Moon Phased: The Triple Claim novel Chapter 123

Chapter 66-2

+25 Points

“I have time, if you do.” I said to him with the hope that he wouldn’t leave it at that, because I knew if anyone knew the truth about why she had left, it would be him.

Evan turned to look at me with a soft smile forming on his face, before he said to me, “You remind me so much of your mother. Not just your looks, but also because of how inquisitive you are. Your mother was incredibly smart, and I should have known that I wasn’t enough for her. She deserved so much more than I could give her.”

“Don’t say that. You’re just as successful in life as my mother was. You have this beautiful home and ranch, and a family to come home to every night. So, please don’t think that it had anything to do with you not being worthy of my mother, because, from what my grandmother tells me, my mother was head over heels for you.”

Evan let out a half–chuckle, before he said, “And I for her.” As sadness began to fill his eyes, making me regret asking him about it.

Once again, I was just about ready to apologize to him for bringing it up, when he said this time to me, You know I planned on marrying your mother. I even went as far as buying a ring for her, but unfortunately, I never got the chance to ask her.”

My heart sank in my chest for him, as I could see the sadness in his eyes, and hear the pain in his voice, leading me to ask him, “Why? What happened?”

Evan closed his eyes, looking away from me, as if he didn’t want me to see his pain, but it was too late for that. Trying to keep his tone steady, he finally says to me, “I lost my brother, and I allowed the darkness that comes with it to consume me. Unfortunately, when I made my way through that darkness, and finally came back into the light, your mother had left town without saying where she was going. I am not going to lie. I eventually found her, and I drove clear across the country with the intention of bringing her home with me as my betrothed, but when I arrived it was too late, and she had already met your father.”

“I am so sorry.” I told him, as I couldn’t imagine the pain he must have felt seeing my mother with my father, clearly seeing the immense love he had for my mother.

“Don’t be sorry. I wouldn’t have my boys, and your mother wouldn’t have had you. I am a true believer that things worked out the way they were supposed to. I just ask if you decide not to stay, that you at least talk to my boys first, so they don’t have to live their lives wondering if there was something they could have done differently to keep your love.”

It was an easy promise to keep, as I had already told Chance about my plans to go back to California to attend college. I had been up front with him since day one, as I was leery about getting involved with someone here, but now I had not just him in my life but his brother too, making things slightly even more difficult in walking away from here.

“You have my word.” I promised Evan, vowing to never hurt Chance or Cash, the way my mother had hurt him, especially seeing the pain he was still feeling from it all these years later.

I still had no clue why my mother left here, but seeing how much pain just talking about it was causing Evan, I couldn’t bear to cause him any more pain than I already had. There was no doubt in my mind that there was more to the story than what he was telling me, but like I said, I couldn’t continue to question him.

<Chapter 66-2-

+25 Points

Feeling the need to change the subject, I said to him, “Speaking of your sons, have you seen Chance?”

Evan shook his head, before he said, “No. I assumed he was taking care of you.”

“Honestly, I haven’t seen him since last night.” I confessed to Evan, as I began to worry about where Chance could be.

“He wasn’t in his room this morning?” Evan now asks as he gets to his feet, clearly just as worried as I was about his son.

“No. There were no signs that he had spent the night with me.”

Evan down his cup of coffee, sitting it on the small table that sat between our two chairs, before he said to me, “I’m sure he is somewhere on the ranch attending to the horses. How about you go inside and stay with my mother until I get back? I am sure your dressings could use a change this morning.”

“Okay.” I said to him as I got up from my chair, watching him step off the porch and head straight towards the barn, as I worried that Chance may have gone off on his own last night, to find out answers for himself, about what was going on in this town.

As I opened the screen door, to step inside, the sound of a howl filled the air, making me turn back to look at the barn, just in time to see a huge silver wolf racing from it towards the mountains. I found myself racing around the side of the wraparound porch, trying to steal another glance at the wolf, as I was sure this was the same exact wolf that had led a pack of wolves to save me yesterday in the cemetery.

Unfortunately, when I made my way around the side of the house, the wolf was nowhere in sight, making me wonder if I had started seeing things again from all the trauma I had been under lately. But then a howl echoed through the valley, telling me that I wasn’t losing my mind, as I now wondered if these wolves were looking after me and protecting me, like a guardian angel.

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