CHAPTER 284

CHAPTER 284
Chapter 284

By the time Raphael wrapped up his work, the sun had begun to go down. Thank goodness Avena agreed to stay with Axel till he returned.

“Time to go home,” he uttered, looking at the time.

The word home sounded strange coming from his lips. It had been a long time since he regarded his apartment as home. It felt more like a house with four walls sometime back, so what changed now? Was it because Avena and his son were there?

Raph ran his hands through his now disheveled hair.

Avena.

Her name had been running through his mind throughout. Raphael felt horrible after what happened that morning. Truly, it wasn’t Avena’s fault she happened to be his second chance mate.

He felt bad treating her the way he did, but he just couldn’t betray Alena. No woman could ever replace her.

But he needed to apologize to Avena, though, and make it clear to her his decision.

After contemplating how to apologize and finding none, Raphael went back home. He could hear laughter even before he stepped in.

Avena was running around while Axel attempted to catch her.

“You can’t catch me,” she’d stop for him to catch up before running away again. Axel would stomp his feet in annoyance but still go after her again. The two looked so happy, they barely noticed his arrival.

Raphael found himself smiling along, hands crossed, enjoying the scene before him. Coming home to his mate and child after a long day’s work—wait… did he just say mate?

“You won’t be able to catch me this time, Axyyy!” Avena giggled, backing away from him. She barely noticed the man standing at her back and turned just in time to bump into a lost Raphael.

The collision made them both lose their footing and fall, Raphael cushioning her fall with his hands wrapped around her head.

The world came to a pause as their eyes met once more, but this time Avena was quick to look away.

Raphael felt a small sting as he got up. So that was how it felt.

“Are you okay?” He stretched out a hand to help her, but she ignored it and got up.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” she apologized, and before he could say any more, she was on the move.

“You must be hungry.” Raphael was about to decline when she scooped up the child and added, “Come, Axel, I’ll feed you.”

“Seriously?” Raphael frowned when he realized she wasn’t referring to him. He watched them disappear into the kitchen before he went to his room.

He’d definitely find another time to apologize—or so he thought.

The rest of the day went by quickly, with Avena successfully ignoring him. She focused all her attention on Axel and refused to spare him a glance.

Soon, darkness blanketed the sky, and it was time for her to go. She had successfully put Axel to sleep and tidied up the whole house.

“I’ve put him to bed,” she told Raphael, whom she met in the hallway. “And in case he wakes up later on, I’ve kept a bottle by the bedside. Feed him with it. I’ve also kept a bottle of water in case he asks for water instead. You can give him that and then try singing him a lullaby. He finds it easier to sleep with that.”

Raphael was mesmerized as he watched her speak. She cared a lot about his son—that he knew. Avena would have made a wonderful mother to Axel, if only he would let her into their lives.

“I’ll take my leave now,” she bowed. “Goodnight, Beta.”

No… she can’t leave, Raphael thought as he watched her start to walk away.

Without a second thought, he hurriedly grabbed onto her wrist. “Wait, Avena.”

The frown on Avena’s face as she stared at their hands made him let go, a little disappointed.

“You can stay,” he tried to sound as natural as possible.

“What?”

“You can stay,” he repeated. “I mean… can you s-stay a little longer? At least till Haven and the Alpha are back. I don’t think I can take care of Ax alone,” he said truthfully.

“You can just call me whenever you encounter any problem,” she uttered instead. “I’ll take my leave now.” She bowed and made to leave again.

“Wait!” Raphael called out almost immediately. “You don’t have to leave.”

“I do.”

“You can just stay,” he tried again.

“No.”

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“Stubborn?” Avena scoffed.

“Yeah,” Raph mumbled. “You don’t have to act like this. I said you can stay, why don’t you just listen?”

Avena almost chuckled. “Give me one good reason I should listen to you.”

“Because I’m your mate.” The words left his lips before he could stop them. Both Avena and Raphael stared at each other, wide-eyed.

“So much for being my mate.” Avena walked away, but Raphael went and blocked her path.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” He apologized once she stopped. “I’m sorry for being a jerk all this while. I’m sorry for all the hurtful things I’ve said and how I acted this morning.”

“It’s not your fault, I know. I was wrong to have treated you the way I did,” he continued. “You deserved much better, but I… I just can’t,” he admitted truthfully.

“I loved my mate dearly, even more than my own life. I loved Alena, and I still do. I love her so much.” His words pricked Avena like a thousand needles, and she blinked back tears to stop them from falling.

She watched Raphael sigh as he looked down before looking up at her again.

“The fact remains that I cannot let another woman into my life. Second chance mate or not, no one will be able to take Alena’s place. No one can ever replace her.”

“I hope you can understand?” Raphael didn’t want to hurt Avena, but it was best he made this clear to her.

The saddest smile she had ever seen tugged at Avena’s lips as she nodded her head. She laughed—a broken laugh—with tears dribbling down her cheeks before she wiped them away.

“I understand,” Avena sniffled, completely shattered. She couldn’t believe the man she loved stood in front of her, professing his love for another woman.

“I understand,” she said a second time as she made her decision.

“You don’t have to worry. I won’t ever try to be a part of your life.”

“Avena—”

“Once Haven returns, I’ll pack whatever it is I have and be on my way.”

Raphael frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll leave,” Avena informed him. “I will make sure to disappear from your life. Forever.”