My Alpha's First Love Hurt My Son

It was the rainy month of Septus.

My Uncle Devon called my phone. Delivering devastating news that my parents got caught up in a stray group terror hijack at the Moonstone highway.

The following days were a blur. My uncle was always by my side, handling all the funeral arrangements. I vaguely remembered the presence of extended family, some of my uncle’s relatives, and a few college friends.

The details were hazy, except for the tears that seemed to permanently stain my cheeks. One by one, the guests left the funeral site after the urns were buried back in Duskhowl, my hometown.

To my surprise, someone besides my uncle and my parents’ immediate neighbor stayed. It was Eddy, the same nerdy guy who had wiped out my assignment data four semesters ago. He had traveled all the way from Central Metro to Duskhowl just to attend the funeral.

"Sal…" He approached me, dressed in a neat black suit, the typical funeral attire.

Despite still carrying that nerdy vibe, his overall appearance and neatly done hair made him look pleasantly refreshed compared to before.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said sincerely. I could see he was on the verge of tears, which was heartwarming despite the oddness of the situation.

I stood up and asked, “Why are you here? How?” I was so confused that I skipped over his heartfelt condolences.

“I’ve been looking for you. I-I was about to come to the graduation. I had a huge project the entire month and--”

I caught that familiar scent of fear from him. “Ed, slow down!” I slightly raised my voice, and that seemed to calm him down.

The man took a deep breath. “I had planned to meet you at your graduation. I know it might sound a bit stalker-ish, but since we were mutuals on social media, I kind of kept tabs on your schedule. A-and—”

I stared at him, trying to piece together the jigsaw of his words.

“I’m really sorry I’ve been MIA for months,” Eddy continued. “My company had this massive project, and I was working to secure a major partnership with SigmaTech—y'know, the biggest tech firm on the continent—”

He cleared his throat, stopping himself from rambling. “A-anyway…”

He fumbled with his suit pocket, finally producing a velvet box that wobbled precariously in his grasp. It was the kind of box you’d expect for an engagement ring, and he almost dropped it.

“I intended to propose to you once the long term deal was finalized,” he said, his voice wavering. “And it just so happens that the deal went through this evening, but—” He hesitated, as if the box was too heavy for him to hold. “I-I know this is terrible timing. But, Salvia, I want to marry you. I really do. I’ll cherish you for the rest of my life.”

...

His eyes locked with mine, a mix of nervousness and sincerity in his gaze.

I was completely stunned.

With us not staying in touch, it never crossed my mind that Eddy had any romantic interest in me, let alone that he had been planning this all along.

“Ed, we haven’t exactly spoken since we finished my final term assignment,” I said, my voice tinged with doubt. “I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this. You’re a decent guy, and I’d like to get to know you better, but marriage feels like a huge leap, don’t you think?”

I paused, trying to make sense of his sudden declaration. “How can you be so sure you want a relationship with me and not just some fleeting impulse?”

“I’m sure,” he said with unshakeable determination. “You’ve been on my mind constantly. You’re fun and amazing to be around. I’ve thought this through carefully—this isn’t some spontaneous whim.”

His eyes locked onto mine with a sincerity that was impossible to ignore. “I want to be your Alpha, to protect you and build a life together. I want to share my days with you. Please, Salvia—marry me. Be my Luna. Give me a chance.”

I recognized that his plea was genuine. There was something in the way he spoke—his nervous but earnest gestures, the firmness of his words—that began to break through my reservations.

After a few more months of getting to know each other better, we decided to get married.

Despite his increasingly busy schedule, Eddy always made time for me and Elric, our alpha son, who soon became the center of our world.

I’ll never forget the moment Eddy first held Elric.

Tears streamed down his face as he realized he had become a father. He swore to give his utmost to support our son, and he did.

He truly did.

Eddy stepped up in every way possible, becoming everything we needed and more.

Right.

Eddy was a loving guy. That was the exact reason why I agreed to marry him. His caring nature made me believe in a future with him.

When we received the devastating news that Elric had a rare disease, where his wolf spirit was developing too fast for his body to handle, Eddy was relentless in his efforts. He poured his time and energy into finding the best doctors in the world, refusing to give up.

He attended many of Elric’s therapy and psychology consultation sessions, often leaving important company meetings in the capable hands of Gareth, his private butler secretary.

So why?

"That kid is fine. He’s just pretending to be sick."

"Stop throwing tantrums. Don’t you see our son has picked up that bad habit from you?"

"I’ve told you. A pampered kid like him wouldn't even stand a chance against the top ten."

Eddy’s harsh words echoed in my mind. Each one of them carried venom that made me wonder...

Why did Eddy turn... hateful towards Elric?

Since when?

I had long concluded that Eddy was so deeply smitten with Trista that I blamed all his harsh behavior on her influence.

But now that I think about it...

Had he really changed so much because of Trista?

Plop!

A blue case landed on the sofa beside me, jolting me awake from my thoughts.

Eddy stood there, his face set in a grumpy scowl. “Here are your documents,” he muttered, after throwing the plastic case of divorce papers onto the seat. He then slumped into the sofa across from me in the living room.

I picked up the case and opened it, quickly scanning to ensure he had signed everything.

“Happy now?” Eddy’s foot tapped impatiently as he watched me.

I ignored him, focusing on the papers.

He clicked his tongue in irritation. “This better be enough, or—”

I snapped the case shut with a loud thud.

“This is enough.” Rising to my feet, I grabbed the document case with one hand and the handle of my suitcase with the other.

“Thank you for being so cooperative, Eddy,” I said, my voice sincere for the first time in a long while.

With that, I left the manor for good.