Hated By The Alpha-Chapter 173: Reluctant but determined

"Alpha, a man wants to speak with you," A guard walked up to Lake, who was walking toward the pack house with Audrey by his side.

He paused and looked at Audrey, who had her face looking somewhere else.

They’ve not said anything to each other since they walked out of the Lake. He was at a loss for what to say to her, they almost did it, but just as she always did, she backed out with no explanation, leaving him hanging.

"I’ll see you soon..." He told her.

Audrey nodded, "Okay... see you later," She replied and continued walking toward the pack house.

Lake stood there, watching her. Both he and his wolf were heartbroken. They needed her.

He knew he’d said he’d stop at nothing to make her love him, but he was slowly starting to ask himself if it was a good idea to keep chasing someone who never wanted to be caught.

"Let’s go," He said to the guard and walked away.

Inside the pack house, everyone had left, her mother and Green had probably entered their room, and she wondered if Mark had returned with her son yet.

She was about to walk to her mother’s room when Maria called from behind her.

"Audrey," Marial called.

Audrey turned to look at Maria, "Hey, you," She smiled, spreading her arms.

Maria walked into Audrey’s spray arms, hugging her warmly.

"Welcome back, cousin, I’ve missed you so much," Maria sighed happily.

"Mm, there’s just one thing I need to know," Audrey looked at Maria seriously.

Maria shook her head, "I know what you want to ask, but I’m sorry, I’ve got no idea too; she just appeared from nowhere, and before we knew it, she was spreading the news that she was Alpha Lake’s fiancée. I know it’s fake news, but what confused us all is the part where Alpha Lake remained quiet even after hearing all Melody was saying about him," she frowned.

Audrey slowly nodded, "I want him back, Maria," She blurted out.

Maria sighed, "I know, Audrey, but, how about the curse? What happens if you let him mate you?" Maria asked seriously.

Audrey had a determined look on her face, "I have to figure it out, and as for Melody, she’s not my problem; I know Lake must have a valid reason for keeping Melody beside him, but in the end, she has to go," She smirked.

"Agreed, so tell me... what did you both do in the forest, did your activities require taking off your clothes?" Maria raised a suspicious brow at her.

Audrey chuckled, "Of course, we got naked, we’re wolves; that’s what we do before we run; what were you expecting?"

"Ugh, fine, I’ll stop intruding," She folded her arms and walked over to sit on the couch.

"Where’s my son?" Audrey folded her arms over her chest.

"Oh, he’s with Cherry," Marie replied.

"Come, I’ll take you," Maria quickly grabbed Audrey’s hand and led her out of the pack house.

"Don’t read my mind," Maria paused and ponged at Audrey.

"You know I won’t, and I really want to see this surprise," She promised.

Maria nodded and led Audrey past the new company building Lake had built.

"Oh, look, he’s over there," Maria whispered, pointing over in front of the company building as Lake stood there and spoke to Baker.

Audrey recognized the man who had set her up to meet Lake, "Baker," She said.

"Oh, you know him?" Maria asked as they walked past them.

Audrey could feel Lake staring at her, but she just kept walking; she knew she’d hurt him after denying him intimacy at the Lake, and she was determined to find a way out for both of them.

"Yeah, I know him, he brought Lake to me in Paris... I’m grateful to him," Audrey replied.

"Oh..." Maria nodded.

Audrey had been scared when she first saw Lake in Paris; she had wanted to avoid him just so she could protect him from herself and the curse. But not anymore, she might have been reluctant at first, but at that moment, she was so determined and ready to cross any deity or god just to be with him.

She must get her happy ending, and nothing can stop her.

They walked into the pack hospital and Maria led her into Calab’s office.

Audrey could already smell her son’s scent before she entered the office, but she was also eager to meet the owner of the scent, it was a cherry scent, and she guessed that it belonged to this Cherry Maria was leading her to.

The moment she walked into the office, her heart melted when she saw her son sitting on a couch with a little about his age.

"Maria, oh my goodness, she’s yours?" She whispered, not wanting to disturb the children’s screen time.

Maria blushed, "Dora had just stepped out with her father," She smiled.

Audrey smiled uncontrollably, "No way, there’s a duplicate?" She laughed happily.

Maria nodded, "Just Mary and I," She said.

"Identical? Damn, sis, I need to go say hello. I know they’ve heard us and probably want up to get out and leave them alone, but nah, we’re the parents; they are the cute little angels," Audrey cautiously approached the kids in slow steps.

