27
REINER
I looked down at my sleeping family, feeling pride rise in my chest: Becky and the kids were
curled up beside me, sleeping like babies. This could only mean one thing: they felt safe
enough to do so – they trusted me to protect them in their most vulnerable state.
I’ll never let anything happen to any of you, I thought, resting my head beside Becks‘. She
slightly pushed her head against my throat – an instinctual, protective move all female mates
did towards their males. Had I been able to in that form, I would have smiled – that was proof
that our bond was just as strong as it had always been and that she wasn’t fighting it.
Of course, this was also another huge clue to add to the puzzle I was trying to solve: needless
to say, the letter I’d read the night before had been both a godsend and a curse.
It had confirmed many of my doubts, revealed many truths and opened up so many new
questions, all at the same time.
She’d written it the day after leaving me: I knew because she’d put the date on it. It was clear she’d never planned on sending it to me, nor for the letter ever being read, but given that it had clearly been a way for her to put her emotions in order, I’d figured she’d put the date more out of a habit – a way for her brain to give structure to her feelings, to create a sort of box where to place them.
That date had allowed me to understand that she’d known she was pregnant when she’d left
me – probably for a very short time, considering the day the twins‘ birthday fell, but she’d
known.
It had also allowed me to understand that her leaving me had not been planned: as she’d said,
she was scared and confused. I could feel through her words how all over the place her
emotions were – how raw and totalizing her fear and uncertainty were.
Those weren’t the words of a woman who had decided to leave her husband for another man.
Those were the words of a woman who’d had no other chance but to run away.
Someone had forced her to leave, probably blackmailing her – something that fit with the rest
of the letter, where she said she knew I wouldn’t believe her, and that she’d carry “the pain and
the truth“.
I could only think of one thing that someone could use to blackmail her: that s*x tape.
Which, of course, made it all more confusing.
1/6
27
- B Points
I knew she’d been with someone else – I’d seen that video. I’d recognized her, the sound of her voice, the way she moaned. I’d seen her on top of that man.
There were only three things I was certain of, now: that she’d cheated on me, that someone had blackmailed her into leaving me, and that she loved me. She loved me then, when she’d written that letter, and she loved me now, because I could see it in her eyes, feel it in her voice.
I was also pretty sure there was my mother behind all of that: she’d probably found out about Becky’s affair, somehow gotten the video, and used it to get rid of her. Damn, she’d probably also forced her to sign those papers and write that note: considering what she’d done to me,
her own son, I couldn’t imagine what she’d do to someone she’d never liked and that, in her
eyes, had stolen her place as Luna.
The problem was that I couldn’t conciliate the Becky I saw through the letter – my darling
mate, the woman who so clearly loved me, and the Becky who’d cheated on me. Why would
she be with someone else while loving me so much?
A suspicion crossed my mind.
What if… I looked down at my mate, who slept so peacefully, and I felt my stomach freeze and
drop.
What if someone had … forced her into that?
That would also explain the part where she spoke about truth, and her feeling sorry for not
fighting enough…”
I suddenly felt sick.
Everything… everything clicked.
”
It made sense – it made f*****g sense. Her mood swings of that period, the way everything I
did seemed to make her mad…
I swallowed, thankful that I was already on the ground.
There was a chance that my mate had been r***d. She might have been seemingly enjoying
herself in the tape, but I knew better than to just blindly believe that: if I was right, maybe her
*****t had forced her to … be nice. Act pleasant.
I nuzzled her, trying to curl up around her as much as I could without crushing her and the kids. I needed to feel her close – needed to feel that I could protect and defend her.
Goddess, please, let it not be true, I prayed. Anything but this. I’ll take any other reason, but …
not this. Please.
2/6
+8 Point:
27
I close my eyes shut, trying to keep the tears from falling.
“Daddy?”
A little voice called to me, and I reluctantly opened my eyes. Violet was waking up from her nap, nuzzling my chest. Slowly, still drowsy, she gripped my fur to prop herself into a seating position, curling up against my chest.
“Hi Daddy…” she smiled, hugging (for what she could) my neck.
I gulped down.
Get yourself together, I said to myself. She won’t see you like this. She won’t suffer from this
situation.
I took a breath and shoved all the pain into a tiny corner of my mind.
Hey, baby, I smiled. Slept well?
Vi nodded, smiling. “There was me and you and Mommy and Jim and we were wunning and then we were flying… because we were going weally fast” she explained, her eyes wide from
wonder.
Well, that definitely sounds like a nice dream, I told her, then looked up at the sky.
The sun had moved, and it wasn’t as hot as it was before.
It was probably around 5 PM.
Time to go, I thought. Even in our wolf form, the hike back to the cabin wasn’t exactly short,
and we all needed to shower, eat and rest.
