CHAPTER HUNDRED TWENTY ONE

Vincent pov

I'm lost.

So fucking desperate for an answer. Or at least for someone to jump around the corner with a camera in hand, yelling "jokes on you".

I've been wandering the woods for hours. I don't have it in me to go back to Enya and break her beyond repair. Although she dreaded the possibility of pregnancy, I know she wanted to be a mother later. Neither of us ever had a real family, and now we have no chance to start our own.

I hoped that getting some fresh air would help me think, but it doesn't. All I can picture is the pain in her eyes when she encounters a pregnant pack member or one of those kids. Enya is stuck in a place that will constantly remind her of everything she will never have.

My fist collides with a nearby tree as someone tries to mind-link me for God knows which time. I bet it's Aros, hot on my heels. Enya probably woke up and went to look for me, and I'm here, stuck in-between reality and shattered dreams.

"What do you think?" I decide to turn to my wolf and ask if Damian has an opinion on the shit we're stuck in.

I was expecting a lot of answers, but this is not anywhere near the worst I can think of. "I don't care; I don't need a defective mate," he hisses. I nearly gasp out loud. What the fuck?

"What the fuck does defective mean? Have you lost your mind?" If he weren't someone in my head but a real person facing me- I'd beat the shit out of him. This damned asshole, how dare he?

"Alpha wolf needs pups. Alpha bloodline must continue, no questions asked. You know that better than I do." Damian's answers are as cold as ice. I never thought a part of me could be so cruel, even overlooking his damn temper and passion for blood.

I groan in annoyance. "You are insane. Look at Blade- he knew what he was risking, and he never thought of mistresses just to carry on the bloodline. Keep in mind that he was the last of the tribe, so that kind of grants him a bigger need to have pups than we do." Those facts should be enough to set the record straight.

My father is alive, I will free him from these cells, and he has enough time to mate with anyone to have more children. So, our bloodline isn't nearly as helpless as it was for Blade. That man risked it all, gave up on any chance of ever meeting someone carrying his legacy, but Damian can't see why the sacrifices are worth it.

"Blade was an idiot. The Alpha bloodline can't die." Damian repeats himself as if I didn't hear him the first time.

I take a few deep breaths to calm down and decide to question the wolf who thinks he's smarter than me. "What are you trying to say?"

"Reject," he announces.

At first, I'm so shocked, I forget how to breathe. But after a moment, I regain my senses and shake my head. "You can reject her, but I won't. I don't care what it costs me; if it's you- then so it be. I'm not leaving Enya." I made my decision. First, I had to go against the fucked up family, then I had to go against some pack members, but I chose to stay with her. Just because my wolf might have something against me, it doesn't mean I'm not willing to risk everything I have. Enya's worth it. Before I forget, I add another detail, "And just in case you didn't know- it's not her fault she's the way she is, and there are some things she can't control."

"You are just as foolish as Blade. Didn't think you'd be such an idiot." Damian snorts, trying to block me.

I won't give him the satisfaction of ending the conversation halfway. Before he can react, I quickly add a couple of words, "Yeah, I didn't think my wolf was a backstabbing ballsack. You were just as crazy about her as I was from the start. For fuck's sake, you took control of my body because you wanted to fuck her hours ago! And now that poor Damian can't get a damn pup of his own, he's going to throw a fit and reject the Goddess' gift. Has it occurred to you that she did this on purpose? Maybe we should be the last of our blood? The world doesn't revolve around you, Damian; everything has to change whether you like it or not." I won't try to change his mind, but I will make his life a living hell as long as he's with me. Besides, if he rejects Enya, she won't feel a thing since she doesn't have a wolf. And neither will I. The only person he's hurting by doing that is himself.

"You'll lose the Alpha title," he adds out of the blue. Hasn't he learned that I don't give a shit? I gave up my title once, and I'd do it a thousand more times for her.

"Do I look like I give a shit? Fuck to the no. The Council will find a great Alpha to replace me, and I don't have to spend every penny I earn on everyone but myself. I see only positive aspects of this shit. I can take my beautiful mate, buy her a luxurious house, and live for just us for the rest of our days. Leave, I don't care." Along the way, I can actually picture just us by the seaside, living the best of our lives. How bloody fantastic would it be to spend the rest of my life with no one but my mate?

