Chapter 5 - Brandon
I sat frozen, staring at the little girl who clung to Jade’s leg. I hadn’t even known she had a child. I wasn’t around, but I thought Kaleb would have at least mentioned it once. He spoke with his sister regularly, so he must have been aware that she had a kid.
The little girl stared at me, her eyes looking confused and wide. She was the spitting image of Jade. The soft curly brown hair and the big eyes. But she had golden eyes, and I felt a tug toward her. I felt the hair on my body stand as I stared at her like I was trying to figure out a puzzle.
Jade swallowed. “This isn’t just about me. This is about what’s best for her as well.” Jade pulled the little girl closer, and I just stared. I couldn’t pull in air as I looked at her. That tug deep in my chest twisted up.
“What is her name?” I asked, knowing my voice had come out softer, like a whisper. I was almost scared to speak.
She brushed a hand over the little girl’s face as she spoke. “This is Ilsa.”
The little one offered me a smile, and I knew. There was no denying it. As much as she looked like Jade, I saw myself within her. That tug deep in my chest was my wolf knowing her.
I pulled myself up and squared my shoulders. I ground my teeth together, suddenly questioning how the hell she could keep something like this from me. I felt my nostrils flare as I took a deep breath in. “The deal stands. Doesn’t matter that you have a daughter. You’re still going to be my wife.”
The little girl looked confused. “What?” She looked at Jade, utterly terrified, and Jade whispered softly to her. “Sweetie, why don’t you go get in the car? We will be going home in a few minutes. Go get your shoes on.”
“Actually, I would like to speak with you outside for a moment?” I offered, wanting a moment alone with Jade. I watched the way she stiffened, and Dale jumped up. “Of course. You two talk this over. Go over details.”
I glared at him when he turned, knowing fully well he was treating this like a transaction rather than marrying his only daughter off. It sickened me. He was happy to marry her off to another man and even more eager to marry her to me. He didn’t care about her at all.
We headed for the stairs and out the door. I waited until it shut before I even turned to look at her. Jade looked nervous and chewed on her cheek as she rubbed her hands together.
“How could you not tell me?” I asked, the words snapping out quickly. “For over three years, Jade!?”
I watched her work her jaw, her nostrils flaring. “You left, Brandon.”
“No!” I yelled back and watched her flinch. She stepped back, and I took a deep breath, knowing yelling wasn’t going to help. But Jesus, was I angry. This wasn’t like she kept a small secret from me; this was a child. My child.
“You could have told me.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “How? How exactly should I have told you? You made it very clear what you wanted, Brandon. You slept with me, and you left me the very next moment. A baby was not going to change that.”
“A baby changes everything!” I said, throwing my arms into the air. “I’m a father, and you kept that from me. Jesus!”
I turned around, rubbing my hands through my hair. A child. I had a three-year-old kid. The thought made my stomach go out. I’d missed out on so much already.
“Who else knows?”
She made a face. “Everyone knows.”
I turned to her and stared. She had crossed her arms now, her shoulders a little more relaxed. She sighed, rolling her eyes. “Jesus, Brandon. She looks exactly like you. Everyone knows she’s your kid. Your parents babysit every once in a while.”
It was like the hits kept coming. My parents knew. Of course, they knew. That explains my mother’s expression when she saw me coming here, why she looked a little worried.
I felt like my world was spinning and I couldn’t stop it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Again, you left.”
“You talk to your brother all the time. You never once thought to mention it to him?” I paused. Why hadn’t he told me? She had told her brother and asked him not to tell me?
She snorted. “You think he brings you up in conversation? Do you honestly believe when we talk, I ask about you?”
“I’m her father,” I stated. “You could have told me.”
I shook my head. “No, you’re the man who slept with me and created her. A father would never have left.”
“You act like I had a choice.”
Her eyebrows went up. “You did have a choice! And you chose to leave! Jesus, do you have any idea how hard it’s been? Everyone knows we slept together, and everyone knows that you left. You rejected me. So, don’t come at me because you fucked me and left me behind.”
No, I didn’t. I wanted her. I didn’t think I could leave without knowing what she was like. I couldn’t leave her without having her at least once. The memory of her.
