Chapter 60 Chapter 60

Chapter 60 Chapter 60
ONE YEAR LATER...

“How do you feel today, Chris? Today is your last day here.”

“I feel great, Dylan. I feel light,” Chris answered calmly and smiled at the young man who had been his psychiatrist for almost a year now.

Dylan smiled, pleased to hear that. “Do you think you can face him now without trouble?”

“Yes,” he answered quickly, but then his eyes shifted upward as his mind drifted to a thought soon after.

“Or maybe not. If I’ve been able to achieve this amount of stability only because of his absence, what if I revert back to how I was once I see him?”

“You should trust yourself more, Chris. Saying you can do it actually challenges your mind not to do otherwise. And I believe you can do it. I mean, even after learning about his current location, you didn't seek him out or throw a tantrum.”

Chris chuckled. “I guess I did mature.”
He sighed and stood up. “I need to start afresh on a clean slate. Get back to work and forget the past. That’s my goal now.”

Dylan stood up as he walked over to Chris and extended his hand for a handshake, which he took.

“Take care of yourself, Commander, sir.”

“Thank you, Doc. Hopefully, I don’t get to see you anytime soon.”

"Hopefully you don't"

Dylan smiled as he watched the alpha walk out of the office calmly and then thought about their first meeting.

The man had arrogantly barged into his office with bloodshot red eyes, dishevelled hair, chapped lips, and an overall unkempt look.

When he talked, he felt like he was wronged by the whole world; he was angry at the Moon Goddess, at himself, and at someone called “Drey” for taking his love away. Someone he said was his original mate but had shattered his well planned out life.

But when he talked about Jeremy, his voice got remarkably calmer and sad, gentle but full of love. Anyone could tell that he loved the omega, but then it was just an obsession.

It took a while before the alpha came to think logically, and now he was proud to see him doing better than during their first meetings.

“Doctor Dylan?” his front desk officer called from the door, gaining his attention.

“Yes, Vivian?”

“Miss Tara is here.”

“Ah,” Dylan said as he adjusted his shirt and went back to his seat. “Please let her in,” he said, and Vivian left.

Dylan sighed. He was getting another patient who had been referred to him from a doctor abroad. Hopefully she was already doing better since she's been seeing her doctor.

He opened the file her doctor abroad sent him. She's suffering from depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Whew...

Soon, a slender, beautiful omega walked in after knocking and calmly sat down.

“Hello, Tara.”

“Hello, Doctor.”

Dylan smiled at her. “Doctor Ryan told me a lot about you. How are you doing?”

Tara smiled, calm, her beauty humble.

“I’m fine now. I keep telling Ryan I was okay, but he insisted I continue treatment for a while, especially because I’m home and close to the source of my despair” She sighed. “But seriously, I’m fine now.”
Dylan smiled again.

Guess he has another patient to look after.

....
Chris drove to his military base to report for duty and submit his medical report that deemed him fit to resume his duties as a commander.

It took a while, catching up with the general and some of his boys, and it may take even longer to get back to work, but that was okay.

He drove up to Lihra Lake and walked up to the little bridge over the lake that was now slowly overgrown with flowers.

He stood there, lit his cigarette, and smoked.

“I’m better now, Jeremy. Won’t you even let me see your face one last time?” he said to himself, willing himself not to let his thoughts wander too much to Jeremy until he finished his smoke.

He drove back to his parent's house after that, but once he got home, even before he finished parking his car, a familiar scent hit him, and he paused.

Jeremy.

His first instinct was to dash out of the car and go straight for the omega, but he remembered the doctor’s advice, making the alpha smile as he slowly inhaled and exhaled five or more times to calm down.

After he was calm, he slowly got out of the car and walked up to the house to meet a noisy house.
There were more people than usual. Luna and all the maids in the house seemed to be gushing over Jeremy who had his back to him while Ramsey played with Jaden.

Julianna sighted him first and immediately ran up to him.

“See who came around, Chris. It’s Jeremy,” she said excitedly.

As the person in question stood up and faced them, Chris was silent. Jeremy didn’t change at all. If anything, he seemed to look even more beautiful and younger than before.

“And he’s invited us to his wedding happening here in Delrago.”

Jeremy walked up to them at the same time as Ramsey, who was carrying Jaden.

“Hi, Uncle Chris,” Jaden greeted.

“Little Jaden has a steadier voice now, huh?” Chris asked with a fond smile as he tickled the boy's chin making him laugh.

“Julianna, come on, let’s arrange a few things.” Ramsey said walking towards the dining room with the maids

“But…”

“Julianna!” Ramsey called more firmly, and reluctantly, Julianna moved away to give the two space.

“Jeremy…” Chris’s voice came out hoarse, and he turned slightly to clear his throat. “It’s good to see you again.”

Jeremy’s big eyes stared fixedly at him before he asked, “So, who am I looking at?”

Chris turned and sighed, a small smile occupying his lips that did not quite reach his eyes.

“Who do you think, silly? It’s your big brother.”
Jeremy sniffled and smiled back at him as he jumped into the alpha’s arms and buried his nose into his neck.

“I missed you, brother.”

Chris hummed into the hug, pulling the younger one so close he could feel his heart beating, but just as quickly, he let go of the hug, his smile still plastered on.

“You seem to be aging backwards, Jeremy.”

Jeremy giggled. “What can I say? Happiness looks good on me.”

