Chapter Eighteen
Alpha Quinn Danvers
I swept a red ringlet from her forehead, my stomach a bundle of knots. "I'm fine, Quinn, please stop worrying" Ruth assured me, her emerald green eyes glistening up at me. "I just fainted".
"You're six months pregnant, I am allowed to worry and fuss over you". I ran the back of my hand over her cheek â she was still clammy and hot, but I was sure that that was more to do with the heat outside than anything else. But, I still wasn't taking the risk. "The doctor is just going to give you a check up".
Ruth was silent for a long moment, sat on the couch with her hands in her lap. "I...I don't think I can see him" she finally said.
"Then you won't see him" I shrugged. "I'm the Alpha and I don't give him permission to enter the territory. I will get one of the Commanders to come from Black Bloods and escort him home".
"I didn't tell him" Ruth's mother blurted out, standing up from her seat on the other side of the room.
Ruth offered her a sad smile, "I know you didn't".
"Really, honey, I swear I didn't. I know how happy you and Alpha Danvers are and I would never want to ruin that. You've been through so much with Drew that I wouldn't want you to have to face him again. He must have heard the rumour and then followed me when he realised I was coming here".
"Mom, it's alright, I know you wouldn't have told him".
I turned away from Ruth's mother and to her. I sat down on the couch next to her, placing my hand on her knee, as a knock came on the door. "I'll get it" Ken said, awkwardly from the other side of the room. Since he'd arrived, and told us of Drew's arrival, he'd hung back awkwardly â awaiting my instructions, in that moment he wasn't my best friend but my Beta. And I was grateful.
Ken returned from the door with the doctor in tow. "She just fainted from shock" I explained to him, "can you just check her over for our peace of mind".
"Of course Alpha" the doctor nodded, before heading over to Ruth and perching on the couch next to her. He checked her over, double checking the babies heart rates, before deeming she was fine â but he'd do a scan tomorrow if we wanted it, which we decided was fine and we might as well to be safe. After the doctor left, I relaxed slightly.
"Can you guys give Ruth and I a few moments alone?" I asked politely. Drew gave me a thump on the back, and a nod at Ruth, before following the doctor out the front door. Ruth's mother decided to go back to her car and pick up her suitcase, leaving the two of us.
"I don't think I can see him" Ruth repeated, as I sat back down next to her. I threw my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into my side, she fit perfectly against me as she sniffed.
"I know, baby, I know". I kissed the top of her head, squeezing her a little bit and trying to hide my fear. Drew was â and would always be â Ruth's mate and the one she'd loved since she was a child. They were meant to be together and I was terrified that she would go back to him, so a part of me was happy she didn't want to see him.
I had only just gotten a chance with the woman I loved, I was terrified that it was going to be cut short before it had even started. I ran my hand over her stomach, feeling the twins move slightly, as I tried to push my white-hot fear away. "I don't want you to see him either" I blurted out.
Ruth blinked up at me, eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I...um...I".
"I know that's completely unreasonable and completely out of line. But that is how I feel. I don't want him to see you or our daughters. I don't want him to make you question us and I sure as hell don't want him to hurt you while you're pregnant with my girls".
Ruth was silent for a long moment, as she wet her lips and thinking. Finally, she answered. "That is not unreasonable, Quinn. You are the most caring, considerate and reasonable guy I have ever met in my life. You have given me everything I wanted and have made me happier than I have been in years". She pecked my lips quickly. "If you don't want me to see him, then I won't".
I almost collapsed in relief. "Thank you". I kissed her deeply again, loving her just a little bit more. "I know it must be hard, knowing he is close by and not being with him. But he is poison and I will try and be better for you than he was".
"You are better than he was. Nothing will ever make me doubt us, Quinn. I'm happier than I have been in years". She leant up and kissed me again. "I can't deny that a part of me still, and will always, love Drew. He is my mate and there is nothing that can change that. He will always own a piece of me, but I will give you everything else I have. I may be fated to be his mate, but I choose to be with you".
"I love you" I admitted, my eyes misty with tears. Those damn feelings of depression from my mate's death flowed through me for a moment before Ruth's words washed them away â filling me with love and care. I had only ever wanted someone to love me like I was their everything not an option.
