Alpha's Rejected becomes the Lycan's Obsession
Chapter 131: Not intentionally

Chapter 131: Not intentionally

Williams stood by the wide, arched window of the house, his hands folded behind his back in a seemingly casual stance, though tension coiled in his muscles like a spring ready to snap. The wind was soft, rustling through the nearby palm fronds, carrying with it the faint scent of fish from the riverbank and distant wood smoke from open fires.

But his eyes were glued to Dera.

She walked with a grace that could only be described as poetic, her steps sure but fluid, her pants, no matter how loose it was, hugged her hips in a way that made it hard for him to look away. The sun spilled golden over her skin, highlighting the smooth sway of her hips with every step she took. Even from afar, he could recognize the determination in her gait as she made her way toward the river, where her uncle and Dexter waited.

They had reached an understanding.

Dera had agreed to return with him to Luminera, but only on one condition. They would first stop at Charlotte’s place before heading down to Luminera. That was her demand, and he had accepted it.

Before she left, she had turned to him briefly, asking softly if he wanted to go with her to the river. But he had refused, gently. Not because he didn’t want to walk beside her, to stand by her side and perhaps even hold her hand, but because he knew she needed that moment with her uncle. It wasn’t his place to interfere. That, and he wanted some time alone. Time to explore the town, to process the whirlwind of emotions and chaos that had hit him the moment he found her again.

His gaze remained fixed on her swaying hips, the hypnotic rhythm of her walk keeping him tethered to the moment. Just when his thoughts started drifting down paths he knew were dangerous, his phone vibrated violently in his pocket, the sound sharp and jarring in the peaceful silence of the room. He tore his gaze away reluctantly, a frown settling over his brow.

Pulling the phone out, his breath caught briefly when he saw Roman’s name flashing across the screen.

He pressed the answer button and raised the phone to his ear.

"Rome?" Williams called, his voice steady but curious.

From the other end came Roman’s deep, familiar voice. "I missed your call," he said, the calm in his tone not quite masking the tension underneath.

"Yeah, I was stuck in the middle of a problem and needed a way out. But it is solved now, so all is good," Williams answered, his brows furrowing. Something felt off. The way Roman spoke, the underlying strain.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, a quiet urgency entering his tone.

Roman didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, he asked, "Did you find her?"

Williams exhaled slowly, his thoughts flashing instantly to Dera’s figure as she disappeared into the trees bordering the riverbank.

"I did... and also found a whole lot more than her. But I can’t discuss it on phone," he said, his voice low, nearly a whisper.

Roman’s silence on the other end was thick, but Williams pressed on. "You sound like something is bothering you. What is it?"

Then Roman dropped a bombshell.

"My wife almost killed herself minutes ago."

The words slammed into Williams like a punch to the gut.

"What?! She wanted to commit suicide?" he asked quickly, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"No. Not suicide. She didn’t do it intentionally. I think her powers are getting out of control, as you said," Roman explained.

Williams felt his jaw tighten. A curse slipped from his lips.

"Fuck!" he hissed.

He pushed a hand through his dark curls, frustration tightening his shoulders. "Rome, you have to take her to Elena," he said, his voice sharp but controlled, masking the panic rising inside him.

"I told you to make arrangements for Elena to come here," Roman reminded him, his tone clipped.

"I couldn’t do that, Rome. I didn’t even have the chance to think about it. Too many things happened at the same time and now we are here. We can’t have her life at risk now. She has become too important," Williams responded, the weight of everything finally creeping into his tone.

There was a pause. A beat of silence.

Then Roman asked, "What are you talking about? Who has become too important?"

Williams didn’t hesitate. "Your wife, of course. She has the last ingredient to complete the Sirioni spell inside of her. Without her we can’t defeat Casper."

The silence that followed felt heavy, like a storm holding its breath.

Finally, Roman’s voice cut through it. "When are you coming back?"

"I’m not sure. Maybe tomorrow or next," Williams answered honestly.

"Call Elena on the phone and make an arrangement. Let me know what the outcome is," Roman said, then ended the call without another word.

Williams didn’t waste a second. He dialed Elena’s number immediately, his mind already racing with contingency plans. The line rang twice before a soft, feminine voice answered.

"Hello, Alpha Williams," the voice said.

But it wasn’t Elena.

Williams frowned. "Who is this?"

"This is Rumi speaking," she replied.

The name clicked instantly. Elena’s handmaiden.

"Where is Elena?" he asked, already bracing for the answer.

"She’s right now in the meditation room," Rumi responded gently.

"Put her on. I need to speak to her," Williams said, not bothering to soften his tone.

But Rumi was quick to respond. "I’m sorry, Alpha Williams, but you can’t speak to her right now. She has been in the meditation room for the past 2 days and intends to stay there for 5 days. She has instructed that we do not disturb her. If it’s not too personal, you can leave your message and I will make sure it gets to her when she is out."

Williams let out a long, silent sigh.

"Never mind," he muttered and ended the call.

Without delay, he called Roman back.

Roman answered almost immediately. "Yes?"

"She is currently unreachable for the next 3 days. Tell me exactly what happened to your wife. Let me see if there’s anything I can do to help from here before I return," Williams said, his voice calm but focused, his mind already working on solutions.

***

Meanwhile, at the riverbank, Dexter’s voice rang out like a songbird’s call in the morning air.

"Mommy! Mommy! See, I caught three fishes!" he shouted, his small hands lifting a net proudly into the air.

Dera’s face broke into a tender smile. The warmth in her eyes mirrored the sunlight dancing on the surface of the water. She walked toward him, her movements soft and graceful.

"You did well, my love," she said, crouching down to press a kiss to his cheek, her heart swelling with love.

"Catch some more so we can have enough," she encouraged him, brushing a hand over his curly hair.

Dexter nodded with wide eyes and an even wider grin before scurrying back toward the river’s edge, fully immersed in the joy of his little adventure.

As she rose and began to approach her uncle, his voice reached her ears again.

"Mommy, has Mr. Williams left?"

She turned her head slightly and answered without pause. "No, he’s still around. So you’ll still see him when we get back home."

Dexter’s entire face lit up. The smile that spread across his features was wide and full of innocent delight.

Dera felt it in her chest, a flutter she couldn’t quite define.

She reached her uncle and sat beside him on a fallen log near the water, the air around them calm, filled with the bubbling sound of the flowing river and the occasional chirp of birds in the trees overhead.

"I hope you two have settled your differences," Dr. Abel said, his gaze warm as it met hers.

Dera smiled faintly. "You look happier than I remember," she said, monitoring his face closely as she spoke.

"That’s because I’m happy that the boy will not grow up without a father. Why didn’t you tell me it was Williams?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly but not unkindly.

Dera’s gaze drifted to the water, her smile fading slightly. "Because I didn’t know. And up till now, I’m still not sure. I met with Williams the night before I was sold off. And Casper had his way with me two days later. There was no way I could know for sure."

She sighed, her voice thick with old wounds.

Dr. Abel’s eyes followed Dexter as he played. "Look at the boy, Chidera. He’s an exact copy of Williams. Unless this Casper looks exactly like Williams or is related to him in any way, I don’t see how the boy could be his."

He paused, then turned back to her. "Anyways, what’s the development?" he asked, sensing she had something more to say, something big.

Her eyes met his, steady now, before a long sigh escaped her lips.