Hey, we should start heading back to the housie, I told Violet, using the nickname she and
James had given to the cabin. Help me wake Jim and Mommy?
She nodded
–
then placed her hands on her brother’s shoulders and gave him a good shake.
I sighed. Not like this, pup.
Violet rolled her eyes. “But Daddy… look, he didn’t even wake up!”
That’s not an excuse, I reminded her. We already talked about this, Vi. Now, wake him up
gently.
She wasn’t too happy about it – but thankfully complied, while I nudged Becks awake.
“Why are you trying to get yourself killed today?” she grumbled, turning over on her stomach.
It’s time to leave, the sun’s setting, I told her.
3/6
27
+8 Paints
Becky reluctantly woke up, then gripped my shoulder to prop herself up.
She was a bit wobbly.
“I shouldn’t have slept” she huffed. “I’m even more tired now – and I have a headache“.
You don’t need to shift, I offered. I’ll carry you all back to the cabin.
There’s no need to – besides, I think we might be a little bit heavy for you she chuckled.
I nudged her shoulder with my snout – and she knew full well that, had she been in her wolf
form, that would have been a nip.
Mind your manners, I chuckled back.
Becky laughed – but I could see something was holding her back from agreeing.
A sense of sickness moved in the depths of my stomach.
We’d grown a lot closer lately – but I could see her keeping her distance, especially when physical proximity was involved. Whenever I hugged her, however brief it might be, I always
felt both her desire to give in and her reticence.
That only went to prove my suspicion.
–
We’d also get to the cabin quicker, this way, I added, trying to convince her not much
because I desperately craved having her close, but because I knew she was genuinely tired. Afternoon naps always had that effect on her. If you hold the kids while on my back, I’ll be
able to run faster. You’re tired and I’ve got some extra energy to spend.
In the end, she nodded.
I’ll guide you back to the cabin, she murmured, beginning to pick up what was left of our picnic, helped by the kids and, for what I could, by me. I would have shifted back to help her,
but my wolf wasn’t exactly ready to let me go back to my human form again.
Less than five minutes later, she helped the kids up onto my back: she climbed on last, sitting
behind them and clutching my fur at my nape so that her arms would act as a barrier for the
kids.
Not too fast, she reminded me.
I nodded. Then, guided by her memories of the forest, I started our journey back to the cabin.
SLOWER!, she screamed. WHAT THE f**k, REINER! SLOW DOWN!
I chuckled. Who’s the scared weasel now?
4/6
27
+8 Ports
THIS IS NOT A JOKE! SLOW THE f**k DOWN!
Relax. You guys are completely safe.
–
I knew the speed I was going at was nowhere near dangerous and besides, the children were
laughing like crazy.
“YEAH DADDY GO! WOLFIE WUN!”
REINER!
however, with
Had it been any other day, I would have pulled a dirty joke at that scream –
those suspicions running through my mind, I really didn’t feel in the right headspace to do so.
Just for her sake, I slowed down a bit.
Better?
It’d be better if you were walking, she grumbled.
Yeah, tell that to the two pups who’re gonna be very hungry very soon
Mmh, Becky said, pensive. I should probably think about what to do for dinner.
I dodged a boulder. We’ll think about it when we get there.
Suddenly, the wind brought me a different scent – one that made my hackles immediately
rise: it was the scent of a different Alpha male.
I didn’t need to ask Becky – or to wonder why she’d suddenly grown very still – to understand
who that scent belonged to.
Silas.
Don’t stop, she told me. He’s an asshole, but a harmless one. I don’t want any problems,
understood?
I growled. I did want problems – Becky might have downplayed it, but I knew that bastard was
harassing her and our children: he needed to be taught a lesson. Moreover, he was trying to
trespass onto my mate’s turf: this might not have been my land, but since it was Becky’s, I
couldn’t help but be protective of it.
Reiner? Do you understand?
This time, her tone left no space for bullshit.
So, even if it went against all of my instincts as a wolf, a man and an Alpha, I nodded and kept
running.
5/6
+8 Points
27
I should have known better.
All of my good intentions crashed when, all of a sudden, I heard a chuckle to my left.
It was so subtle, and yet so derogatory and wicked, I couldn’t help but slow down.
Reiner! Reiner, you promised!, Becky yelled.
No. No, I didn’t, I thought, as the most primitive and animal part of me prevailed.
Don’t do this, she begged me. I don’t want this to happen in front of the kids, Reiner, please…
I knew I should have listened to her I knew, in the back of my mind, that I should have never
fallen for such a stupid trick, that I should have just carried my family back to the safety of the
cabin.
But this asshole was laughing at me – of me, of my mate, of my children.
So I stopped.
North Wave
Hope you enjoyed today’s chapters!
