At Long Last (OC x Natasha Romanoff)

Chapter 28

Alex's POV

Natasha: "What do you mean Mate."

Alex: "Mates are the soulmates of werewolves. Every werewolf has a mate. Their mates are their destined partners chosen by the Moon Goddess, their god"

Natasha: "Who's the Moon Goddess?"

Alex: "Our version of your Jesus. Werewolves believe the Moon Goddess is their creator. They revere the Moon Goddess as a god. The Moon Goddess is therefore in charge of mating. It is believed that the Moon Goddess mates werewolves so they will have a partner for life. The goddess also does this so that werewolves in rank, such as alpha werewolves will have someone to help them rule."

Natasha: "So I would help you rule?"

Alex: "At one point the answer would have been yes. Not anymore though."

Natasha: "What does this all mean though. I can't be with you."

Alex: "What do you mean you can't be with me. We are meant to be. I'm not forcing you into this, but one day I would like to be with you."

Natasha: "Love makes you weak. I can't be with you." With that Natasha left me in the barn. Artemis whining in my head at the rejection."

Artemis: "Alex, do you remember what happens to wolves whose mates reject them?"

Alex: "Yes." I let out a deep breath. "We need to just hang on, she didn't formally reject us. There's still hope."

Artemis continued to whine. I got up and walked out of the barn. Trying to pretend that everything was fine and that we were not dying on the inside. As I walked out the kids screamed and ran to Clint, hiding behind them. I slowly made my way towards them, Laura doing the same from the porch of the house.

Cooper: "Dad who is that." Clint looked at me and Laura, unsure of what to say.

Laura: "Kids, this is Alex."

Lila: "That's not Alex! Alex, is a doggy."

Clint: "Alex was not a dog; she was a wolf." I kneeled down in front of them.

Alex: "Kids, it's me. Being a wolf is one half of who I am. This is the other."

Cooper: "How do we know you're really the wolf."

Alex: Well, we can go in the barn, and I can show you."

Clint: "What do you mean show."

Alex: "I mean, we show them the empty stable I was in, then you take them out for a minute while I shift. Get your head out of the gutter bird brain."

Clint: "I didn't... I mean... That's not what I meant."

Alex: "Anyway, can we do this? Laura, are you ok with that?" Laura nodded towards me then led the kids into the barn while I trailed behind them. I watched as the kids looked into the stable I was in. "No one's in there, right?" Both kids turned to me and nodded. "Okay, Clint and Laura will have them stay back a few pens while I shift, please, then I'll come out." They did as asked and led the kids two stables down. Far enough that they couldn't see anything, but close enough for the kids to believe it's not some trick. I had taken my clothes off, so they didn't rip to shreds and shifted. I stepped out for the kids to see my form.

Kids: "Alex!!!! It really is you!

Cooper: "How did you do that? Can I do that?"

Laura: "Mom, can we keep her now? She can be another aunty!" Laura laughed at the kids' excitement.

Laura: Speaking of Alex staying, she is going to stay for a while and yes, she is now a part of the family, just like we are a part of her pack. Aunty status is between you two and her though."

Lila: "Yes, we have another aunty! Aunty Nat, Alex is our aunt too now."

Natasha: "I heard." I looked at Natasha, Artemis has not stopped crying since our talk. I turned back to the stall and shifted back. When I came out, I was tackled to the ground by the kids.

Cooper: "Payback for tackling us. Now come on Aunty Alex." Cooper and Lila got off of me before helping me up and dragging me out of the barn. I couldn't look at Natasha as we passed her, but I think I let out a small whine on accident.

Natasha's POV

Mine and Alex's talk kept replaying in my head. I can't be with her. Every fiber in my being was telling me I couldn't because of how I was raised.

Clint: "Natasha, what's wrong."

Natasha: "She told me why there's a connection between us. She answered why we had a connection. According to her, I'm her mate. Something about the Moon Goddess and how we are destined to be together. I can't be with her, I just can't.

Laura: Why can't you be with her?"

Clint: "It's because of the Red Room teaching bullshit isn't it."

Natasha: "Love makes you weak. It's just another way to lose someone I care about."

Laura: "Natasha, I understand how you were raised was horrible and criminal, but do you really think love makes you weak? What about Clint and our family, does that make him weak? No, it makes him stronger. Natasha, stop letting them dictate your life. You're free now but keep letting them control your thoughts and life. What do you really want, Nat?"

What did I want? I love this family, but it's not the same as loving someone. My training was worse than the regular widows because of how I was born. They always told me I could never be loved that I would never be a mother unless it was under their control. How could anyone possibly love someone like me?

Clint: "Don't think so hard. I can see the steam coming out of your ears. Seriously though, she's right. Just take some time and think about it. Do what is right for you, but love is not a weakness.

Time skip

It's been two weeks since Alex and I talked. I've thought hard about what I want and how brave she was after everything she went through. I wanted the same but didn't know how to tell her. The thought of her rejecting me because of how I was born and then raised kept me away from her. I would see her with the kids playing every day, but as time went on, she was getting more and more lethargic. Some days she didn't leave the barn, but the kids would go in and play with her.

Alex POV

It's been two weeks since my talk with Natasha and her rejection. At first, I was still able to keep up with the kids, but after a week I started to feel weaker and weaker. Just getting up was hard. The kids normally came in and kept me company. Oftentimes they would end up taking a nap with me in my wolf form. Today though I felt even worse.

Alex: "Artemis? Artemis, are you ok?" No response. "Artemis, talk to me." Still nothing.