Home / Too Late, Alpha. We Don’t Need You Anymore / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Too Late, Alpha. We Don’t Need You Anymore: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

I picked Aurora up, and she rested her cheek against my shoulder. Her eyes stayed fixed on the big screen in the pack's council hall.Adrian was on it, dressed in his black patrol uniform, laughing as he lifted a pup onto his shoulders.The pup was Asher, son of Serena and the late Beta.Serena and Adrian had stopped for a quick interview after the pack's training event.Serena stood beside them, her eyes red.“If our Alpha hadn't been there for us all these years, I don't think I could've gone on after losing my mate.”Then Asher threw his arms around Adrian's neck.“Daddy! When I grow up, I'm gonna be the strongest warrior, just like you!”Adrian's smile faltered. He glanced at the camera, clearly caught off guard.But Asher was beaming up at him. Adrian didn't correct him. He just ruffled the boy's hair.Aurora stared at the screen. Her eyes slowly filled with tears.She was seven.Adrian hadn't been there when she was born. He'd missed her first birthday, too.And when her school h

Chapter 2

I wiped her cheeks.“Okay, sweetheart. Then we won't.”That evening, I canceled our room at the seaside inn and took Aurora home.She was asleep in my arms when I opened the front door, clutching a small wooden wolf.Adrian had sent it through his Gamma for her third birthday. The gift box had said Aurelia instead of Aurora.She'd loved it anyway. For years, she'd taken that little wolf everywhere.I had just tucked her into bed when I heard the front door unlock.Adrian walked in and stopped when he saw me.“What are you doing home?”“Aurora doesn't want to go to the beach anymore.”He frowned.“Why didn't you tell me? I was planning to come meet you both tomorrow.”I took out the little diary Aurora had made for him.Beside her uneven letters was a drawing of a bright blue sea.“Daddy said he'd take me to see the seagulls when I started first grade.”“I'm in school now. Why hasn't Daddy come?”Adrian stared at the page. His face tightened.“Evelyn, you know how busy I've been. Couldn

Chapter 3

Adrian had just come out of his study.I handed him my phone.He watched the video and frowned. "Who leaked the security footage?""The whole pack is talking about your daughter, and that's all you care about?"He ran a hand through his hair in frustration."That's not what I mean. Aurora's only seven. None of this should be all over the pack's group chat.""And that livestream yesterday? Asher and I just happened to be caught on camera. How was I supposed to know it would turn into all this?"Aurora stared down at her lap."Daddy, I didn't mean to make you look bad."My heart sank.Adrian froze, too. Then he hurried over and crouched down in front of her."Aurora, honey, you didn't do anything wrong.""I'm off border patrol today. How about I take you to the training grounds?""You've always wanted to see where Daddy trains his warriors, right?"Aurora's eyes lit up."Really?""Really. Today's just for you and me."I was about to say no, but Aurora was already tugging at my sleeve."P

Chapter 4

I read his messages. I couldn't even bring myself to be angry anymore.I didn't reply.After dark, I took Aurora home to pack our things.The moment we walked in, I saw that the nameplate was gone from her bedroom door.The wooden sign that said "Aurora's Room" had been taken down and left against the wall.Asher's clothes were piled on her bed.Serena sat at Aurora's little desk, taking apart the block castle she'd spent so long building.Asher was holding Aurora's teddy bear."Daddy said I get to sleep here tonight," he announced.Aurora stopped in the doorway. She didn't move.She loved that room more than anything.She'd saved her allowance for six months to buy the moon-and-star lights on her wall.Every night before bed, she'd point to the biggest star and tell me that one was Daddy's.Now the lights were hanging over Asher's bed.The biggest star had been ripped in half. One piece hung from the wire. The other lay on the floor.Aurora crouched down, her hands shaking, and picked

Chapter 5

Adrian’s POV“Evelyn... How dare you?!”I grabbed the edge of the table, but my knees still hit the floor hard.It felt like someone was tearing my chest open. Noah, my wolf, was going wild inside my head, calling her name over and over.Evelyn had been arguing with me in this house just last night. Aurora had only been gone a few hours. Evelyn had loved me for eight years. She couldn't just cut our bond and walk away.She was angry. That was all.I pulled out my phone and called her again and again. At first, I thought the signal was down. It took five failed calls before I finally let myself believe she'd blocked my number.I closed my eyes and reached for her through our Mind Link.It didn't matter how far apart we'd been before. All I had to do was call her name, and she'd answer. Sometimes she'd complain that I was interrupting her work with her potions. Other times she'd ask if I'd eaten.Now there was nothing.That was when the fear finally hit. Noah whimpered inside my head, gr

