The Alpha's Happiness

Chapter 1:

Just an idea that popped into my head, let me know how you guys like it!

Chapter One:

The day she was buried, even the sky seemed to cry. A drizzle fell from the grey clouds blanketing the funeral party, and Xander stared at the coffin, numbness weighing down his every limb. He had known what he was getting into the day he had met her. Had taken in the scent of his mate, chocolate and cream, and rejoiced. He had detected that she was human next, knowing that it didn't matter to him. What stopped him was the smell of death that accompanied her. He watched his fragile mate from across the school cafeteria, and knew she was dying as she lived.

He had gotten close to her anyways. Spent weeks convincing her that he wasn't the player that everyone made him out to be. Their first date had been perfect, he recalled, and tears dripped down as the priest began the ceremony. It had been October, and he lay the picnic blanket out underneath the great maple tree. It's branches had spread out around them, blanketing them in a cocoon of fall. She sat down with her usual grace, though he could see that every task was becoming more difficult for her with each passing day. Her dress spread out around her, and he marveled at her feminine beauty. His mother long since passed away, they ate the best meal he could think of to bring. The peanut butter was globed on in chunks. The jelly dripped from the bread. She had eaten it anyways, he remembered, too afraid of hurting his feelings to do anything but laugh as his eyes apologized to her. He had kissed her under that tree, the jelly sticking to her lips, sweetening the kiss even more, and when he had finally returned her home, he had kissed her once more, asking to be her boyfriend. She had agreed, and from there began their whirlwind of a courtship.

Dimly he heard the priest proclaim," Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," though his mind remained in the past. They had gotten married the summer after graduation. It had been a simple ceremony, but he still remembered how his heart swelled with love at the sight of her walking towards him. Her hair was down and curled, just brushing the top of her shoulders, and he knew how worried she had been that she wouldn't have hair on the wedding day. The white cotton dress she wore skimmed her curves, and as they said their vows beneath the clear blue skies, he looked down into his new wife's eyes, and sent up a prayer that God would give them eternity together. He had been there for every one of her chemotherapy sessions. Had held her hair back as she threw up into the bucket. Had curled her into him when she cried at the loss of her hair, watching together as it slipped through her hands to form a pile on the floor. Had been there when the doctors had given her many years to live, and rejoiced with her. But also there when they had shortened that time dramatically, and stopped administering the chemo, saying it was no longer working.

The look on her face had been the same as when he had first shifted in front of her. Devastation and shock. And cuddled her close as her life slipped away, day by day, and he was helpless to save it. He resurfaced just in time to see them lower the casket into the ground, and clutched the tiny life closer to him. He looked away from end of her life just 22 years after the beginning, and down into the eyes of their baby girl, her face a replica of her mother's. Her hair the same shade as it had been before the chemo had stolen it. He cried for the loss of his mate, his heart shredded, and knew he would never get over her. Never find another who could replace her. He left shortly, home to pack the last couple of boxes. A new city awaited him, one no longer tainted with memories.

................

A woman stood in the back at the funeral, an old friend of the deceased, and watched her widower leave with their child in his arms. Tears dripped down at the pain he was in. At how tightly he clutched the one-year-old to him, as though she could save him from the pain. She had caught the scent of her mate as soon as she had stepped out of the car, pepper and shampoo invading her senses. She had caught sight of him as well, though made no move to approach him. She knew she would never be able to replace her dead best friend in the eyes of her widower, and she wouldn't wish either of them the pain of trying.