Once Rejected, Twice Desired (Book 1 of Blue Moon Series)
Once Rejected, Twice Desired Chapter 76

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Alexi

POV

I felt myself tossing and turning in bed. I was having the same dream that had kept me up for months.

I thought it was behind me, and behind us but I was wrong.

She had gone to Vincent. He had drained her.

She was gone.

My heart beat erratically in my chest, these memories were going to kill me.

I shot up in bed, my clothes cuing to my soaking wet frame.

I looked around and it was still dark out. My phone on the table read 3:07 AM.

I still slept in the room that we shared with Alaia. I could not bring myself to leave it, not when everything still smelled like her. But maybe it was those scents that lead my mind down the rabbit hole each and every night. "I'll never get back to sleep. Maybe I just need a run," I said as I slipped out of bed.

I pulled on some sweats and went down to the gym and hopped on the treadmill.

This had been my ritual for months now, the insomnia was impossible to contend with, so I had to run out all my energy if I had any chance of getting a full night's sleep.

I heard the door creak open and I expected to see Matt or Kade come in and try to talk me back to bed.

Maybe it would be Xander this time. Wanting help with the boys, or wanting to go over some pack or company business.

I actually hoped it would be him, i hoped he would have some way to distract me. He was the only one who knew how this felt to lose her. He was the only one I could talk to. But it wasn't either of Kade, or Matt, or Xander. It was her. It was my Angel.

Maybe I hadn't suffered enough. Now we needed to add hallucinations to the mix.

"I'm really losing my f*****g mind now. I'm okay seeing you in my dreams, but this is too much."

Her face scrunched up in confusion and she stepped over to me and touched my arm.

"Alexi? What are you talking about? I'm right here. This isn't a dream or a hallucination. Are you alright?"

"My wife is dead and I'm talking to her ghost. No, I'm not alright."

I turned away from whatever that was and turned the treadmill all the way up.

There was no way I was going to be any good to my sons if I was having visions of their dead mother.

This had to stop.

She reached over again and grabbed my face.

Sparks. I felt them.

How can a ghost make me feel these things? This was something only Alaia could do.

"Alexi! Look at me."

I did. I stopped the treadmill and looked down. Maybe I just needed the closure. Maybe talking to her ghost would allow me to finally move on.

When we locked eyes, it was real. These were the golden eyes I'd been obsessed with my entire life.

"You are so beautiful. She was so beautiful. So perfect."

A single tear slid down her cheek before she smiled.

"Thanks, baby. You're pretty good looking yourself."

I couldn't help but laugh. I had missed her witty remarks almost as much as I had missed her scent. Warm honey.

My eyes widened at that realization.

I can smell her, you can't smell a ghost!

"Angel? Is this really you?"

"That's what I've been saying the past five minutes you d**k. What is wrong with you?"

My knees went weak and I slumped to the floor.

What in the hell was going on? We lost her. I felt it!

"Alexi? Talk to me, please. What is it?"

I might as well. Things couldn't get any worse than they already were.

"You left, Angel. You snuck out and you left us. You went to Vincent, and he did what he promised he'd do. He killed you. Xander and I have been living for months without you, haven't we? So how are you here?" I was so confused, and I was hurt. This was reopening old wounds I wanted so desperately to heal.

"Alexi, baby. Let me show you, okay? I've tried to show you before, but you always refuse. If I could just give you a small glimpse of the truth, I know it will help you. Please."

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and the pleading in her voice made me break. Even in death I was unable to deny my Angel even the simplest request. I would still do anything for her.

I nodded my head for her to continue.

She reached up and placed both hands on my cheeks then pulled my forehead down to hers. ***Flashback***

"Alaia, I'm glad to see you finally came to your senses. We were always meant to meet this way."

"I didn't come here to chat, Vincent. Let's just get this over with."

He stood from his seat and took a step forward.

"As you wish."

Vincent shot across the room and sunk his teeth into my neck.

I felt my life and power being drained from my body.

Be strong, Doll. Your strength will get you back to your family. Believe in it.

