Chapter – 5

"Lost love is still loved. It takes a different form, that's all.

You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken another heightens.

Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it. You hold it. You dance with it." 

― Mitch Albom

***

~Clara

We woke up late the next day. Though I was restless, I had no nightmare. Well, one has to be asleep to get a dream, don't they? Sundays were the only day I got a day off, which I spend with Ben. I woke him and we got ready for our outing. He bounced up and down, running around the home, making funny noises. 

It was the last day of the fair and the weather was pleasant. We roamed around, watching the children and families ride the rides most of the morning. Ben chatted about his school as we made our way to the next ride. I didn't look where I went because it was so crowded. My attention was on Ben when I bumped into someone.

I looked up, my eyes growing wide as I met a pair of gorgeous ocean blue eyes. The world seemed to stop as I gazed into his blue depths that mesmerized me. The heat radiating from his body, seeped through my skin giving an odd sense of comfort that made me forget my worries. 

When I felt someone tugging at my hand, I stepped away embarrassed at my behavior. “Ah… I-I am sorry,” I mumbled unable to meet his eyes again. I was such a fool. Who would stare at a stranger that way? My breath hitched in my throat when I sneaked a look. Gosh… he is gorgeous with his chiseled face.

He was tall and well-built with broad shoulders. My heart raced just by looking at him. I realized I was staring again and averted my eyes. Shit! I never reacted like this to any other guys. Ben tugged at my hand again and I focused on my son, who was dragging me towards a ride with a determined look.

I gave him a guilty look and went along without glancing back. I could feel his heated gaze behind me and it took all my willpower to not turn and get lost in his mesmerizing eyes again.

***

~Aiden

We followed them and reached the fair. Gabriel’s children squealed with excitement and hurried outside, eager to get on the rides. At first, only the guys planned to come and meet Anna, but Daniela stopped us saying Anna might paNicholas and may feel threatened by our presence.

Not only that, with Anna living in a human neighborhood, if the women come with us it would look like a family visiting her and not the other way around. She had a point, what if Anna paNicholas and call the cops not even allowing us to speak? So, we took the women and the children just tagged along.

Now the children ran around getting on the rides now and then as I and Nicholas followed Anna and my son for the past two hours. She hasn’t seen us yet and I wonder how she would react when she sees me after all this time. Will she try to run again? My wolf growled at the thought.

I was deep in my thoughts when I bumped into someone and came face to face with my only mate. Her scent surrounded me and my wolf growled at me at the contact, our gazes met and we stood to stare at each other. I once again got lost in her brown depths as her scent drowned me.

Anna didn’t panic or run like we feared. She was not even shocked to see us there. I could feel her heart fluttering, but it all reminded me of the first time we met. It was like living the same memory again and I saw no recognition in her eyes as she gazed at me.

“Ah… I-I am sorry,” she backed as if she was embarrassed by the whole situation.

My wolf whined at the loss of contact and I frowned at her reaction. She stared at us again only to be dragged away by my son, whose nose flared and the death glare he gave saddened me. My wolf howled, wanting to embrace his only son. Our son didn’t recognize us. We wanted him in our arms.

I missed everything about my son. Anna’s growing baby bump, his first kick, his birth, his first cry, his first laugh, his first talk. Something I would never get to see again. 

“Why does she act like she doesn’t know us?” Nicholas frowned beside me.

I shrugged in reply and followed her again like a lost puppy.

***

~Clara

I followed my son to wherever he dragged me, my thoughts kept going back to the gorgeous stranger. I tried to shake my head and thinking about other things, nothing worked.

“Hello,” I turned back to see a beautiful woman in her late twenties with two children. She had brown hair with well-groomed features. Her yellow sundress suited well. “Are you alone?” She asked again while I stood gawking at her.

“Yeah,” I replied glancing at my son.

“Oh! Well. Would you like to join us? My kids would love to have a new friend," She invited us.

I looked at Ben, who was sniffing the air before nodding his head in approval.

“Sure.” I smiled.

“I am Hayley. This is Sam and Diana, my children."

“I’m Clara and this is my son Benjamin.” I shook her extended hands. We continued to roam around, going on rides with her and children. Well, she can be persuasive. Soon her husband whom she introduced as Gabriel joined us. Hayley also introduced her friend Daniela and her husband Saxon. 

Daniela was beautiful with blonde hair and dark eyes. She wore a white sleeveless t-shirt with denim shorts showing her long tanned legs. Both Gabriel and Saxon were tall with broad shoulders and had a well-built frame. A strange aura surrounded them.

