The Alpha and Her Rogue

|41| Alpha's Word

Jaxyl

I was taken back by his words.

"Bryce, I—" Don't know what to say.

An uncomfortable chuckle left my lips while my eyes dart to every corner of the room.

"You're saying you would like another chance with me?" I ask.

"I would," he answers. "But I would never disrupt what you have now to pull you into my whirlwind of shit."

"Jax, I tried to kill myself for the second time," he states, with a shameful shake of his head. "I've been struggling with the recent news of my brother as well as the loss of my parents and him my entire life. I've struggled with this alpha shit, and I've been a horrible person to you."

"I know it's a lot but that's why I'm asking for your forgiveness and is precisely why I need you," his voice softens. "I have a son now and I can't be here for him if I'm dead. I can't do shit for him if I'm a depressed addict."

My heart completely softened at the mention of Xavier. He and Bryce turn me into complete mush, and mush is not what I am supposed to be. The corners of my mouth turn up as I pull out my phone, remembering why I'm here in the first place.

"You still haven't seen him," I say, scrolling to the pictures of Xavier. I push the phone out to him once I find a recent image of him laying in his crib, nibbling on his feet.

Bryce laughs when he sees the picture, before swiping over to look at more pictures. The soft gaze he held made my heart warm. "He is precious," he says lowly. "Looks exactly like me."

"Us," I correct with a slight eyeroll and grin.

"Mind if I send a few to myself?" he asks.

"I encourage it."

He swipes through the photos a few more times before stopping. His eyes were glued to my phone for a full minute.

I hope he hasn't stumbled upon a nude.

"What are y—"

He cut me off by turning my phone's screen towards me. It was a photo of me holding Xavier as I kissed him on the forehead, right after giving birth.

"I wish I could've been there," he comments. "I'm making it my wallpaper, and don't protest," he states sternly.

I watch as he sent the picture to his phone number, wondering how easy would it be for me to fall right back into his trap if I decided to be his shoulder while he gets his shit together. I will always want Bryce but a romantic relationship with him, I don't desire. At least not the one we had.

"Hey," I grab his attention. "I will be here for you," I tell him. "While you clean yourself up."

"Thank you," he smiles at me.

"And..." I think about whether I should bring up my next topic. I know now that it is a sensitive subject for him but it is an idea that doesn't just involve his opinion.

"Maybe you can bring your brother here for treatment. Our tech is topnotch and you guys have the medicine and the science with it. Your people and mine can work together and come up with something I'm sure."

"Hm," he hums, thinking it over. "It sounds like a chance but I don't know. I don't want to get my hopes up and relive what I've been going through."

"It'd be his best chance," I say. "Think on it some more and discuss it with Kira too. I'm sure she'd do anything to be with him again."

"Thank you, Jaxyl. For being here."

I give him a small smile instead of a verbal response. I rise from my seat to leave.