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, and what they should do about

I did have that

wasn’t

now I know he–more than anyone–would be first in line to kill me if or

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.”

don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that I might be

to me.

right. Just not in the way he probably

www

can do

makes it all

back and have a choice, I’d choose not to ever go through that,

me in greater danger from people

there are benefits to the new me, if I decide

no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s also because you don’t want

in a way Aaron and

just not care?

simply so caught up in their own drama–and I was gone for ten

a spiteful way,

kind of way.

need to remember it’s them, not you,” Ronan says 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 anyone else, even if they are

I’m speechless.

say, but I’m deeply touched by

to him, emotion

as he gets to his

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

smiling, because I hope I do see him again.

get to my feet, and we stand

I step forward and hug him.