A new beginning.

Alice POV

Five years later….

“Mom, please don’t forget to turn off the microwave in the next five minutes, okay? I’m already running late for work, and I can’t wait for the food to be ready.” I called out from the living room.

Just then, the front door opened, and Bryan stepped inside. His head was lowered toward the floor while his lips were pouted, and he absentmindedly played with his fingertips.

“Hey, sweetheart. What’s wrong?” I asked softly as I immediately noticing the gloomy expression on my five-year-old son’s face.

He slowly lifted his tear-filled eyes to meet mine.

Instantly, I hurried over to him, gently placed my hands on his shoulders, and crouched down until we were at eye level.

“Bryan,” I called gently. “What happened?”

“Mom…” Bryan sniffled. “Mrs. Susan said… she said we’re having Sports Day this weekend, and everyone’s coming with their mommy and daddy.”

He paused as a small sniff escaped him. “Josh said his daddy is coming too… even though he doesn’t live with him anymore.”

Bryan lowered his head again before asking in a small, trembling voice, “So… why can’t my daddy come too?”

His innocent question shattered my heart. Five years ago, after that painful rejection, my mother and I left everything behind and came to Crescent Moon Pack to start over.

I thought the worst was already behind me.

Then I found out I was pregnant.

I was terrified, but my mother never let me face it alone.

She encouraged me to keep the baby, stood beside me through the pregnancy, and helped me raise Bryan after he was born.

Bryan had become the greatest blessing of my life...

But every time he asked about his father, I never knew how to answer.

If only Ryder and Silas had accepted me as their mate, I thought bitterly. Even after five years, the wound still hadn’t healed.

“Hey, Bryan, you don’t have to worry about any of that, okay?” My mother, Sarah, suddenly reassured as she walked over and placed her hand above Bryan’s shoulders. “I’ll go with your mom to your Sports Day.”

“Grandma! Really?” Bryan exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Of course I am.” She smiled warmly before gently patting his back. “Now run along and get changed. Grandma will help you take your bath.”

“Hurray!”

Bryan squealed excitedly before dashing out of the living room.

“Mom, should I continue hiding the truth from him about his dad?” I questioned while rising from the floor.

“Alice, I know Bryan’s question brought back painful memories, but you only have to tell him about his dad when he’s older. You also need to stop living in the past.” She stated, resting a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You’re still young. Open your heart to love again. Don’t let two men who never deserved you convince you that you aren’t worthy of happiness.”

A small smile tugged at my lips as I nodded.

“Thank you, Mom,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “I should get going now.”

I quickly blinked away the tears threatening to spill because my mother’s words had touched my heart more deeply than I expected.

After giving her a small nod, I excused myself from the living room. I hailed a cab, and thirty minutes later, I arrived at St. Crescent Medical Center.

I paid the fare and walked into the hospital lobby.

“Good morning, Nurse Alice.” The receptionist behind the front desk greeted me with a friendly smile.

I walked over to her and rested my hands on the reception desk. “Morning, Daisy. Ready to hand over the front desk to me?” I teased with a grin since her shift had just ended, and I was about to take over from her.

“Well…” Daisy sighed dramatically. “I’ve been ready for more than thirty minutes.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Oh, Alice.” Daisy suddenly lowered her voice into a whisper. “Doctor Andrew is coming this way, so try to act natural, okay?”

My laughter instantly died down as I bit my lower lip.

“Hello, Miss Alice.” A warm voice called out as Doctor Andrew closed the distance between us. “You’re looking beautiful today, by the way.” He added.

I couldn’t help but chuckle because I hadn’t dressed up for work at all.

Slowly, I turned toward him, allowing my eyes to travel from head to toe.

“Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself, Doctor,” I replied with a playful smile, despite the obvious fact that he was still dressed in his white doctor’s coat.

Daisy let out a quiet chuckle before leaning over the reception desk.

“Doctor Andrew is here to shoot his shot again,” she purred teasingly with her words quite audible. “Please give the poor man a chance this time instead of rejecting him again because I’m starting to feel sorry for him,” Daisy added with a mischievous grin.

“Thanks, Nurse Daisy,” Doctor Andrew replied, his voice filled with amusement as he slipped both hands into the pockets of his white coat.

“Well, Alice…” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Would you like to go on a date with me this Saturday?”

From the uncertainty in his voice, it was obvious he was already expecting another rejection.

“Sure. Why not?” I purred.

“What?!”

Both Daisy and Doctor Andrew exclaimed at the exact same time, causing a soft laugh to escape my lips.

“Alice… you’re not joking, are you?” Daisy asked in disbelief. “What suddenly changed your mind?”

“Well…” I smiled faintly. “My mom gave me some advice earlier today. Besides, you’ve been asking me out for so long that I figured I should finally give you a chance and see where things go.”

“Perfect!” he replied with a bright smile. “I’ll see you on Saturday at seven.” Doctor Andrew beamed.

