Chapter 44
Forty-Four
WILLOW
Despite the calm facade I showed Kaelen, an anxious feeling made my heart tumble into my stomach. I knew what “work” he had to do today.
And while I was certain it was what I wanted, I was still human. I still felt remorse. I wondered, did my choice make me as bad as him? Was I as dark and twisted as my father?
In response to my wandering thoughts, our bond glowed with pure adoration, quieting my worries. No. I wasn’t anything like him. If we allowed him to live, I’d never be safe. My mom would never be happy.
Forever trapped in a bond with an alpha who drugged her and stole a decade of her life.
It needed to be done.
Liam leaned against the French doors leading to the gardens, his thick forearms crossed. He rocked forward, his normally close-cropped hair getting long.
“Hey, baby sis.”
“I’m older than you, Liam,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Semantics. You’re technically shorter,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “That bite looks good on you.”
“Thanks,” I said, blushing and touching the mark. “I don’t need a bodyguard out in the gardens.”
“Who said I was coming along because of you? It’s time for my daily visit with Momma Bella.”
I snorted, knowing how much my mom detested anyone calling her that. Twilight had ruined that nickname for her. Shrugging, I opened the door. Cobblestones clicked under my feet as we moved down the winding path flanked with an array of flowers.
Just then, a figure appeared in the doorway of the guest house. My breath hitched, and I covered my mouth, not believing what I saw.
She was beautiful. Glossy black hair cascaded down her back in thick waves, glittering in the sunlight. Gone was the sallow tinge in her skin. Instead, a pale pink blush colored her tanned cheeks.
Her hips didn’t jut out, and her face was full and brimming with life. In front of me stood the woman I grew up with. The one I remembered.
Despite the vast improvements, a hint of fatigue still lingered, the thin skin under her eyes darker and rimmed. A pang stung behind my sternum, and I wondered if her body still recovered or if the bags under her eyes were more from the emotional toll of the last few weeks.
Pushing the heavy weight aside for now, I smiled.
“Momma,” I whispered.
I ran the last few feet, slowing myself before twining my arms around her waist. A twinkling laugh that sounded like wind chimes greeted me. When her fingers stroked through my hair, I felt like I was a child again, being soothed by my mom.
The scent of fresh baked bread and peaches encircled us, and I beamed. Her omega was vibrant. Strong. I leaned back, putting enough distance between us so I could see her face.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Wonderful. Kaelen and Liam have taken very good care of me. Hello, Liam,” she added, still hugging me close.
“Lovely to see you, Bella,” he said, an amused smirk tugging on his lips.
I didn’t have to look up to know the glare my mom gave him. I remembered it well. He gulped, and I giggled.
“Sorry, ma’am,” he mumbled, sounding like a thoroughly scolded child. “I’ll give you two some time alone. I’ll be inside if either of you need anything.”
After Liam left, Mom ushered me inside the quaint cottage. She busied herself in the kitchenette, making tea while I settled into a plush armchair by the window. The frayed thread on my sweater was rough between my fingers.
Bright beams of sun illuminated the warm space. Tons of plush blankets hung atop overstuffed furnishings. It was exactly the kind of place I’d always pictured my mom living. An omega’s den.
Unlike the cold, sterile home where we lived for so long.
With two cups of tea in her hands, she sauntered back, handing me one before sitting in the chair opposite mine.
“You look well, my sunflower.”
My chest swelled at the sound of the name she hadn’t called me since I was nine. This was how we always should have been. When things first started getting bad, Dad insisted all he wanted was to keep us safe.
In the beginning, that was true.
Dad had endorsed a couple of controversial bills, which led to a series of threats against me and Mom.
But soon, what had simply been an overprotected alpha twisted into something nefarious. He learned how sympathetic voters were to his sick omega wife and his innocent omega daughter, and eventually, that greed and thirst for power corrupted him.
Chamomile sweetened with honey coated my tongue.
“You too, Mom. You look… You’re—” I choked, struggling to find the words. “I love you.”
“Oh, Willow,” she said, lowering her teacup, taking my free hand in hers. “I love you too. You have always been my daughter and I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to protect you from him.”
“No. It’s never been your fault.”
I refused to let her blame herself. She was as much a victim as I was. There was only one person to blame, William Sterling.
