Alaric's POV
After hours of howling in pain, I morphed into my human form and went back to the pack, the pain I was feeling was excruciating and I somewhat blamed myself for being too impulsive and angry, if only I had remained calm then I wouldn't have said all those words to Chelsea, I miss her with no doubt, she was my mate and there's no way I could live without her.
I walked mindlessly into my mansion, Torin was there already and he looked at me pitifully, I hated that sort of look and growled at him as a warning, he surrendered totally by raising his hands up and abetting his gaze from me.
"What happened?" He asked me.
"Nothing." I replied dismissively.
"That's the exact same thing Chelsea also said to me but I don't believe either of you." He said.
I hissed and began to walk away from him.
"She's your mate isn't she? You won't be ae yo live without her." He reminded me.
I turned back to look at him.
"Watch me." I said venomously and walked away.
"Everything will be fine Alaric." He called after me.
I shook my head knowing nothing will be fine, Chelsea is my life and the only reason I decided to be a better version of myself, with her gone what is left of me would be an empty casing.
I grumbled about how unfair the world was and bumped into someone, I growled loudly; ready to pick a fight but changed my mind after seeing that it was my beta, he was shocked to see me in such a state.
"Alaric, what's wrong? You look distraught." He asked worriedly.
"I am distraught." I admitted.
It was evident from his facial expression that he was shocked beyond words, I never showed any form of emotions or admitted been weak but I did to him that moment, he feel to his knee immediately.
"What is it that ails you my alpha? Even if it is to the end of the universe I will sort it out for you, my life will be given in exchange for whatever it is you want." He offered sincerely.
I appreciated his loyalty to me, I had thousands once who would also give you their lives if I asked for it without thinking twice or asking me any questions about it, but the attack on me five hundred years ago had made my empire vulnerable to riffraffs who took advantage of my absence and exploited my people.
"Rise, I'm fine." I lied.
"But your aura says otherwise." He argued.
"It's fine, I promise." I said, more like a prayer than affirmation.
"Pray tell me what you want." He insisted.
"What I want is to rebuild my empire and make the fearsome force we once were and also make those who are behind this pay, I've been merciful long enough but it seems I was wrong, I should never be merciful to the enemies else we'll be exploited, inform the others, it's time to rebuild our fortresses." I said bravely.
He bowed his head and left, I sighed in frustration as I headed towards my chambers, I was deceiving myself when I directed my anger and hatred towards the unknown enemies of ours, who was I deceiving? There has been no attack or attempts of attack on us ever since I got back, Chelsea's actions riled my emotions up.
It would be hard living without her, I contemplated going to her house and apologizing for my bumped earlier on but being the stubborn person I was, I dismissed the idea, my door suddenly burst open and.i.was about to rip out the throat of whomever dared do so but I relaxed when I saw Lexi walk in.
"Alaric." Lexi said flatly.
Though she has the stature of a young child she was an adult, she's Torin's cousin and also hundreds of years old, her powers included the ability to remain young forever, unless she wishes to age then she'll remain a seven year old forever.
"Your date was short-lived." She announced.
"I think I know that, thanks for reminding me." I said grumpily.
She laughed.
"What went wrong?" She asked.
"Where?" I asked back, feigning innocence.
"Don't ask me such questions, or be sarcastic to me Alaric." She said.
I chuckled softly as she finally got to where I was and sat beside me.
"Speak up Alaric, I don't have the luxury of time to.spend pampering you." She almost yelled.
Yes, she spoke to me as she pleases because she is the only person brave enough to talk back at me, at first I was angry at her insolence but then I got to like her because she was bold and I could hold a meaningful conversation with her.
"There's nothing to talk about Lexi." I told her.
"I didn't come all the way here to have you lie to me." She interjected.
"I didn't ask you to come here either." I snapped.
"Snap at me one more time and I'll break your limbs." She threatened.
I stared dead into her eye and she did same, we both burst into laughter which was almost uncontrollably, after few minutes; I cleared my throat.
"What is it Alaric? Talk to me." She asked worriedly.
"This is the first time we're talking after five hundred years and you chose this topic?" I asked her.
"None of your business, I was worried about you." She snapped.
"You? Worried? I'm honored." I said sarcastically.
She barred her teeth at me and I almost flinched.
"It's Chelsea, I love her a lot, she is the reincarnation of Ciara and my mate also, but." I said, my voice trailing off.
"But what?" She said inquisitively.
"But she's hurting me, I e been trying my possible best to convince her that I love her, I went out of my way to confess my love to her, I didn't force it on her but simply express it in hope of getting hers back but she only sees me as a monster and nothing else, she pushes me away and it hurts alot Lexi, I would have used the mate effect on her but I wanted her to fall in love with me on her own accord but she simply turned down and rejected my love, Lexi I have never felt so much pain in my entire life." I poured out my emotions.
"Is this tears I see in your eyes?" Lexi suddenly asked, catching me off guard, I turn my fave to the other side to avoid her but she was quick to see me shed a tear.
"Alaric, I know you love her alot but she is reincarnated as a human, you should understand that she will find it hard to accept you and who you are, you should be grateful she still talks to you and if she really is Ciara then the goddess will surely find a way to bring you two back together." Lexi said thoughtfully.
"I hear you." I replied sarcastically.
She snickered.
"Go on and apologise to her for getting upset." She said cheerily.
I scoffed.
"I've broken off everything with her tonight." I announced.
"Why?" She screamed.
"Quit screaming child! And if you must know; she told me she's tired of seeing my face around and wants to live a normal life, one devoid of my presence." I said.
"What was your response?" She questioned.
"I cut off everything with her and promised to never show her my face ever again, I love her but I hate to be a burden on the people I love." I replied.
"Do you plan on really staying away from her?" She asked.
"Of course not, that would be suicide!" I exclaimed.
"Then what are you going to do? You can't possibly move closer to her after allegedly breaking all ties off." She said curiously.
I chuckled.
"I don't know yet Lexi." I said truthfully.
"How about you let her be for now, to come in terms with her own feelings?" She suggested.
"It crossed my mind, to let her be, if she's meant to be with me then the goddess will find a way to bring us together, there's a high probability that my frequent presence around her is the main blockage to her realizing her true feelings for me, if I'm out of the way then she'd probably miss me and realize that I've been telling her the truth." I said.
"But that might take forever and forever is such a long time."
"Lexi, I slept for half a thousand years, forever is nothing compared to that." I interjected.
"May the goddess be with you, how do you plan on spending your time away from her? Your wild must be miserable." She said pitifully.
"Rebuilding my empire and recuperating." I said briefly.
"That could take many years." She said in disbelief.
"That's the point, focusing on myself, after those years, let's just hope Ciara sees the need for me in her life once more." I said reassuringly.