For a moment, he closed his eyes.
“Can we talk about this tomorrow?”
There was a pause.
Then: “You’re always tired.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
He stared at the ceiling.
“Yes.”
The answer seemed to irritate her.
“That's all you have to say?”
“What would you like me to say?”
“That you’re sorry.”
“For working?”
Her expression hardened.
“For never being here.”
Adrian slowly turned his head toward her.
“I was here tonight.”
“You were upstairs with the children.”
“Yes.”
“You’re always so overexcited with them.”
Something in him went still.
Adrian looked at her.
“They’re children.”
“They don't need you to act like one of them.”
“No.”
His voice remained calm.
“They need their father.”
The room grew quiet.
His wife looked away first.
Adrian closed his eyes again.
He did not want to fight.
Not tonight.
He did not have the energy.
But apparently, that was not enough.
“I need a new bag.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
“A new bag?”
“For Pilates.”
He stared at her.
She continued as though the conversation had never changed direction.
“The one I have now is old.”
Adrian looked at the bag sitting beside her.
He had seen it before.
It did not look old.
“How old?”
She frowned.
“That isn't the point.”
Adrian said nothing.
She crossed her arms.
“I also need to start thinking about the birthday party.”
“For which child?”
She gave him a look.
“For one of the girls in our daughter's group.”
Adrian rubbed a hand over his face.
He was tired.
He was so tired.
“Can we please talk about this tomorrow?”
“There it is again.”
He looked at her.
“What?”
“Tomorrow.”
She stood.
“Everything is always tomorrow with you.”
Adrian slowly rose from the sofa.
“I have been working since early this morning.”
“So?”
His jaw tightened.
“So I am tired.”
“You are always tired.”
“Yes.”
His voice was still calm.
But something beneath it had begun to crack.
“Perhaps because I am the one making sure this family has a safe home.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Oh, please.”
Adrian stared at her.
“I am the one responsible for this territory.”
“And there it is.”
“What?”
“The excuse.”
His expression changed.
“It is not an excuse.”
“No. Of course not.”
She laughed again.
“You always have a reason.”
“Because there are responsibilities.”
“Your pack.”
“Yes.”
“Your territory.”
“Yes.”
“Your meetings.”
“Yes.”
“And what about your family?”
Something in Adrian's chest tightened.
“I am working for my family.”
“Are you?”
He stared at her.
She continued.
“You say that as though we are living in some kind of poverty.”
“That is not what I said.”
“You work because you like being important.”
Adrian became very still.
She seemed not to notice.
Or perhaps she did.
“You like being needed.”
He looked at her.
For a moment, he thought about answering.
Then he decided against it.
He was too tired.
And there was no answer he could give that would make her understand.
“I work because someone has to.”
She scoffed.
“Someone.”
Adrian looked toward the dark window.
The reflection staring back at him looked older than he felt.
“I could be home more.”
She stared at him.
He continued.
“If you were more involved.”
Her face changed.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You are Luna.”
Her expression hardened.
“I know what I am.”
“Do you?”
The words were out before he could stop them.
Silence filled the room.
Adrian closed his eyes.
He should not have said it.
But he was tired of pretending.
She did not attend the pack meetings.
She did not visit the families who needed help.
She did not know which members of the pack were struggling.
She knew the title.
She knew the privileges.
But she had never seemed to understand the responsibility.
“I have enough to do,” she said.
“Like what?”
Her eyes flashed.
Adrian immediately regretted the question.
But it was too late.
“You think I do nothing?”
“I didn't say that.”
“You think I sit here all day and spend your money?”
“I did not say that either.”
“You don't have to.”
Adrian took a slow breath.
The room felt smaller.
He had stood in front of enemies.
He had negotiated with people who wanted him dead. But there were moments when a conversation in his own home felt more dangerous than any battlefield.
“I don't want to fight.”
“Of course you don't.”
She turned away from him.
“You never want to talk.”
“I am talking.”
“No. You are waiting for me to stop.”
Adrian said nothing.
Because she was right.
He was.
She walked toward the table.
Picked up a glass.
Adrian watched her.
He knew that look.
Something in him tightened.
“Don't.”
She turned.
“What?”
“Put the glass down.”
For a second, she simply stared at him.
Then she threw it.
The glass struck the wall beside him.
It shattered.
The sound filled the room.
Adrian did not move.
Pieces of glass fell to the floor.
One rolled beneath the table.
Silence followed.
His wife stared at the broken glass.
For a moment, a haughty satisfaction crossed her face.
Then it disappeared.