"I know" Ruth kissed me a final time, before standing up and heading upstairs. "I'm going to lay down for a while" she called, before disappearing out of sight. I sat there for a few minutes, gathering up my courage, before heading out.
It was warm outside â but the sweat dripping down the back of neck had nothing to do with the heat and everything to do with Ruth and Drew. I finally had a future I was excited about that and Ruth was the heart of that, I refused to allow her abusive ex to take away my future. Mate or not, I didn't care.
Andrew Jones was everything I dreaded him being. Taller than me, more muscled than me, more good-looking than me...but worst of all, sober and completed determined to win Ruth back from me. I could tell he was determined to get her back the moment I set eyes on him.
He was leaning against his car; large arms crossed against an even larger chest, eyes narrowed and lips set into a thin line. He was here for Ruth and he sure as hell wasn't going to take no for an answer. However, no was the only answer I was going to be giving him.
"Alpha Danvers, I apologise for the intrusion" he said instantly, straightening up and looking almost respectful. "I came to see my mate, Eden Jones. I heard she was part of this pack now".
"You mean you followed her mother here?" I retorted, raising an eyebrow at him. I didn't believe the act he was playing. "And her surname is Glass, you are divorced now".
He blinked in shock at my hostility, he honestly expected me to just let him see her. "Have I done something to offend you, Alpha Danvers? I can promise you it was not my intention, I truly am here to see my mate. I assume you know of her?"
I was silent for a moment, tension crackled the air. He had absolutely no idea about Ruth and I, nor the pregnancy. He'd not heard the rumours â he'd just blindly followed Ruth's mother in the bid to search for his lost mate.
"Alpha Danvers?" Drew prompted, looking at me weird when at least two minutes had passed without me speaking.
"Ruth doesn't want to see you" I blurted out.
"You spoke to her already?"
"Yes. She was with me when my Beta informed me of your arrival. She doesn't want to see you".
"I shouldn't be surprised" he sighed, running a hand down his face. He looked up at me quickly, "please just let me visit her, if she tells me to leave after, then I'll go. But, please I just need to speak to her".
"She's not interested in anything you have to say, Andrew".
"Alpha Danvers, please. You lost a mate too, you know what it is like. I--"
"Do not compare our situations" I roared, losing my cool. When facing most situations, my natural cool-headed Alpha nature took charge; but, when my mate was brought in to it, I lost my cool. "You abused and mistreated your mate. My mate was murdered. We are worlds apart".
Drew was silent for a few minutes, hazel eyes looking at me closely before he nodded. "You know Eden well. She told you about Abel".
"She told me everything" I deadpanned. "Now I will give you the chance to leave on your own, or I will call one of the Black Bloods Commanders to come and escort you home".
"You love her" Drew stated, voice collected but eerily calm. I was silent, just looked at him, not answering. But, the silence was answer enough. "She'll never love you like she loves me. She's my mate".
"I will call the commanders to come and collect you then" I stated instead, ignoring his comments and not letting them get to me.
"I'm sorry that your mate died, but you can't have mine" Drew snapped. His words angered me â more than I expected â and I dived forward and shoved him against his car; looming over him.
"Ruth is mine. She is pregnant with my babies. She is going to spend her life with me. You have no claim to her". I was screaming in his face â completely un-Alpha like, but I didn't care. I was finally happy, after ten years of soul consuming loneliness and depression, and I wasn't letting this asshole take away that happiness again.
"Quinn" a voice called out. I ignored it as I held Drew against the car, growling in an almost feral way. "Quinn, man, cool it". Ken put his hand on my shoulder â the familiar touch like an anger zap to my body. I took a calm breath, looking at the shocked face of Drew Jones, before stepping away.
"You followed me" I muttered to Ken, as I moved away from Drew.
"I was worried you'd lose you cool". He glanced at Drew, who was absorbing all the information with confusion, anger and upset, before turning back to me. "I'll deal with this. Go be with Eden, she needs you now".
"Thank you" I whispered, before turning my back to Ruth's mate and walking away without another glance.