Chapter 52 – part 1
I have every intention of coming over here and dragging my son out and beating this stupid man senseless, though I probably would have needed help to do such a thing, and it all backfired.
“Stay, I will sleep on the couch,” Valen says gripping my arm.
“You would sleep on your own couch?” I scoff.
“Wouldn’t be the first time. Also, pretty sure I have passed out on the floor more times than I can count,” he says.
“No, I have to go see Zoe anyway.”
“Call her and stay. The hotel will survive without you for one night.”
“I don’t even have clothes here.”
“I own a washing machine and dryer; I also know how to use them.”
“Ha, very funny. You’re probably a better cleaner than I am
with your OCD. But I don’t think that is a good idea, I can’t,” I sigh, rubbing my temples.
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Chapter 52 – part 1
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Since when did my life become so complicated? I had so much going on. The Alpha meeting was in a few days. My employees were missing, the rest were sick. Now the drama with Casey’s father, and now I had to fight my damn bond every second of the day. I felt like my grasp on control was slowly slipping. All of the stability I had constructed over the years had been thrown out of whack in a matter of days.
“I don’t want to confuse Valarian more than he already is,” I finally say.
“What do you mean, we are about to announce to the city we are mates, Everly? How would you being here confuse him?” he asks, leading me out of the room and into the hall. He shuts Valarian’s door before stopping to look at me.
“Yes, exactly announcing we are mates, but that’s it. I don’t want him thinking we are suddenly a family like everyone else. It is different.” How does he not get it?
“You are making this different. To me, it is straightforward. I am yours, and you are mine. That’s what mates are, Everly. We are supposed to be together, so why do you keep bloody fighting it?”
I don’t bother answering. Instead, I go look for Marcus.
“I sent him home,” Valen calls out behind me as if reading my mind.
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Chapter 52–part 1
“You sent him home?”
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“Yes, because I hoped you would stay.”
“I don’t want to stay, Valen. I don’t know how I can make it
much clearer.”
“You know what your issue is. You are so used to being in control. You call me OCD, and yet have you looked at yourself?”
“Excuse me, I am nothing like you. I didn’t fucking torture you for years. I sure as hell didn’t ask for your God damn help; that boy in there, I raised him on my own. While you stuck your dick in every bitch in the city and spent the last few years drunk out of your fucking brain, we are nothing alike,” I snap at him.
“I have apologized, I can’t fucking change it, or believe me, I would. So, stop throwing it in my face every two seconds. I am trying to make this work while all you do push me away. I know I fucked up, but you could have done more too, don’t put all the blame on me.”
“Done more? You kicked me off your fucking territory, I tried telling you over the phone, and you laughed at me,” I say, the anger building up inside of me again.
“My private life is far from private Everly there were plenty of events in the city where you could have come right up to me
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Chapter 52–part 1
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with him, and I would have recognized him, fuck you could have sent me the DNA tests or court–ordered them, you make out I am a drunk,” he pauses for a second, appearing to think before he shrugs. “Well, I was, but I wasn’t drunk every second of every day. I still had obligations to the pack and city. Don’t tell me there was nothing else you could have done. And the reason you didn’t was because that meant you ran the risk of fucking losing him, so don’t put the blame entirely on me, you fucking hate me, I get it but you also could have found another way and your hate towards me is why you didn’t.”
I blink at him when Valarian’s voice reaches my ears.
“Mommy?” Valarian murmurs, making Valen spin around to face the hall.
“Why is everyone yelling?” I went to pick him up when Valen did before I got the chance.
“Come on, I will tuck you back in; you have school in the morning,” Valen whispers to him, kissing his head.
“Stay or don’t. I am done arguing. My keys are on the bench if you want to leave,” Valen says while walking off with a sleepy Valarian in his arms. I can hear him murmuring to him before I turn around, walking into the kitchen to look for his keys. I snatch them up, intending to leave, when I stop, hearing Valarian crying in his room.
Moving down the hall, I stop near his door listening to Valen try to calm him. Wondering if I should intervene. “I don’t want
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Chapter 52–part 1
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to stay if mommy can’t. Does she think I don’t want her because I wanted to stay here? You don’t have to make her leave,” Valarian sobs. My heart clench at his words. Did he think I blamed him or his father? I was the one trying to leave. I went to walk in when Valen’s voice stops me.
“Your mother is angry with me, not you. She will come back. Daddy did the wrong thing, that’s all.”
“But she is leaving and not taking me with her, why wouldn’t she stay?”
“Do you want me to take you home?” Valen asks him.
“But I want her to stay here too.”
I peek in the door to see Valen rubbing his face.
“I am right here. I am not going anywhere,” I tell him before Valen no doubt tries to retake the blame. Maybe he was right?
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