“I’m going to bed.”
She turned and walked away.
Adrian remained where he was.
He listened to her footsteps disappear upstairs.
A door closed.
He stood alone in the living room.
The broken glass glittered on the floor.
Adrian looked at it.
He did not feel angry.
That was the problem.
He felt tired.
And somewhere beneath the exhaustion was something else.
Something that had been there for a long time.
He bent down and began to pick up the pieces.
One by one.
Carefully.
When he was finished, he did not go upstairs.
He had no desire to.
He knew what waited there.
Another conversation.
Another argument.
Or something that would be worse because neither of them would say what they were actually thinking.
Adrian returned to the sofa.
He lay down.
The cushions were not comfortable.
He did not care.
He closed his eyes.
And immediately saw Elena.
Her face.
Her eyes.
The faint smile that had appeared when she talked about mushrooms.
The sound of her laughter.
The warmth of her hand beneath his.
Adrian opened his eyes.
“No.”
His wolf didn’t answer.
It ignored him.
Its attention remained fixed on Elena.
On her.
On the woman whose name Adrian had only just learned.
He turned onto his side.
He tried to think about something else.
The expedition.
The territory.
The reports waiting for him.
The route they would take.
The people who would accompany them.
Anything.
But his mind returned to her.
It returned to her hand.
To the way her fingers had rested beneath his.
To the small shiver that had moved along her skin.
To the way she had looked at him afterward.
Adrian closed his eyes again.
And then he heard it.
A sound.
So faint he almost believed he had imagined it.
“Adrian.”
His eyes opened.
His wolf was alert.
Not restless.
Not angry.
Alert.
Listening.
Adrian held his breath.
There.
Again.
Not in the room.
Not in the house.
Somewhere inside him.
A soft sound.
His name.
His body reacted before his mind could stop it.
Heat moved through him.
His pulse quickened.
His wolf lifted its head.
Adrian sat up.
“No.”
The wolf did not listen.
He could still hear her.
Not clearly.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough to know the sound.
Enough to know the way she had said his name.
His name.
As though she had called for him.
Adrian's hand tightened around the edge of the sofa.
He should not be thinking about her.
He was married.
He had a family.
He had responsibilities.
He had built a life.
A life that had existed long before Elena Eldren had walked into a meeting room and placed her hand in his.
He had no right to want her.
No right to imagine her.
No right to wonder what she had been doing after she left him.
And yet his mind betrayed him.
He imagined her alone.
Her eyes closed.
Her lips parted and her hands exploring her soft, warm body.
His name caught between her breath.
Adrian's breathing became heavier.
His wolf moved restlessly beneath his skin.
"Go to her."
The thought was not his.
Adrian clenched his jaw.
“No.”
She was not his.
He did not know her.
He had no idea where she was.
And even if he did— No.
He would not.
He had spent his entire life mastering instinct.
He would not lose control now.
Not over a woman.
Not over a single touch.
Not over a voice he had never heard say his name like that.
Except, he had.
Somewhere. In the darkness of his mind.
He heard it again.
“Adrian.”
His body hardened.
He shut his eyes.
The image of her came sharper.
Her hand beneath his.
Her skin.
Her breath.
The way she had looked at him when their fingers touched.
Adrian dragged a hand over his face.
He should stop.
He knew he should.
But his body no longer seemed interested in what he should do.
He thought of her.
And the sound of her name leaving his own lips.
“Elena.”
The room was silent.
Adrian froze.
He had said it aloud.
He looked toward the stairs.
Nothing moved. His wife and his children were asleep upstairs.
And he was lying alone on the sofa, whispering the name of a woman he had met once.
His wolf stirred.
Adrian closed his eyes.
He could still hear her.
That soft, breathless sound.
His name.
His hand tightened.
His breathing grew rougher.
He tried to think of anything else.
He failed.
Elena.
The thought of her was everywhere.
In his mind.
In his body.
Under his skin.
And when he finally gave in to the image of her, he did so with his eyes closed and her name echoing through him.
His c**k throbing just thinking about her, alone.
His name, on her breath as she thought of him.
And he gave in to the fantasy.
When it was over, Adrian remained still.
The house was silent.
The city beyond the windows was dark.
He stared into the darkness.
For a long time, his wolf said nothing.
Then, finally...
"She said yours first."
Adrian's eyes opened.
He stared at the ceiling.
And for the first time in years, he had no idea what his wolf meant.
But somewhere, far beyond the walls of his home, Elena Eldren was sleeping. And Adrian could still hear her name.
- Writer
