Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 269

Axel says a goodbye that's too quick to even feel like a goodbye. Carson rushes ahead of us to catch up with his forces (a feat he can do easily, but not one Mia wants to see).

"Stay with Aiden," he says over his shoulder. "It'll be fine."

He takes off before she can respond. He has to, before he talks himself out of leaving.

Even though he's putting on a brave face, I know he's upset. He doesn't like this anymore than Axel does. And if I'm being honest, even though I was right, I don't like it either. It's not enough to have Mia with me. I need my brothers too.

If Carson goes and does something stupid and gets himself killed, what am I supposed to tell Axel? If Axel gets murdered because he was here all alone, what am I supposed to tell Carson? Or Mia?

What am I supposed to tell myself?

'Aiden,' Ethel says through mindlink. 'Do you need me to go with you?'

'No. Stay here with Axel and Onai. Be ready if something happens.' I try to decide between taking the car or letting Mia ride on my back in wolf form. Which one's safer? Which one's faster? Who put me in charge of anything? I can't make one freaking decision.

"What's wrong?" Mia asks, nerves as clear as day in her voice.

I'm filled with the urge to tell her everything's going to be okay, to hold her until she's not scared anymore. I almost vomit. These disgusting imprint urges. "I'm trying to decide if I should bring my car or not, in case something happens," I say. "I want you to be able to get away even if we're dead."

She looks at me, warrily.

"What?" I ask.

She hesitantly says, "I can't drive."

Now she decides to tell me this? I look at her incredulously. What?

She gives me an apologetic look.

I sigh exasperatedly. I don't care, I'm still taking the car. Maybe she's a natural.

I help her in, making sure she's strapped and safe (What can I say? Some imprint urges you just can't fight), before getting into the driver's seat myself. This is the part where I'd speed to the border, disregarding any red lights or traffic signals. People would know to get off the road I'm on since there's an emergency, so I'd have nothing to worry about. And if I got injured, I'd just heal.

That's what I'd normally do, but with Mia here... I do 20 on a 0.