Fated but Forgotten

Chapter 15 - Rocco

It took no time at all for me to reach the training field. And as I sat on the wall that was close to it to wait for the imminent arrival of my Dad, my heart felt heavy. I didn’t know what to do anymore. I didn’t even know if I was able to carry on.

I had always felt so capable as a man... as a werewolf. So strong. Confident. And when I came of age, my wolf only enhanced that. A Beta wolf was only second in strength to the Alpha, and my wolf, Ciro, was certainly a wolf to be proud of. A wolf to fear. So feeling the loss of him right now was like a bullet through my heart. Part of me felt like I was missing, and I did not know how to cope with that. It did not feel real. Was this what it felt like to fall apart?

“Rocco?” I heard my Dad speak before I had even heard him approach, which told me just how distracted I was. Distracted by my own thoughts, and also clearly weaker in my abilities due to the lack of my own wolf right now.

I looked up and met his concerned gaze. A sympathetic look that I hated. But a look that some people seemed to give me of late. They all felt sorry for me because of the suffering due to my mate being hospitalized. Everyone in the pack knew about it, and everyone felt bad. I did not want sympathy. I simply wanted a way for this to be fixed.

“Hey Dad. You did not need to come out so late.” I told him, earning myself a roll of his eyes, telling me he was coming out to find me whether I wanted it or not. He was coming to try and fix this for me, but what he seemed to fail to realize was there was no fixing this. Not unless Aria recovered; and right now there was no sign of that.

“Are we walking?” he suggested. “If you aren’t feeling up to a run.” The way he added that at the end told me he likely had his suspicions as to why I did not want to run, but that he was not about to push for confirmation.

I stood from where I rested to stand alongside my father. Two of us so alike in stature and build, and in looks, and unfortunately, very alike in mind too. So, that meant he had an uncanny ability to know how my mind worked. Far too often knowing what I was thinking without me telling him. I did not want that right now.

I had grown stronger than him over the years, or had until recently at least. I would imagine now he was back to being stronger than me, with the sudden disappearance of my own wolf. I wondered if his wolf could sense that? If my Dad or his wolf were aware of anything, then neither one said a word. Maybe both knowing that the topic was too painful to address right now.

“So, not spending the night at the hospital I assume?” My Dad asked, and while I wanted to be irritated by his words, there was no accusation there. His tone was calm. He was simply wanting to discover what was happening, though I do think Micah had likely shared all of this.

I turned to look at him as we walked. “No. I decided to stay away. It is not easy to hear that the one you love is scared of you.”

Dad nodded, his hand finding my shoulder. “She isn’t herself right now, thought Rocco, we need to consider that. You know the Aria you love... no, that we all love, would hate to be making you feel like this. This is not of her choice. Of any of our choices. But, to get through this you need to stay level-headed.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “But she may never be herself again Dad. The doctors are becoming less convincing as the days pass. Nobody seemed able to give me an answer. And the look within her eyes was so empty. She has no clue who I am to her.”

“I think her heart still knows.” He said, squeezing my shoulder in a bid to reassure me, but his words simply cut deeper, because I knew her heart did not know. Because if her heart knew, then she would not be looking at me the way she did. Vacant. Nor would she telling someone she was scared by me.

“What do I do Dad? I am losing her. But in losing her I feel like I am losing myself. Losing everything.” I felt a sob forcing its way out, and suddenly I was enveloped in a tight embrace. Wrapped in the strong arms of my father. Somewhere I had not been since I was a lot younger. Painful sobs wracked my body, and my Dad held me tighter.

“You remain there for her son. Strong. The man she fell in love with. Her mate. Hopeful that she will return to you. And, if she does not, you do what you did the first time around.”

I pulled away from his embrace slightly, allowing myself to look at him, despite feeling I needed his hug more than anything right now, which had taken me by surprise. “What?” I had no clue what he was implying.

He smiled softly. “You make her fall for you again, son.” He suggested. “But to do that, Roc, you need to calm down. Get your rest. Go back to the carefree man you can be. The man she fell for. Speak of the memories you share, like you have been, but woo her too, chat to her. Brighten her day like you always did. And see what happens.”

His words echoed within my mind. They made so much sense, yet seemed crazy at the same time. Woo my own wife? Make her fall for me again? I wanted to think my Dad was losing his mind, but this suggestion had a ring of possibility to it. A hope that, considering I felt everything was crumbling in my hands, I desperately wanted to cling to. Maybe this could be worth a try? I was already losing her, so maybe this would bring her back to me?