Rejected, Rebirth, and Second Chance

A Rough Night In

|ADELINE’S POV|

Do you ever think that sometimes life sets you up to fail? It was a question that kept me awake. Rowan had helped his brother to bed, we both just left him to rest there while we went our separate ways. I wasn’t sure what to say to him, and from experience, I knew this move shattered what was left of his tense relationship with Yevgeny.

The old man didn’t come home that night. I texted him and got a worrisome response. Since his wife’s death, he’d done it all to raise Damien as best as he could. And he sent me that message, that single line.... do I think life sets people up to fail?

Yevgeny feels like he failed. Like Damien would have been better with his mother around. As someone who knows that life can be so unpredictable I don’t think he was set up. I think this is partly on Damien.

I lost everyone in a single night, but it didn’t make me an asshole. It made me a frightened girl who couldn’t breathe around assholes but not... definitely not an asshole.

Damien is who he is because he chose to be. Our relationship was good in my eyes. We loved each other, the s*x was great, we were filled with so much passion I would have slapped you for even thinking he would cheat on me. Had I not seen it with my own two eyes.

That was his problem. He looked me in the eyes, claiming he loved me but that love was never enough for Damien. You can give him everything, and he will still turn on you. Yevgeny is a good man, he did his best as a single father and the head of a pack. With all that responsibility you’d think his nice son would not resent him but Damien, f**k Damien is just ungrateful.

How had I tried to understand him before? I was grateful to him, I was in love with him, I thought we had a future together and he took my life. f**k, I’m angry. I haven’t been angry in my life. But his betrayal hurt worse than anything.

I slipped out of bed, pushing my feet into the slippers I’d kept close by before leaving the room. I tried not to wake anyone as I went into the kitchen to get something to drink. I flipped the switch to put some light so I wouldn’t trip over anything.

“Holy s**t!” I squealed, spotting a tall figure sitting by the counter. Rowan. His hair was pinned behind so it didn’t cover his face, and he had this weird look in his mixed eyes. A bottle of beer in his hand.

“Hey.”

“Why are you drinking beer in the dark?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t be bothered to turn on the light.”

“Something wrong?” I inquired because from what I know, he and I are friends. And I really do want his help. He apprehended Damien easily. That’s something I haven’t seen someone do in a while. Sure there are stronger wolves in this pack but Rowan was quick with it. He didn’t hesitate the moment I shouted.

He went for it, quickly holding his stepbrother back. It was insane how well he did it. Fast too. I could only blink before he was right there. With his help... I should be safe.

I’ll also need plan C just in case Rowan chooses to side with Damien. You can never be too sure. I have to be extra careful.

“I’m thinking about Damien.”

I nodded, understanding him more than he could know. How do I explain it? I get it, your brother killed me. Yeah, that’s how you get someone to trust you deeply. By sounding like a lunatic.

“Yeah me too.”

“Oh, then please have a beer.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” I went over to the fridge to grab some more bottles and placed them between us. Then I hopped on the table and crossed my legs. I picked up one of the bottles and popped it open with my teeth. I took a long swig, letting the bitter flavor wash my thoughts away.

“I think the elders are going to make a unanimous vote on who should take over after Yevgeny, and I don’t think Damien will like their choice.”

“Damien definitely won’t like that. You saw how he reacted today. He wanted to attack his father.”

rowan groaned like he wanted to forget the incident. The sound was deep and gravelly. Like it was pulled right out from his throat.

“Yeah. I just... I worry that he’s f*****g up his life and I just can’t understand why. You think it’s my fault?”

I c****d an eyebrow at him. “Why would it be your fault?”

“I’m not blind, i know how people treat me... like I’m better than him and it makes it feel like I’m competing against him.”

Hmm, that is correct. The way the girls at the event committee spoke about him, it was nothing like... nothing like how they’d speak of Damien. In fact, they rarely brought him up. Unless he did something crazy.

“I can understand that. But you can’t put that on yourself. Damien could be doing things like you but he... doesn’t try. He takes the easy path, always.” well excluding me. He spent years getting me to trust him. All that effort was thrown away for his mate.

The word was more bitter than the beer. I chugged more of it, taking another bottle the very moment it was empty.

“This might be a little forward, but did you and Damien get into a fight? You sound upset.”

I blew out a breath and almost laughed. “I can never give him what a wolf can. I don’t have that bond, I’m not his mate. This... this thing between us will crash and it’ll burn hard. And I’ll be the one suffering in the end. Because humans don’t get mates. We don’t get feelings so powerful that it forces us to throw away years of hard work!” I exclaimed, it felt like I was finally clearing the agony from my chest.

Rowan plucked the bottle from my hand, he chugged a bit of it down, then he handed it back. I drank the rest and we opened another.

“You think he’ll leave you for his mate? Has he even met her?”

“You think he won’t? If you met your mate... wouldn’t you want her? Wouldn’t you defy all odds to have her?”

He ponders on my question. “As a hybrid, it’s harder. My mating bond is almost like an imprint. It appears on my mate, and I can see it. I feel twice the connection, I guess... depending on the circumstances, I- this isn’t about me though. Damien loves you, you love him, he won’t just ditch you for his mate.”

“He will. Don’t try to convince me. I know it. Damien is like a flame taking over a forest. It doesn’t stay in one place. It continues to burn and burn and burn, and it’s never satisfied by the forest it claims. It wants more. When he meets his mate he’s gonna realize I’m not worth the trouble.”

Rowan scoffed, then shook his head. “f*****g crazy. You’re worth the trouble. Trust me.”

I snatched the beer bottle from his hand. “Oh really? My phobia holds a place over my life-”

“If I saw my family die, I wouldn’t be expected to move on just because it’s been years. I saw death... I lost too much too and I’m still held by it. I just choose to live my life. Maybe you should try it.”

I hummed. Live my life? I ran my hands through my hair.

“I don’t even know where to start.”

“Well, what’s something you want to do?”

“Sleep... get a haircut? Wear shorter things? More sparkly things?”

“Okay, barbie.” I shoved him, and he caught my hand. We shared a laugh. How many bottles have we drank? I looked around. I could see like six... but I could be wrong.

“No seriously. I’ve living as a shell. f**k, I hate it. I don’t want to just be this frightened girl for the rest of my life. But it’s not like I can control it.”

“Oh? Have you tried being spontaneous? If you want the haircut go and get it. You want something, Adeline, go and get it. I think, if Damien chose his mate over you he’d be f*****g crazy. Who wouldn’t want you?”

“A lot of people. I’m boring, first of all.”

“You’re not boring, your creatively blocked.”

“Asshole.” I drank more of the beer. He was teasing me, but I didn’t feel like suffocating or trying to work the nerves away. Damien and I were great. But it’s hard to see the good times when I know what comes after.

Rowan is funnier, and just relaxing to be around.

“People want you. You’re beautiful, and when you let your walls down, you have so much to offer. Whether it’s to a friend or your boyfriend.”

“Hm, you know alot about this. Do you have a girl in your life that you’d risk it for?”

He goes quiet, watching me with a heated gaze. His chest rises and falls slowly. There’s an intensity behind his look that makes me feel uncomfortable. I wonder if I’ve hit a nerve.

“You don’t have to tell me-”

“I know. Um, yeah. There is a girl. If she gave me just the right look, I’d throw it away for her. Everything. Demons are quite obsessive. But she isn’t mine and I respect that.” he sounded pained.

“Charming. Her boyfriend better be the next deity because I doubt he could be better than you. Does she know?”

“Nope. That would make things awkward.”

Nice guy. We drank some more, letting the silence settle around us. Then the drink was gone, and Rowan got up to get more. His hip bumped into my knee, and I giggled. He stopped and turned.

“What’s so funny?”

“Come closer and I’ll tell you.” I uncrossed my legs and beckoned him over. He dragged his eyes between my legs, blinking profusely before he stepped between them. Pressing his hands on the table beside my waist.

“Tell me.” He whispered.

I thought about it, what did I want to tell him?

He was really handsome, the more I looked at him, the more I saw how wonderfully he was crafted. Like the gods spent too much time on his look. There was one of him in this world, with eyes like this, and a face as fine as this. I brought my eyes to his bare chest. What kind of workout does he do?

He’s big.

I leaned forward without thinking. My intention was to touch his chest, just to feel the firmness of his muscles. But I made the mistake of taking my eyes to his because it led me to tilt my head. Rowan looked at my lips, and then he waited.

I closed the small distance. Our eyes locked... our lips touched. Briefly at first... then more intensely again.

I shut my eyes, and he yanked me closer by the hip.

I parted my lips in a gasp, and Rowan responded with a groan. He kissed me hungrily, something about it made my body light. Like I was filled with renewed vigor. He molded his lips with mine, tongue pushing past and twirling with mine.

“Mate.” He grunted into my mouth, and I should pull back. Ask what he meant. I shouldn’t even be kissing him.

My hands came up, sliding into his hair, gripping the locks, and pressing my body even closer. I moaned quietly, my heart was pounding loudly. f**k, I was running out of air. But the thought of ending this kiss made me hold on to him tighter.

Rowan felt great around me, the lines of right and wrong didn’t exist with him kissing me. It feels.... I feel like he can’t get enough of me. His hands roamed over my body, feeling every scar, every stretch mark. Every bit of my skin through the shirt.

He pushed it up, slipping his hands underneath-

“Rowan, are you in the kitchen?” Damien’s voice was the ice-cold water Rowan and I needed to split apart. He pulled away from me, and I hopped off the table. Taking deep breaths as fast as I'd downed those beers.

What the hell did we just do?

He and I looked at each other, no words could be said. We’d opened Pandora’s box, and now we had to deal with the consequences. How the hell do we move past this?

“Rowan?” s**t!

“Just relax, okay? Yeah, I’m in here. Adeline and I were having some drinks.”

“Oh,” Damien said. Soon he was there, looking disheveled. Still handsome but he lacked the roguish unique charm that Rowan had. I’m drunk. I’m drunk, that’s why I did this. Yep, just drunk. f**k, no no no no. “You two okay? You never drink this late.”

“We were worried. Dad didn’t come home.”

Damien’s face soured. “Yeah well, whatever. I’m going back to bed, you and I will talk in the morning.” unapologetic as always. He walked up to me, and when he smiled I found it hard to give him one back. He brought his face closer, and I turned so he kissed my cheek.

“Sorry, I’ve got alcohol in my breath. I don’t want you to kiss that.”

He nodded. Then pecked me several times on the same spot, and laughter bubbled out of me. “I get it. I’m gonna go back now. You two don’t drink too much.” he reached for the fridge, took a bottle of water, and left. We stayed frozen until we heard his door lock.

“Fuck.” I swore out loud. A hand cupped my cheek, and Rowan leaned in. He kissed me deeply, then pulled back.

“We are going to talk tomorrow.” he turned and just walked away. Leaving me breathless and confused. That was not the plan.

Oh my god, what am I going to do? At this point, Damien hasn’t met Ava. He hasn’t betrayed me yet, so basically I cheated first. Oh screw me, why did I have to complicate things?!