Chapter 15

Allison's POV

I must have woken from the wrong side of the bed today. I wake up feeling so ill that Ian and Elsa literally have to beg me to stay at home. Not that I mind. I'm not in the mood for my coworkers' judgment, for the way they look at me like I'm sin, the way they point and whisper whenever they see me. What bothers me is that Elsa has decided to stay at home with me, and she won't let me talk her out of it no matter how hard I try.

I don't want her to get in trouble with Rachel, and failing to show up for work is exactly the sort of thing that would make Rachel give her trouble. The fact that she does not have a valid excuse like I do isn't going to help matters. While I can say that I could not go to work due to ill health, Elsa can't tell them that she couldn't go because she was taking care of me. Nobody is going to listen to that.

These depressing thoughts are racing through my mind as I watch her make me a pot of tea.

"Wipe that look off your face," she says, handing me a full cup.

"What look?" I ask.

"As if you're planning my funeral," she replies. "Nobody is going to kill me for missing one day of work."

"But Rachel…" I begin, worried.

Elsa rolls her eyes.

"Screw Rachel," she says, waving my concerns away. "I'm not going to leave you alone like this. I don't care who gets mad as a result. Now, drink up."

I realize that I've just been holding the cup of tea. I take a sip and inhale deeply as the milky liquid warms me up from the inside.

Elsa is watching me quietly, the way she usually does when she badly wants to ask a question but isn't sure she should.

"Out with it," I say. "What's the question?"

Elsa bunches her lips to the side, hesitating. I take another sip, waiting patiently.

"Well…" she says finally. "Have you ever thought of finding that stranger? You know, the father of your child?"

I flinch so hard, it's a wonder I don't drop the cup. A little tea sloshes over the rim, spilling on my fingers, and I hiss from the sting. Elsa springs up immediately, taking the cup from me and setting it down on the table. She fetches some paper towels and uses them to wipe my fingers.

"I'm so sorry," she says pleadingly. "I know I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's okay," I reply. "It's just a little tea."

My hands shake as I reach back for the cup of tea, but I pretend not to notice.

"No," I say in a low voice.

"What?" Elsa asks, still looking worried.

"No," I repeat. "I'm not going to look for the father of my child. I don't mind raising this child on my own."

I'm not going to make any demands from Xander Black, or draw the pack's attention to myself, I think. I can handle this without making trouble. I know I can.

Elsa nods, reaching out to pat my shoulder.

"I understand," she says gently. "I'll be by your side every step of the way, Allison."

I nod. I know she will.

"Thanks, Elsa," I say.

"Any time, darling," she replies.

We remain quiet for a while, during which I sip my tea and Elsa hovers at my side. She notices when I'm done, and lifts up the teapot.

"Would you like more?" she asks.

"Yes, please," I reply.

She refills my cup and pours one for herself, then watches me over the rim as she blows on the hot tea.

"What now?" I sigh.

"How is your lawsuit against Peterson going?" she asks.

Finally, something I want to talk about. I've sued Peterson for fraud, and I intend to win that case.

"Really well," I reply. "I've been in touch with my lawyer. The first hearing is scheduled to happen soon, and I've been making sure he doesn't run away like he did before."

"Serves him right," Elsa says with a laugh. "He deserves the worst possible punishment for the shitty way he dared to treat you."

I smile, looking into my tea. This talk about Peterson has suddenly reminded me that if it wasn't for him, I would not be in this mess right now. It's because he broke my heart that I got drunk that day. Drunk enough not to recognize Xander Black. Drunk enough to offer him sex.

It's funny how much one person can ruin with just one cruel act.

"I should have listened to you, Elsa," I murmur. "All those times when you warned me that Peterson was no good, I should have listened. I shouldn't have been so blinded, so naive—"

"Oh please," Elsa says. "You didn't do anything wrong, Allison. All you did was trust the person you love, and there's nothing wrong with that. He's the one who abused that trust. He's the only one who deserves blame for everything that happened."

I nod even though I don't completely believe her. I do agree that things never would have gone wrong if Peterson had not been such an asshole.

If only I never met him, I think bitterly.

He had walked into my life when I was mourning the death of my father, the only parent I had after my mother abandoned us, and taken advantage of how vulnerable I was. What I had mistaken for kindness had been nothing but a ploy to make me emotionally dependent on him.

So much that I failed to see how he was a suit of red flags.

Elsa notices my sinking mood.

"You're still bothered about that?" she asks. "Alright. I know what we're going to do. On the day of the trial, we're going to obtain the judge's permission to slap all his teeth out of his mouth. We'll get it formally signed and everything, and if he tries to run, we'll throw the gavel and knock him down."

The imagery makes me laugh, like Elsa knew it would. She joins in, and we're still laughing when the sound of the doorbell interrupts us.

Elsa and I lock eyes, confused. Aside from her, I don't get visitors, and I can't think of a single person that would want to stop by my apartment. Not even to wish me a quick recovery out of courtesy.

"Could it be Ian?" she asks.

That's highly unlikely, since it's very far from the close of working hours, and I really don't see why he would come back earlier when he knows that Elsa is already here to tend to my health.

I don't say any of this. I simply shrug.

"Why don't we find out?"

I hear the doorbell ring again as I wrap a blanket around myself and follow Elsa to the living room. She walks to the door and opens it a crack, but whoever she sees there startles her so much that she steps back, leaving the door open.

I open my mouth to ask her what happened, only to press it shut out of shock. Feeling the urge to pinch myself just to be sure I'm not dreaming as i watch Xander Black walk into my apartment.