He had barely taken a few steps before he stopped and looked back, pointing a finger playfully in my direction.

“And don’t change your mind before then, okay?”

I smiled and nodded. “I won’t.”

Daisy turned to me with a satisfied grin. “Doctor Andrew is a genuinely good man, Alice. You don’t have to be afraid of giving someone another chance.”

I shrugged lightly. “I just hope his feelings for me are genuine,” I murmured softly.

***

Saturday night arrived sooner than I expected. Dressed in a fitted red bodycon gown with a modest slit at the front that revealed a glimpse of my toned thighs, I made my way to the restaurant where Andrew was already waiting.

“Hey, Alice,” he greeted as he rose from his seat. “You look absolutely stunning tonight,” he complimented, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes.

“Oh, thank you so much, Doctor Andrew.”

“Alice, we’re off duty now. Just call me Andrew. I’d like that.” he said with a gentle smile.

I simply shrugged before taking my seat and he did the same.

Halfway through dinner, Andrew finally spoke

“You’re so beautiful tonight that, for a moment, I forgot what I was going to say.” Andrew purred and he chuckled awkwardly after saying it, almost embarrassed by how honest he’d just been.

“Thanks for the compliment, Andrew,” I replied with a chuckle as I set my spoon down beside my plate.

“Andrew… I hope you know I’m not ready for anything serious.”

“Why not?” he asked almost immediately.

“I’m the mother of a five-year-old boy, Andrew. Every decision I make affects him, so I can’t afford to be careless when it comes to the people I allow into his life.”

Andrew gave a small scoff before shaking his head. “Come on, Alice. I’ve liked you for more than two years now, and I want you to know that I don’t mind becoming a father figure to your son.”

His voice was calm, yet every word was filled with sincerity.

I smacked my lips together before slowly shaking my head. “I don’t think it’s that simple. I don’t want you to feel like you’re forcing yourself into a responsibility that isn’t yours.”

“You wouldn’t be forcing me into anything,” Andrew replied without hesitation. “I’ve seen Bryan a couple of times and he’s such a wonderful kid. I genuinely like him, so becoming someone he can rely on would be my pleasure.” He purred. “So please, just try to give me a chance, okay.”

“Umm… I’ll think about it,” I replied quietly, offering him a hesitant smile before returning my attention to my meal.

After dinner, Andrew drove me home. Throughout the drive, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he had said. Part of me wanted to give him a chance, but another part was terrified of opening my heart again.

When we arrived at Maplewood Apartments, I quickly stepped out of the car.

“Good night, Andrew.”

“Good night, beautiful,” he purred with a warm smile. “And don’t forget to think about what I said.”I scoffed. “I won’t.”

Andrew drove away, and I made my way into my apartment. The moment I stepped inside, I found my mom seated on the living room couch.

“Mom, I’m home,” I called out as I slipped off my heels with a weary sigh. Then I sat beside her.

“How was it?” she asked, lifting her gaze from her phone.

I raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand her question. “How was what?”

“Oh, come on, Alice.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “You know exactly what I mean. How was your first date with that doctor?”

“Well… it was fine.” I shrugged. “He told me he likes both me and Bryan, and that he wouldn’t mind accepting Bryan as his own son.”

“Then why do you sound so sad, Alice? Isn’t that a wonderful thing?”

“Mom… I don’t really think I’m ready for that,” I admitted honestly as I turn to fully stare at her. “Besides, I don’t love him… or even like him in that way. I just feel more gratitude toward him because he’s always been kind to me.”

My mother smiled gently before setting her phone aside. “You have to allow yourself to fall in love again, Alice,” my mother said softly. “Only love can truly heal a wounded heart. Besides, I’ll always help with Bryan, so don’t be afraid to open your heart, okay.”

‘Maybe it was time to move on.’ I thought to myself.

“Umm…Thanks, Mom. I… well, I’m ready to at least give Doctor Andrew a chance and see how things go.” I stated. “By the way, is Bryan asleep?”

“He is and you should do the same too,” my mother replied with a gentle smile.

****

The following morning, my mother helped Bryan get ready for school. After giving him a kiss on the forehead and seeing him off, I got dressed and headed to St. Crescent General Hospital for my morning shift.

The moment I stepped into the lobby, I bumped into Doctor Andrew.

“Good morning, Alice.” He smiled warmly. “How was your night?”

“Good morning, Andrew. My night was wonderful… what about yours?”

“It was great.” He chuckled. “Although I spent most of it thinking about you.”

I chuckled, softly. “You’re really good with words.” I teased.

Before Andrew could reply, my phone suddenly began to ring.

“Excuse me for a second,” I said before answering the call.

“Miss Whitmore?” the principal’s tense voice came through the speaker. “You need to come to the school immediately. It’s about your son.”

My smile disappeared instantly, and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach.