The Alpha's Fallen Princess

Ch. 6: What's In A Name?

(Alex’s POV)

I heard about April’s latest, greatest stunt. I swear she is trying to get herself killed! I was spitting mad, too. And my temper was only building the closer I got to our room.

I stormed in and slammed the door behind me, immediately regretting it when I saw the terrified looks on Autumn and Castor’s little faces, then heard Summer crying in the other room.

“Hey, it’s okay angels. Daddy just forgot his strength for a minute.” I said and watched as they relaxed a little. Of course, Autumn leapt up and ran to me, throwing her little arms around my leg as she hugged me, all the while calling out, “Daddy, Daddy, you’re here! I missed you!”

I leaned down and scooped her into my arms and held her close as I cooed, “Daddy missed you too, baby-girl.”

It was true. I did miss them. But even now, I couldn’t look at them without a flood of emotions threatening to tear me apart inside. It’s been almost two years and I still can’t put it all behind me. I feel as though I let them down. I failed them all. First by sending them away, then by letting their mother die, and then again by failing to be the one to get them back.

If it weren’t for Cassy and her Mom, Aggie, we wouldn’t have gotten them back for nearly a year. That’s how long it took Raine to recover enough to use her gifts long distance. Thankfully, Cassy and Aggie were able to use their magic to build a false mind-link strong enough for us to reach out to Alli and the others and bring them home.

Being the Master of Magic, Cassy is the most powerful witch in the world. However, she’s still young. Same age as April and I, in fact. She was another one of April’s “strays” she made friends with at school. Back before we knew that Cassy would turn out to be The Master.

Being so young, there’s still a lot she doesn’t know about magic, but her Mom, Aggie? She’s very knowledgeable. And, thankfully, she’s mated to my Grandpa, so that kinda makes my pups her Great Grand-babies. So she was in just as much of a hurry to get them home as the rest of us.

I’m truly grateful to them for all their help. Don’t get me wrong. But I shouldn’t have needed their help. I’m their Father, I’m the Future Alpha of this pack, the Future King of all Supers. I should have been able to bring my d*mn family back on my own!

But I couldn’t. Because I’m a pathetic failure. Especially when you add that to the fact that I failed to protect my mate only weeks before from being killed. Then failed again to keep her body safe. The list of my failures goes on and on.

My thoughts were interrupted when April came into the room cradling Summer in her arms. Summer was only a few weeks old. But thanks to April’s gift of rapid healing, which was almost instantaneous, she was already back on her feet and training again.

And going on missions again, as well.

Once my eyes landed on April, my anger came surging back in full, and I raised my finger to begin speaking, but she put up her hand to stop me as she quietly said, “Your Mom is coming to take the children for a visit. Would you please help the twins pick out a few toys to take?”

I narrowed my eyes at her, hesitating before finally nodding. It would be for the best to wait until my Mom took them out of harm's way. Our arguments can be… ummm… volatile. “Come on, my sweet angels. Let’s get you two sorted before Grandma Lily comes.”

“Yayyy! I like visiting with Grammy Lily.” Autumn exclaimed, while Caster just quietly got up and went to his toy box to pick out what he wanted. I smiled as I set Autumn on her feet, though I absently wondered why she called my Mom “Grammy Lily” instead of “Grammy Bear”.

The name was a sort of spin off of Momma Bear, which is what April calls my Mom. Odd name, I know, but the short version of that story is that when we met April, and she found out my Dad was her Godfather, she nicknamed him Uncle Teddy, which was short for Uncle Teddy Bear.

When we found out we were actually mates, she began calling him Papa Bear, so it was only natural that she call my Mom Momma Bear. Of course, Ken drew the short end of that stick because she began calling him Baby Bear since he is my Baby Brother. (Mind you, she loves fables and fairy tales.)

Anyway, the twins picked it up and started calling my Mom Grammy Bear and my Dad Grampy Bear. I was just gonna ask my sweet princess why the change in names when there was a soft knock on the door and April went to answer it.

“Hi Aunt Lily. They’re just picking out a couple of toys to take. They won’t be long.” Okay, now she’s doing it too. I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m gonna find out!

A few minutes later, we were kissing our three angels goodbye, and they were heading down to my parents' suite for the afternoon. I don’t think I had the door shut behind me when I growled, “What the f*ck was that all about?”

April was busily picking up the mess left behind by the children as she said, “I thought it best for them not to be here while we talk.” I rolled my eyes at her answer. Was she purposefully being obtuse? I know she ain't this slow on the up-take.

“Don’t be a smart*ss, April. You know what I meant. What’s with the name change?” I saw April stiffen a little when I said that, but it only lasted for a split second before she shrugged. When she answered me, she tried to sound as if she were over it, but I could feel her sadness as she said, “Your parents have asked me not to use their nicknames any longer. They wouldn’t give me a reason why. They merely asked me to stop…

… So, out of respect for them, I have. As for the children, I think it’s just a case of them seeing that I call her Lily now, so they do as well. As far as I know, no-one prompted it. But you should know all this already. You were there when your Father requested the change…

… You said nothing then, so why act like you don’t know now?” I just looked at her dumbfounded. I had no idea what she was talking about right now.

Max? What’s she talking about? I asked, hoping he would have some clue. You were drunk, Lex. So I’m not surprised you don’t remember. I took over and consoled our mate when you couldn’t.

