My Alpha Mate Wants Me Back

Aria POV.

"Do you ever wonder if fate makes mistakes?" My voice cut through the quiet night, my back to Elijah. The moonlight cast soft shadows across the clearing as I gazed toward the distant mountains. I needed to say these words, even if they threatened to break me.

Elijah’s response was a low growl, a mixture of frustration and something deeper. "Fate doesn’t make mistakes, Aria. We were chosen for each other. You know that." His golden eyes shone, catching the dim light, his presence dominating the space between us.

"Chosen or trapped? There’s a difference." I turned to face him, the distance between us palpable in the chilly night air.

Elijah took a step closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over my smaller form. "What are you saying? You don’t believe in us anymore?" His tone held a sharp edge, but his eyes betrayed a pinch of vulnerability, a plea beneath the anger.

I met his gaze, my heart pounding. "I don’t know," I whispered. "I used to believe we were meant to be. But now, I feel... disconnected. What if this bond isn’t fate? What if it’s a curse?"

"A curse?" Elijah recoiled, his breath catching. "After everything we’ve been through, you think this is a curse?"

"I don’t know what to think anymore," I admitted. "Lately, I feel... trapped. By you. By everything." The bond that once anchored me now felt like chains tightening around me, pulling me down.

"You’re letting fear cloud your judgment," Elijah said, softer now, almost pleading. "Our bond—it’s everything. You can’t just walk away from that."

I shook my head, my thoughts tangled in a storm of confusion. "I need to understand if what we have is real or if it’s something forced on us by fate."

Elijah ground his teeth, his frustration simmering. "Fate brought us together for a reason. You can’t deny that."

"Maybe fate makes mistakes," I murmured, turning away. A vision flashed in my mind—brief but unsettling. In it, I stood alone, strong but free from the weight of our bond. For the first time, I wondered if the peace in that vision was what I truly wanted. Was this a glimpse of a future without Elijah?

"Aria." Elijah’s voice was sharp now, pulling me back. "What aren’t you telling me?"

My throat tightened. How could I explain that the thought of being without him, while terrifying, also brought a strange sense of calm? "I’m not sure we’re meant to be together," I confessed.

Elijah’s face darkened. "You are sure," he insisted, stepping forward, reaching for me. "You’re just scared. We’re stronger together, Aria. We always have been."

I stepped back, avoiding his touch. "At what cost, Elijah? At what cost to me?"

Silence fell between us, the tension thick. Elijah broke the stillness, quieter now, but filled with determination. "We’ll get through this. You’ll see."

But I wasn’t so sure anymore. I glanced over my shoulder at him, noticing how distant he seemed, even as he stood mere feet away. Something had changed, and I wasn’t sure it could ever go back to the way it was.

The next morning, I woke to the rustling of leaves outside my window. I stretched, trying to shake off the unease from the night before. Elijah was already gone, handling pack business as usual. That was how he dealt with things—by throwing himself into work. But that didn’t change the growing distance between us.

As I moved into the kitchen, preparing my morning tea, the door creaked open. Lena, one of the pack’s betas, slipped inside. I stiffened. Lena had always been too close to Elijah, her presence a constant source of discomfort.

"Morning," Lena chirped, her smile bright but too knowing.

"Morning," I replied.

Lena’s gaze lingered on me, her eyes gleaming with a subtle challenge. "Elijah left early, didn’t he? Must be hard when he’s always busy with the pack."

My grip on my cup tightened. "He has responsibilities, same as me."

"Of course." Lena’s smile widened. "But I’ve noticed the distance lately. Between you two."

My chest tightened, suspicion gnawing at me. "What are you talking about?"

Lena shrugged, her tone feigned innocence. "Just... observations. Elijah’s been distracted. People are starting to wonder if things are as solid as they seem."

The words hit me like a punch. "You don’t know what you’re talking about, Lena."

"Maybe," Lena said with a sly smile, "but then again, maybe you’re not the only one who’s felt the shift."

I turned away, gripping the counter, my mind racing. Was Elijah really pulling away from me? The doubts that had haunted me the night before now surged, stronger than ever.

Later that day, Elijah returned, his face unreadable as he sat at the table. I met his eyes, anger and confusion swirling inside me. "I saw you with Lena."

Elijah looked up, startled. "What?"

"In the forest. You were confiding in her. How could you?"

"It’s not like that, Aria," Elijah said, standing abruptly. "I just needed someone to talk to."

"Someone who isn’t me?"

"You haven’t been talking to me," Elijah shot back. "You’ve been shutting me out."

"And you think Lena understands you better than I do?" My heart ached, the pain of betrayal raw and sharp.

"It’s not about that," Elijah said, his frustration cracking through. "I’ve been trying, Aria. But you won’t let me in."

"I don’t even know who I am anymore, Elijah. Outside of this bond, outside of us," I admitted. "And I don’t know if I want to be tied to you if I can’t figure that out."

Elijah’s face softened, his eyes pleading. "You’re not losing me. But you have to stop pushing me away."

"I’m not pushing you away," I whispered, stepping back. "I just need space."

Elijah took a step forward, his hand reaching out to me. "Let’s figure this out together. I don’t want to lose you."

I pulled my hand away, my heart heavy with doubt. "What if trying isn’t enough?"

Elijah’s face fell, the hope draining from his eyes. "What are you saying?"

Elijah POV.

Lena stepped quietly into the room, her eyes narrowing as she observed me, my hands gripping the edge of my desk tightly. I felt exhausted, worn down by the weight of my thoughts.

"I saw how she spoke to you today," Lena’s voice was quiet.

I didn’t immediately respond. My gaze was fixed somewhere beyond the papers in front of me, as if I were trying to find clarity in the chaos of my mind. "Lena, not now," I muttered.

"You need to talk about it," Lena insisted, stepping closer, her words soft but probing. "You can't keep everything bottled up inside, Elijah. It’s eating at you."

I turned to face her. "I don’t need to talk to anyone," I said firmly. "Especially not about Aria."

A faint smile tugged at Lena’s lips, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She had been patient, watching, waiting for the right moment to step in. This was it. "You’ve given her everything, Elijah. And what has she given you? Distance? Silence?" Her voice dropped lower, filled with quiet, dangerous persuasion. "Maybe it’s time you start thinking about what you need."

I shifted uncomfortably, my thoughts conflicted. "She’s just going through something. She needs space," I said, though doubt crept into my words.

Lena stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with a deeper intention. "And you’re okay with that? Just sitting here, waiting for her to figure things out while you’re left in the dark?" She tilted her head, watching the cracks in my resolve widen. "You deserve more, Elijah. You deserve someone who sees you—someone who wants you."

I frowned, the weight of Lena’s words sinking in, but I still resisted. "I’m not giving up on her," I said, though the frustration was unmistakable.

Lena smiled again, this time letting the hint of satisfaction seep into her expression. "I’m not saying you should give up, but maybe… maybe you should stop waiting. She’s off figuring herself out, and what are you doing?" She let the question linger, knowing she had already planted the seeds of doubt.

That night, Lena sat by the fire in her cabin, her mind racing with the possibilities of what she had set into motion. I was struggling, my loyalty to Aria fraying, but it wasn’t enough. I hadn’t broken yet, and Lena needed to push me further. She let her thoughts drift to a piece of information she had stumbled upon years ago—a secret from Aria’s past that, if revealed, could tear apart everything.

"I can use this," she whispered to herself, her smile widening as the flames burned before her. "I’ll make him see."

The next morning, Lena stood outside my office again, her heart racing. She could hear my voice through the door, though she couldn’t make out the words. Was I talking to someone? On the phone? She hesitated briefly before knocking and stepping inside.

I looked up, surprised to see her. "Lena, what are you doing here?"

Lena’s expression was calm, almost too calm. She sat down across from me, her eyes locking onto mine. "There’s something you need to know."

My frown deepened. "What are you talking about?"

"It’s about Aria," Lena said. She leaned forward. "She’s been hiding something from you. Something important."

My face darkened, suspicion flashing in my eyes. "Lena, if this is just another one of your—"

"It’s not," Lena interrupted quickly. "You deserve to know the truth."

Tension rolling off me in waves. "What is it?" I demanded.

Lena leaned back slightly, savoring the moment before she revealed what she had been holding onto. "Before she joined the pack, Aria was running from someone. Someone who was… in love with her."

My expression hardened, confusion and anger swirling together. "What are you saying?"

"She never told you about him, did she?" Lena asked softly. "About the one she left behind without a word."

I stood abruptly, pacing the room. "You’re lying."

"I wish I were," Lena said. "But she didn’t want you to know because she was afraid of what it would do to your relationship."

My mind raced, trying to piece together what Lena was saying. Could Aria really have kept something so significant from me? My loyalty battled with the doubt Lena had carefully sewn into my mind.

Lena’s eyes sparkled as she watched my inner turmoil. "Elijah," she said softly, standing up and moving closer to me. "You’ve always been so loyal to her. But don’t you think it’s time to ask yourself… how loyal has she been to you?"

The words hit me like a punch, and I turned away from her, trying to compose myself. "I need time to think."

Lena nodded, satisfied. "Take all the time you need."

Later that evening, I sat alone, my thoughts spinning. I didn’t want to believe Lena, but there had been something distant about Aria lately, something evasive. The doubts crept in, gnawing at me. I fold my hands, fighting to push the thoughts away, but the more I tried, the more they took root.

What if she’s hiding something? The thought lingered, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake it.

The following day, Lena found me at the training grounds. She watched me for a moment, observing the tension in my movements, before approaching me. "You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind," she said casually.

I glanced at her, my expression hard. "What do you want, Lena?"

"I’m just checking in," Lena replied smoothly, leaning against the fence. "I know yesterday was… difficult for you."

I crossed my arms, my gaze never leaving hers. "Why did you tell me all of that?"

"Because I care about you," Lena said softly. "I don’t want to see you get hurt."

I turned away from her. "I’ll talk to her."

Lena smiled to herself. That was all she needed to hear.

That night, when Aria returned home, I was waiting. My expression was tense, my eyes searching hers as she walked through the door. "We need to talk," I said.

Aria looked surprised. "About what?"

"About us," I replied. My words carried the weight of all the doubts Lena had planted in me.

As Aria tried to explain herself, her words felt hollow to me. The questions Lena had raised, the doubts she had carefully nurtured—they were too loud to ignore. And as Aria struggled to make me understand, I couldn’t help but wonder: What if everything Lena said was true?