Fated to the Alpha Who Killed Me (by Sherry) novel Chapter 73

Chapter 73

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I took the bag carefully, genuinely touched despite myself. “Ruby, this is incredibly thoughtful. But please,

you have to stop carrying this burden. None of what happened was your fault.”

She exhaled shakily, some tension leaving her shoulders. “Mason’s always been that way. Gets into trouble

before thinking things through, charges ahead without considering consequences.”

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I seized the opening to guide the conversation where I needed it. “Speaking of young people,” I said, shifting

the topic with careful casualness, “how is your daughter doing? And her mate?”

Something complicated flickered across Ruby’s face–pride mixed with concern. “They rejected each other,

actually. And now there’s someone else pursuing her, someone she won’t tell us about.”

My heart rate kicked up slightly, but I kept my expression merely sympathetic. “Oh? That must be difficult

for you. But I’m sure she has good reasons for keeping it private. Young people value their independence,

especially when it comes to matters of the heart.”

“That’s what Mason says,” Ruby admitted. “But I can’t help worrying. What if this new person isn’t good for

her?”

I reached across and patted her hand gently. “I’m sure whoever is pursuing her must be someone decent.

Your daughter seems very level–headed from what you’ve told me about her.”

Ruby’s expression cleared slightly. “You’re right. Celeste has always been sensible. She’s studying

environmental science, wants to make a difference. She’s always been idealistic that way.”

Idealistic. The word sat heavy in my mind. Or calculating? She’d known exactly what she was doing when

she’d set her sights on an Alpha. But I kept those thoughts locked away behind Luna Violet’s gentle facade.

“She sounds wonderful,” I said warmly. “Ruby, would you mind showing me a photo of her? I’m just curious.

to see what kind of young woman she’s grown into.”

Ruby immediately pulled out her phone, her face lighting up with maternal pride. “Oh, I have so many. Here,

this is from last summer.” She turned the phone toward me, and I found myself looking at a family photo-

Mason Morrison, Ruby, and a young woman who could only be Celeste, all standing in front of a rustic

farmhouse.

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I let my eyes widen in genuine surprise. “Wait,” I said slowly, looking from the photo to Ruby and back

again. “She is your daughter?”

Ruby blinked in surprise. “You know her?”

“Yes. The first time was at McDonald’s, when I was having a rough day and she was so sweet and kind. And

then I saw her again at the hospital. She was so polite, so thoughtful. I had no idea she was your daughter.”

Ruby’s face transformed with joy. “That’s exactly like her. Always looking out for others, always ready to

help.” She squeezed my hand. “Luna, Celeste would be so honored to know someone like you thinks well of

her.”

After she left, I stood in the doorway for a long moment, watching her car disappear down the drive.

The rest of the day passed in a strange limbo. Around mid–afternoon, an email came through from

Blackwood Dynamics‘ HR department–a formal notification that due to my back injury, I’d been granted

medical leave through the new year, with full salary maintained. I knew Daemon had arranged it.

Dusk came early, the winter sun setting before five o’clock. When I heard the front door open later, heard

Daemon’s heavy footsteps in the hall, I didn’t move from my position in the library. He went upstairs

without seeking me out, and eventually the house settled into the kind of silence that came when two

people were occupying the same space while pretending the other didn’t exist.

By the time dinner was served, snow had begun to fall outside the tall windows, heavy flakes drifting down

to blanket the grounds in white. Daemon appeared in the dining room doorway, dressed in dark slacks and a

charcoal sweater that made his crimson eyes stand out even more starkly. He moved to his usual seat at the

head of the table without looking at me.

“Why didn’t you eat out?” I asked, my voice flat as I reached for my water glass.

He didn’t look up from his phone. “Didn’t feel like it.”

I slowly stirred my soup, watching the vegetables swirl in lazy circles, feeling the weight of everything

unsaid pressing down on the space between us. The only sounds were our utensils against china.

When I couldn’t stand the silence anymore, when the pretense of normalcy felt more suffocating than any

argument, I set down my spoon with deliberate care. “Are you going out again tonight?”

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17:05 Mon, Jun 8

Fated to the Alpha Who Killed Me

Chapter 74