Alice and The Rogue Wolf

Chapter 21

"You are my mate, Alice!" He muttered, making my eyes widen in shock.

"What did you just say?" I retorted, not wanting to believe my ears.

Slowly, he approached me and took my twitching hand in his. "You are my mate, Alice. I thought the attraction would wear off after we stayed apart for a while, but I was wrong. I know you hear that voice too and are trying to pay no heed to it, but believe me, it never goes away. We are meant to be together and fate won't stop until we finally get together.

"Please tell me this is one of your jokes, Brayden," I said, chuckling nervously. "I am meant to be with Jonathan, not you."

My words seemed to have slashed a deep cut in his heart as he lowered his gaze and remained silent. He kept on brooding for a while before going back inside to his room leaving me outside on the veranda struggling to keep back the tears that were beginning to flood my eyes.

To say I was conflicted was an understatement. It was also no more a secret to me that my wolf had also identified him as mate, but I didn't know what to make of what Brayden had just said.

Traditionally, I was supposed to be attracted to my future husband, Jonathan, but instead, I had now found myself not being able to get over this constant yearning for a Rogue who was supposed to be my friend. I knew I had to leave to avoid these emotions that were flooding my heart, and I needed to do that soon. But at the same time, a part of my heart longed to be with Brayden. It was not meant to happen, but it happened, and because it happened, I was left confused, stranded, and unable to decide what to do next.

As I was sniffling back my tears, I caught Megan, from the corner of my eyes, approaching me from behind. I quickly dried up my tears with my palm, not wanting her to notice me sobbing but it was too late.

"Are you okay, Miss Alice? I overheard you and Brayden shouting," she asked, handing me a pack of tissues.

"Thank you, Megan," I said, collecting the pack. "How long have you been listening?"

"Not long. I woke up from my nap two minutes ago. You guys were too loud and I came out only to find you crying."

I patted her hair gently. "Listen, your brother and I just had a little argument, alright? I'm sorry we woke you up."

"Nah, don't worry about it. But if you claim it was just an argument, why then are you crying?" The little girl asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"It is complicated but I can assure you We are in a kind of tight situation now, but we will get through it okay?" Partly I was trying to assure myself and at the same time take the worry off the little girl's mind.

"Okay. But you should go meet him, he looked furious."

"No," I retorted. "I think it's better we stay apart from each other for now till his temperament subsides."

"Okay, I'll go tell Mother you'll be leaving," Megan said, running off.

I reached Into my pocket to get my phone and only then did the realization hit me. Brayden had taken my phone and was yet to hand it back. I thought I would leave without seeing him, but it seemed that fate had other plans for me.

I wiped my face dry and steadily and slowly made my way back into the house with a heavy heart. Even when I was a few yards away from the room, I could hear his belongings flying about and his loud grunts and groans as he smashed a vase on the wall. I watched heartbroken ad his mother and sister stood outside the door begging him to stop but he wouldn't listen.

"Oh thank goodness you're still here," Mrs. Allen exclaimed, gesturing for me to come closer. "Please could you help us tame him before he brings our roof down with his temper? His sister and I have tried desperately but we can make him stop talking more to find out the reason for his anger."

"I am the one causing him this pain!" I wanted to scream, but I thought against it. It would only tense up the situation rather than do any good so I told them to move away from the entrance and let me try to help.

"Brayden!" I called gently but got no response. "Brayden, it's me, Alice."

On hearing I was the one, he must have stopped his destruction as the shuffling and shattering stopped. I leaned my ear against the door and I could hear his rapid and loud breathing.

"Brayden, are you okay?"

"That's none of your concern. Go away to Jonathan!" He yelled.

"Brayden, stop this childish act at once and come out!" His mother ordered.

He kept silent at the order and after a few seconds, the door finally creaked open to reveal Brayden with a trail of blood streaming off his chuckles. At the gory sight, the three of us gasped and tried to help him but he resented.

"I thought you would have been gone by now," he growled, turning to face me with his hot breath spraying all over my face. "What are you still doing here?"

"Quit it, Brayden. She is part of our family as well and she can stay as long as she pleases," Mrs. Allen scolded but I stepped in before things got out of hand.

"Guys, please I'll be taking my leave," I announced, stepping in-between them. "but first I need to get my phone. Brayden I heard you were with it.*

He reached Into his pants, grabbed the phone, and then tossed it at me, not minding there was a chance the phone could crash on the floor if not for my quick rescue. Once the phone was in my hands he pointed to the door and in the coldest tone I had ever heard, ordered me to leave.

Their house was a long way off from mine and I had originally planned that I would stay and have dinner with them, and thereafter Brayden would drive me to the closest route where I could take to get home quicker. But now more than ever, staring at that clenched jaw of his, I knew the more time I wasted there, the worse and more detrimental it could get for me and I had to leave immediately.

With my hopes of a memorable evening and having a fun-filled drive home by Brayden crushed, I was left with no choice but to seek a lift from Mrs. Allen, who understood my plight and quickly dashed upstairs to get her car keys while Brayden headed back into his room after grabbing a first aid box from the kitchen shelf.

I looked around and I spotted Megan cradled up on a cushion. She looked the most affected by the whole scuffle, as tears poured out in her torrents. I couldn't possibly imagine what was going through her young mind but I knew whatever it was, it didn't speak favorably of me or her brother.

Not knowing what to say, I placed her head on my shoulders comforting her. "C'mon. Dry up your tears. Everything is going to be okay."

My attempt at making tears ceased failed, but knowing how much she loved car rides, I had just the right offer to make her smile.

Mrs. Allen appeared from this hallway, flicking her car keys in her hands. Taking one glance at both of us, she told me to get ready and meet her outside before heading out to bring the car around.

"Hey, you know what? Maybe, if you cheer up a little, I could talk to your mom about letting you ride with us in the car."

"Really?" She squealed amidst sobs.

"Yeah! And if you stop crying entirely, I could get you a large bucket of ice cream next time I visit." I heard the car horn beep twice beeping twice outside. "So what do you say?"

"Okay, she muttered, grabbing a jacket and leading the way to the car.

"Why is she coming along too?" Mrs. Allen asked, pointing to Megan who had already settled down at the back.

"Oh, it's a kind of bribe. Please, let her stay and I promise she will behave, right Megan?" The girl responded with an affirmative nod.

"Oh she better be, or whatever happens is on you."

I chuckled at what she said at the same time strapping on my seatbelt. We both knew that Megan was as hard-headed as me, though even not harder to control than I was. She sat in the back seat fiddling with her phone with headsets plugged into her ears and her hands typing noisily on the screen.

I looked over at Brayden's mother and nudged her to drive out but the vehicle refused to start. After several attempts, she tried igniting the engine once more, and it responded, bringing smiles to our faces. Quickly, she reversed the car and in no time we were on the highway speeding fast.