As Hope and Promise Fade

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Marc hadn’t been surprised to find out Ariana and Jax got back together, there was passion and love between them that couldn’t easily be pushed aside. He was however surprised to run into her in the hallway that following morning.

“I didn’t think anyone would be up this early.” She said shyly, she was after all wearing Jax’s shirt and no pants. It covered down to her thighs but for someone like Ariana it revealed too much. He liked her modesty.

Marc didn’t want to reveal he barely slept and be forced to doge the questions she’d be bound to ask. “I see you managed to get though to Jax.”

“We have a long over due conversation and came up with a better solution. I’m still going to finish at USC.”

Marc was glad to hear it, it was better to deal day to day with her gone. “That’s good.” Try as he might he couldn’t tear his eyes from her face. As she got older the rope of the mate bond between them grew tighter and tighter.

“I’m still used to getting up early for class and was headed to the kitchen to grab something. Wanna join me?” her small smile was polite yet hopeful.

Marc’s heart sank as he realized she felt sorry for him; the old alpha all alone. “I…” he tried to come up with a valid excuse to deny her but with those hazel eyes staring up at him he couldn’t think. “Ok.”

She took a step forward to continue to the staircase but stopped short. “Let me put pants on.” He turned back toward Jax’s room.

Marc watched her go; her shapely legs were like a wonderful dance as every part of her body moved to the perfect rhythm. His eyes lingered along her hips and butt until she was back inside the room.

With a sigh Marc leaned back against the staircase feeling like a pervert. 

He continued down to the kitchen and decided to whip up a batch of his special apple spice pancakes he hoped she’d like. Try as hard as he might not to she factored into his decisions, he found himself wondering what she’d think or say when he was alone with his thoughts.

The batter was mixed and ready when Ariana made it to the kitchen. Instead of throwing on pants to go along with Jax’s shirt she changed back into her own clothes, a pair of tan shorts and a summery purple top to go with them.

“Something smells really good.” She commented as she came and stood to his right. “Do you need any help?”

“Not unless you want something to go along with these pancakes.”

She thought it over before meeting his eyes. “I make some mean scrambled eggs.”

The bubbly mood radiating off her beautiful face made him smile. So what if her wonderful mood was because of Jax, Marc was simply grateful she was looking at him with that joy lacing her eyes. “Get to it then.”

He watched as she went to the refrigerator to gather the eggs, milk, cheese and butter. She looked at home and that sent a different kind of warmth over his heart. She wasn’t his, he accepted that she never would be, but it was nice to be able to share something with her even if it was his home.

His mind played cruel jokes on him as he moved forward to the preheated griddle to start the pancakes. He and Ariana moved in comfortable silence around the kitchen like a couple would do. For a split second he allowed himself the heartbreaking insanity to picture a life with Ariana by his side; waking up side by side, making breakfast for each other, their kids….

He blinked, shaking his head with a faint smile as all his focus went to not burning the batter.

“You look deep in thought.” Ariana noticed as she finished the last turns of her eggs.

“It’s hard work not burning these. Everyone will smell them soon enough and come running to snatch the food away.” he refused to turn and look at her. It was simply easier not to because then he might really burn the pancakes.

“Yup.” Little seven year old Shelby came running into the kitchen, climbing up one of the kitchen nook built in stools to sit and wait.

Marc was glad for the distraction. “Where’s Andrew?”

Andrew and Shelby were cousins and since their grandmother died a few years ago Andrew had been raising her more like a daughter than a cousin. Shelby knew all about her werewolf family and while she wouldn’t shift until she was sixteen and wouldn’t have to decided until then she already made up her mind to be apart of the Reed pack.

“He’s drooling all over his pillow.” Shelby answered with a cringe. “I tried to wake him up for your famous pancakes but he just snored louder.”

Ariana laughed. Kids had a way of making everything sound charming.

Marc served up the fist batch for Shelby and Ariana to share with their eggs. As he worked on the next batch Jax finally joined them. He bent and kissed Ariana good morning and ruffled Shelby’s hair. “What made you decide to cook?” he asked of Marc, knowing it wasn’t something his uncle did often.

“I was up early and thought what the hell.” Marc stopped feeling guilty about his lies because his lies came from love and not malice. It wouldn’t do any of them any good if Jax knew the truth of what Marc felt for Ariana. It wasn’t as if he wanted to think about her in such ways, it was fate’s screwed up way of sticking it to him by making them mates when it was never in the cards for it to be so.

If Mitch hadn’t married her mother and Jax fell in love with her then Marc never would’ve known of Ariana, their paths shared nothing in common but the family they loved so much.

Jax laughed and took a bite form his girlfriend’s plate. “My stomach appreciates it. This is far better than the cereal I would’ve inhaled later.”

Marc stood back watching the little smiles between Jax and Ariana and knew his broken heart was far worth it to see them together like that. Before Ariana and Marc knew his mate actually existed he was happy being alone, now he just had to get back to that. Jax was much more deserving of her love anyway.

Marc turned and took the second batch of pancakes off the griddle. “Here, so you can stop stealing off her plate.” He handed the whole tall stack to Jax.

“You’re the best.”

Marc smiled faintly, his eyes glancing at Ariana as she helped Shelby with the syrup. “You have no idea.”