RILEY
After what felt like hours, I finally managed to pull my car away from my children's school. Before leaving, I made sure to promise them that I would pick them up on time for their birthday celebration. I also handed out some brownies and meat pies to the little kids in their class and their teachers, spreading a bit of joy before heading off to tackle the rest of the day.
I parked my car on the left side of our parking lot, noticing the blue Bugatti parked at the front. I knew Alex was around.
As I approached, the hospital corridor hummed with the steady rhythm of machines and the muted conversations of patients and staff. The air carried the sharp scent of disinfectant, mingled with a faint metallic undertone hinting at the presence of blood. The walls, painted in a calming shade of blue, were adorned with posters promoting health and wellness. Nurses hurried past, their footsteps echoing on the linoleum floor, contributing to the orchestrated chaos of the hospital's atmosphere. As I ascended the staircase to our department wing, I was met with warm smiles from my colleagues, juxtaposed against the lingering scent of mortality that hung in the air like a somber reminder of the hospital's purpose.
I knocked once on Alex's door and he immediately ushered me in. I closed the door and watched him for a second. He was dressed in all black with his hair dyed black today. There was a mug of coffee on his right, and a tray filled with uneaten muffins and cinnamon rolls. My mouth watered as I stared longingly at it.
"Good morning, Riley." Alex's rich but gruff voice pulled me out of my thoughts. There was a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Are you going to come have a seat or will you keep standing there and devour my cinnamon rolls?" he teased.
I shrugged but approached him anyway. "I can't help it. I can't stop eating them to save my life," I confessed, sinking into the seat across from him. A sigh escaped my lips, a result of nothing but fatigue.
"Sure. Everyone knows that as a fact."
I held his gaze as I faked a frown. "Are you in any way bribing me with it?"
Alex burst out laughing, his rich laughter filling the room, but it did little to soothe the ache in my chest. I hadn't slept well last night, all because of this impromptu job that would take me away from my children. Whether I liked it or not, there was nothing I could do about it—I couldn't risk bringing my children with me. There was too much at stake. With their fathers so close by, there was no way they wouldn't recognize their own kids. Unlike humans, we werewolves had our scents intertwined with those of our parents, so if my children came along, my ex-husbands would undoubtedly detect their scents on our children. And then there was the chilling thought, one I didn't want to entertain but couldn't ignore—the stalkers, whoever they were, could easily target my kids next, something I could never allow to happen.
"Not at all." His smile vanished, replaced by worry and fear—something I had never seen in Alex's eyes before. "Something happened."
Alex told me he had received a letter from my ex-husbands' Beta, and my mind immediately went to Beta Philip. Alex went on giving detailed information concerning the letter and when he was done, I was seething with rage and demanded to read them myself.
"Who the hell does he think he is to give orders?" It was clearly written here that he would start a war with our pack if Alex did not send a pathologist to his pack in a day.
Alex shrugged but I could see he was scared. "We can't let him start a fight with us, Riley. We both know who will lose at the end of it. There's too much at stake."
I sat up in an instant, eyes widening as rage continued to bubble through me like a cauldron. "Diego is king in his own damn kingdom for Pete's sake! He can't force you to do what you do not want to do because he's king to his species." My tone was hard and I already made up my mind not to go there. Let me see what he does!
Alex shook his head.
"We can't let him start a fight that he can easily win, Riley. Don't be stubborn and see things from my own point of view." He pleaded and I answered with a roll of my eyes. I wanted to mind-link Clinton and tell him the matter at hand. I knew he would immediately go and meet with our King and have things discussed with him but a part of me knew I have given him enough troubles already. I couldn't give him more when I was still looking for a way to pay him back for all his kindness he had shown my kids and I.
"Okay, if you refuse to go then your ex-husbands will be here and there's every chance that he would get to see your kids, and that's something you do not want."
We remained silent for some time, each of us buried in our own thoughts. I realized Alex was right. Whatever choice I make could cause me a lot, and no matter how stubborn I was, I wouldn't like to endanger the lives of my children.
We have to do this. Amber's voice rang out loud and clear.
"Alright." I said, my voice hardening. Alex looked up from the files he had buried his head into, casting me a smile. "So what are the plans?"
I reached for his breakfast and picked two rolls of cinnamon, nodding my head in satisfaction as I munched them with greed.
Alex picked a muffin for himself, casting a glance at his cold coffee and scrunched up his nose in pure distaste.
"You let it get cold." I stuck out my tongue.
Alex smirked, "I can easily have the workers make me another one but I choose not to." He munched a muffin and nodded appreciatively. "So, how are the kids' birthdays going? Any party I can easily tag along with?"
I wiggled my eyebrows and giggled at the thought of Alex at the kids' party. "As much as it sounds tempting to hire you as a clown, there won't be a party for the kids this year. Clinton and I will be taking them out, then we'll return home and give them their presents."
At the mention of the word "present," Alex perked up.
"I bought them some presents myself." He lifted a finger to scratch his chin, looking uncertain.
A smile cracked up on my face, lighting up my eyes. "You didn't have to, really. But I'm sure they will love whatever you bought."
Alex heaved a sigh, instantly relaxing. He brought over the presents, each one wrapped in beautiful gift paper, and I thanked him before we delved into discussing my transfer to the Crimson Shadow Pack. Alex explained that sticking to our original plan of changing my identity and sexuality was crucial to avoid recognition by my ex-husbands and potential attacks by stalkers. The conversation then turned to my hair, and he suggested cutting it short.
I grimaced at the idea. "But I don't want to lose my pretty long hair."
Alex shrugged, "You have no other choice, Riley. Or would you rather risk being exposed and endangering your life?"
I pondered his words for a moment, then realized he was right once again. Though I felt bitter about the idea of cutting my hair, which I had worked so hard to preserve, I knew there was nothing else I could do.