I watched their family with a longing. How would it feel to have a family like them? A real family, a father for Ben. How would it feel to prowl with my little family? My thoughts wandered back to the gorgeous blue-eyed stranger. I need to get my shit together. You can't feel this way, Clara, I scolded myself. Ben got along with the kids and seemed happy, which made me happy.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard a small cry and I turned back to see Sam brushing his knees, blood whooshing from the small cut. I rushed along with Hayley to the restroom leaving Daniela to watch over the kids. Hayley washed his wound while I helped her with the first aid. The bleeding stopped after a while and the wound closed before my eyes. Within a few minutes, the skin became flawless like he never got hurt.

My jaw went slack. I have seen only one person healing at this rate, my son Benjamin. I looked her with wide eyes. Hailey appeared normal about the fact. “I-is it normal? You know healing at this rate?” I found my voice to ask the question that nagged my gut.

She looked up smiling at me. “Of course, it’s absolutely normal.”

Maybe my son is not as special as I thought. There were others like him, Benjamin was normal.

“Are you okay?” Hailey asked.

I nodded as we walked out of the washroom. There was so much I had to ask her. “Can I ask you something?” I asked after pondering over it for a moment.

“Sure,” she replied.

I sighed, okay here goes nothing. “Is he fast, strong and you know...” I ended up chewing my lips. I shouldn’t have asked her this. Her son heals as fast as Ben sure, but what if he doesn’t have other qualities like him?

“Yes, he is,” she replied in a calm tone.

“Oh." 

“It’s in their genes, they have their father’s trait,” she explained as if reading my mind. I looked at her dumbfounded. Father’s trait? I don’t even know who the father of my son is.

“Where is his father?” She asked and I averted my gaze. No, I couldn't trust her enough to reveal that much information. 

“I don’t know." My response was barely above a whisper. I turned on my heel and walked towards the group, praying she didn't pry for information.

“Oh! I understand.” She replied and talked about something else changing the subject to my huge relief. My relief was only short lived when I saw the blue-eyed stranger conversing with my son. I forgot to breathe as I gawked at him. I scolded myself for acting like a hormonal teenager and composed myself before walking towards them.

“Hi, Clara, this our friend Aiden and that is Nicholas," Gabriel introduced.

I shook hands with both. When I touch Aiden, tingles and comforting warmth shoot through my body making me retract my hand, shocked at the foreign feeling.

Nicholas was as tall as others with a friendly grin. I took my time to analyze Aiden, who now chatted with the kids trying to convince them to get into a ride with him. He had a tan skin, and I watched as his muscles flexed giving me an idea about his ripped body.

When I felt his gaze on me and averted my eyes. We enjoyed the fair in groups. Aiden even took Benjamin to a roller coaster ride. I felt the warmth spreading through my heart on seeing them together. Aiden acted so much like Ben’s father and Ben looked comfortable around him.  This won't go anywhere. We had to leave the town soon, I reminded myself.

"Thank you. Ben wanted to go on a roller coaster for a long time," I thanked Aiden. Benjamin hugged my knees with a huge grin on his face. My heart once again swooned on seeing my baby's smile. I kissed his chubby cheeks and ruffled his hair.

"You are afraid of heights."

"Huh!"

"Ah, are you afraid of heights?"

"Yeah."

Aiden nodded. A warm smile spread across his lips when he saw Ben again. He ruffled his hair, caressing Ben's cheeks. His eyes seemed to glaze and for a moment I thought it filled with tears. I couldn't help the stray thought that suggested I could have a family.

Who would want to date me, a single mother with her bushy eyebrows and untamed hair? Daniela and Hayley were well groomed. The men looked elegant, and they wore rich clothing. I didn’t stand a chance though they didn’t treat me any different. I sighed looking at the sky, it was growing dark.

"We should get going," I excused myself and bid goodbyes. 

Too bad, I don’t even know if I will ever see them again. I had real fun after so long and I didn’t want this day to come to an end.

“Hey, Clara why don’t we share our numbers. I would love to meet you again,” Hayley asked pulling her phone out.

“Um… sure.” We exchanged our numbers and parted with promises to meet soon. They offered to drop me off at home, which I refused. As I turned to leave, I met the piercing blue eyes which seemed to look right into my soul.

“See you later,” I whispered. Aiden nodded his head. Strange enough he seemed as if he tried harder to hold it together. I don’t understand why. I turned again before boarding the bus in a hope of catching his eyes one last time and almost smiled seeing him there. He'd followed me all the way to the bus stop. My heart skipped a beat, and I focused on Ben. I shouldn't feel this way.

We were tired when we reached home. After a quick shower, we climbed into the bed together in silence. Ben snuggled closer as I lay there trying to sleep while Aiden and his blue eyes invading my thoughts.