Alpha's Redemption

The Surprise

Joshua’s POV:

The next couple of weeks were spent secretly arranging my return to the pack. 5 Years ago, I needed to leave, I needed to heal, Emma had done that for me, but now I saw that my pack needed their Alpha and my family needed their son and brother back. I thought back on the promise I made to Emma’s grandmother. I should have stayed away from Emma, but I couldn’t.

I started thinking of all the plans we needed to make. My sister had contacted the council to arrange the bonding ceremony. Luckily, Aaron agreed to wait and thought it a good idea to invite the council to the bonding ceremony. He wanted them there to witness his ascension to Alpha, so to speak. I had contacted Alpha Leo from a neighboring pack. He had been a close friend of mine and had always been loyal to my father. He agreed to my plan, with some exceptions, he wanted the council gone.

I now realized there was no other choice, my sister was in trouble and needed me. My only regret was that I was going to have to say goodbye to Emma. I couldn’t bring her into this world, it was just too dangerous and unpredictable, and I couldn’t risk losing her, she was just too important. I just hoped there would be a time for us after all this, all this mess, because I could never live without her, she had become my compass, my true north. I would try and ease her in slowly, maybe one day.

I dreaded saying goodbye to her. I would never love again, I knew that. Remus was already howling, missing her and knowing this would be our farewell. I was going to say goodbye in person. I owed her that, and if I was honest, I wanted to see her one more time, I needed to see her one more time. I had spent the last month craving her, needing her, wanting her, while I was arranging my return to the pack.

My sister dropped me off at the airport and I hopped a plane back to Dublin. The flight there was excruciating. I didn’t want to let go of Emma, but I had no choice. The flight reminds me of the last time I came to Dublin, but this feels even worse. Erica had died but I was going to have to live with the fact that Emma was alive and living with some other man. I hope she waits for me. The thought made me growl loudly. I grid my teeth together when I noticed some of the other passengers staring at me. I was so confused, I was split in two, needing to be with her, but knowing my family and pack needed me. Then there was the promise I made her grandmother which lay heavy on my mind, I could never bring her into my world.

The closer I got to Dublin the more Remus howled, it was a cry of longing and loss and it mirrored my own feelings. This was harder than losing Erica, losing Emma was going to kill me.

I caught a cab and we drove through the city. I wasn’t planning on staying away so long, but my sister and my pack needed help, they needed me. I drove to her flat, but no one was there. I instructed the driver to go to the pub she worked at. As soon as I drove into the parking lot, I smelled her scent, it was intoxicating. I sniffed the air again, the scent had changed a bit, but it was still her. It envelops me and Remus immediately calms down. I am immediately filled with joy being this close to her, even knowing it was to say goodbye.

As I entered the bar, I felt electricity course through my veins. This always happened when I was close to her. I spot her standing behind the bar, she looks up and I see her face first light up and then drop. Something is wrong.

“Josh” my name was a whisper on her lips. I saw her drop her head as if ashamed, ‘something is definitely wrong.’

She came out from behind the bar and walked slowly towards me.

She started to cry. I grabbed her hand and drew her outside. I felt panicked. What the hell was going on?

She spoke very quickly.

“I swear to god Josh, I have only been with you. I have never been with anyone else.”

I hugged her to me. “I know, I know, What’s wrong, sweet-cheeks”

She takes a deep breath and starts talking.

“Josh, I’m pregnant”. Those three words stopped my heart. She keeps talking though, and it takes me a minute to grasp what she is saying, “but when I went to the doctor, they said I look to be about 14 weeks along.”

I am filled with joy and horror at the same time. This was a werewolf pregnancy and it only lasted 4 to 5 months, so that would explain her time frame.

“But how can that be, Josh? I swear I haven’t been with anybody else.”

I hugged her to me. “I know sweetheart.”

I think fast, and my thoughts fill me with joy. This is what I truly wanted. I know that “Have you got a passport sweetheart?”

“Yes, of course, but why?”

“We’ll be married before we leave Dublin and then we’ll leave.”

“What, where are we going?”

“Wyoming, I am taking you to my home”

I start walking, she looks shocked, she finally catches her breath and says “Wait, What?”

I turned to her. “Emma, wait here.”

I walk into the pub, I have to get this done fast. Remus is happy though and, to be honest, so am I. I didn’t want to leave her, I didn’t want to say goodbye, she’s mine now. I will be careful this time. Look after her, make sure she is safe.

I walked into the pub and approached Emma’s boss. “Emma won’t be coming back, this was her last day.”

The guy looks shocked but doesn’t say anything.

I grab the door jamb to steady myself. My whole body was in shock, but I knew I had to get her to my pack and fast.

I exit the pub and grab Emma’s arm. Let’s go.

She looked at me, I could see all the emotions on her face.

She stops in her tracks. “Look Joshua, I am scared, I don’t know what is happening here and you seem to know something I want to know, now!”

I stopped and took both her hands in mine. “Listen, Emma, we can’t talk here, let’s just get back to your place and I will try and explain as much as I can.”

She shook her head and we started for her place.

As soon as I entered the flat, I was assaulted with Emma’s scent wrapped around me like a blanket and made me feel happy and complete. I just had to make this work, there was no other way. This was going to be hard. I felt panic. What if she hated me? But I knew it had to be done.

She took a seat on the couch. “I’m listening.”

“This is going to be hard to explain”

She looked at me and grabbed a bag of crisps. The movement was automatic. I smiled at the action. “Cravings”

She smiled “Yeah, bad ones.”

She looked at me again, focusing in on what I was about to say.

“ But stop dragging this out, you need to tell me what is going on here.”

I feel frustrated. I took off my coat and dragged my hand through my hair. “I have to go back 5 years.”

She just looked at me, still eating those damn crisps.

“To the day you were attacked, the day I met your grandmother and before that, what brought me here to Dublin.”