Fated but Forgotten

Chapter 18 - Rocco

After a long talk with my father, whilst walking through our pack, it was decided I would stay with my parents until the doctors decided Aria was able to move home. The thing I feared most about this plan was that even if they say she is well enough to be discharged, what if she continues to have no knowledge of me… of our home… then where would that leave her when it came to returning home with me? For I saw the look of fear in her eyes when I reached to touch her, and it was not a look I wanted to see again. So forcing her to return to a house with me… a house she would not know, with a man she deemed a stranger… well, it was asking for failure, wasn’t it?

I had tossed and turned most of the night in the bed within the spare room, before taking a shower and edging my way downstairs, hearing my parents talk within the kitchen as I approached.

“I don’t know Lucia. I will suggest he heads to work.” I heard my Dad saying to my Mum, and I had a feeling I had caught the end of a conversation, potentially discussing what I planned to do today. Likely fearing I would be rushing to the hospital. Well, I had news for them; I had already pondered this heavily while in the shower. I knew Aria did not want me there. Aria did not want me full-stop, and, if I was to do as my Dad had suggested, I needed to try things in a different way. So, I would not go to the hospital for a few days. Give her the space she craved. Despite knowing it was likely to torture me…

“Do you think his wolf is dead?” My mother’s voice was wobbling, and I knew this was a fear that they all would have. I was going through a great trauma right now. These things were known to affect our wolves. Of course they did. And, my mother was one to always think the worst.

“Do not think like that, Luci, I am sure he is in hiding, hurting. Imagine how much he must be hurt that his girl does not know who he is. He wants to be her protector, her man, the way he always was, and instead, all he senses is terror from her. That would be enough to send any wolf into hiding. But no more talk of this. It is the last thing he needs.” My Dad mumbled, as I lingered outside the kitchen door, curious to know what they were talking about.

I was grateful for my Dad and him defending me. I think his theory could well be true, but if it was, then that only meant things would worsen the longer Aria was gone. Ciro would be gone forever if Aria never returned to me. I needed to find a way to bring my baby back home and, in turn, my wolf too…

I pushed open the kitchen door, ensuring I was loud enough to give my parents the chance to stop talking. “Ah good morning Rocco. Did you sleep okay, son?” Mum asked, waking over to me, and embracing me tightly. It was the first time I had seen her in a while, having spent so long in the hospital with Aria.

“I slept. Although, how well is hard to say.” I smiled.

She nodded, pulling away. “Let me sort you breakfast.” And with that she was off to the large kitchen counter and messing with the coffee machine before arranging breakfast foods upon a plate for me. That was one thing that would not happen while I was here. I would not go hungry… nor would I likely get any peace.

“What are your plans for today?” Dad looked up at me from his stool at the large kitchen island in the center of the kitchen, half of which was used as a breakfast bar.

“Hmm, jetting off on a tropical holiday… penning a top-selling novel… winning the lottery…” I joked as I sat alongside him at the breakfast bar, earning myself a playful slap from my Dad as he smiled at me.

“Sounds like a busy day.” He grinned.

“It likely will be, when I haven’t been into work for a while, there may well be a backlog.” I told him with a sigh. Already dreading the potential backlog of things waiting for me in my office. I had barely been in there since the day the rogues had invaded our pack, so I truly did not know what awaited me.

Dad looked surprised by my words, but made a terrible job of covering it up, as he looked at me. “I think work will do you good. A break from the same four walls of the hospital. And as for the backlog, I have helped out in your absence, as has Alpha Micah, so there should not be too much.” He patted me on the shoulder reassuringly.

I knew he would be glad I was not headed straight for Aria’s side, not that I had much of a choice either, in reality, when Micah had all but threatened to Alpha order me not to go there all day every day. But he had taken me by surprise with his mention of him and Micah helping with my workload. Though, I guess when I had been missing in action for such a long time, it was inevitable someone would have to step in at some point to pick up the slack.

“Well, I didn’t know you had been helping, so thank you. And, as for work helping, I guess I am about to find out. But, I can’t sit there and keep scaring her. Seeing that fear in her eyes is killing me.” I admitted to him, and I saw a sadness wash over his face, as my Mum placed a coffee and a plate of breakfast in front of me. The sadness echoed upon her face too.

“Oh Roc, you know that is not how she truly feels.” Mum threw herself at me, almost knocking me off the stool where I sat, as she hugged me in what I could only assume was her attempt at offering reassurance.

“But it is Mum. Because the Aria we knew, and the Aria that I love, and that loved me is not the Aria that sits there right now.” I said calmly, as I eased myself out of her almost smothering embrace.

Dad smiled sadly at me. “We will work things out, son. The doctors are seeking advice. And, you can always work on wooing her, like we spoke about.”

“Aww, a woman loves to be wooed. Flowers? Romantic music?” Mum said with a faraway look within her eyes. “Films… aww there are so many ways you could go with that. You charmed her before, Roc, I am sure you could do it again.”

I smiled, as I picked at the food in front of me. That was what I was hoping for. And the beginning of my plan was to stay away. To make her wonder where I was gone. Because I knew she had noticed me in her room, or else she would never have spoken of me to the medical team. So if she had noticed my presence, I was hoping that meant she would also notice my absence. And how did the saying go? Absence makes the heart grow fonder…