15 years later
"Mom! Mom! I can't find my shoes! Christopher hid them!" Aria yelled from her room upstairs. "No, I didn't! She's lying!" I heard four feet run down the stairs and into the kitchen where I was. My beautiful Aria, with her bright, brown, doe eyes that lit up the room. Her short curly blonde hair in two braids. Christopher was right behind her with his black hair and blue eyes like mine. "You guys are 14 years old and you're still acting like 7 years olds." I laughed at them. I put my hair up in a bun, trying to hide my gray hair. "Christopher just give the girl her shoes so we can finish getting ready?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes and huffed at me. "Okay." He stomped off. "I knew it! Leave my stuff alone Chris!" Aria yelled and followed behind him. I then heard little footsteps running to me with such passion. "Mommy look I did my own hair!" I looked down at the small face in front of me.
She looked so much like her father, she was younger than Christopher and Aria, she was nine...
"I love it, sweetie! Finish getting ready before our guests get here."
I turned back around and began to wash the dishes again, looking out of the window into the beautiful view of the city.
I traveled for the first 6 months. But then when I found out I was pregnant I needed to make a life for myself and for my baby, well babies. I moved to New York and got my degree while being a single mom. I became a very prominent businesswoman, making great money. I had to keep it a secret from my kids that they were royalty. I never wanted that life for them. Because of that, I didn't tell anyone back at the Castle. Not even their father. He made a promise to me that he would come back for me, but it's been 15 years and nothing. I would see him and Amber on the news. At the royal weddings, or coronations.
All I was invited to but I never went, and they never knew why of course. He did keep part of his promise, him and Amber have yet to have children. They are rarely physical with each other on camera, always a foot apart. But of course, he looked gorgeous. He ages like fine wine. At this point, I don't know what I would say to him if I ever saw him again.
Though raising two kids is hard, I had a lot of help. But there was a time where I felt I would never see Vincent again and I still believe it. But that time nine years ago was hard on Connor and me, we had found out that Vincent and Amber were 'trying for a child, at least there was an announcement made. I'm sure it was my fathers doing trying to explain the lack of children. Trying to further the idea that they were mates.
Connor and I were alone when it happened. The kids were asleep and we were drinking. One thing led to another and then another. And another and for a course of a few months we were...comforting each other. That's when I found out I was pregnant with Daisy. Connor and I were surprised but we expected it, we weren't exactly taking precautions. Though Connor and I decided that it would be best if we stopped. Daisy does know that Connor is her father, and he is a great father figure to Aria and Christopher. But ever since then, everything has been somewhat normal.
"Mom, uncle Connor is here." Connor and I ran into each other in Greece. He saw my baby bump and I explained everything to him. He was very supportive and wanted to help out. He moved to New York with me and has been a father figure to my kids. Connor and I thought it best if we told them we were siblings. That Connor was my brother. As for their father, I told them a year ago that he doesn't know about them. They took it okay, I had to play it off as some fling and I told them that I never found my mate. My exact words were 'not everyone gets a happy ending, but I hope you do'. "Bellamy?" Connor yelled through the house. "In the kitchen." I went to the oven and pulled the lasagna out and the garlic bread. "It smells really good." He came in and gave me a hug. "Are you nervous?"
I sighed and turned to him. "Very, this is the first man that's ever meet my kids. I hope they like him." I met this man about a year ago. We met in a grocery store and he helped me get something off the top shelf. We went on many dates and we have been together for about a year now, it was causal though. I didn't think I would ever meet someone who would make me feel again. Is it love? No, but it was something. "Daddy!" Daisy came running to her father. I watched Conner pick her up and swing her around the kitchen.
"Hi, my love." He pulled her into a hug and I just loved watching them interact with each other. "Is your friend coming?" She asked him. "Yes she is, now go upstairs with your siblings, let me talk to your mom." He sets her down and she runs upstairs leaving us alone.