Max sounded really disgusted with me, but he also seemed angry. I wasn’t sure if it was at me or not, though. Of course, I’m angry with you, as*hole! But I’m also angry with our parents, too. Our Father crushed our mate when he told her she could no longer call him Papa Bear. He wasn’t mean about it, or anything, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t hurt her.

I was genuinely shocked by what I was being told. Why would Dad do that? I couldn't help but ask.

Max growled before answering, a sign that the topic was definitely a very touchy subject for him. It was another couple of seconds before Max finally spoke again, but this time he sounded sad. Because he doesn’t believe he’s earned it.

“Look, if you and Max are gonna talk I’m gonna go get my shower. It’s been a long day, I’m tired, I wanna take a nap.” April said in a tired sounding voice which reminded me of why I stormed up here to begin with.

“No, we’re done talking. It’s you who I wanna talk to right now. What the f*ck is wrong with you? Are you trying to get yourself killed or something? Do you not even f*ckin care that there are people who f*ckin love you that would go through h*ll if anything happened to you? Did you learn nothing two years ago?!”

I was shouting and growling by the time I finished speaking. Not that it had any effect on April. She just stood there, looking me in the eye, waiting for me to finish before starting to laugh. “I learned plenty, Alexander. Which is why I didn’t go alone. As for the people that supposedly love me? I’m sure you’d be fine. It’s not like any of you ever want to be around me anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go take that shower.”

She walked away after that. I suppose I deserved that jibe about not wanting to be around her. Though that’s not entirely accurate. I do want to be around her. It’s just too hard for me. Every time I look at her, all I see is her lying in that bed at death’s door.

I just can’t face that image anymore. So I don’t. I find every excuse I can not to be around her. Unfortunately, that also means keeping a distance from my pups as well. But only because they’re usually around her.

Sure, we have our moments when we’re happy together. I mean, we do have Summer now. I wish I could remember that night. It was obviously a good one. But I was drunk so my memory of that night is a bit fuzzy.

And yet you don’t see the problem with that. Max grumbled in my mind with annoyance. Don’t start, Max. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times already, if I wanted to stop drinking I could do it in a heartbeat. I just don’t see why I should. It’s my only retreat from all the bullsh*t.

I could practically feel Max rolling his eyes at me, but at least he didn’t say anything more. I think I might just blow my top at him if he does. I’m just that sick of hearing this same old bullsh*t all the time.

Right now I need to figure out a way to get through to April. Her total disregard for her life is f*ckin imbecilic. I know she's smarter than this!

(April’s POV)

I really didn’t need Alex and his p*ssiness today.

I mean, he seemed to be genuinely upset, but it’s hard to tell anymore. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but I’m tired of the emotional roller-coaster at this point.

And after Winter and Bethany going on and on earlier about my recklessness, I was done in.

I got a whole lecture from the two of them. But it hit home. Hard. So, tomorrow I’m gonna go talk with Doc Leaha about starting therapy. Doctor Leaha McAllister was the department head of the physiology department over at the hospital. She’s a vampire, so she’s been doing this for a while now.

Maybe she can help me get this under control. Who knows?

All I do know is that Winter and Bethany are right. I have a problem. I don’t even think anymore, I just run headlong into dangerous situations without any care for my own safety. Today that impulse got Chloe hurt badly.

If she had died because of me, I’d never have forgiven myself. Something else Winter was “kind enough” to point out. (Sense the sarcasm?) That’s actually how I knew I needed to reconsider things. Because Winter has never shown his temper to me until today. Having him yelling at me was a real eye-opener.

I was so lost in my own thoughts I hadn’t realized I’d slid down the wall of the shower and pulled my knees into my chest as I began to cry. Winter really laid it out for me today. Telling me I needed to be here for my kids and, at the rate I was going, I’d be just a distant memory to them in no time.

He wasn’t being mean, just honest. But d*mn it hurt to hear.

I guess it’s true what they say, the truth does hurt. But once he was done giving me a piece of his mind, he held me, let me cry it out, then we sat and talked everything over.

He was only trying to help, A. He loves us. I smiled fondly at Raine's comments. I know, Rai. I love him too. And I know he just wants what's best for me, so I'm not angry. I felt a rush of love go through my body and knew it was coming from Raine. She was always there for me, no matter what, and I love her for it. Just like Winter.

Though with that in mind, Winter’s going with me in the morning. Not sure if he just wants to make sure I’ll actually go or not, but he’s going with me.

I know it’s coming from a place of love. He and Bethany, along with my parents, are the only ones who’ve stood by me no matter what these past two years. Everyone else has had their own stuff they’ve been dealing with. Backlash from what happened.

I want to help them. But nothing I do seems to do any good. Even Jake had a little stint where he couldn’t seem to be around me for very long. Though he got over it faster than everyone else did. Most of the gang are still having some difficulties being around me. But they’re getting better. The worst has been Alex and his family.

It’s like they just can’t stand to be in the same general area as me for any more than a few minutes. None of them will talk to me about it, either. Then there was the whole name thing Alex mentioned earlier.

I can’t believe he doesn’t remember that day. So I’m guessing he also doesn’t remember asking me not to call him Zander anymore. He wants me to call him Alex, like everyone else does. Says it’s too confusing for people.

I know it’s just a name, but he used to love that I called him something different from what everyone else did. I mean, I guess I should be grateful he didn’t ask me to call him Lex, Lexi, or… God Forbid… Lexi-pooh! Those were the names his ex-girlfriends called him. I wanted something different from them, not wanting to be just another notch in his belt.

He once thought it was cute. He adored it. Then suddenly it was a no-no.

It broke my heart.