When he had his fill, Vincent released his grip on me and let me fall to the ground.

"I didn't drain you completely. I want you alive long enough to see me destroy all you've ever loved and cared about. Starting with your husbands, then your sons, then the rest of that filthy pack of yours." Be strong, Alaia. Don't give him the satisfaction.

I raised my head from the ground.

"F-f**k you and the horse you rode in on, you disgusting piece of s**t!"

Anger took over his face, I could feel it radiating off him.

Good. He wouldn't get to bad guy "monologue" me and expect me to politely sit and listen.

"Once your powers have fully become mine, I intend to kill all of you dogs. Werewolves are the most revolting creatures and I will never rest until everyone is dead at my-"

Vincent rant was cut short when he suddenly grabbed his chest and staggered backwards.

I looked up to see the veins of his eyes, face, neck, beginning to bulge and turn a sickening black.

He coughed and thick black blood shot out of his mouth.

Vincent fell to his knees begging for breath that seemed like it would never come.

More coughs took over and rotten black chunks of flesh fell from his mouth to the floor.

When his eyes shot up to mine, I used the last of the energy I had and pushed myself as far from him as I could.

Whatever was happening to him, I wanted to part in.

"W-what have y-you done?! What is this?!"

I hadn't done anything but sacrifice myself for my loved ones.

The voice in my head told me otherwise.

He's dying, Doll. Our powers are far too much for a hybrid to handle, and they were never meant for a vampire.

I don't understand. We were promised to him.

Yes, we were, by an ancient elder. It was a way to wipe out his blood line. He is the last of a line of extremely powerful vampires. With his death, they are wiped from this earth for good. The elders always knew that no vampires body would be strong enough to hold this power. Vincent's father thought if his son was half werewolf it would help, but it didn't. Only alpha wolves, who are pure of heart, can handle all that being an Amethyst Wolf entails. Only you, Alaia.

So, this is why I was meant to come here tonight?

I told you, always believe in your path. This is what we were always meant to do.

I refocused my attention to Vincent who was now covered in sickly black veins. His skin had sunken in, he looked like he was one step from being a skeleton.

He did this to himself. I would never feel guilty for his death, his greed and hatred led him here. Not me.

I heard howls of pain outside the house as the rogues that Vincent had under his command began to feel the effects of his death.

They were innocent in this and I had hope that they would survive, but there was little I could do at the point.

My body was weak from all the blood he had drained from me. All I wanted was to sleep.

Close your eyes, Doll. We'll be alright. Just rest.

As Vincent turned to ash in front of me, my eyes shuttered closed and I fell into a deep sleep.

***End Flashback***

Alaia pulled her head from mine and kissed away the tears that had escaped my eyes.

"I'm here, Alexi. I'll always be here. You guys found me maybe twenty minutes later and brought me home. None of our family was hurt. We won."

"You're really here? But when I woke up, you weren't there. And the dreams..."

"Alexi. You should have told me you were having these dreams. I could have helped you months ago. And I wasn't in bed because I had to pee. This little girl in here is just as abusive to my bladder as her brothers were."

I finally looked away from her face and saw it. She was pregnant, her belly was round and beautiful and full of life.

It had all just been a dream, a terrible nightmare that had plagued me for too long. But not anymore.

I placed my hands on her belly and rubbed. The baby gave a few firm kicks where my right hand was, and I leaned down to kiss the spot.

In this moment, all the haze and confusion had cleared. Alaia showing me what had happened had healed any scars that lingered on my heart and in my mind.

My family was safe. Our Angel had saved us.

"What's going on in here? Alexi, are you trying to steal some alone time with our wife? 'Cause if so, I want to schedule some time of my own later," Xander said walking in to the gym.

"Nah, I was just a little confused on a few things. Angel here was kind enough to offer me some clarity."

I kissed her forehead then stood up, pulling her with me.

"Go back to bed, my love. Our little princess needs her rest."

She smiled at me before she turned and took Xander's hand and walked out.

It was all over, and our world was perfect again.