Alexander’s POV
“They are coming out soon,” Alpha Nathan mumbled.
I looked toward the entrance to the cabin and took a deep breath. I hoped that Hunter managed to convince her that none of us blamed her for what happened.
“We are going to go to the packhouse,” Hunter’s mom added, making me furrow my eyebrows.
I looked at them in confusion. Why were they leaving?
“Sophia is worried that I would blame her for killing that piece of trash,” Alpha Nathan said after he saw us looking at him with confusion on our faces. “Hunter told her that I’m not blaming her, but he says that it might be better if she didn’t see me now.”
I shook my head and looked back toward the entrance. Of course she was afraid of Alpha Nathan’s reaction. I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t believe Hunter when he told her that Alpha Nathan wasn’t angry at her.
“Hunter says that she is really tired,” Janet mumbled quietly. “She needs to rest. We can see her later.”
“Thank you for being here,” my mom said softly.
I glanced at her and saw her approach Janet. She hugged her tightly and Janet smiled.
“Of course, Emma,” Janet said. “Sophia is important to us. She is our family too.”
Emma let Janet go and looked at Alpha Nathan. He smiled and pulled my mom into a hug. I tensed up a little. I couldn’t help it. I knew that Alpha Nathan wouldn’t hurt her, but my instincts won over my reason.
“Thank you, Emma,” Alpha Nathan said quietly. “Thank you for forgiving me for what I did. I wouldn’t be able to raise my son and watch him fall in love with your amazing daughter if it wasn’t for your generous heart.”
My mom patted his back gently and smiled.
“You are welcome, Nathan,” my mom said and let him go. “You didn’t deserve to be cursed and you didn’t deserve to suffer because of someone’s greed. I am glad I forgave you because you raised a wonderful son. I know that my daughter will always be safe with him and I have both you and Janet to thank for that.”
Alpha Nathan nodded and pulled my mom into another hug. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
I glanced at my dad. I could tell that he wasn’t very comfortable with what was going on. His instincts were as strong as mine were.
Uncle Andrew and Mason kept glancing between the entrance to the cabin and my mom. They were the only ones who still didn’t get a chance to hug Sophia and I could tell that they were impatient to do so. On the other hand, I could tell that they were watching Alpha Nathan carefully.
I wondered if we would ever get completely comfortable around him or if our instincts would always win over our reason. I knew that he wouldn’t hurt my mom, but my body reacted anyway. I was ready to fight him if he tried anything. I was ready to fight anyone. No one hurt my family. No one.
“Come on, Nate,” Janet said softly. “Let’s go. They will be out in a minute.”
Alpha Nathan let my mom go and nodded. He looked around, smiled at us, and took Janet’s hand in his.
“We will see you at dinner,” my dad told them.
Alpha Natan nodded and started walking away, holding Janet’s hand in his.
I looked away from them and took a deep breath. I watched as my dad pulled my mom to his chest. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He relaxed instantly and I smiled. My dad adored my mom and I couldn’t believe that there was a time when he didn’t want her. I couldn’t believe that he rejected her at first.
“Soph!” Mason exclaimed loudly, making me look away from my parents and toward the entrance to the cabin.
Hunter and Fia walked outside. Hunter was holding Fia’s hand tightly. She looked exhausted and she was leaning on Hunter.
“Mason!” Fia said, reaching out for him.
Mason picked her up and hugged her tightly.
“Oh, Soph,” he said, breathing heavily. “I missed you so much. I thought that I lost you. I thought that I lost my best friend. How would I handle Alex without you? How?”
I rolled my eyes and Fia chuckled.
“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s a good thing I came back.”
Mason kissed her temple and lowered her down gently.
“Oh, you have no idea, Soph,” Mason said as he smiled and caressed her cheek. “I would go crazy without you here.”
Fia smiled at him and looked at our uncle.
“Hi, my little girl,” Uncle Andrew said, his voice trembling.
He approached her and hugged her tightly.
“You are back,” he said quietly. “Oh, you are really back.”
Fia smiled, but I saw tears fall on her cheeks.
“I missed you, Uncle Andrew,” she said quietly.
“Oh, sweetie,” Uncle Andrew said as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I missed you too.”
My uncle looked up at my mom and a tear fell on his cheek. When Fia went missing my uncle told me that it brought back all the memories of my mom being gone. I couldn’t even imagine what he went through. My mom was taken twice. He didn’t know where his sister was or if she was alive and it happened twice. I barely survived being away from Fia once. If it happened again…
“Did you eat, princess?” my dad asked Fia and she shook her head.
Sophia. I mind-linked her sternly.
She looked at me and let Uncle Andrew go.
“I’m tired,” she said. “I really want to go to bed. I will eat later.”
“The food is cold anyway,” Hunter said and took Sophia’s hand back in his.
He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head.
“Okay, honey,” my mom said and approached her. “Promise me that you will eat when you wake up.”
Fia nodded and smiled. “I promise, Mom.”
My mom kissed Fia’s forehead and pulled her into a hug. She took a deep breath and looked at my dad. I could tell that they were mind-linking. My mom looked a bit worried and my heart raced. I would have to ask her what it was about. Was it because Fia didn’t eat or was it something else?
Mom let Fia go and smiled.
“Let’s get you home, honey,” my mom said softly.
I could see the worry on my mom’s face and my stomach twisted painfully.
What the hell was going on?