Connor also found someone, and she was cute, a redhead though. Most of the women he has dated over the years resembled Amber of some sort. But I wasn't going to tell him that. "They will like him. You deserve to be happy. And I am sure the twins are fed up with you being uptight all the time. When are you going to let him get some? You need to relieve your stress." He started laughing but I scoffed at him. "Don't talk too loud. They don't need to know my late-night excursions okay? Anyways when is Marissa getting here?" I asked him, cutting the lasagna. "Any minute now."
About thirty minutes later there was a knock on the door. I had changed into a sleek black dress. Though I was 36 I still looked good, at least I think. I walked to the door and opened it and there he was. Adam was 6'3 and had salt and pepper hair and a beard. He was nicely built, borderline dad bod but I didn't mind. He had these light green eyes that were beautiful. "Hi." He had a bouquet of flowers in his hands. "Come in, please." I was about to close the door but then I saw Marissa walking up. "Marissa, just in time!" I yelled at her. She and I got pretty close and now she is one of my closest friends. I just hope that she and Connor stay together.
She walked in and I closed the door and locked it. "Kids, come downstairs! There is someone I want you to meet." They both came from their rooms quickly and stopped when they saw Adam standing there. "Hi there. You're my mom's boyfriend right?" Aria asked him. "Yes, it's nice to meet you. I brought these flowers for you Aria." He handed her the bouquet and she took them.
"And you." He looked down at Daisy. "You are just the cutest." Daisy smiled and hid behind Connors's legs. "Daisy this is Marissa, a good friend of mine."
"It's nice to meet you, Daisy." Marissa smiled at her.
"Alright let's eat," Connor said clapping his hands together.
****
Dinner was great and Adam seemed to get along with the kids great. They had gone to their rooms and Connor and Marissa were in the kitchen cleaning up. "I think they really liked you," I told him. We were currently on the couch and I was leaning on him and we were covered by a blanket. You think so? Christopher was asking a lot of questions and so was Daisy." He chuckled at me. "Well, I wouldn't expect anything less. You are the first boyfriend of mine they ever met." I turned and looked up at him. "Well, I am honored." I leaned up and gave him a soft kiss.
Knock. Knock. Knock
Connor came out to the kitchen and looked at me confused. "Who else is coming B?" Connor asked me. "No one. Just ignore it maybe it will go away." I sighed.
Knock. Knock. Knock
I got up reluctantly and walked to the door. A familiar scent hit my nose but I couldn't remember from where. I slowly opened the door and there stood a redhead girl I'd never thought I'd see again. "Amber?" When I said that name I heard Connor walking toward me. His face was in a content state of surprise, and wondering, and confusion. "Connor, nice to finally meet you." Amber said looking at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked her. "I came for you. Can we talk? Outside maybe?" Her voice was full of longing and desperation. I could see so much pain in her eyes. Connor just nodded. "Uncle Connor? Who is that?" Christopher asked. We both turned around so fast. Ambers's eyes filled with surprise. "He looks so much like-" Before she could finish Aria joined. "Mom, what's going on?" Amber looked back and between the two. "Twins? Does he-" I cut her off before I could finish. "No." I shook my head. "Mommy, daddy? Who is she?" Daisy asked her eyes filled with confusion. Amber looked down and realization hit her eyes when she realized who Daisy was referring to. "Oh."
"Just come inside, and follow me," Connor said to Amber. She walked inside and you could see tears begin to swell in her eyes. "I'm sorry Marissa, I will call you later, I promise." Connor said and Marissa nodded in agreement but you could still see the confusion and pain on her face. I walked her to the door and when she walked away my heart jumped.
Vincent.
"Guys, go back to your rooms okay? Mom's gotta take care of something. Adam, just give me a minute." I closed the door and walked out to the front porch. Vincent was standing there in a suit. There was a look of surprise, hurt, pain, and confusion. I walked closer to him and stayed in silence. He was here. He promised he would come back for me and here he was. And of course, he was when I have finally moved on and lost hope. Vincent was here. "Hey Bell."
