Bad Love An Alpha’s Regret

Chapter 313

He holds out his hand and I take it, shaking.

His grip is firm and cool, and there’s something almost comforting about it.

“I’m Emily,” I tell him in return.

His smile deepens. “That’s a pretty name.”

I laugh at this.

Ronan might be too charming for his own good.

“I think it’s pretty basic myself, but you’re welcome to your opinion.”

He gives a quick, friendly laugh.

“So, Emily, what has you out here looking so down on a day like today?”

I take a slow breath, working out how I can explain without sounding crazy.

“Something bad happened to me, something traumatizing,” I begin, choosing my words carefully. “Something that went on for a long time. I finally got out just recently, and now my family are treating me like I’m fragile and broken. Maybe because I am.

7

But I don’t want to be. And I can’t stay with my family, I can see that. It’s just not going to work. They’ll hate me when the realize the truth of everything that happened to me. Except I don’t know what to do, and don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Ronan nods, listening with sympathy and understanding.

And I realize it’s something no one has bothered to do since I got home.

just assume they know what happened to me,

that

wasn’t real..

than anyone–would be first in line to kill me

extremely strong and brave. You survived that bad thing you went through. And maybe these might seem like empty words, but I’m sure if you look inside yourself, you’ll see that you came out stronger for it.”

think I’ve ever stopped to consider that

to me.

Just not in

www

I can do

saying that makes it

I’d choose not to ever go through that, because I

puts me in greater danger from people like Axel.

there are benefits to the new me, if I decide to look

in a sincere voice. “In a way that no one in your family can probably see. But

actually seen me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and

they just not

their own drama–and I was gone for ten years,

I don’t mean in a spiteful way, I just

kind of way.

conspiratorially, leaning forward a little. “It’s also their loss if they can’t see any of that. You’re strong. You’ve proven that to yourself. You don’t need to prove it to

I’m speechless.

what to say, but I’m deeply touched by

say to him,

smiles as he gets to

like to hike these trails a few times a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see

I reply, smiling, because I hope I do see him again.

and we stand there looking

I step forward and hug him.