Page 25 of Rejected and Pregnant by the Alpha (Forbidden Alpha Kings #52)
Julian
Sitting on the bed of my guest room, I pull out my laptop, absent-mindedly opening the hidden folder and staring at the screen.
Images of Hannah and me flash by, and I sigh, trying hard not to cry.
Seven years ago, when the rumors began, I should have stopped them and set everyone straight.
Hannah was the only she-wolf allowed near me, all because of her duty as my hidden guard, and the she-wolves in the pack resented that.
Instead, I stupidly believed them, distancing myself from her to protect my image.
At that time, I wanted to delete all the pictures Hannah and I took together, but something always made me hesitate.
Instead, I put all the images in a folder on my laptop and forgot about them until now.
I realize now that the mate bond was what made me hesitate to delete our pictures, and I am glad that I kept them.
“You’re still up?” Looking up from my laptop, I see Fabian walk in, concern etched on his face as he comes to sit beside me.
“Yeah,” I mutter, returning my gaze to the screen just as the picture of Fabian, Hannah, and me pops up. This was taken on her sixteenth birthday and was the last picture we took together.
“I guess all the guilt and remorse over how I treated Hannah is getting to me, and I just can’t fall asleep,” I add, closing my laptop and placing it on the nightstand.
“Well, Hannah called me to check in and see if we are settling in all right. She is pissed we never warned her about visiting Haven Trail first,” Fabian says with a chuckle, shaking his head.
“If the pack could only see the shy and quiet Hannah they all thought they could bully back then, they would realize that she is one spitfire who kept a low profile as your guard,” he continues, flopping back onto my bed and sighing.
I smirk, thinking back to how Hannah and I used to act around each other before the rumors began to circulate.
When it was just her and me, or even her, Fabian, and me, Hannah would boss us around, telling us what security measures we needed to implement in the pack to secure our borders.
She would joke with us, wearing a carefree smile while helping me clean my room.
But most importantly, she would taunt me in the training ring, even when she was wolfless because she had not shifted yet, and somehow managed to kick my ass on multiple occasions.
But because she was kept by my side as my hidden guard, she had to put on a meek persona while walking around the royal pack, keeping her head down and acting like an omega.
“So what time is the meeting with her and her beta?” I ask, running a hand through my hair and turning to look at Fabian.
“Eleven in the morning,” Fabian answers.
I nod, happy to have a late-morning meeting. It gives me some time to come up with a plan to start winning my mate back.
“Do you think her beta would help me win Hannah back?” I wonder, causing Fabian to burst out laughing. I growl at this, not pleased to see my friend laughing at a sincere question. My growl startles him, his eyes widening as he sits up.
“Wait, that was a serious question?” he asks, and I growl in annoyance, dropping my head into my hand.
“Yes, it was,” I confirm, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.
“Well, considering Claira glared at you today, you’re better off getting help from Aileen the vampire. At least she gave you a hint about gaining Hannah’s forgiveness,” Fabian replies, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Wait, Claira was that she-wolf who said I was in her spot, right?” Popping straight up, I see Fabian nodding, a grim look on his face.
“Claira is Hannah’s best friend. She is co-owner of Trail Corporation and Saben’s godmother,” he explains, dread sinking in. Great. Not only did I hurt Hannah to the point she is cold toward me, but I also pissed off her best friend and beta.
“So… what are the chances of me and Hannah getting back together?” I ask, trailing off.
“It’s basically a one-in-a-million odds.
You fucked up, Julian, even when I tried to warn you five years ago,” Fabian states, his brutal honesty washing over me like a bucket of ice water.
He did try to warn me, to talk to me about my choice in banishing Hannah.
I should have listened then, should have calmed down and tried to think clearly, but I didn’t.
I woke up from my rut, leaving me sore and exhausted, wanting to snuggle with my mate only to find Hannah in bed beside me.
I believed the rumors of her being a gold digger and wanting to take the luna queen title for herself and snapped, thinking she had done something.
Now, I need to do what that vampire said to do.
I need to grovel and beg for forgiveness—to show Hannah that I regret what I did to her five years ago.
“What’s the best way to win Hannah over again?” I ask, knowing Fabian is my best chance.
“You could start by apologizing,” Fabian answers, standing from the bed and stretching.
“From there, you need to win Saben over. He is Hannah’s whole world.”
“I think I can do that,” I say, smiling, thankful that Fabian is helping me.
“Good. There is just one thing you need to keep in mind,” he adds, his eyes meeting mine.
“And what’s that?” I can’t help but ask, feeling like I am not going to like the answer.
“You can’t tell Saben that you are his father.”