Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 197

Chapter 197

As soon as the words were out, I felt incredibly lame for sharing them. But Abigail’s eyes brightened. “Really? Pencil or…?”

‘Oil pastels. I like how they layer.”

ter mouth curved into a smile. “I always liked how tactile that medium was.”

Hope babbled up inside me at this point of connection. “Me too. No mistake is permanent.”

You can always just smudge it into something else.”

Exactly.”

he sighed. “I wish life were that way.”

In some ways, it is. We learn and grow from our mistakes.”

Abigail shook her head. “But some are too big.” She lifted her eyes to mine and they shone in the late morning light. “I don’t know if I made the worst kind of nistake with you. Maybe I shouldn’t have run. Maybe I should’ve gone to Mason as soon as I knew I was pregnant. But I was so ashamed of the choices I’d nade.”

reached out, taking her hand in mine. “You did what you thought was best. You gave everything to protect me. I couldn’t ask for more.”

That didn’t mean I didn’t have what–ifs. I longed for memories I’d never have. Growing up in the pack, alongside my mates. But I also couldn’t wish my childhood away because it would mean erasing Lacey. All I could do was be grateful for the here and now.

Abigail’s hand shook as she squeezed mine. “That’s what I was trying to do. It killed me to give you up. I don’t think I was ever the same after that.”

My heart broke for her. I couldn’t imagine what that must’ve been like. What sort of deep pain made itself at home in your soul when you lost a child.

‘Maybe we could start over?”

Abigail’s brows pulled together. “What do you mean?”

‘We can’t get those years back, but we can get to know each other now. It won’t erase what happened, but it could give us something beautiful now.”

Her eyes filled. “I’d love that, Senna.”

The first steps were tenuous. Questions that were careful not to step on toes. But after a while, we found our rhythm. I shared funny stories about Lacey. We raded lists of favorites. She told me about all of the places she lived while she was on the run. And for the first time, I got to know my mother.

was so lost in our storytelling, I didn’t hear Knox approach until he was steps away. I lifted my gaze to him and the smile fled my face as I took in his serious expression. “What’s wrong?”

We have to go back to pack territory. The rest of the Quad is here.”

Anson took the turns back towards pack territory much more quickly than the drive to the hospital. I wasn’t sure if it was the knowledge of the Quad members waiting for us or the quick movements of the SUV that had me more nauseated. My hand slipped into Knox’s. “Did your dad say anything else?”

He shook his head. “Just to hurry back.”

“But no Kaleb?” My nausea intensified simply saying his name. The idea that he might just show up and pretend he’d done nothing wrong swirled in my mind.

“No,” Knox gritted out. “He’s staying hidden like the coward he is.”

Coward was exactly the word for Kaleb. He was the personification of it.

River took my other hand, clasping it between his own. “How was the time with your mom?”

I blinked a few times, trying to clear the spiral my mind was on. “It was good. She seemed better today…clearer. It’ll take time, but for the first time I felt…”

19907

0.00

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify