The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 133: Dilemma.

~Zarek’s POV~

"Zarek, thank you." Jennifer said softly, smiling at me as I brought the spoon filled with warm chicken soup up to her lips.

I watched her quietly as she took a sip before she turned to me with beaming eyes. "It tastes so good!" She gasped excitedly, but despite her enthusiasm and the warmth emanating from her in waves, all I felt was a strange chill. It felt as though a cold blanket had been draped over my shoulders. Like I had been thrown into the darkest, deepest parts of a thawing frozen lake.

It’s been several days since her last outburst. Several days since she complained about how unaffected I’d been about the child we lost. And several days since I’ve been trying to make it up to her.

But now, I had grown tired. Now, something felt wrong.

Something in my chest felt like I was doing this all wrong. Like I was making a mistake.

Something in me still desperately sought for Dahlia.

I have gone as far as I could into neighbouring and far packs during my spare time, sending my warriors even to parts of the world that were usually dangerous for our kind; But still, there was nothing. No trace of her, no sign that she ever went to those places. It felt like she had disappeared off the surface of the earth, never to be seen again.

Never to be heard of again.

And the thought made me weary. It made the hollow forming in my chest widen with each passing second. My hand holding the silverware shook as I thought about the possibility of Dahlia and her child starving wherever they were, and for some reason, that didn’t sit right with me.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

"Zarek?" A soft feminine voice called out to me and in response, I turned in its direction, momentarily forgetting that Jennifer was still beside me.

When I saw her staring at me sadly, and at my hand that was still hanging in the air with the spoon still clutched in it, I sighed, dropping the silverware into her bowl of soup, before rising to my feet.

"I’m so sorry, Jennifer, but I feel quite tired now. You can help yourself to the remaining soup right?" I asked softly, not missing the way her face instantly fell.

She shook her head. "I can handle my lunch, but Zarek—"

"Since you can handle yourself..." I drawled, interrupting her mid sentence, "...then I’ll like to take my leave now. I have something I urgently need to deal with." I added, and with that, turned away from her only to halt my movements when her sharp voice called out to me.

She snapped; "And what’s the thing you need to deal with so urgently? Returning to your child’s mother or forming another search party for that filthy leech who fled the pack?"

Something about those words infuriated me more than I’d like to admit. Maybe it was the way she tried to dismiss everyone else’s predicament, whilst trying to force the world to stop at her cue. Or maybe it had something to do with the way she’d referred to Dahlia; but I found midriff clenching and unclenching my fists in rage.

"You know she broke one of the most sacred pack rules by fleeing, right?" She snapped, and when I wouldn’t respond, she continued; "Yet instead of trying to bring her to book, you’re forcing search parties to bring her back so that you can both ride off into the sunset!"

Now, it was obvious that she was back to her usual bratty self.m, and deciding that she went have the satisfaction of seeing me snap, I nodded once at her and muttered; "I’ll check on you later. Make sure to take your drugs before going to bed."

Jennifer fumed. The rims of her eyes reddened with annoyance, her lips trembling as she fought to hold back her tears.

Not this act again, not this time...

"Zarek, don’t walk out on me! I am your Luna! I just lost your baby! You should treat me with some respect or love... or anything!"

And now she’s back! Back with her madness.

"Please...!"

I gave her a small smile before walking out of the room, and as I did, I couldn’t help but thank the moon goddess for supplying me with the strength to walk out of there without talking back at Jennifer or putting her in her place like I would’ve loved to.

I even tried to dismiss her character by trying to force myself into believing that she was simply that way because she still in mourning, even though I knew how false that statement was. I also knew Jennifer didn’t need to have a reason to be a bitch as she’s always been one.

Even now that everything’s gone haywire.

She just doesn’t care.

—

The atmosphere I was greeted with when I finally arrived at Nyx’s chambers was a tad bit different from when I’d gone to see Jennifer. Contrary to the latter, she was quiet, calm and seemed more happy that I was with the child than at the fact that I’d come over.

Her complexion now was back to its usual ivory richness and her dark hair flaying around her like a dark veil.

However, just when I had begun to think that we had finally settled into a comfortable silence, she suddebly disrupted the peace by asking; "Do you still want me to leave your pack?"

I turned to her, my face hardening as I took in her serious expression. But she wasn’t looking at me, she was looking at her daughter. At our daughter.

I nodded. "Yes. Ever since the incident, I’ve even been wanting you to move out now more than ever. So that there will never have to be a repeat of what happened."

She froze, the color draining from her face. "And what about our child, Alpha? Will you try to steal her from me?"

I sighed; "I’ve told you countless times before, Nyx’enora, and I’ll tell you again. I do not plan to steal your child from you. You can take her along if you want to, I really do not min—"

"So you’ll easily allow your own daughter to leave, while you’ve been busy sending out several search parties to bring back your slave and her bastard child."

Something in her words gnawed at me. It made me tremble with rage and guilt, but despite these conflicting emotions and the way it made everything in me tremble, I still managed to bite out; "Dahlia is not a slave."

"And that’s all you have to say?" Nyx fired back, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. "You know, after a while, I began to think that you’ve finally accepted my daughter. I began to delude myself into thinking that you will love her—"

"And I do love her!" I snapped, interrupting her. "I always have from the moment I set my eyes on her, so I do not understand what you’re on about!"

I hated the direction this conversation was headed, hated the way everyone seemed so threatened by Dahlia’s and her child’s presence. A frown tugged at my face as I rose to my feet, but then like a snake ready to take a bite, Nyx bit out;

"But you do not love her as much as you love that slave’s youngling. She would always be your second choice as far as Amantha is concerned."

"And what’s it with the stupid comparisons?"

"It’s not a stupid comparison! It’s the fact. It’s something you cannot even deny!" She shot back, her nostrils flaying. "You love my Leila, but it’ll never be as much as you do for Amantha!"

The rage that I’d been feeling earlier doubled when I heard her wrongful pronunciation of Amara’s name again, and before I could help myself, I bit out; "Amara, not Amantha."

Nyx’s face darkened. She snarled; "Really, Alpha? Really? That’s all you have to say about this?"

"I was simply correcting your mistake." I grumbled frustratedly.

Nyx however crouched to pick up her daughter, and with her eyes trained on mine, she yelled; "Well, that’s it then! I’m taking my daughter with me and I’ll make sure she never sets another foot back into this pack!"

Her words had come off as a threat, but for some reason, I didn’t feel threatened. I didn’t even feel the need to pacify her or explain shit to her. I simply stood there, fuming— not because she’d yelled at me but because I still couldn’t find Amara and her mother. And I still couldn’t stop thinking about them... about their safety.

And in this moment, I couldn’t help but wonder why I was so drawn to the child. Why I seemed to regard her even more than I did my own blood.

It was a strange feeling, one I have tried so hard to ignore but failed.

And now, I couldn’t help but remember the witch from some days ago and how she had referred to Dahlia and her child as my family.

And I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that maybe she knows just how I feel about that mother and child duo. Or maybe she’s seen a future I didn’t.

Turning away from Nyx, I walked out of the room, ignoring her rants and screams as I made my way to the nearest quiet space.

And then I shifted.

Maybe I should try to look for Dahlia one more time. And maybe this time, I will be lucky.