Chapter 5

• CHAPTER 5
• Adrianna's POV
• **Five years later.
• "Mom, I'm hungry." Jackson cried out from the living room.
• " It's almost ready, dear," I assured him.
• "Mom…. I said I wasn't going to eat first." Hayley cried out.
• I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for them. They had been whining the whole morning about how hungry they were.
• I started dishing the food out on a plate. As soon as I was done, I took it to the room and placed it in front of Jackson.
• "Mom…I said I wanted to eat first."
• "Hayley, you know the rules."
• The rule was that whoever calls out first gets to be fed first.
• Jackson was busy painting. I had no idea what he was painting. It was just a habit he picked up when he was three. I thought it was just a phase and it would wear out. But he was five years of age, and he kept painting.
• I pulled a chair Close to him since he was seated on the floor. According to him, it was more comfortable to draw on the floor.
• "Yayy…food is finally here." The young boy in front of me rejoiced.
• That was always his expression of food and it made me happy. When I left my family, I felt like I had nobody with me.
• I had always blamed the child because I felt that if I didn't get pregnant, I wouldn't have been chased and banished from the pack.
• But all that changed when I had Jackson and Hayley. They were the sweetest thing ever. They made me laugh anytime I thought about my family.
• They made me realize that even if I didn't get pregnant, my parents and Amelia were out to get me. Not that they told me all this but the moments I had to meditate about my past.
• "Here," I said as I scooped a spoonful of cereal and positioned it in front of his mouth.
• He took it in and chewed while smiling. Then he continued his painting while he awaited the second spoon.
• I heard a click on the door as I took the next spoon. It could only be one person, the only person who had the key to my house.
• ”Hey guys." Shawn said while smiling. His lips formed a 'u' as he smiled.
• Shawn, the Alpha of the Cross eye pack. My boyfriend. I can't explain how it happened, all I knew was that it just happened.
• After Steven said I should find Shawn, I left in search of him. I later found him and Steven was right, it was a free pack. Everyone was welcomed.
• Shawn found me a place. He constantly came to visit me with the excuse that he wanted to check up on me.
• We started dating soon after he asked me out. He was nice and all but that was it. I only saw him as a nice person and nothing else.
• Anytime I thought about our dating, I would ask myself why I had agreed to it if I didn't have any affection for him.
• "Hey, Shawn," I answered as I gave Jackson the second spoon of his meal.
• Shawn walked towards me and leaned forward to hug me. When he pulled back, he tried to kiss me on my lips, but I was fast enough to put it on my cheek instead.
• When he saw what I did, he just kissed my cheek and didn't say anything. I knew he wasn't happy but I couldn't give him what he wanted.
• He knew I wasn't in love with him but he wanted to date me still. "Jackson…" he shouted while lifting him.
• Regardless, of whatever was happening between me, and Shawn, Shawn loved Jackson and Hayley a lot. They played together most of the time Shawn came here.
• "My turn," Hayley said while jumping up.
• They also liked Shawn as much. They were inseparable. I just hoped their relationship wouldn't affect us in the future.
• I never had any problem with Shawn. He always gave me space because he knew I wasn't in love with him.
• When he started courting me, I told him that I didn't feel the same thing he felt for me. But he said he could make me fall for him, that I should give him a chance.
• I agreed eventually. Don't get me wrong, I didn't agree immediately. The initial plan was to avoid him but wherever I went, he was always there. He was stalking me.
• I had to agree. It was no fun watching him trying to get attention. Plus, no one had ever been this much in love with me.
• I was rejected by my mate, so I thought it would be easy to fall for Shawn. But I was wrong, it was really hard.
• "Adrianna," Shawn called out to me. I was immediately brought back to the present.
• "What were you thinking about? I have been calling you."
• "Nothing. Why were you calling me?" I asked.
• Our conversations were always this formal. No spark of romance. Nothing. And I hated it.
• I mean, look at Shawn. He was tall and nice with ocean-blue eyes. Who wouldn't fall for that? I saw many girls in the pack who tried as much as possible to get his attention but he wasn't interested.
• He was only interested in the girl who had no interest in him. The irony. Something was wrong with me.
• "Are you free today?" He asked.
• "Why?" I asked.
• I hoped it wasn't one of those dates where we both sat and just stared at one another because we had nothing to say.
• "I want to take you and Jackson out today." He answered.
• I was doomed. Anytime we went on a date, it always ended badly. These were the many signs Shawn refused to see. He wanted to keep trying.
• But Jackson and Hayley were coming. I wouldn't consider it a date. But I felt that the bond between Shawn and the kids was getting really strong.
• I didn't want to be in a situation one day where they would say they wanted Shawn as his father.
• Jackson and Hayley had never questioned me about their father but I had a feeling they would soon. They were getting
• older fast.
• I was about to give my response when my phone began to ring.
• It was Steven.