Bad Love: An Alpha's Regret (Leah and Aaron) novel Chapter 218

Chapter 218
LEAH
I don’t know how long Aaron and I sit on the couch with our
arms around each other, soaking in the feel of our bodies close together, not even talking.
It was exactly what I needed after the shock of everything I
found out, and I’m so relieved that Aaron and I have finally
come to a place where we can share a moment like this with
one another.
Six months ago, when I’d been dying of can cer, thinking
Aaron was cheating on me with Jessica and that he only cared
about me as a means to an end, and that my love for him was
completely one-sided, I could have never imagined we would
be able to come together like this.
But oh, how I’d longed for it.
I’d longed for it with a desperation that boarded on pa thetic.
There’d been a million times I could have or should have left
him.
Except something had kept me at his side, no matter what
he’d done.
Some instinct that’d told me I was meant to stand with Aaron, be his partner in everything from the businesses, to running the packs, to life partners and true mates.
Somehow, deep down, had it been my wolf, sensing he was my mate, that we were fated to be together, even though my father had done the unthinkable and bound her without my knowledge?
I’ll never know.
But none of that matters anymore.
Our past brought us to today.
And despite how rocky some of it was, I think now I wouldn’t change any of it.
All that hardship, it made me stronger.
And it brought me Aaron.
Maybe he hasn’t said he loves me-and maybe he never will-but I believe I can feel it, that my wolf can feel it, that we
can sense it on a level that defies explanation.
And that’s enough for both of us right now.
When I first learned about my baby being born and kil led, I
hadn’t known how I was going to live with that knowledge and
pain.
I still know that I’ll never be the same again.
But with Aaron by my side-with Aaron finally accepting me and treating me like his mate, like his equal-then I know that I
will survive it because I’m not alone.
I still feel like Aaron is keeping something from me.
Maybe not the Al tech, after all, Tobin had said it was gone the night Liam was ki lled.
Whatever it is, I get the sense he’ll tell me when he’s ready.
I’m ready to trust him without question.
Maybe it’s some other detail about our son’s short life and Aaron doesn’t want to burden me with it right now.
Maybe something about the funeral or where our child is buried.
And Aaron would be correct.
I can’t face that right now.
Maybe one day I’ll feel ready to go and visit our son’s grave,
but not until Aaron and I track down whoever was responsible and make them pay for what they did.
I won’t feel right, going to grieve my son and accept his loss until I know I’ve done everything in my power to get justice for
him.
Even if it takes the rest of my life.
Eventually, James ducks his head into the room and asks us if we’d like a late supper, as the chef is standing by should we need anything.
At the mention of food, my stomach rumbles loudly and I belatedly realize with everything that’s happened, I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.
Aaron gives an affectionate laugh and tells James to have the chef bring the food to the smaller, informal dining room.
We have a bigger, more imposing grand dining hall where we entertain guests. And for a while, Jessica used to insist we eat our meals there, and Aaron had simply gone along with it like he always did in those days when it’d come to Jessica.
But I much prefer the smaller, more intimate and casually decorated informal dining room.
Plus, at breakfast time, the sun cuts through the garden beyond the windows at just the right angle, lighting up all the deep red rose bushes planted out there. And when the weather is nice, you can throw open the patio doors and the
divine scent of roses on the warm air fills the room so it almost
feels magical.
Aaron stands and holds a hand out for me.
The way he’s smiling at me now-dark eyes warm and an- intimate affection in his expression-he’s never looked at me like that before.
In fact, I don’t think he’s ever looked at anyone the way he’s looking at me right now.
I take his hand and let him pull me to my feet, wondering if I’ve somehow fallen into a dream.