The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of leaves overhead, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. They were sitting on the picnic rug, still naked from their lovemaking. But the mood was sombre instead of passionate.
"I met Cassie at school. We were in the same grade, and when I turned 18, I knew without a doubt that she was my mate. She was a human." Alex drew a pause. "The council has decided that turning humans is not allowed unless the two parties involved are mates. Even doing that is discouraged to a significant degree, and I did not know what to do in that situation. First things first. I needed to talk to her. Get her to fall in love with me, and then slowly tell her about my secret."
Alex seemed to be talking to himself because his voice was quiet and low. Rosalie had to bow her head in order to listen to what he was saying. He smiled at her when he met her eyes. She watched him closely, noticing how his eyes grew distant as he recounted the past.
"Although humans don't experience the pull of the mate bond quite as strongly as we do," Alex continued, "they do sense it. She had feelings for me too."
Roselie nodded, understanding the complexity of such a bond. The mate bond among werewolves was an intense, almost mystical connection, but for humans, it was more subtle and fragile.
"I asked her out, and we started dating," Alex said, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he remembered happier times. "She was very much like you. Strong-willed, independent, and compassionate."
Roselie smiled back.
"It had only been a few short months."
He paused, taking a deep breath, his expression darkening. "She was going on a vacation with her family when there was a terrible accident on the highway."
The weight of his words hung heavily in the air. Roselie could see the pain in his eyes—the raw emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.
"That tragic accident claimed her life," Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper. He was heavily panting now, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to maintain his composure.
She reached out, placing a hand on his arm in a gesture of comfort. "Alex, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what you went through."
He looked at her, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It was the worst day of my life, Roselie. I felt like a part of me had died with her."
She squeezed his arm gently, offering what little solace she could. "You don't have to go through this alone. I'm here for you."
Alex nodded, his breathing gradually steadying.
They sat in silence for a while, the forest around them slowly coming back to life. Birds resumed their songs, and the leaves rustled once more in the gentle breeze. It was a reminder that life moved on, even in the face of unbearable loss.
After a few minutes, Alex spoke again, his voice stronger this time. "I don't want to dwell on the past, but I needed you to know."
She nodded, understanding the depth of his pain. "Thank you for sharing that with me, Alex. It means a lot that you trust me enough to tell me."
"It was horrible, and my wolf desperately wanted to die. But I had to take care of a pack. I had to live through it. Even though we had never mated, it did not make the pain any less intense. When you suddenly jumped on me that day at the waterfall, something happened. I felt a connection with you that I hadn't felt in a long time. It was like you brought me back to life in that moment."
He whispered softly. She reached out and took his hand, offering him the comfort and support he so desperately needed.
"You have given me a new lease on life; you have given me a second chance." He was very gentle as he stroked her cheeks.
"After I met you during the coronation, I couldn't stop thinking about you. But back then, you were just a young child. So I waited patiently for you to grow up, hoping that one day we could be together."
She looked into his eyes and smiled, feeling a sense of warmth and understanding between them. "I'm glad you waited for me," she said softly.
"When Chris broke my heart, I never thought I would find love again." Roselie confessed. "And I have to confess something."
"And what is that?" he asked, his eyes filled with curiosity. Roselie took a deep breath before finally admitting, "That night, when I agreed to go out for a walk with you, I was actually trying to make Chris jealous. It was Melissa's idea. I'm sorry for using you like that, but I'm grateful that it led me to you in the end," Roselie said, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders.
Alex listened intently, then he laughed.
"I did feel there was something fishy when you stopped making excuses to run away from me. At that time, I had no idea that Chris was your mate, but I'm glad it all worked out in the end. I should thank Melissa for her clever idea," he replied with a smile, reaching out to hold her hand.
"If it weren't for you, Alex, I probably would have killed myself rather than end up as Chris' mistress. Thank you so much for saving my life. Although I loved him, I could not." Her eyes welled up with tears as she continued.
He then cupped her face and gave her a kiss on the top of her head.
"Rosalie, our relationship is like a second chance for both of us. I love you." He muttered.
"Alex, you know I love you," she told him. "I really do."