Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 242

Chapter 242

“FUCK THIS!” I wrenched away from her touch. “I was wrong to come here! This was a mistake!” I spun toward the door. “I’m leaving!”

“Wait.” Her voice carried a note of genuine frustration-maybe the first real emotion I’d heard from her. “Fine. You’re still the same

stubborn girl you always were. I won’t push the Zane issue anymore.”

I paused, my hand on the doorframe, not looking back.

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“Just tell me,” she continued, her tone shifting to something more personal, more vulnerable than I’d heard in years. “Why did you really

come here today? What did you need to say to me?”

That tiny crack in her armor-that brief glimpse of actual maternal feeling-gave me the courage to face her again.

I turned slowly, letting all my rage and pain show on my face. When I smiled, I knew it looked wrong, twisted.

“I came to tell you that I hate you.” Each word was deliberate, sharp. “I hate everything you did to me. I hate your machine-like coldness- no, worse than a machine. You’re cold like a vampire, bloodless and dead inside.” My voice rose. “And I’m done blaming myself for failing

to fit into your plans! All those years I thought maybe I was stupid, maybe I was broken, maybe I was the problem. But I wasn’t. It was

always you!”

I remembered being seven, eight, nine years old-constantly wondering why I couldn’t be the daughter she wanted, why I kept disappointing her, why I felt wrong all the time. The self-hatred she’d instilled in me without even trying.

Arabella was silent for several long seconds.

I held my breath, waiting. Whatever her reaction-anger, denial, defensiveness, even tears-I could handle it. I was ready for anything.

Except what she actually said.

“Oh. Okay. Noted.”

The words were light, dismissive, utterly casual. Like I’d just informed her of a minor scheduling conflict.

It felt like punching a wall of cotton-all that built-up force with nowhere to land.

I couldn’t look at her anymore. Couldn’t stand that placid, unmoved expression. I needed to hurt her the way she’d hurt me, needed to

provoke some genuine reaction.

“And one more thing! I was shouting now, past caring about dignity or composure. “I’m never seeing you again! You can consider me dead! I’m not going to think about you, not going to wonder about you, not going to waste one more second of emotion on you!”

I sucked in a breath, delivering my final blow. “And remember this-you are a failure as a mother! The most spectacular, complete, utter

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14:47 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 242

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failure of a parent who ever existed! You failed me in every possible way!”

This time her response came immediately, that pleasant smile still firmly in place.

:)))

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“God, Evelyn! I’ve never claimed to be a good mother! You know the truth as well as I do-effective politicians make terrible family members. The skills don’t overlap.” She shrugged elegantly. “But you’re absolutely right about one thing. We really don’t need to see each

other again.”

I nodded stiffly, my throat tight. “Fine. Good. I’ve said everything I needed to say. Goodbye.”

I strode toward the door, ready to finally escape this nightmare.

But then I heard footsteps behind me-hesitant, uncertain. Arabella’s footsteps.

I stopped walking, surprised despite myself. Was she actually… feeling something? Experiencing genuine emotion?

“Wait. One more thing.”

I remained frozen, not turning around, my hand gripping the doorframe. “What?”

There was an odd pause. When she spoke again, something in her voice was different-less controlled, almost reluctant. “After you leave on your trip, once you’ve left this pack… I’d suggest you don’t come back.”

That made me turn my head slightly, though I still didn’t look at her directly. “Why?”

Another pause. Longer this time. I could practically feel her internal debate.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. Just a thought.” Her diplomatic mask was sliding back into place, I could hear it. “Just… you should probably keep your distance from your friend. From Elowen.”

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