Secret of An Alpha: Repercussions

Chapter forty four

The edge to hold Luke's hand, or just a flicker of a touch between them, an itch to touch his mate, was so unbearable.

Luke was just a breath away from him, yet out of reach. It was just a table separating them. That's how Rolus realised just how fucking much he missed his mate. Just how much he missed his touch and presence.

A year was a long time to not be in the same breath as his mate.

Luke seemed stressed. Rolus wanted to go up to him and hold him, assure him that everything was alright. That everything was going to be alright.

What he told Luke was the truth. A year was a long time to evaluate and question. He realised that Luke was not in love with him. He was in love with the idea of a mate, and not Rolus.

"Talk," Luke said, eyes lifeless.

Rolus didn't know where to start now that he had Luke's full attention.

It was easier to explain what happened. So, he did. Luke listened without saying a word. He listened to the story of how Rolus rejected him when they were eighteen. How seven years later, they allied to defeat Perez and how along the way, Luke got together with the enemy. Rolus might have said that with bitterness because he saw a reaction from Luke. A flicker of a smile, but it was gone in a flash.

He explained about how they eventually warmed up to each other, and why he rejected him in the first place. He explained the whole ordeal of the replacement mate and the ceremony with Tamera.

Then he got to the final part. How Robert got them and injected Luke with the Netlac.

When he finished, his eyes were stinging. It still pained him to this day how helpless he was, how he failed to protect the only person who mattered a lot to him in this world.

The silence settled. Rolus didn't have anything more to say. He just waited for Luke to ask questions.

There was a lot of pity in Luke's eyes. Rolus didn't hate it. He at least knew that Luke felt sorry for him. That maybe there's still hope that they could work towards something.

"Why did Robert want to punish you?

"My ancestors commited a hideous crime," he said. He didn't want to get into details because he didn't tell him what crime was committed before he got injected, and he was not going to tell him now when he wasn't sure if they would be alright.

"What was the crime?"

His question had Rolus' resolve weakening. But he couldn't tell him when they were not alright. He was not going to divulge his family secrets to Luke, who was not trustworthy at the moment. So he shook his head, refusing to tell him.

Luke now looked interested. But he didn't say or do anything further. "I'm sorry... about what you went through."

Luke looked like it physically hurt him to say that. Rolus didn't mind. He would take anything from Luke, as long as it wasn't negative. But at this point, he would take even the negative. That's how desperate he was to get into his mate's grace, even if it was bad grace.

Luke sighed, leaning back on his chair. Rolus knew what he told him was a lot to take. He understood when Luke said that he needed time to think.

"I just need to let what you said settle. I'll... I'll come to you when I'm ready. I'm sorry."

Rolus understood. He understood, but he couldn't help the hurt he felt. They've been apart for a whole year after their mating. Didn't Luke understand how hard it was for Rolus to pretend like he was fine? Didn't Luke see the pain in his eyes?

He couldn't help but ask, "How long do you need?"

"Rolus, you don't understand how I'm barely hanging on from tearing you apart. I'm barely hanging on."

Rolus stood up. He left the office without looking back. He didn't stop when Peter asked how he was. He didn't stop when he ran into Tamera and she gave him a pitying look. He didn't stop until he got in his car and drove back to his Pack.

He didn't stop for no one even when he arrived at his Pack and everyone was looking at him expectantly. They all knew that he went to his mate.

Everyone pitied him when they saw his devastated state. In his haste to go to his room, he crashed into someone. He was distracted that he didn't sense her at first.

"Rolus, are you alright?"

When he realised it was Sierra, that she was back, he just collapsed in her arms, the tears coming out nonstop even though he didn't sob or wail. He was just quiet, but the tears were loud. He didn't care that they were in the middle of the hallway. He didn't care that anyone saw him.

He was just tired of holding on knowing that his mate hated him. That there was a possibility of not getting his mate back.

Luke had to fight. He had to fight that thing that altered him. He had to fight so that they could be reunited.

"Everything will be alright, my Alpha," Sierra assured, holding him tight, not wanting to let him fall.

Rolus didn't have strength in his legs. He was going to fall if Sierra let go of him. He didn't know how long he spent crying in her arms.

Sierra whispered assuring words, but Rolus couldn't focus on them. All that was in his mind was how if Luke didn't fight, then it was over for them.

Rolus didn't think he could live in a world where his mate was within arm's reach, but so out of reach. He wouldn't survive. This time, his Pack wouldn't be enough.

Nothing would be enough except his mate. He wanted his mate by his side. He vowed that if Luke were to accept him, then he would not take time to move in with the Black Moon. Forget about the merger or whatever. He was moving in with his mate. Whoever wanted to follow him would follow. He was not wasting a moment being away from his mate. They've lost too much time already.

He moved with Sierra to his office, both sitting down on the couch.

"You're back," he said, looking up at the ceiling.

"Yes I am. I'm sorry for taking so long. I bear good news."

Rolus' head snapped to her, hope in his eyes. "You found the cure?"

Sierra didn't seem to have good news with the way her eyes couldn't stay on Rolus'. "Yes, I did."

Rolus hugged her, so grateful that he didn't seem to notice that she didn't hug him back. "You are the best, Sierra. I knew I could count on you. Thank you."

When he let go of her, that's when he saw the conflict in her eyes. His happiness dwindled. "What's wrong? You found the cure, right?"

"I did."

"Then what's wrong?"

Sierra didn't say anything for a while. Rolus wanted to shake her, just so that she could talk.

"The patient who used it died."

The bombshell made Rolus mad. He stood and left the office, his strides angry as he headed to his room. He hated incompetent people. Why get his hopes up then crush them?

The world was against him. It had to be. Was it punishment for rejecting Luke?

He apologised. Luke forgave him. Then why was he being punished? What about his happily ever after?