LISA'S POV"We get to go out with Daddy!" Nancy squeals with excitement.After two days of persuasion and Jack talking me into it, it’s finally happening. We’re actually going to meet the big bad wolf aka Alpha Gareth. The same man I treated for weeks. Jack said Gareth has something important he wants to talk to me about, and the last thing I want is to be in the same room with him, much less listen to whatever nonsense might come out of his mouth.Yet here we are, outside the pack house, walking towards the main gate to meet Ronan. Even though I didn’t want to come and I still don’t I feel compelled to be a little kind, after what I did to him. The way I spoke to him when he was only trying to protect me and the kids... I guess the least I can do is give him this one thing.I want to be as far away from Ronan, his father, and anyone in his family as possible. But every time I try to distance myself, the kids are always in the middle, pulling me back to them. And as much as I despis
LISA'S POV The house looks almost exactly the same as it did years ago when I last visited. The last time I came here was with my father. I was much younger back then, and I vividly recall that we were supposed to be here for dinner or at least, that's what my father told me. However, from the moment we arrived to the moment we left, we didn’t eat a single thing. All I remember is them discussing something about borders and territories. My father had brought some maps with him, though at the time, I didn’t understand much of what was being said. In hindsight, he probably brought me along because my mother was away visiting her old pack, and he didn’t trust anyone in the pack house to watch over me. "Are you ready?" Ronan whispers as we reach the door. "I was born ready," I say, sarcasm dripping from my voice. “If my father tries anything or if you feel uncomfortable at any point, we can leave. Don’t hesitate,” he reassures me. “Do you expect something to happen?” I raise an e
LISA'S POV "Can you pass me the corn?" Ronan asks, his eyes focused on me. I know he's speaking to me directly, but I don’t move, keeping my gaze firmly fixed on my plate. The bowl of corn is literally just a few inches away from him. If he wanted, he could easily reach out and grab it himself, but instead, he chooses to ask me. “Lisa?” he prompts again, his voice holding a hint of impatience. “Yes?” I raise an eyebrow, pretending that I didn’t hear him the first time, though it’s obvious I did. “The corn, please?” His smirk is unmistakable, and it takes everything in me not to react to it. He knows exactly what he’s doing, pushing my buttons for no reason other than the simple joy of it. “Oh, sure,” I respond with a forced smile, reaching for the bowl and handing it to him. As his fingers brush mine, I realize that’s what he was aiming for all along. He could’ve easily grabbed the bowl himself, but he chose to make this small moment between us, as if to remind me of his presenc
RONAN'S POV"Kissing someone who isn't your mate?" I repeated her words in my head, feeling them echo within me.I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corners of my mouth. Jack was right she truly doesn’t know. Despite my lingering doubts, it’s clear now that she has no idea she’s my mate. She still thinks I’m mated to Gretchen.“You’re right about that,” I finally tell her, my voice steady. "Kissing someone who isn’t your mate should only happen by mistake." I take deliberate steps toward her, closing the distance while she stays frozen in place, shock written all over her face.“But fortunately,” I continue, my voice dropping to a whisper as I bridge the last gap between us, “the person I kissed is my mate.” Without waiting for her response, I capture her lips in mine, sealing my confession.For so long, I’ve tried to hold back, to restrain myself, convincing my heart and mind that I could wait for her to acknowledge the bond between us. But those were just words empty promis
**LISA’S POV**“Oh, Lisa, there you are!” Gareth says with a smile as I come crashing in, closing the basement door behind me.I quickly wiped away the single tear that had escaped from my eyes, but I knew I was too late. Gareth’s expression shifts slightly.“Is everything okay?” he asks, raising an eyebrow, studying my face with concern.“Everything’s good. I’m okay,” I reply, letting out an awkward laugh, forcing a bright smile to hide the truth.He doesn’t seem convinced. “Are you sure?”“One hundred percent,” I chuckle, waving off his concern. “Did you need something?” I quickly change the subject, desperate to move on.“Well, I was hoping to have a little chat with you, but if now’s not a good time, we can do it later,” he says, his tone gentle but persistent.“No, it’s fine! Now’s as good a time as any,” I say, my voice a little too high, betraying my nerves. I knew this talk was coming. I’d been dreading it, but it was inevitable. And maybe, just maybe, a conversation with Gare
LISA’S POV"But it’s a little too late to offer understanding or pity, sir," I say, trying my best to keep my tone calm and respectful, though it’s hard to suppress the wave of emotions building inside me."There’s something your father always said when we were younger. It’s never too late to try and make things right," he begins, his voice carrying a weight of regret that almost makes me want to soften."Until you’re dead," I finish for him, my voice flat, betraying none of the rage beneath the surface. I may not remember all of the wise things my father used to tell me when I was young, but that is one thing I will never forget. Whenever I made a mistake or had an issue with my mom and stayed out too long, my father would always say that exact phrase when I refuse to appologise to my mom. Back then, I didn’t understand why he would talk about death to a child, especially over something as small as breaking a plate or messing up the house. It seemed too heavy a lesson for a little g
LISA’S POVWe sit in silence for a brief moment before he speaks again, his voice soft, “You’re just like your father, you know,” he chuckles, looking at me with a nostalgic smile.“Now that’s a first,” I couldn’t help but smile in return, a sense of pride swelling in my chest. I’ve always longed for someone to tell me I remind them of my parents. It never happened before, and for some reason, hearing it now stirred something in me, a mix of joy and sadness.“And it’s the truth,” he continued, “Your father was just like you, always trying to see the best in people, always believing there was good in everyone’s actions.”“I bet he did. It’s only fair with all those philosophical words he always had to say,” I replied, trying to sound casual, though the memory of my father’s endless life lessons made me feel a little heavy inside.“You have a point right there,” he says, and we both burst into a fit of laughter, the tension lifting for a moment, replaced by a fleeting sense of ease.As
LISA’S POVBefore I can spit out another word, Ronan swoops in and scoops Nancy into his arms like he’s some kind of superhero. "I don’t know what happened, but the way you’re handling this isn’t right, Lisa," he says, his voice calm but dripping with judgment.Seriously? My jaw tightens as I bite back the urge to tell him to shut the hell up and disappear back into whatever fantasy world he’s been living in while I’ve been here juggling everything. Who does he think he is, barging in like the parent of the year? The audacity. Just because the kids call him “Daddy” now and Salvy is starting to warm up to him doesn’t mean he gets to waltz in and give me parenting advice. I’ve been raising these kids solo while he was nowhere to be found, and now he thinks he can critique my every move? Right in front of them, too? Ugh.I turn my attention back to the shattered vase, gingerly picking up the bigger pieces and stacking them aside. When Gareth returns with a broom, we go back and forth ov