Rejecting The Alpha Twins - Chapter 186: Chapter 186

Fiona POV
The day had finally arrived. The one I had been waiting for. It started in small droves, and I quickly began to delegate tasks to various pack members while Liam strode around, doing his best to make sure that those who arrived were taken care of quickly and swiftly. There were cars turning up, one by one. It was hours that passed before any sign of relief was able to be seen. So many pack members, so many that had to be accommodated, from singly unmated males to unmated females and families, not to mention the elderly. Even with the extra houses and the unmated males living in the pack house, we were filled to the brim by the time my fathers arrived. I was sweating profusely, and the heat was getting to me. It was all I could do to avoid being sick.
“Fiona.”
Alpha Xavier’s voice is cool as he greets me, inclining his head. “It’s good to see you,” he said calmly.
I suspected he didn't mean it. It must be hard to realize you are losing your pack and being forced, in one sense, to retire from your position. I didn't blame him for being angry. I would have been in his position. I wish he could have taken this merger a lot better, though, if not for my sake, then his own.
My other father, Xander, immediately swept me into an embrace, sniffing me deeply as I hugged him tightly. “You smell good, like your mother, “he commented sadly, his voice thick with grief.
I knew why I smelled so good. I had Reagan’s scent all over me. I grinned in anticipation. Neither of my fathers knew she was back. Not yet. She was currently outside, helping to assist, and neither my mate nor my fathers had laid eyes on her. I suspected that had been my mother's intention all along. I motioned for them to follow me into the study and carefully shut the door, mind linking my mother. I wanted her to know that her mates, my fathers, were finally here and waiting. I wasn't about to spoil the good news, and I could not wait to see the looks on their faces when they saw her back alive.
Fathers are here, Regan. We’re in the study, why don’t you come and join us? I’m sure they are going to die when they see you.
I’m just finishing up here, and then I’ll join you all. How do….she paused, and I could almost envision her biting her lips, how do they look? Her tone trembled ever so slightly with raw emotion.
I knew how much she had missed her mates the last few days, although she had tried to hide it and be brave for my sake. I wanted to be brutally honest with her now, not wanting to mince my words or hide the truth.
Like hell. They both look as though they have barely slept since your death. Neither of them looks as though they care about their appearance. Their clothes are crumpled, their hair is dishevelled, and there is no sparkle in their eyes. They miss you more than they care to admit. They look as though they are practically on death’s door.
I shut off the mind-link and turned to regard my fathers, who were standing there quietly. I was telling the truth. They truly looked as though they had gone through hell, and I knew it had nothing whatsoever to do with the journey here. They were still mourning Reagan. I didn’t blame them, but it brought tears to my eyes as I anticipated the bittersweet reunion between them all. I cleared my throat, bringing their attention back to me. For now, I had some business to discuss.
“You kept your word. You brought everybody from your pack here.”
I was not surprised. They were men of their word. I sighed, though, hating that they could not see the advantage of this moment because they were too busy dwelling on the past.
“We said we would,” Xavier’s voice is cold, “did you think we would back out like cowards? You won the pack fair and square.”
“It’s not a matter of winning,” I said quietly, “but doing what is best for everyone. Don’t you have a desire to resign at some stage?” I asked out of curiosity.
After all, Reagan was. She wanted to retire and spend time as a real family. I wanted the same from my fathers. I wanted them to enjoy being grandfathers. Maybe I was expecting too much, though.
“What is the point? We no longer have our mate,” Xavier growled as I flinched from the venom in his tone, “so our life is pointless.”
This infuriated me. His life had purpose, as did Alpha Xander's. They were refusing to see reason.
I slammed my hand on the desk, furious beyond reason. “There is every reason for you to still want to live. Acting as though you have nothing, do you have any idea how sad that makes me? Am I nothing to you?” I asked, my lip curling back as Xavier stood there motionless. “Am I not a daughter to the both of you? Or was that position reserved for only Celeste?” I added bitterly.
It always came back to Celeste. I was growing tired of it. Maybe I was trying to make us a family when it was impossible to be one. Maybe I should just give up. There was so much history between us all that maybe it was going to be impossible to overcome it all.
“Of course you are our daughter,” my father, Xander, was quick to intervene, shooting his twin brother a scathing look, “what Xavier means to say is we are still grieving the loss of Regan, that’s all. You have no idea how painful it is not to have her by our sides.”
I inclined my head. “I understand.” I turned and reached for Liam’s hand, holding it tightly and squeezing it for comfort as he did the same back to me. “If the same happened to my mate, I don’t think I would want to live.”
Although I would force myself to do so, for the sake of my family and for any children we had together. Survival would be paramount, and I wouldn't let my mate's death kill me slowly on the inside like my fathers seemed determined to do.
“So you understand then,” Xavier said quietly.
I nodded. “But you are tainting mother’s memory by not wanting to live yourselves. Do you think she would want this?” I burst out, “Do you think she would want you to wallow in your grief?” I asked incredulously.
There were so many things that Regan had instilled in them, and I was pretty certain that giving up on life and on themselves was not one of them. I sighed, feeling older than my years and more mature than ever as I stared them down.
They both swallowed hard. Xavier had the decency to look ashamed. “No,” he whispered, hanging his head, “but I miss her so," he admitted, upset.
“We all do,” Xander said shrewdly, “but Fiona’s right. We can’t’ wallow in our grief. We have to understand that Reagan is not coming back now. We have to do what’s right for the pack now that she’s gone. I think she would be happy to learn that Fiona has taken hold and become the Alpha we always thought she might become. Or at least I know Reagan hoped you would become.”
I felt guilty as I swept my gaze over them. My own mate fidgeted with his hands. The door suddenly burst open, and I saw my father’s face turn white, the blood draining from both of their faces. Xavier’s hands began to tremble, and his eyes widened. He looked as though he had seen a ghost. He stammered, falling forward, his brother just catching him before he could drop to the floor in disbelief.
“It can’t be,” he whispered thickly, licking his lips as Xander eyed the woman standing there, a look of disbelief on his own. “It’s not you, I don’t dare to hope,” he choked out.
I felt tears pricking the corners of my eyes. Waiting for this moment had almost killed me, but now looking at all three of them, I felt as though it was worth it.
The woman smiled with satisfaction, her eyes beginning to sparkle as she took in her mates, her head tilting to the side and exposing her mark on her neck.
They gasped. She laughed. “I’m back and it’s really me. Aren’t you happy to see me, Xavier? Xander?” she pouted, and the desk almost flew to the floor as both of her mates made a beeline for her, tears streaming down their eyes.