Bad Love An Alpha’s Regret

I don’t know why I’m surprised to find out Emily and Jessica were best friends, considering Aaron and James are equally close, and they all grew up together.

I climb slowly out of the SUV and then walk around to join James.

“Did you know she was coming home?” I ask him, trying to

keep the accusation out of my voice.

He knows how contentious things have been between me and Jessica over the years, with Aaron firmly in the middle. The least he could have done was given me a heads up.

“No, I didn’t know,” James says, shaking his head.

I can tell he’s being truthful, so that alleviates some of my annoyance at least.

Aaron had mentioned that Jessica had taken an extended vacation and gone to stay with some relatives in another pack somewhere–at his expense of course–and it’d been easy to put her from my mind and simply believe she might never

come back.

Her timing, however, couldn’t have been worse.

I don’t want to have to deal with her and all that petty rivalry right now with everything else going on.

Eventually, Emily and Jessica are over the shock of their

unexpected reunion and I slowly walk toward the mansion, debating whether I should ask Jessica why she’s come back.

As I get closer, her eyes narrow, and that pretty much seals

the deal for me.

Jessica and her nastiness are not worth my time or energy right now.

and keep walking, but I can hear her and Emily whispering between themselves,

about me.

for who I am, and

I took

which having them together

doorway, I hear James

I didn’t know you were coming home,” he says, and

doorway where they can’t

listen in.

come home?

Aaron. Basically, every wolf in

as I heard. Aaron was the love of

He should have been my mate. I needed to be here

the funeral.”

and walk away, not waiting to hear what James says

response to that.

words make my stomach tighten with an old, familiar churn of jealousy

the right to claim

life.

knows what real love even feels

of soul–deep connection that Aaron and I shared was nothing compared to whatever young romance they had

came

her

the packs and

go

the feeling hoping Jessica will leave

find Ethan with Tera. As I’d hoped, it’s time for his next

nursery that James put together while Aaron and I were being

across from Aaron’s bedroom, and I

did a