They made it out of the forest, but now that Allie knows the truth about Josh, where to from here?
Josh POVThe house was full of people as I stepped inside, holding my kicking and screaming mate. I’d missed every one of them, but at the moment, all I could focus on was Allie. I just needed them all to get out of my way so I could take her to my room, lock the door, and explain everything to her without her trying to run off.I had accepted the deal with the dark witch willingly, and without any expectations in return, but surely she owed me the chance to explain myself.I’d grovel on my knees for the rest of my life if I had to. I’d do anything to avoid the pain that tore through me when she tried to reject me. I needed her more than I needed my next breath, and I’d happily spend the rest of my life making it up to her for the monumental fuck ups I’d made.Hearing the words ‘I hate you’ coming from her mouth almost killed me more than the rejection had.Allie screamed again, but this time was different, it was pained. I turned to see my brother Zac holding an empty syringe. She cr
Allie POV“Before you go home, you need to know a few truths about your father,” Josh began.“And you think you’re the best qualified person to talk to me about truths?” I scoffed.“You said you’d listen.” He fixed me with a firm look. “As I said before, I’m the youngest son of Leo and Julie, the former Alpha and Luna of this pack, the Teal Valley Pack.”A memory stirred in my mind of the picnic in the forest on the day the Obsidian Court gained power.“It was you, that day the forest changed. You blocked my view, protecting me.”He nodded. “That day, your dad invited my family for a picnic. Apparently, our families used to meet up regularly. Our mums had been friends for years, and our dads were allies. I don’t have any memories of you before that day, though.”“I have one memory,” I said, wracking my brain for anything to do with Teal Valley. “I must have been about five, maybe, and you and your brothers were all jumping off rocks into a lake. I don’t even know where we were.”“Was
Allie POVJosh reached out to take my hand, but I pulled it away. I was trying to keep a clear head while I searched for the truth, and the last thing I needed was the mate-bond zapping my self-control any more than it already was.“In here, baby,” a feminine voice called out as we reached the bottom of the stairs.Josh cringed as he pushed open a large swinging door and we entered the kitchen. It was so… homey. It was hard to believe we were in a packhouse and not some large country farmhouse.Mr Tanner was standing at the kitchen island kneading bread dough. In the forest, Josh had told me his dad was a baker and his older brother was going to take over the family business. I chewed the inside of my cheek.
Allie POV There was a collective intake of breath from around the table, and I felt the mood shift. Josh had told me that his family valued the mate-bond above all else, and here I was crapping all over it in front of them. Stella growled at me in my mind, but I pushed her to the side. “Allie, I understand my son’s actions were anything but ideal. He’s broken your trust, and ours, but his intentions were good, just misguided,” explained Leo. “We’ve been trying to find a way to reclaim the forest for many years now. It’s our only access point to trade with a neighbouring pack, and we have lost far too many pack members over the years, who have ventured into the forest and never returned.” He paused and looked at Josh, the pain showing in his eyes. He truly thought Jos
Josh POV We drove in silence. I hated the fact I was taking her to Ellis and her father. I hated the fact I’d have to leave her there. I hated the fact I wouldn’t know if she was ok. I fucking hated it all. She was my mate. Mine to protect, and I wouldn’t be able to do that from two hundred kilometres away. When she’d said she wouldn’t ask me to accept her rejection yet, the relief was immense. She wasn’t going to give up on me so soon, she just needed time. I didn’t like it, but it was the only way to keep her in my life. The closer we got to Viridian Creek, the more Allie fidgeted in her seat. Her delicate hands were being wrung in her lap, and I desperately wanted to take one in mine and comfort her. Only it would no longer be a comfort. She wanted space, and it was the least I could do to try to give it to her. We reached the border and the guards came out to the car. Their faces paled as though they’d seen a ghost when they spotted Allie. “Let my father know I’m home, ple
Allie POV I watched Josh drive away while Stella whimpered. Everything ached. My head, my heart, my chest. I wanted and needed space, but it didn’t mean the mate-bond was happy about it. It was going to kick my butt. “Why don’t you go settle in, and we can talk later,” said Ellis as we entered the foyer. “I want to see Mum.” “I will call the nurses and find out if she’s feeling well enough for visitors,” replied Father. “Go and do as your Alpha instructed.” Ugh. My Alpha. Ellis. Walking through the familiar corridors of my home caused a sadness to form and settle in the pit of my stomach. This was my home, my pack, yet it felt cold, quiet and lifeless compared to the happy chaos I’d experienced this morning in the Tanner packhouse. Another twinge of pain pulled at me. I made my way up the stairs without seeing a single person and opened my bedroom door. I took the card Josh gave me out of my pocket and picked a supernatural creatures textbook from my bookshelf, hiding the card
Josh POVBy the time I drove back through the gates of Teal Valley, I was a mess of emotions. Aster had been quiet. At first I’d thought he was angry at me, but quickly realised he was just resigned to the fact that Allie needed to do this and we needed to let her, as much as it sucked for us.My feet felt like lead as I climbed the steps, and I prayed I wouldn’t run into anyone. The border guards would have let them know I was home, but I just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away.Mum was standing near the base of the stairs as I walked through the foyer, and I felt bad that I stifled a groan. I loved her dearly, but I didn’t want to talk.She pulled me close and kissed the side of my head. “I asked the housekeeper not to touch the room Allie was in.” She kissed me once more, then wandered off towards Dad’s office.I made a beeline for the guest room and opened it to find Allie’s scent still lingering. The only scents in the room were mine and hers. I kicked my shoes off and jump
Allie POVI made sure to miss breakfast the next morning to avoid Father and Ellis and instead made my way to the pack hospital. I was enraged when the nurse had to call ‘the Alpha’ to get permission for me to see my own damn mother, but Ellis allowed it.The nurse led me down a bland, depressing looking corridor and opened a door, motioning for me to enter. The room was just as bad–everything was white and unstimulating. I wondered if Mum went crazy, then they put her in here, or if they put her in here and then she went crazy… this space was not Mum at all.She was sitting in an armchair near the window, just gazing out blankly. Her blonde hair hung limp, and there was a vacant expression on her pale face. She didn’t appear to register our presence in the room.“She’s been like that since the night of the attack, I’m afraid,” whispered the nurse. “Take as long as you want. There’s a buzzer over here if she needs anything.”I grabbed the spare chair and carried it over to sit opposi