Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 127

Chapter 127

Vaughn’s mouth flattened, making the scar by his cupid’s bow stand out. “What happened?”

Caspian shoved the bowl of bread sticks into his brother’s chest. “You’d know the answer to that if you bothered showing up once in a

while.”

Our entire table went silent. Some of the guys called Vaughn on his shit, but Caspian had never been one of them. He’d seen the hell his brother had been through and never wanted to push. I guessed the tides were turning.

Vaughn blinked a few times. “I needed to go for a run.”

‘Are you running twenty–three hours a day? Because we only see you at dinner. I get that you need to burn the edge off, and that you’re having a hell of a time dealing with your new reality. But newsflash, Vaughn, you’re not the only person in this bond. Did it ever cross your mind that we might need you?”

Before Vaughn could answer, Caspian shoved back from the table. “Now I’m the one who needs to go for a run.”

He took off for the back doors. Other members of the pack stared after him and then turned their attention to our table. Coby and Jasmine glared at me. I met their gaze, not looking away. I refused to bow down. As much as they wanted all the issues lately to be my fault, they weren’t.

Mason moved his chair, blocking Coby’s and Jasmine’s view. I turned back to my own table as Vaughn stared at the back doors. “He’s

pissed.”

Anson scoffed. “No shit, Sherlock.”

Vaughn growled at him.

‘Don’t pull that crap with me. I think we’re all about at the end of our ropes with you. This whole broody, tortured thing has run its

course.”

River cleared his throat. “What I think Anson and Caspian are trying to make you understand is that your actions have ramifications. They hurt Senna and they hurt the rest of us too.”

He doesn’t hurt me, he pisses me the hell off,” Anson clipped.

Knox sighed. “Not helping. We need open communication. No ego.”

I didn’t want this,” Vaughn said quietly.

His words cut me to the quick. For some reason, I thought maybe we were working our way past this. For the first time, I found my nad. “Do you think I did? That I want to be mated to someone who can barely stand the sight of me? If I’m Riverky, I get this hot and cold from you, but most of the time, you leave me alone until it feels like my chest is being shredded from the inside out. That isn’t exactly what I’ve dreamed of when it comes to a life partner.”

Vaughn’s nostrils flared. He didn’t say a word, simply rose from his chair.

My eyes burned, but I didn’t look away from him. “You’re a coward.”

Not even my accusation could stop him. He headed for the door. This time, I didn’t turn to watch him go. I was done. Through with

Morbor Me Firstl

Chapter 127

bending over backward and trying to understand. Vaughn could take his cabin in exile and his long runs, and drown in them both.

“Sen,” River said softly.

A tear slipped free, sliding down my cheek. “Please don’t make excuses for him right now.”

River brushed the tear away with his thumb. “I wasn’t going to.”

“He’s a dip shit,” Anson muttered.

He was certainly acting like one.

Knox slipped his hand under my hair and squeezed the back of my neck. “I want to say that we’ll figure this out in time.”

“Don’t. I can’t hear it right now.” I looked around the table. “We’re building something special. At least, I think so.”

“We are,” Knox assured me.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt like I had family in a long time,” Anson said.

There was a burning in my chest. That family was worth fighting for. “He doesn’t get to come in here and ruin that. I’ll see Vaughn once a day to stave off the worst of the pain. The rest of the time, we focus on us. Building that family.”

River looked unsure. “It’s not right-”

‘It might not be, but it’s the best I’ve got right now. I can’t keep putting myself out there, only to be pushed away. It hurts too much.” My voice broke on my last sentence.

River wrapped his arms around me in a hug. “Okay. I get it.” He rubbed a hand up and down my back. “We’ll focus on us.”

‘We can take it one day at a time,” Knox said.

There was still hope in River and Knox. Hope for our bond to be whole. But maybe this was one case where fate had gotten it wrong. Maybe she’d hijacked someone who wasn’t built for this.

liver pressed his lips to my hair. “No matter what, we’ll find our way.”

quickly wiped under my eyes and straightened from his hold. “We will. But first I need to eat.” My stomach rumbled, as if unctuating my point.

Anson’s lips twitched as he handed me the bread sticks. “Here, take one of these. I don’t want you turning hangry on me.”

(10)