CHARLOTTE’S POV
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I had wanted to pick Liam up from school myself, but Les said she would be coming back home early today and would bring him. So I decided to prepare something simple for them to eat when they got back, since they would be arriving in about fifteen minutes.
Les had given the chef some days off because she was mostly at the hospital and had been staying alone at home. The chef will resume tomorrow.
I was making meatloaf in the oven, creamy mashed potatoes in a bowl beside it, and turning golden breaded fish fillets slowly in the pan. The warm smell of baked meat and butter filled the kitchen as I went out to the dining area and started placing plates and cutlery on the dining table.
That was when the door opened and Ethan walked in. He stopped a few.seconds at the entrance, his eyes moving slowly round the house trying to take everything in. He hadn’t visited since Ace asked us to move into the new house.
He’s got good taste in furnishing,” he muttered, his eyes moving across the polished wooden dining table and the tall glass handelier hanging from the ceiling.
He does,” I said. “Liam has been wanting to stay home more these days.” Which was hilarious because Liam was usually the ype who hated staying indoors.
Is this what we’re doing now?” Ethan asked suddenly.
raised a confused brow. “What do you mean?”
You live with Ace in his house,” he said. “I never imagined you would lower yourself to that level.”
tried to ignore the bitterness in his voice, rolling my eyes slightly. “Duh. Technically, we don’t live together. He has his own house inside his pack, so Liam, Les and I are the only ones staying here, temporarily.” I said the last bit louder, just in case he vas turning deaf. Things have been a little awkward since he confessed that he liked me more than a friend or sister, even.
He’s a distraction, Charlotte, and it’s worse because you don’t even see it.” I went back to the kitchen to check on my food ind turned off the heat before facing him again.
I know what I’m doing. I’m not a child,” I said.
‘Do you really know what you are doing?” His voice was growing a little louder, frustration building up. “For God’s sake, you came here with a clear purpose. You wanted to set up your hospital and go back to London. That was the plan but now you are doing the opposite. You are following after a man who by the way is married to the love of his life.”
He said the last words deliberately slowly so that it sinks in.
I wrapped my arms over my chest, facing him squarely. “I am not distracted,” I replied quietly. “I am still doing what I came here to do. I am handling other things too, but I have not lost my focus.”
His eyes stayed on me, like he was trying to read something inside my face. “Where were you two nights ago?” he asked out for the blue. “You abandoned Liam and went out with your new boyfriend, leaving your work behind His eyes were almost popping out of their sockets.
“You’re going to watch your tone with me, Ethan,” I snapped back, my tone rising a little more than Fintended. “Ace is not my boyfriend. We’re not officially together, and I did not abandon Liam. I take care of my son! I take exception to your insult.”
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Chapter 95
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His head dipped briefly, and when he looked back at me, there was remorse sitting there in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be harsh or use words that insult your person. I’m worried about you.”
‘I’m not your child.”
‘No, you’re not.” His gaze softened a little. “But you’re the future Alpha of the Brimstone pack. Have you forgotten? This is not your home, and you are beginning to get too comfortable.” The words hung in the air between us. “The pack needs you. You have less than three months to finish here and head back for your ceremonial Alpha training.” He paused, studying my ace. “Does Ace know that you are going to become the next Alpha of the Brimstone pack? Does he know that is the reason you went to the festival?” He took a few steps closer, uncrossed my arms, and wrapped his fingers gently around my hands.
This is not your home. You can’t abandon your pack, the pack that took you in and nurtured you when your old pack threw you into the hands of death. I am going to become your beta, and that is why I am the best person to remind you of this.”
t wasn’t that I didn’t want to become the new Alpha of our pack. The truth was that I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to arry the title. I have not told Ace because I have not made my decision yet. Besides we are not officially together, he didn’t need to know about everything happening in my life. But deep inside, I knew the harder question. Did I really have the heart to turn down my dad if it came to that?
took a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden spike of nerves inside me. “I need to serve the food, Liam and Les will be come soon.” He stepped back, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Will you be joining us for dinner?” I asked.
He cleared his throat. “No, I have to go now. I’ll come see you at the hospital tomorrow.” He left almost immediately.
served the food by myself before Les walked in with Liam, holding hands.
Mummy!” Liam yelled and ran toward me.
quickly dropped the dish in my hand and opened my arms wide as he ran straight into them. His small body hit my chest, nd I held him tight, rocking him gently. He giggled softly, his eyes filled with happiness, while I peppered his small face with my signature loud kisses and he was equally kissing me back, giggling loudly like someone being tickled.
You left me alone for days, and Liam is the only one who gets a hug?” Les said, opening her arms. I laughed and walked into
er hug. “I missed you too, Les.”
We both missed you so much, mummy.” Liam looked up at me with bright, innocent eyes. “How is daddy? I’ve missed him
o much.”
His face was full of innocent smiles as he spoke about Ace. No matter how many times I told him to just call Ace by his lame, Liam insisted on calling him “uncle daddy” because it was the only way he could keep calling him daddy in some way,
ven if he had to add “uncle” in front of it.
Les giggled at the look on my face. Whenever we tried to stop Liam from doing something he loved, he would still find another way to do it, and that was exactly what he was doing with Ace.
We spent longer at the table today because Liam wouldn’t stop talking. It didn’t matter how many times we told him to slow down or be quiet, he wasn’t having it tonight, he just kept going. At some point, we let him talk, but I made sure he ate slowly so he wouldn’t choke on his food while speaking.
“Mummy, why did you come to my school today but you didn’t see me?” Liam asked as he took the last bite of his meatballs and drank a sip of water.
My brows drew together. “I didn’t come to your school. I thought we all agreed Les would bring you back home today and I would pick you up tomorrow?”
He nodded and chewed slowly before speaking again. “But while we were going to the field for games, someone came to me and said you were calling me at the principal’s office. Then I saw your car outside, it was far from where we were, but I saw
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you inside your car. You had a black hat on, I couldn’t get to you because the teacher said the principal wasn’t calling me.”
My heart began beating faster inside my chest as sudden fear crept in quietly. I did not go to Liam’s school, yet he was saying he saw me there. Les and I exchanged a worried look across the table.
“Baby, what kind of car did you see?”
Liam paused, thinking hard trying to remember it clearly. “The white G–Wagon, mummy. The one you like driving a lot because it’s comfortable, the new one.”
My stomach tightened, that was my car which means the person has the same car as me. But I was sure I did not go to Liam’s school today.
‘What in the world is going on?” I muttered under my breath, staring at the empty plate in front of me without really seeing t. Something cold settled slowly inside my chest, because if Liam was right, then someone is trying to impersonate me. And I have no freaking idea who it was.
‘Liam, did you see the woman’s face?” I asked.
He shook his head slowly. “It was very far. I only saw a glimpse, but it looked like you with the hat and black leather gloves. I can’t really explain how I saw those things even though I was not standing in a close range.”
t could be his wolf abilities, but they were not supposed to be this enhanced yet. Or maybe it was just because he was truly he Alpha’s son.
The doorbell rang, cutting through the silence in the house. I stood up quickly and walked to the big camera screen at the ide of the wall to check who was outside. The face was unfamiliar at first, but when I looked closer, I noticed she was older, yet there was something about her that felt strangely familiar, like someone I had seen before.
She looked like an older version of Moon.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