Instead of responding, she simply smiled, her chest rising and falling with carefree breaths.
A comfortable silence settled around us as we drank our tea, enjoying the company. My empty cup rattled on the side table as I deposited it, no longer able to ignore the churning in my gut. I hoped she already knew about Dad.
There had been a time when she loved him, cared for him. They were mated.
“Do you… Do you know about Dad?” I asked, picking at my cuticles.
She clicked her tongue, gently stilling my movements.
“I know what Kaelen has planned, yes.”
I took my first full breath in the last few minutes. Of course, Kaelen had taken care of everything, not leaving anything for me to handle. It was those things that made me love him more.
“And you’re okay with that?”
After a long pause, she said, “Yes.”
Her delicate hand covered the long-faded bond mark on her throat.
I scanned her posture for any signs of distress, but found none. Like me, I think she realized that there was no way to move forward with William Sterling still in the picture. Outside of the bond with Mom, he would always try to use me.
Smiling, my mom tossed a blanket across her lap, eyeing the mark on my neck.
“You found a good one, Willow. You have an alpha who will love and respect you.”
“I’m lucky.”
“Oh no, he is the lucky one. He has you, after all.”
And I have him.
The sun had long set by the time I left the guest house.
We spent hours talking. Sometimes, simple things, like new books or movies.
Others, more serious. Mom planned to sell the house after the papers confirmed Dad’s death, not wanting anything to do with it.
Kaelen had asked her to stay with us, but she refused.
Even when he offered to buy her something far too lavish, she insisted on taking care of herself. She was the strong, independent omega I remembered. She promised to find a place close by after I worried she might move across the country.
After hugging her goodnight, I wandered back into the den.
Shadow sat curled up on the sofa, wagging her tail when she saw me. I snuggled in beside her, resting my head on her thick coat. A subtle scent of freshly mown grass lingered on her coat. I wrapped a blanket around both of us, grabbing my dogeared copy of Little Women from the coffee table.
I had barely finished my chapter when heavy footsteps padded into the room. Delectable waves of whisky and fresh espresso settled nearby. My fingers splayed over my sternum, lighting up with the serenity my alpha pushed through our bond.
Fringe hung over my eyes, obscuring my vision as I looked up, pleased to see Kaelen staring at me like I was the reason for the moon and stars.
His eyes softened as he sat beside me, careful not to disturb Shadow. Two callused fingers tilted my chin back, his lips brushing against mine in the shadow of a kiss. They slowly moved southward, pausing at his mark, tending it with reverent licks.
A purr vibrated his chest, and I leaned into him, practically crawling into his lap. Damp, loose tendrils of his hair hung around his face, fresh from the shower.
“Is it done?” I asked, my face buried in his shirt.
“Taken care of.”
The grief I expected never came, only relief. My dad was gone and so was Vittorio Rossi. With Kaelen’s work, I suspected the inherent dangers that came with that, but knowing the two bigger ones were handled made my breath come easier.
I laced my fingers with his. The pad of his thumb rubbed over my Claddagh ring as sparks sputtered in the hearth.
“Come to bed with me, my little omega,” he said, sweet and gravelly in my ear.
A tingle danced down my spine, making me shudder.
“Tired, Alpha?” I cooed.
“No,” he grunted, standing up and effortlessly tossing me over his shoulder.
“Hey,” I squeaked, swatting at his back.
Laughter spilled from me, dampening my protests. Aileen eyed us from the dining room, both brows arched as Kaelen carried me up the stairs. I blanched, hot crimson burning my cheeks, but Kaelen didn’t care, taking the steps two at a time with those massive tree trunk legs of his.
A whine fell from me, imagining those strong thighs pinning me in place while my alpha knotted me.
Two hands gripped my waist, tossing me on top of a mountain of plush blankets and pillows. I giggled, scooting back and admiring my husband.
Without looking away from me, Kaelen ripped off his t-shirt by the back of the collar, his tattooed torso on display. Like the greedy thing I was, I ogled my alpha and how his joggers clung to his hips.
I sat up on my knees, curling a finger in Kaelen’s direction—beckoning him.
“Come ravish me, Alpha,” I whispered.
“As my omega commands.”