Cold Rejection

Saturday

Ghosts, take a moment and look around yourselves, for we, are not alone. On that note, Enjoy the story, comment, vote and enjoy!

The weekend brought with it, a sense of urgency and discomfort.

There were numerous things Hazel realized he hadn't thought through before accepting Xavier proposal to 'cure' him.

First of all, seeing that the former alpha condition was deteriorating at an unforeseeable rate. It was unwise for him to put any kind of distance between his client in himself. At least not until he could stabilize Xavier's condition.

This, enthralled consequences of its own. Consequences that, the omega was sure, was planned by none other than a certain sickly old man.

"Thank you for doing this" Zander whispered, leaning into the omega slightly but Hazel still had to hold his breath.

Ignoring how his wolf winner in his head, begging for any kind of contact.

"I haven't done anything yet" Hazel responded, standing from his seat with every intention of putting some much-needed space between them.

But his sudden movement caught the attention of the room's youngest occupant.

"Don't leave!" He begged the moment his eyes landed on the standing omega.

"I'm not" Hazel quickly defended. Even if he wanted too, he was expecting a delivery and needed to be here to sign upon reception, he was stuck in a room with the alpha, the former alpha, and the future alpha.

"I just need some air" He added thereafter.

"Vince, go open a window!" Xavier commanded, his grandson nodded and went to do as told before Hazel could say a word.

"Dad. Stop" Zander hissed softly as to not be heard by his son, eyes narrowed at his father.

"I'm not doing anything" The old man proclaimed, receiving a stern look from his son and returning it with hard defiance swimming amongst the faux-innocent act he presented.

Meanwhile, Hazel stared off towards the door, wishing for salvation, that for once, came when asked.

Express by three rapid knocks.

"I'll get it!" Vince excitedly declared as he ran straight across the room from the window to the door. Pulling it open as Hazel followed by a more casual passe.

For one reason or another, the 7-year-old had been overactive and almost explosively energetic. It was both pleasant and enerving to watch him practically bounce around the room and from one conversation to the other.

Not to mention, both father and grandfather had seemed generally shocked by the child's hyper-excitement.

And his movements only got more unnerving to witness when the delivery that Hazel had been expected arrived and the little boy insisted on helping in setting up the alters and selves essential for Hazel's incantations.

Not to mention, that most of the things were quite heavy and the omega had no choice but to make nice with the alpha, an act that had his wolf and mind at odds.

But Hazel's nerves really got riled up with the setting sun. Vince was all buzzed out and lay sleeping, sitting on a chair with his head rested on his grandfather's bed. Xavier had fallen quiet, feigning sleep Hazel guest. He might even have set the whole thing up.

The perfect view of the setting sun through the window, the gentle breeze that brought with it the scent of warmth despite its chilling touch and the sounds of birds finding their nests and ruffling leaves.

Hazel even blamed his heated cheeks and rising heart rate on the conniving old man.

"Where should I put this?" Zander sudden voice sent shivers down his spine. Hazel had never had to be around his mated this long before. The proximity was straining, to the point where his options were to keep his head down and limited eyes contact or risk giving in to the desires which he'd surely come to regret.

With a deep breath, the omega chanced to look at the Alpha's general direction without looking directly at him. His eyes glanced over the once empty space which was now filled with empty boxes, wrapping paper, stands, others and ritual burners.

He surveyed the room with calculative eyes, his mind picturing the diagram he'd study all last week.

Witchcraft isn't necessarily a science, but it had laws, rules, and regulation that should be respected, especially for a non-Hexen. Pointing in the right direction, Hazel didn't even wait for Zander's confirmation before lowering his head once again. But it seemed like the alpha was no longer content with the silence that threatened to drown them.

"How did you get into this?" He asked as he set the crystal down.

"Shouldn't you be doing paperwork or training or whatever alphas do?" Hazel counter.

There was a stillness in the air, the birds had found their resting place. The wind blew and comb through the few strange that framed his face. The omega thought about turning on the lights, it was getting dark, the sun barely noticeable in the horizon, the earlier colors of pink, purple, orange and blue consumed under the indigo that was the night.

"I always take Saturday's off, to spend time with Vince" Zander admitted. His voice sounding uncertain with a fragileness that becomes him. "It's important for me to be there."He continued. "Especially with dad being sick and then there was what happened with Vanessa" It was then that Hazel made the mistake of raising his head.

His gaze almost instantly meeting with pools of black. For the first time that day his wolf, mind, and body were on the same page.

Who was this Venessa? They wondered. Only they knew! One didn't need to be a genius to work out why a woman's name would come up alongside Vince's.

The real questions were: 'What was she to him? The woman that had his child or something more?'

In truth, those question had been driving him crazy from the time he first laid eyes on Vince. What kind of woman was she? What kind of mother? Where? Who? When ? and why?

He'd been in this place for some time now and at this moment, from the lips of the person he least wanted to hear speak those words, was the first time that he'd heard any mention of the woman who secured the continuation of the Klays. Why was that?

But as he met with the sadness in Zander's dark eyes. It hurt to see the pain in his gaze and thing that it could be for her.

Cautiously, the omega bowed his head, glancing back down to the herbs and spices he'd been checking, the numbers on the page nearly invisible in the dying light.

"Hazel we need to talk about that day" He heard the alpha say and bite down on his lower lip.

"Are you going to tell me you regret it?" He questioned. There was a sigh and when he closed his eyes, Hazel could imagine long calculous fingers running through short curly hair.

"I can't," Zander says. Hazel kept his eyes close.

"Because you don't"

"Because I can't!" The alpha pressed, his voice bothering on irritation. " Hazel, good or bad my actions that day gave me Vince." Another sigh. "As a parent, how can I say I regret that?"

At that moment, Hazel wished he was back in Radix Sub Terra. Wish that the sky was black and that the clouds were brown and green as twisted roots. Desperately, he wishes to be amongst those with nothing to lose and those with all to gain. He wanted to be in the grave in which he was condemned. Because hating Zander Klay from afar was so much easier. And loving him from up close was unavoidable.

"I guess" Hazel began in a small voice, his eyes slowly opening as his head rose to met Zanders.

"I guess that I am just a terrible person!"

 I bet some of you were glancing at your clock, waiting to see wither I would post on time or not! Well, I did, and I'm loving the attention...or lack thereof.