Without a shadow of a doubt

Alpha Theodore Claude Thornton

Yes, it was a fact that Alpha Theodore Claude Thornton's father, Alpha James Thornton, blamed all his failures on Theo's mother, Thiana.

His father was convinced she was the reason for his failures, not his prideful ways and threatening tactics, but Thiana was always the reason.

This is why he was adamant about Theo not following in his footsteps, as he firmly believed he was being punished for marrying beneath his mate.

Only then had Theo started visiting way less than before. After his scum of a father threatened his mother. Though yet still, he could not bring himself to turn his back on the only woman he truly loved.

When Theo started thinking of marriage, only then had Osouf gotten involved and ultimately agreed with their father.

So, Theo was fighting against the two of them, his wolf and his dad. It was a losing battle down to the very end.

Goddess, and he could never forget his last night with Athalia.

Theo could not wait to see her again. On the other hand, his wolf was not interested in anyone but his mate.

But that night, he had broken both their hearts with his departure and claimed never to look back.

Nevertheless, a month later, he met his mate at a conference after that last trip.

Then things went at full speed ahead after that because of his father. The next thing he was having a massive engagement, then a grand wedding which was all over the news.

One thing Theo knew back then and still to this day is that he would always have a love for his mate. His wolf definitely was in love with his mate. However, on the other hand, Theo's human heart has already been stolen by Athalia.

No one can replace her in his heart.

A long time had passed, maybe a couple of hours, while Theo held his daughter as he quietly told her a few things about him and her mother. Theo had decided to break the ice and share a few things with Aubrianne.

He thought, why not be the one to open up this time? But he had to mention this, tilting his head towards her, eyes twinkling. "Do you know how relieved I was at our first encounter?"

Aubrianne had looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and he went on. "I was so relieved at your openness because of the fact that I did not have to ask many questions and come off as a creep, and I would have wanted to know everything I could have."

Aubrianne smiled and looked up at him, "Oh my goodness, I was so mortified and afraid that you would have thought I was crazy, but…the truth is that I felt comfortable talking to you. I felt like it was the most natural thing to do."

At her words, Theo was surprised. He squeezed and held her closer, then kissed the top of her head.

Then Theo did precisely what he said he would. He opened up this time and spoke of his relationship with Athalia, getting more detailed.

They were in love, and he'd planned to marry her, but things did not work out as planned.

Theo did not want to get into too many specifics about this part. He had simply said his father was the stumbling block in their relationship.

And Theo had held Aubrianne a bit closer when he told her he would never force her into any decision about love or any decision at all. He would not do to her what his father did to him.

Aubrianne felt comforted at the declaration and wondered precisely what might have gone down because, whatever it was, her father seemed hurt and betrayed by it. Leia was helping her read someone and identify their emotions.

Well, this was really the first set of lessons.

Theo had gushed about the first time they met, "it was such a cliché," he had said. After he explained that it was on a Tuesday afternoon and a heated mid-summer one at that.

From where Theo was sitting, his eyesight aligned with the entrance. He and some of his CFOs met at Antinique's restaurant and lounge. They had taken over the entire right area of Antinique.

"It was at two forty-five pm, and I would know because I was looking at my watch when the door chimed," he had said. And the most breathtakingly beautiful woman he had ever seen had walked into Antinique's.

She wore a pair of skinny jeans, a casual top, a blazer, high heels, and a brown bag with a long strap slung over her shoulders, "one like what you had when I first met you." He had said.

Athalia stood out, she had an aura that was calling out to him, and Theo just had to know her. The meeting went on, but his mind was elsewhere.

This is when he saw someone approach her while she sat at the bar sipping her drink. Theo was instantly ticked off, and the more he took in the situation, the more he realized she did not want this man's attention or his presence there.

And judging from the conversation, the man wouldn't let up.

So he decided on the oldest trick in the book. He had walked up to Athalia and grabbed her gently, yet romantically. Stared into her beautiful gray eyes and kissed her passionately in front of the guy and everyone, then said, "Baby, I am so sorry for keeping you waiting."

"And the thing about it, baby girl, she had kissed me back with just as much passion as I was giving her, and from that very first kiss, I just knew I would marry her." He had said.

"Oh gosh, dad! TMI, TMI." Aubrianne had squealed and hid her face in his chest. He had ruffled her hair in response as they laughed lightly.

Athalia had told Theo that she worked at the Pharmaceutical across the street and just came in to grab her order before heading back to work, and she had thanked him for rescuing her.

She was shaken enough to ask that Theo sit with her for a few more minutes while her food arrived.

And, of course, he had agreed to wait with her. They had exchanged names and light pleasantries, and Theo learned that day she was from Wickersville and still lived there.

It was only a short time, but they fell into casual conversations about anything and everything. It was refreshing, Theo remembered. Athalia was so carefree and free-spirited.

"She was the light in my dark and strict world," he said. At the age of twenty-three, he was already leading meetings with his CFOs.

Of course, those CFOs back then were no longer his CFOs now. He had wholly restructured after his father's passing.

Nevertheless, when her order came, Theo had offered to pay for it, but she flat-out refused, explaining he had already done so much for her, saving her from that guy pestering her.

He had relented, but he sure as hell was not about to let this gorgeous woman walk out of his life without getting her number or sealing down a date. Well, Theo was not lucky enough to seal a date right away.

However, he did get her phone number.

Sure enough, they quickly became acquainted and then wrapped in a whirlwind romance made for the movies until dear old dad stepped in.

Goddess, It was hard for Theo to let go of Athalia. Two years after finding his mate, Theo had chosen to try not to look back. Try to finally move forward and focus on his family. His wife was now pregnant, for crying out loud.

He somehow felt the need to apologize sincerely to Aubrianne for giving up so soon. He felt as if he had given up too quickly.

Theo felt like he should have at least tried a bit longer. But Goddess knows he has tried. He had still found a way to go see her, and that's when he found out she had moved from the two-bedroom flats she lived in with no forwarding address.

Even then, he had tried to reach out for two years after his marriage, as he still had her number. But then he'd stop calling when he'd call that time and get 'the number you have dialed is not in service.'

And so he realized she must have finally changed her number when she figured he would not stop selfishly calling her. He was already a married man, yet still, he could not get another woman out of his head and heart.

He had admitted that that entire situation was not his finest moment. On the one hand, he had his wife and true mate; on the other hand, he had the woman he considered his true love and soul mate, whom he realized after doing the math, was pregnant when she stopped taking his calls.

However, one thing he was sure about and was absolute, clearing all doubts in Aubrianne's mind, was that things would have been different had he known.

That he could have assured Aubrianne because he knew without a shadow of a doubt she would have been in his life.

He would never have turned his back on his baby girl.