"You wouldn't care if I left, would you? You know I'll die as soon as I leave you." Damian sounds offended and deeply hurt, but even his attempt to guilt-trip me won't work.

I laugh at his words, just to spite the selfish bastard. I never thought the day would come, but today, at this very moment, I hate my wolf with a passion. "If you choose death over loving someone who is meant for us, that is your choice. I'd suggest you think about it, but since I know you are a stubborn asshole- go ahead; I won't try to hold you back. Enya means more to me."

"You are choosing a chick over your wolf," Damian huffs. He sounds worse than the spoiled daughters of the Alphas I had to meet when we were growing up.

"I prefer a missing part of OUR soul over someone selfish. Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing right now." I don't expect another answer. Now, it's up to Damian to decide whether to leave or stay- either way is fine with me, as long as Enya stays by my side. I've wronged her so many times; I'll be damned if I leave her just because we can't have a biological child together.

I sit down and lean my head against the pine tree, waiting for anything my wolf might say, but he remains silent. The moment of peace doesn't last much longer as I sense someone approaching me. The grey wolf stops right in front of me and shifts within seconds. I gesture towards the nearby tree for Aros to grab some clothes before he joins me. He can sit naked for all I care, but I'm sure his ass will be grateful to me if he doesn't have to sit on a piece of wood without a layer of protection.

Aros grabs a pair of shorts, puts them on, and sits right next to me. He doesn't question me from the start, instead choosing a safer option. "She's worried." Aros whispers.

"I knew she would be, but I needed some time on my own before I could face her. I can't, man, not now." My voice breaks off mid-sentence. Aros wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug. And just like that, I break down. Tears run down my cheeks as my best friend holds me tight. I feel like a fucking baby.

Aros might sense the distress, so he's quick to comfort me before I say a word. "Everyone has feelings, Vince. Remember that even the strongest people break, but when they do, it all comes out. Pain, sorrow, every time someone offends you, and so on. I'm here, brother, you can cry without shame, and my shoulder will be there for you for as long as you need it. You were the one who held me every time I broke," he keeps whispering something, but eventually, I lose track of his words. No matter what Aros might tell me, I don't hear it -my thoughts are too loud.

I have no idea how much time passes before I calm down and collect myself, but he's still here. "What happened? Vince, I've been with you crawling to Hell and back, but this is the first time I've seen you break down like this. Is it that serious?" Aros stares off into the distance as the words roll off his tongue. How am I supposed to tell him?

I shake my head and wipe away the remnants of tears. "Yeah, it's so fucked up that my wolf might leave me. But I don't care about that backstabbing traitor. I care about Enya so fucking much that it's tearing me apart. I don't know how to face her." Even when life feels unfair, I find it easy to talk to Aros. We've been through so much together- he's about the only person who understands me better than anyone else could.

"Just tell me, and I might have some advice."

"I went to the hospital because I'm too damn curious. As soon as something seems suspicious, I get to the bottom of it. I had a feeling that Enya might be pregnant, but when Damian took over, he declared that he didn't feel a baby. After that, I decided to talk to the head doctor and ask her a few questions. Little did I know that I'd get an answer that I didn't want to hear. Since Enya is a hybrid, she can't have children with me. We're meant to be together, but there's no way we can have a child of our own. And honestly, I can live with that, but I know she wants children in the future. I know how much she wants a family that neither of us has ever had. And that's the reason why that fuckhead wants to reject her - he's not getting Alpha pups, so he's out. Before you say anything- I disagree. I won't reject my mate because he's so stuck on the idea that we absolutely must have children. Fuck that!" I pour my heart out, but Aros just laughs. I stare at my best friend like he's out of his mind; no sane person would react like that.

Aros stands back up and offers me his hand as he grins. "Enya went to the hospital after she found out you were last seen there. She had a talk with the doctor, and the poor woman had to tell everything when Enya pulled the Luna card. She knows. She's not devastated, broken, or freaking out like you are doing here. Enya is taking things as they are, even if she doesn't want it that way. I think you two should talk about it. Avoiding her isn't the best decision, brother." Once again, I'm speechless. Even though we have had many disagreements, I can't believe my mate is so easygoing. "Oh, and by the way, the Elder of the Council called, and I told him of your decision. Remember the one thing they have no power over? Yes, they had no choice but to close their eyes and let you have your way. Your dad is in the living room, chatting with your Luna. Both of them are waiting for you. Let's go home, brother."