Chapter 81
So, how did it go?!” Leals asked ine as soon as I joined her in the kitchen.
I gave her a smile, ‘Surprisingly well. He wasn’t all that mad at me and just needed me to
rin talk about it”
“I told you he would understand. How are you settling in?” she asked as she went around to grab a cup of coffer for
I shrugged, “I haven’t settled in at all. I am anxious and I still feel like I am walking on eggshells but it is what it is. I didn’t expect to feel right at home The minute Istep foot here.”
cet what you mean.
it’s like a never–ending torture. But at least you know your stay won’t be like the last time. You are stronger now and you have something to protect ”
I scoffed, “I would like to see someone try to harm my son. I would claw the person’s should leave my son out of k.”
“Where is Daisy”
Their face. They can come at me all they want they o’s flesh off thei
but th
“She woke up as soon as I tried to drop her, the first thing the asked for was Charlie and when I told her he was playing outside, she took off. They
are playing.”
“Kids, not a care in the world.” I said.
She nodded in agreement and we both stayed comfortably silent after that. There was so much I was yet to know since I left but it didn’t matter
because I had moved on
A part of me wanted to come here to find out if he was telling the truth about bring a changed person or if was he saying all that just to get me back into his web. I told myself I would never let anyone play me for a fool again.
I would give Charlie a chance to know his father and then, we would go back and resume living our lives.
When I looked up from the coffee in front of me, I saw Leals staring at me with that familiar, intense look that always made me feel like she could see straight through me.
“Is something wrong?” I asked, putting down the pen and meeting her gaze.
She tilted her head slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Are you already regretting coming back here!”
The question caught me off guard. Regret? The word lingered in my mind, and I wasn’t sure how to respond. I took a deep breath, trying to sort through the knot of emotions inside me.
“I. I don’t know if regret is the right word,” I said honestly. “There hasn’t been anything to make me regret it yet. It’s just.” I paused, choosing my woods carefully. “It’s this feeling of unease. I’m back in a place where I wasn’t wanted before, and it’s hard not to feel that
It really wasn’t
When they were whispering, there was still one feeling I got
of from them that was stronger and that was, resentment,
They still resented me after those years. It was fine before but now, it was plaiirpathetic.
Leah leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she studied me. “So, why
“For Charlie.” Lamwered without hesitation. “He deserves to know his father, and Aragonyleserves a chance to bond with him. Once Charlie’s school starts, we’ll be out of here. This is temporary.”
Leah nodded, berexpression unreadable.
x years the pack still feels the same way about me, then that’s their problem, not mine. I
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. “If after six years
refuse to let them nuke me feel like I don’t belong.”
For a moment, Lealy said nothing, just kept watching me with that penetrating gaze. Then, finally, she opened her mouth to speak–but before any words could leave her lips, a piercing scream cut through the air.
The sound frove my blood, My lean leaped to my throat as I shot up from my sent.
“Tur’s Carlie.” I whispered, already moving
Tholted out of the room, my legs carrying me faster than I thought possible. Leal was right behind me, her footsteps pounding against the wooden Bloor as we raced outside.
When Lreached the yard, the sight before me made my heart break. Charlie was crumpled on the ground, tears streaming down his face. Daisy was fing protectively in front of him, hertiny frame squared off against a group of older children. Her face was twisted in anger as she yelled at
“What is going on here?” I demanded
I pulled Dany back, scooping her into the arms of her mother, who had just arrived on the re. Then I knelt besile Glurie, cradling him against my chest. Halate handh chung to me desperately as he sobbed into my shirt
“Curlie, baby, what happened?” I asked softly, brushing his hur away from lida tear streaked face
He bawled even harder as his hands fisted my shirt. He buried his head even deeper into my chest like he wanted to hide there. His whole body was tacked with sola that it trembled
Harse propte, than park, they had no sigle to treat Clade like another dont they certainly tes riala tra chudke me feel like I didn’t belong
hart to work antler birden her neonnant spork and efficient as slur peepened the promised bot chocolar Isended Charlar one
sand nobly, bonding hiji at the work warde eyes.
I whispered, pressing a kiss in like for larad
and wirli Aragon to talk torliis park. Felon’t believe for a second that dege kiddied it. They are not wicked nor are they
Chapter 12