But I never thought about how that would look. I never thought of what she might have thought. I looked at Jade, noticing the dark circles and the paleness of her skin. She was thin, and I knew it was from malnutrition. But Ilsa was perfect.
Ilsa was a plump, perky kid. She had a big smile and hope in her eyes. You could tell that Jade had done right. She’d worked hard to give her daughter what she needed. You could tell Jade had given up her sleep, body, and soul for Ilsa.
The guilt hit me, and as mad as I was about missing three years, I knew Jade had done this alone. Her father wouldn’t help, and while my parents were helpful, I imagine with my father, it only went so far.
“Let me help now.”
Her eyebrows went up lightly, looking a little surprised by my words.
“I’m here now, and I can try righting my wrong. Let me. I’m her father after all.”
Jade’s face relaxed. “I didn’t mean it that way…of course, you’re her father, Brandon. I just mean…I understand you’re angry, and you have every right to be. But I do too.”
I took a slow breath in. “Does she know who I am?”
Jade shook her head. “No. She doesn’t. We’ve…we’ve never talked about you.”
“How do you introduce my parents?”
She swallowed. “Your mother said to go with they are friends of mine. They live next door to my dad, so it works.” So, she didn’t even introduce my folks as her grandparents.
“And your brother? He was okay keeping this a secret?”
She shook her head. “Kaleb doesn’t know.”
My eyes widened. “But you said…”
She nodded. “I said everyone knows. But you and Kaleb. Everyone who lives in the pack is aware of who her father is. She looks like you. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots.”
I ran a hand through my face. So, Kaleb didn’t know either. That hurt a little less than the idea of him keeping it hidden from me.
She sighed softly. “Brandon, it’s getting to be Ilsa’s bedtime. I need to get her home.”
I nodded. “Fine. I will set up the wedding and let you know.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, looking tired.
“Because it’s the right thing. I can’t exactly let you marry some random dude when you have my child.”
She nodded slowly and turned toward the door. She paused and looked back at me. “You can’t tell her who you are yet. She will be confused.”
I frowned, wanting to argue with her. But I understood her point. This was all going to be confusing to Ilsa. When we get married and move, she will have even more questions.
“Fine. What exactly do you plan on saying when you move? How long do you plan to keep the truth from her?”
Jade looked hurt and avoided eye contact with me. Her fingers tightened on the door, and she looked so broken. “I don’t know.”
Jade slipped inside, and I stood outside. I paced, my mind going a mile an hour. But I heard the door open, and Jade and Ilsa stepped out. Ilsa glanced at me for a moment before she offered me a soft smile.
“Bye, Brandon.”
It twisted my heart up, and I swallowed, giving her a tight smile in return. “Bye, Ilsa.”
Over the next couple of days, I arranged everything.
I hired movers to go to Jade’s apartment, which she refused to tell me the location of.
I booked the community center for the wedding, knowing the garden would be in full bloom.
I got a suit and even allowed the guys to join in since they arrived in town the day before.
The day of the wedding, I was ready. I had purchased a house and prepared two rooms. I went out to buy kids’ stuff for around the house. I wasn’t sure what Ilsa needed, and I had a feeling I overbought, but I would rather have it than not.
I stood at the altar, staring across the room. It was a small ceremony attended by just our parents. I wasn’t even sure if Jade had gotten a dress, but I was about to find out.
The music started, and the doors opened. Dale stepped out with Jade, and my eyes widened. She was wearing a simple white dress that hugged her curves. She had her hair pulled up in a messy bun with white roses. She looked breathtaking, and I felt my lungs pause for air.
She walked down the aisle, and I grew nervous. I knew everything was changing. I was going to be married and raising a kid. This would change how I was going to manage the pack, how I was going to manage my life.
Dale offered Jade off, and I took her hand. She stepped closer, and as the priest spoke, we both stared at each other. I took in her features, knowing the makeup covered up a lot. I planned to change that. I hoped that my presence meant she could relax and start taking better care of herself.
We said our vows, and I pulled Jade close to kiss her. Jade pulled back halfway, cutting it short. It was more of a peck than it was a kiss.
The kiss sealed everything. I thought I was coming back into town and helping the pack grow, but I was doing much more than that. I was going to win back Jade’s affection and be the perfect father for Ilsa.
I was going to protect the pack and, above all, protect them.