Chapter 6

Evelyn’s POVThe potion tasted bitter, like rust, as it went down my throat.I'd thought I was ready. When the witch gave me the bottle, she'd warned me more than once. A Mate Bond lived deep in the soul. Breaking it would hurt.As the train passed through the mountain gap, something seemed to squeeze my heart. I had to fight for every breath.But the next wave of pain was too much. I doubled over and hit my forehead on the seat in front of me.“Mommy?”“Mommy! What's wrong? Are you bleeding?”Her little hands flew to my mouth. Only then did I realize I'd bitten my lip hard enough to draw blood.I pulled her close, though my arms were shaking so badly I could hardly hold on to her.“Is it because I said I didn't want Daddy anymore? Is that why you're hurting?”“No, sweetheart. Of course not.” I lifted her chin. “I made this choice. You aren't responsible for what grown-ups do. Do you understand?”“But you're crying because it hurts.”“Yeah,” I admitted, kissing her forehead. “It hurts

Chapter 7

Adrian’s POVThe first thing I noticed when I woke up was the smell of medicinal herbs.Gamma sat beside my bed, with dark circles under his eyes. He told me I'd collapsed at the lost and found and been unconscious for two days.I put a hand on my chest. The pain was still there, but the silence inside me was worse.“The healer says the broken Mate Bond hurt your wolf. Noah's still there. He just needs time to recover.”After a while, Noah answered in a weak voice.Gamma said the elders wanted me to rest for a few days. He'd take over border patrol until I was better.Serena came to see me with Asher.“Daddy, does it still hurt?”I looked at him and wondered if Aurora had been crying for her mommy like that last night.“Call me Adrian from now on, Asher,” I told him. He went still. His eyes started filling with tears.“I’ll still provide for you both, but I’m not his dad.” I closed my eyes and continued.The color drained from Serena's face.“So Evelyn leaves, and now you're turning y

Chapter 8

Adrian’s POVThe Moonshadow Pack's research institute was busier than I'd expected.I'd gotten an invitation by proposing a potion research project between our packs. On the way there, Gamma checked the gifts at least three times. I'd brought Evelyn her favorite laurel flowers and a new art set for Aurora.“Are you nervous, Alpha?” Gamma asked. I touched the vial in my pocket but didn’t answer.I spotted Evelyn outside the institute before the meeting even started. She was laughing with a silver-haired man.“Cassian, if you mess with my data again, I'm kicking you out of my lab.”“I fixed your spelling,” he said lazily. “Your handwriting looks like a wolf scratched it into the page.”Evelyn swatted his arm.I stopped walking. Suddenly, I didn't know how to go over to her.“Aurora, slow down!”A little figure came running from the other side of the building.Aurora ran to Cassian with a drawing. “Look! I made your tail even bigger this time!”“Are you doing this on purpose? That tail's

Chapter 9

Adrian’s POVAfter I returned to the Moonstone Pack, I stepped down from leading the daily patrols.Most days, I sat in Aurora's room and looked at the star lights I'd fixed.It had taken me an entire afternoon to put the biggest star back together.Aurora used to say that one was Daddy's star.Serena came by once. She stood in the doorway, speaking more quietly than she used to.“Asher keeps asking when you're coming to see him.”“Gamma will make sure you have everything you need. The Beta's family will always be looked after.”I remembered the Beta grabbing my sleeve as he lay dying. All he'd asked was that I look after Serena and their son. I'd sworn I would.But he'd never asked me to forget my own daughter. He'd never asked me to make Evelyn suffer to repay him.“I acted like looking after you and Asher didn't cost anyone anything,” I said with a bitter smile. “But Evelyn and Aurora paid for all of it.”“But his father died saving you.”“I remember.” I was too tired to hear the re

Chapter 10

Evelyn’s POVGamma's message came while I was doing the final checks on a new batch of potions.Adrian was dead.It was a beautiful sunny day.I thought about the first time Adrian brought me to the Moonstone Pack eight years ago. He'd smiled and told me this was going to be our home. Back then, I really believed we'd grow old together.I didn't cry. But there was a heavy feeling in my chest that wouldn't go away.Cassian came in and noticed my face. “What happened?” I showed him the message.“Want me to go back with you?”“No.” I put my phone away. “I think I need to go alone.”After Aurora came home from school, I told her Adrian had died.She sat on her bed holding her teddy bear. For a long time, she didn't say anything.“Daddy's really never coming back?”“No, sweetheart.”“Was he very sad?”“He was sick. He did get treatment, but his body couldn't get better.”“Was it because I said I didn't want him?”“No. Absolutely not.” I took her hands and waited until she looked at me. “His

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