"Hi, baby, hi, Cherry," Audrey waved nervously as if she was talking to her crush for the first time.

Maria stood beside her, smiling.

"Moma," Mikhail got down from the chair and hugged Audrey.

"Hi, Audrey," Cherry jumped down and hugged her as well.

"Oh dear, my poor heart, you know my name, can I hold you?" Audrey lowered and hugged the little girl; Maria had cut her hair short like hers; it looked super cute on her.

"Yes," Cherry smiled at Audrey.

"Aww, come here," She lifted her up in her arms.

Maria gently placed a hand over Mikhail’s shoulder, smiling.

"How do you know my name, angel?" Audrey questioned, giving Maria a suspicious look.

"No, don’t look at me, it’s all her," Maria denied.

"It’s all you? Tell me how you did that, that was so awesome," Audrey asked eagerly.

"She reads minds, Moma, she told me so," Mikhail replied in place of Cherry.

"No way! Is that true?" She questioned the shy girl.

Cherry nodded, "Yes, I read your mind when I touch you, just as you’re thinking about our Alp -"

"Cherry, I’ve told you not to say anything unless permitted," Maria halted Cherry’s speech.

Audrey was feeling the reverse way at that moment. Normally, it was her doing the discovery; now, a five-year-old wanted to oust her feelings.

"It’s okay, Cherry, I don’t mind, you’ll learn with time," Audrey kissed her cheek.

"I got to know your face and your name from Mummy’s mind, and Mary, Sandra, Grandma, Alex, Andrew, and one time, when I touched the Alpha, I saw your body but couldn’t see your face, I knew it was you because I’ve sent you a lot in everyone’s mind," Cherry slowly explained.

"Oh, that’s a lot of me going on in their minds isn’t it?" She smiled at Cherry.

She shared a look with Maria; so Alpha Lake thought of her even after waking up from a coma? But he never saw her face. Does it mean he felt a kind of old familiarity when he saw her?

Does it mean that the interest he was showing her wasn’t just something new he developed for a pretty woman he met in Paris? Was it something deeper? Was his wolf and spirit really trying to find their way back to her?

Audrey slowly blocked her thoughts so she wouldn’t bombard the little girl with them; his thoughts were nothing appropriate for a five-year-old to read.

Cherry frowned, shaking her head, "I don’t like it," She suddenly started to crush quietly.

Maria sighed, looking away from Audrey.

"Don’t cry, Cherry, Moma will help you, right, Moma?" He asked, looking up at his mother.

Audrey felt Cherry’s pain; she let herself have a glimpse of Cherry’s mind, and her heart broke. The gift was a heavy burden for a child to wield; it was ruining her childhood.

She sees things she doesn’t want and doesn’t mean to see because she has no control over her power yet, Audrey understood because even as an adult, reading someone’s mind could be so tiresome.

"How do you handle this, Maria?" She questioned seriously.

"I try to heal her after the end of each day, but, it doesn’t really help, so I try my best to isolate her from people the best I can. That’s why Dora is out with her father, but Cherry rarely leaves the room; we’re scared it might get too much on her," Maria replied quietly; it hurt her to talk about her daughter’s pain.

Audrey nodded, walking over to the table to draw out a tissue that she used to wipe Cherry’s tears.

"Don’t cry, Angel; you’ve got the coolest aunt in the whole world; do you know that?" Audrey boasted.

Cherry slowly nodded, smiling, "I’ve seen," She replied.

"Are you going to help her, Moma?" Mikhail asked, worried.

"Of course, darling, Mummy will help your friend," Audrey smiled at her son.

She looked over at Maria for permission and received a strong nod.

She turned her face to Cherry, "Cherry, what do you think of pausing this super mind reading till you are older?" Audrey asked gently.

Cherry nodded, "I’d love that," She replied with dreamy eyes.

"Then, allow me to burrow this superpower for a short while," Audrey gently tapped the two sides of Cherry’s head.

"All gone, now, let’s test your bring an ordinary child, what is mummy thinking?" She went closer to Maria to let Cherry touch her.

Cherry reached out her hand and touched Maria’s cheek; a big, happy smile adorned her cute round face, "Nothing, I can’t see anything from her mind," She announced, hugging Audrey’s neck.

"Thank you, Audrey, you saved me!" She chuckled happily.

"Daddy, look! Cherry’s hugging a stranger," the door was pushed open to reveal another version of Cherry, angrily glaring at Audrey.

"Hello, Dora," Audrey faced the little fighter with a mischievous smile, she could feel Dora’s strong power from where she stood.