Bad Love: An Alpha's Regret (Leah and Aaron) novel Chapter 303

Chapter 303
EMILY
The following few days, this weird tension settles over the mansion and the pack in general.
Aaron seems to have endless meetings that keep him out of the house at all hours of the day and night while Leah-not that I care about her-does nothing but look after Ethan and disappear into the office to bury herself under work for both the Rathborn and Roberts corporations.
The pack is being threatened by vampires, but I’m sure the next quarter’s profits are super important.
Meanwhile, I’m splitting my time between watching Axel- which is no hardship-and finding ways to sneak off and run through the wilderness at the edge of our territory.
He’s always pis sed when I do it, and it’s getting harder to get away from him.
But at least he only thinks I’m doing it because I’m running to cope with the trauma of my imprisonment, and otherwise being a ‘brat’ who won’t listen to him or Aaron about how it’s even more unsafe to go places on my own with the threat of vampires hanging over us.
Sometimes, when I think about the truth-about how they
would react if they knew what I was really doing when I went running off into the woods-I want to laugh hysterically.
They’re worried about the threat of vampires on their doorstep?
They have no idea about the dangerous monster they brought home to live under their own roof.
I don’t even trust myself.
Yesterday, I was having trouble ditching Axel since he’d started cottoning on to my tricks, fighting my cravings, as well as the driving need to shift, to run, to just get away from everyone and everything, and I’d come close to completely losing control.
I’d managed to get away from Axel and flee to the forest not long after, but I worried about what will happen if or when I do lose control and attack someone.
I know I will hate myself if I do that.
The problem is the stress within me just keeps building and building.
There’s too many things for me to handle all at once.
Being forced to live in the same house as someone I hate, someone whose constant presence reminds me of my years of imprisonment.
Hiding the truth of myself and continuously worrying about what will happen when that truth comes out.
day, is presence
a blessing and a curse.
Despite the rejected mating bond, my wolf and my instincts still want him. Still want to get close to him, to know him in every way that counts.
And dam n it, despite his cool, dismissive, even downright contemptuous behavior toward me, sometimes I see hints of the
real him.
The caring side, like when he helped me the night of the party and I didn’t even realize I was having a panic attack.
Or his sense of humor which is a little dark and twisty, and suits me just fine.
And with the stress building like a pressure cooker, the time I need between my runs is getting shorter, the calming effects less helpful.
Like today. It’s barely after lunch and I’m already feeling the pri ckly need to get out.
I’m just trying to decide how I’m going to ditch Axel today when he’s been extra suspicious and bi tch y about everything I’ve done when Aaron walks into the library where I was trying to find something to distract myself with.
Unfortunately, I know nothing will divert me from the bottomless pit of craving inside me that seems to yawn deeper
every day.
“Emily,” Aaron says as he steps in and sends a nod of respect toward Axel, who is lurking by the French doors leading out to the garden like he thinks I’m simply going to dash out through them if he wasn’t physically blocking them.
The problem is, I probably would, I admit grudgingly.
“You’re not usually home at this time of day,” I note, seeing that Aaron looks tired and stressed. “Is everything okay?”
He goes and sits in one of the armchairs and indicates I should do the same.
“There’s been a development,” Aaron says, and immediately I know whatever he’s about to tell me, it won’t be good news.
“The Council contacted The Old Country and requested their help with the vampire problem, specifically engaging with the vampire Enclave of Elders to see if we can quell this disagreement before it turns into an actual war between species.”
“Did they refuse?” I ask in dread, wondering how the hell we can survive against vampires if the Old Country or even other packs refuse to help us.
“No, they were very quick to agree,” Aaron says, his brow creasing as if he was surprised by this. “But they requested a contingent of Alphas travel to meet them in person.”
Alphas, I guess, feeling my insides
twist.
I’m trying so hard not to explode, not to cry and beg Aaron not to leave me alone in this house with the woman whose very existence was used as a form of torture against me for years on end.
“Yes,” Aaron replies with a nod. “Myself, Leah, and several others on the Council.”
“Leah as well?” I ask in confusion, going still. “Wait, you’re leaving us?”
1