Chapter 79
Chapter 79
My father is dead. There had always been this thought in the back of my mind that he might have died while being a rogue, but now I knew for sure. He was gone. That wasn’t even the worst part. I had been the one to kill him. I had killed my own father, my own flesh and blood. I had dealt the deadly blow that caused the light to fade from his eyes and his body to slump to the ground. Even though he had connived with Heather and Isabelle, there was still regret inside of me for what I had been forced to do. If only my father had simply seen the choices he’d made and become good, there might still have been some hope for him, I thought bleakly, but he’d chosen to remain the evil bastard that he was and now he’d paid the ultimate consequence. Death. At my hands. My stomach continues to churn. Even though we had washed the blood off and the mud, I still felt dirty all over. It’s as though I can still see all the blood, my mind conjuring something that is no longer there.
“It wasn’t your fault, Regan. He was going to kill both of us.” Xavier’s voice is soothing as he attempts to comfort me, perhaps reading my mind.
“I know, but that still doesn’t make me feel better” I confessed feeling hollow.
The light fading from my father’s eyes and the image of him dropping to the ground would haunt me in my dreams. Now I had no father or mother. Heather and Isabelle ironically were all I had left and they were merely my stepmother and stepsister, who had already, tried to hurt me and my mates.
“I’m sorry it had to be you” Xander’s voice is filled with self-depreciation “I should have been able to protect the both of us better.”
I just shook my head at him as we continued to walk in silence. If we kept up this pace, we would make it back to the pack grounds by nightfall. I became lost. in my head and the hours began to slowly tick by, neither of us deigning to speak.
“Not long now and we’ll be back at the pack. I wonder how Heather and Isabelle are going to feel when they see us” I murmured, now recognizing some of the landmarks around us. “Do you suppose they put my father up to trying to kill us?” I asked.
Xavier shrugged. “They could have done. I guess we’ll find out soon. At the very least, they’ll be surprised to see us. I bet it will come as a shock. Either they knew where we were going, or they simply guessed. He was intended to slow us down. If we hadn’t gone back towards the pack house, he would have cut us off.”
His tone was knowing. There was no doubt in his mind. My father meant to kill us both. He was determined to have his revenge and it had been his downfall.
Inodded, feeling tired and drained. I inhaled as I realized we were about to step foot back into Blood Moon Territory, feeling relief wash over me. Home, we were finally back home. My eyes sparkled. Xavier sighed, looking somewhat relieved himself. To our surprise, as we stepped over the boundary line, a large black wolf came to meet us. Xander. My heart swelled with joy. He gave a low growl and then shifted. Before he could speak, I had lunged at him and wrapped my arms around my other mate, my heart singing with joy. We hadn’t been gone long, but I had missed him all the same.
“Whoa steady there” he laughed, even as I stood on tiptoes and fiercely claimed his lips, liking the way he grabbed the back of my neck and reciprocated, his own mouth moving fervently, acting as though he hadn’t seen me in months.
We pulled away from each other reluctantly while Xavier folded his arms across his chest and looked at his brother gravely.
“Something tells me you didn’t just meet us here for a conversation and biscuits,” he said teasingly and Xander shook his head, glancing at me quickly, fear flickering in his eyes..
“There’s trouble. Isabelle claims to be pregnant with my child” he glances at me swiftly to see my reaction, but I show nothing.
I remain expressionless. I already know thanks to Mala. He looks surprised by my lack of anger. I put a hand on his shoulder.
“I know, but we’ll deal with it. It’s not your fault.”
But it did hurt. To know that it was in fact, his child and that he would be having it with my stepsister, even though she had engineered it. He was my mate, and I should be the one bearing his children.
“Let’s get you back to the pack house” he nods at me, wrapping one arm around my waist while Xavier puts a hand on my shoulder, the two of them escorting me to the house.
“Where’s father?”
“Hasn’t left the room.
Xavier just nods grimly. I know we’ll come up with a way to find a method to give him the antidote in the morning without arousing suspicion. But as we get nearer to the pack house, Isabelle is standing there, her arms folded across her chest. She raises a brow. “If it isn’t Regan and Xavier” she trilled, her voice making me wince at the ear-piercing noise it made. “Mother and I have been wondering where you were.”
I glared at her. “Out.”
She had no business asking. Involuntarily my eyes dipped to her stomach, but it wasn’t showing her pregnancy, at least not yet. Either that or her clothes were hiding her bump remarkably well. She saw and put her hand to her stomach gloating. “I take it that Xander has told you the exciting news,” she said with excitement “We’re going to have a baby together.
She clapped her hands, looking me squarely in the eyes “It must hurt to know that I’m going to be the first woman to bear your mate’s child.”
I wince despite myself.
“Shut up Isabelle” Xander roars, glancing at me in concern. “You have no business taunting Regan right now. I still demand a paternity test” he added scornfully, although I knew it would do no good.
The child was his. Mala had said so. As if to further add insult to injury, Isabelle withdrew some papers from her bosom and thrust them at Xander who took them. “The results came back. The child is yours.” She smiled sweetly as Xander paled.
He looks at me, his complexion pale. “Regan, I swear. I didn’t…” he trails off as Isabelle smirks at me.
“I know you didn’t sleep with her” I cast a disgusted gaze at Isabelle “We can discuss this in the morning” I added pointedly.
Isabelle looks disappointed by my lack of reaction. The truth is I’m barely holding it together. Between my father’s death and her conniving, my restraint is at an all-time low.
“Mother would like to see you Regan,” she said raising a brow.
“What does she want Regan for?” Xavier demands suspiciously.
“Nothing that either of you needs to know about” Isabelle laughs
“She’s not going alone” Xander protests. “Neither of us trusts you”
“Fine” Isabelle shrugs, “All of you go then. It’s no big deal.”
We move past her, heading to the study. Xavier is fuming. “I have a few choice words to say to this bitch” he declared.
“You need to keep calm Xavier” I warned him. “Don’t let her see you riled up. She’s probably expecting a confrontation.” “I’m going to kill her” he vowed.
3
“If you kill her, then what? She’s technically still your father’s mate” I pointed out, “until we’ve given your father the antidote. and he declares what he wants done with her, you’re going to have to bide your time.”
He grits his teeth, looking furious. But to kill his father’s mate, while still marked by him, would also cause his father. undeniable pain and both boys know it.
We enter the study, surprised to find that Alpha Jackson is standing next to Heather Ramona, one hand resting on her shoulder. I swallow hard, feeling as though something is about to happen and that his presence means it’s not going to be anything good. Why had Heather chosen now to bring Alpha Jackson out of his room and why did he look so cold? The boys stared at him, taken aback by the expression on his face. I could see Xavier subtly trying to reach into the bag for the antidote vial even as Heather began to smile at us all like a Cheshire cat. She looked far too pleased with herself and as I glanced at Alpha Jackson, I wondered what she had in store for us now.