Chris chuckled and gulped. “Drey is treating you well, then?”

“Exceptionally well. I’m being spoiled by him and his dad.”

Chris tried to smile, but it came out forced. Luckily, he didn’t have to pretend for long as Julianna called them to eat lunch.

“Coming, Mom!” Jeremy called back and signaled to Chris. “Come on.”

He was just about to take a step forward when Chris held his wrist and pulled him into a semi-back hug, burying his nose into his neck.

Jeremy panicked.

“Chris, what are you doing?”

“You smell different,” Chris said before letting go of the younger one and gently turning him around. “You’re pregnant.”

Jeremy’s shocked expression melted into a shy smile, and he nodded.

“It’s barely a week old, which is why I want to have my wedding quickly before it starts to show. I’d like to look good in my attire.”

“You’d look good even with a baby bump,” Chris teased, making Jeremy shake his head.

“I’m going into hiding once it starts to show,” Jeremy said as he wrapped his arm around Chris’s and pulled him towards the dining room.

“What about your husband? How come he’s not clinging to you here?”

“He has gone to the office. He had something to do at the company.”

“Dada, this rice cake is delicious,” Jaden said once they were in sight, making the omega rush to his side with surprise.

“How come you’re eating rice cakes now, Jaden? You said you don’t like it and never eat it when I make it.”

“I don’t know, but Grandma’s does not taste bland and disgusting like yours.”

Jeremy gasped.

“Why, you little… How could you say that?"

“Don’t worry, Jeremy. I’ll teach you how to make better rice cakes.”

Jeremy huffed and took his seat, Chris sitting beside him.

“Grandma, not only rice cakes, but everything too. Dada only knows how to make noodles, fry eggs, and toast bread.”

“Well, that’s a lot to get you by, Jaden, but guess what? You won’t be getting even that much anymore,” Jeremy lisped back, to which Jaden smiled.

“That’s okay. I’m with Grandma now.”

“You won’t be here forever.”

“I will.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Yes, I will.”

Jeremy was about to continue when his mother nudged him from under the table, and then his pained eyes met hers. She mouthed,

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“He started it,” Jeremy mouthed back.

Ramsey chuckled at that while Chris smiled as he shook his head. Jeremy never changed. He still behaved like a child, and now it looked like a child raising a child.

The dining room was soon filled with joy and laughter like it used to be before everything went wrong. And now Jeremy was acting like nothing ever happened.

When asked, the male omega told them about how the past year went. He went back to school, got his degree, and was offered jobs in different companies, but Percy convinced him to work at his company with sweet benefits he couldn’t turn down.

He had been to Rendro Pack once to go see Mica and her newborn baby. Oliver was more of a Rendro wolf now than a Delrago wolf since he was always clinging to his mate. And Rendro pack was quickly developing thanks to other packs offering support.

Julianna talked about how boring the pack had been, especially since Chris moved out.
The pups in the pack were always tired from school, so they didn’t come around as much as they used to and the teenagers are always busy with dating and their phones while the adults are busy with life generally. 

“I should get going,” Chris said after a while. He wiped his mouth and got up. “Just stopped by to check on you both,” he gestured at his parents. “Didn’t think I’d meet you here, but I’m glad I did.”

Jeremy smiled as he got up too.

“I’ll walk you out.”

Everyone said goodbye to Chris, and both of them walked out in awkward silence.

“So…”

“So…”
They both said at the same time and laughed as the awkwardness slowly lifted.

“You first, Jeremy,” Chris said, making the younger smile.

“How is it? You know, therapy.”

Chris smiled and shrugged.

“It’s been helpful. I’m more at peace with who I am now and what I’ve been allowed.”

Jeremy nodded, seemingly proud.

“I’ve been to therapy too, and it’s been helpful. Coming here today was my last assignment, and it doesn’t hurt as much anymore,” he smiled. “Instead, all I remember here are the good memories we shared, and nothing else.”

He turned to Chris, his smile still plastered on.

“But there’s one thing my therapist said I should do to get the last weight out of my chest.”

Chris’s brow shot up.

“And what’s that?”

Before he even finished his sentence, a heavy punch landed on his stomach, and he nearly doubled over and coughed.

“Jeremy…?”

The omega smiled happily.

“I actually do feel better now.”

“That was quite the punch,” Chris groaned as he stood straight.

Jeremy threw his arm over his neck and hugged him. Chris hugged back. They stayed like that for a while.

“I’ve forgiven you, Chris, and I want you to forgive me too for unknowingly hurting you"

"You did nothing of the sort Jeremy. I was the one in the wrong, but now I've changed for the better."

Jeremy broke the hug to look into the alpha's sad eyes

"I’m happy to hear that" he hugged him again "i'm happy we’re okay again.”

He broke the hug.

“You’ll be at my wedding, right?”

Chris nodded and smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“I’ll be expecting you then,” Jeremy said and moved back so the alpha could open his car and get in.
He stood there waving until the car was driving out of sight.

Chris watched from the side mirror as Jeremy’s figure slowly disappeared, and he sighed.
He got to his house, walked straight to his room, and flopped down on his bed. He thought of Jeremy’s scent, his smile, his warmth.

“Shit.” He covered his face with his hand. “This sucks.”
He sighed and sat up as he picked up his phone to dial an important number.

“Sir,” he saluted once the caller picked up. “I would like to volunteer for the battle at the West Coast border once I return to office.”