Still My Mate

16

Layla*

The sun began to set making the sky look as if Bob Ross had painted all sorts of different shades of oranges and purples across the canvas above me. After thinking about all the things that occurred today I decided I wasn't going to bring Hunter and Rosie into my mate drama. I could sense I was stirring up their normal loving life just by me being here today and I couldn't allow myself to get in between them.

Bidding my goodbyes to the couple the three of us head to the door when I'm hit with the overwhelming scent of my mate on the other side. I sigh and hand Fin over to Rie asking if they could wait inside for a minute while I speak with Asher outside.

"Daddy's here!" Fin screams in excitement before I can even open the door fully to see my mate face to face.

"Yes but wait in here baby. Mommy and daddy need to speak first" my heart begins to race uncontrollable. It's now or never. Fin face dropped and his eyes began to fill with fresh tears with the idea of not seeing his father.

"You will see him I promise I just need to talk to him alone okay?" I kiss his cheek as Rie took him back over with a mad looking Rosie and guilty looking Hunter. That traitor. I should have known he would talk to him. He didn't need to lie about it though.

Opening the door fully I make my way out to Asher as he sits on the foot of the porch stairs looking up at the beautiful sky. There is no doubt in my mind he wasn't eavesdropping on the conversation from inside the house, hints on why he never knocked to announce his arrival.

"I was going to tell you. I'm sorry, I didn't want you to find out this way" Asher looked down at me even with us sitting his frame towering over my own.

"I saw her" I whispered replaying this mornings catastrophe in my head.

"Lay. You have to believe me I was just offering her a home nothing more." His voice a bit more rushed than he probably would have wanted it.

"Asher I don't know if I can stay here with her here" I sighed looking up to him. Memories of them together flood through my mind.

"Then she's gone."

"You can't do that. I can't do that to her. She was Rouge Asher. All alone. I can't sentence anyone to a fate like that."

"I can't lose you two, Layla." He looked over to the window as the little boy watched us intensely. Luckily for us his werewolf hearing won't be accessible until he's around 10 so we have no worry about him overhearing our conversation. I raised my hands up and do the tickling motion with my fingers making him disappear instantly signally I didn't want him watching us.

Turning back to Asher I saw a small sad smile on his face at the interaction between his mate and pup. The air thickens again as the beautiful sky begins to disperse and darken to a deep blue.

"Why did you do it. Welcome her back?" My eyes began tearing back up sadness and a touch of anger filled up my insides at the thought of Kailey being around again.

"Ba—Layla please don't cry. I don't ever want to be the reason for your pain again"

"Then why Asher why"

He sighed rubbing his face with his hands "she was Rouge. Like you said, alone. Her mate along with her pack died in an attack. I knew the feeling of being away from your mate although mine were for selfish reasons" he grabbed my hand sending a jolt of tingles up my arm "I don't want anyone but you and Finway but I couldn't after everything Kailey and I have been through I couldn't throw her back out into this cruel world outside of pack territories. She has no one out there but here, her family and old friends are here."

It may be the pull of the mates but I wanted to believe him. Believe his words of wanting to have something with me, with Finway. Kailey didn't deserve to be rouge for something that happened years ago, I'm still not even sure she truly knew of us, or any one did for that matter.
What kind of person would that make me to throw someone out when all they wanted was to be loved. I was there in the same exact position I wanted to be loved by the man infront of me. The only man that was made for me.

Only instead of trying, I ran. If I didn't have a home back in Sun Moon my fate could have easily been to the rouge life. Shuddering at the thought I nod in understanding.

"Okay"

"Okay?"

Our date popped into my mind when I saw his reaction to the same statement. My heart flutter at how cute this big bad Alpha can be sometimes.

"I understand your reasoning Asher. Finway wants you in his life and I can't keep that from him. We will stay and so will Kailey but if you hurt him in anyway I will do what you wouldn't allow me to do all those years ago" my voice holding stern unlike the wavering feelings in my stomach

The idea of accepting his rejection physically hurt me and Lila but I am a mother now and my feelings as well as Asher's come last, Fin is the only thing that truly matters to me and I would suffer the rejection just to keep him safe. The momma bear in me was to put my son first in every situation and in every decision I make and my mate will not be an exception.

"I will not allow that" his voice deepens as his eyes raged with sorrow.

"Then don't let it get to that" with that I bowed my head as I quickly stood up from my previous position. Asher followed my action almost instantly.

"I won't Lay. I promise."

"Alright. Well now that that's over. Finny would like to see you if you have time." My voice now coming out soft as I feared he would turn around and leave

"I will always have time for him. And you." He cupped my face with his hand as he took the other one and pushed back a strand of hair dangling infront of my eye.

...

Asher and I made our way back into the house only to be bombarded by our son almost knocking his father onto the ground.

"You are a strong little one aren't you" Asher laughs ruffling up Fins already messy hair earning a fit of giggles to erupt from the little boy.

"The strongest" he held his arm up pointing to his little muscle grinning at his father.

The sight of the two together melt my heart, it's as if no time between the two had been spent apart.

Maybe his words are true, maybe this could actually be our forever

...

A/N
Hello! Sorry for the long wait!
I've been so busy with work and now the holidays are coming up!
I haven't had enough time to sit down and write like I've been meaning to !
I am not giving up on this story and I just want to thank everyone for 2.47k reads!
Hopefully I can get more chapters out in a reasonable time.
♥️
-s.