"What are you doing here?" I questioned him. "I said I'd come back for you." He looked hurt by my response. "Fifteen years later?" He looked hurt by my statement. "I know that it's a long time but I thought maybe-"
"Maybe what? I would accept you with open arms after all these years?" I crossed my arms in annoyance. I know I was putting on a good front but on the inside I was so happy to see him, but my numb heart was coming to life and it hurt. "Wheres mom?" I asked him, that's all that i was worried about. "She's okay. She rejected dad and now is with someone knew, they live in country france together. She's good. She's happy." I just nodded in response.
"Everyone back home misses you. I mean I miss you." He took a step closer. "How long has she been okay?"
He stay silent, he was hiding something. "Five years."
"Five years? Are you kidding me? For five years...You promised me you would come for me once she was safe. Why are you coming now?" I could feel the tears in my eyes.
"Well, I needed to find you, which took a few months but then when we found out that you were in America, you seemed to be doing well. And it took everything in me to come here. Then to find out that you had kids. We had kids. And I haven't been in their lives at all, and I just I didn't even know they existed. And the little one that you have is...well it isn't mine. Does that mean you and Connor are together? I mean it's none of my business, but I just I need to know if there's anyway that we could possibly be together again?"
I stood there staring at him. I had nothing to say. I always wondered what happened when he would come back for me. I always imagined but I never thought it would genuinely happen.
"Will you say something?" He asked, basically pleading.
"Vincent...I am so happy that you are here. I'm sure Aria and Christopher would love to meet you and get to know you. I'm so sorry for everything that dad put you through, you didn't deserve it. I know you expected me to wait for you, but I couldn't stop my life while you kept living yours. It's not fair."
"I don't know what you expect but I can't drop everything for you. I missed, I really did. But I met someone and he's nice and he is sweet. I thought when I would see you again, I would feel an overwhelming sense of relief and I would just run to you and everything would feel right. But if I'm being honest, it doesn't feel right. Nothing between us has felt right. Since when we were kids. Being mates shouldn't be this hard. And right now, I'm really happy, I'm doing great for once. My kids are happy, I ave a great job, a great reputation of my own."
"I'm sure this isn't what you expected, and I for sure wasn't expecting to say it either. I want you in the kids lives but you can't be in mine anymore."
Tears were streaming down my face and my heart was squeezing in my chest but not in pain but relief. I guess this was all I ever wanted but I was scare to admit it to myself. It's too late for us. I stood there staring into his eyes and shock was written all over his face. "Are you sure that's what you want? You don't want me?" He whispered that last part so quietly I almost missed it. "I'm sorry Vincent, I can't." I took a deep breath and took a small step forward. "I don't want you anymore."
It was like I stabbed him in the heart. Which I basically did. "We were domed from the beginning." I whispered, tears falling down my face. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He sniffed and wiped the tears off of his face.
"Should we make it official then?" He asked me, and I just nodded in response.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. 'This is what you want Bellamy. It's what you've always wanted.' I said to myself.
"I, Bellamy Alexander, reject Vincent Alexander as my mate. For now, until forever." As soon as the words left my mouth a stingin pain filled me, he needed to say it t to make it end.
"I, Vincent Alexaner, reject Bellamy Alexander as my mate. For now, until forever."
And just like that, it was gone. The pain, the attraction, the need, the pull. This man in front of me had no ties to me other than our two children. Just how I wanted it to be. "Do you to meet your kids?" I asked him.
"Yes, I would love to."
Sometimes things don't work out the way you think. I don't believe in the right person wrong time. If it doesn't work out when it first happens then it won't ever. And in this case that's what happened. Unfortuatey I was mated to someone who I could never spend my life wth. The Moon Goddess is cruel in her ways sometimes, but it's always for a reason. And if that reason was so that I would have the three most beautiful children in the world then so be it. I would do it all again just to have my children.
I just hope the moon goddess isn't as cruel to them as she was to me...
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End
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