Loving The Alpha I Once Bullied

07 - A Fairytale

Damon Brown was every bit as evil as a villain from a fairytale. Ciara had been his companion who unconsciously aided him in his plan to rule the world.

But like every villain, once he had grown long wings, they were clipped by Prince Charming who came just in time to save the precious princess.

Jake was Prince Charming and Elena had been the princess of the fairytale. Whereas Damon and Ciara were the villains. They got punished at the end for wanting what did not belong to them.

“How can he be back? He was killed by Jake. We all know that. Stop assuming things.” Ashton said, trying to be logical in such an illogical situation.

Janice still wasn’t convinced as she said, “Ashton, you’re acting like the last few years didn’t happen now that she’s returned. Why?”

Her voice was filled with despair and a hint of bitterness. A guilty expression was painted on Ashton’s face after Janice said those words.

Ciara looked between the two of them, confused by the exchange. But her curiosity wasn’t sated as Ashton put an end to the drama, saying:

“We will talk later. Get that man to the hospital. Ciara and I are leaving.”

Ashton didn’t even wait to hear Janice’s response before he put an arm around Ciara and led her out of the Calore house. During the drive back to the pack house, Ciara could sense Ashton’s discomfort.

And so she said with a low voice, “It’s not me. I promise.”

It took Ashton a little while to respond to her. When he did, he planted his palm on one of her knees, stroking it reassuringly.

“I believe you.”

But it didn’t sound like he did.

By the time the both of them returned to the house, they found the Smith family waiting for them. As they were about to walk into the house, Jeanette stopped them.

“No! No, I will not let that girl back into this house!”

Ashton let out an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He took a step further with his hand around Ciara’s waist.

“Ashton, have you gone mad!? Have you not heard about what happened at the border?” Graham asked.

“I heard about it. They were vampires. Not Ciara.”

“When has it never been Ciara?” Colton piped up. “How is it possible that during the six years she wasn’t in the werewolf territory, there was such blissful peace, but now that she’s back, suddenly there are vampires attacking us?”

“Can’t you see that her arrival has something to do with this?” Colton continued.

“What if someone is trying to frame her!?” Ashton countered.

“Why didn’t they frame her when she wasn’t around? Why now? And why with vampires draining life forces!?” Jeanette fired.

“I don’t know!” Ashton exclaimed.

“Of course, you don’t. When it comes to her, what do you know?” Graham said coldly.

“It wasn’t me,” a small voice spoke up amidst the loud voices.

Everyone turned to face Ciara with sharp disbelief.

“I might’ve been the one in the past, but this time, I promise, it’s not me.”

Ciara looked so weak and pitiful at that moment. Combining the messy bun that her hair was in, the slightly purple bruises on her face, the oversized clothes she was wearing, and her helpless expression, her words sounded so honest.

But they had all made the mistake of assuming that she looked too innocent to commit evil deeds despite her bad reputation too many times in the past.

They were smarter now. Hence, the Smith family chose not to believe in Ciara’s desperate display of innocence.

Ashton was the only one who understood how much effort it took Ciara to say those words. So he held her hand tighter and continued to defend her.

“Ciara has said she has nothing to do with the recent attack. I believe her. That’s all everyone needs to know.”

Once again, he shielded Ciara from his family and led her to his room. When they got there, Ashton didn’t speak about the matter anymore.

He pretended as though the last hour hadn’t happened as he brought her food to eat and put her to bed. Even though Ciara was not in the mood to sleep, with Ashton coddling her like a child and transferring calming energy to her, how could she resist the sweet embrace of rest?

But when Ciara woke up, Ashton was not sleeping next to her. She suddenly felt lonely. And hungry too, as her stomach grumbled.

Ciara was able to put up with the hunger for a while before something Ashton said to her replayed in her mind.

“If you want anything in this house, go for it. You are my mate, no one here will restrict you.”

Though Ciara doubted the last half of his words, she still decided to go to the kitchen downstairs and get something to eat, internally hoping that she wouldn’t bump into anyone.

But as she filled up a bowl with fruits, she heard the sound of shuffling a few feet from her. Ciara lifted her head and saw Jeanette standing at the entrance of the kitchen, glowering at her.

“I-I… I just wanted to get something to eat,” she explained weakly, not daring to hold Jeanette’s cold gaze.

“While Ashton is out by this time of the night clearing your name and defending you to the pack instead of sleeping, you’re here, filling up a plate to eat, without a care in the world.” Jeanette said with a hostile tone.

Ciara didn’t know that Ashton was working for her. And she wouldn’t have been able to stop him from doing so even if she had known. But that didn’t stop her from feeling bad and losing her appetite.

“I don’t know what you did to my son to have him wrapped around your finger, but I know that you don’t deserve him.”

Ciara flinched at the harsh words.

“How do you feel when you look at him? Don’t you feel guilty for misleading him in the past and crushing his feelings? Don’t you feel ashamed that after you discarded him, he still supports you and hangs on your every word?”

Jeanette pounded at the door of Ciara’s past memories that she had locked shut in her mind for years.

“Have you even apologized to him? Knowing you and your pride, I doubt you have. Do you know what he’s been through these past few years? Do you even care??” Jeanette raised her voice.

Ciara didn’t. How could she awaken something that held the key to her biggest regret, her biggest mistake, her biggest crime?

These past few years, she had shoved all memories of Ashton deep down to the bottom of her heart. Thinking about him only brought her pain.

“I had to watch my son search every nook and cranny of the werewolf territory, looking for you. Watch him break down whenever he sees someone with blonde hair and blue eyes. Watch him have nightmares about the day you betrayed him.

“Watch him finally get over you and move on. And yet, the second you return to his life, he acts as though he didn’t cry before the Werewolf Council, begging them to uplift your banishment and bring you back.”

Ciara stopped breathing.

Ashton did what??

“Don’t you feel disgusted with yourself for taking advantage of the very man who regards you as his goddess?” Jeanette questioned, her cruel gaze moist with tears.

Ciara kept quiet.

“Don’t you feel sorry for the unhealing scar you carved in his heart?”

A slow moment passed before Ciara finally said:

“I’m sorry.”

A word that she had never uttered in her entire life came out of her mouth with utmost sincerity coating them.

But hearing Ciara’s apology didn’t lessen Jeanette’s hatred for her one bit.

“You still don’t understand,” Jeanette heaved a sigh, then closed the distance between them and whispered:

“Your entire existence is unforgivable. Only your death and total disappearance from the world can heal Ashton’s heart. But you wouldn’t do that, would you? You’re much too selfish to care about anyone other than yourself.”

Jeanette stepped away from Ciara and left the kitchen completely. Standing alone in the kitchen, Ciara let the boughs of regret and guilt weigh her down till her knees gave out.

She whispered to no one, “What if I hadn’t betrayed him?”