Page 138 of The Alpha's Protective Mate

The clan leaders ended up choosing to view the evidence with Robert and me. One of the things we discovered was that the last person to access the cave where we found Jean and Lucian’s entire life was their oldest daughter, Lillith. The cave had been her parents’ meeting spot, and in their later years, it had become their private living space. Lillith’s last act on their behalf had been to bury her parents in that cave. Robert and I have decided to preserve the place as it is, after making copies of the journals.

Robert negotiated a solid alliance plan that had other clans coming forward, as well. I have been nominated as the single point of contact. Robert and the other Alphas believe this is beneficial to everyone. I guess the constant warring has been exhausting for all parties involved.

My father’s people were already dead by Terrence’s hands, and the rest of the clan has dispersed into the other vampire clans. The Nelo Clan has been wiped out completely, which is what I wanted. It’s time for a new beginning.

The only loose end is my sister. She’s still running her company, but she’s been avoiding me. I finally had a message delivered to her, and she agreed to meet with me today.

There is awkwardness, though, and she can’t seem to meet my eyes.

“I’m going abroad,” she murmurs, sitting on the park bench where Angie and I once used to sit and talk.

My heart tightens at her words. I watch the children running around nearby and let out a long breath, letting her speak.

“Fa—Father wanted me to do a lot of horrible things to you. I thought I was just trying to survive, but I became the person he wanted me to become. I know you kept saving me and protecting me, yet I still was cruel to you. I can’t take any of it back.”

There is regret in her voice, and I sigh heavily, my hand on my stomach.

“And I can’t forgive you, Arabella. Not yet.” She flinches, and I give her a small smile. “I know nobody will understand this, but I raised you for quite a few years, and that love…it doesn’t go away. So, go. Wherever you have to go to find peace, go there, and we’ll let the distance between us do the healing. But please know you’re not going to be alone. You can write to me or call me whenever you want to. I’m not abandoning you. I’m still your family.”

Tears drip down my sister’s face. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

When she walks away, I watch her figure getting smaller and smaller in the distance.

“She’s right, you know.” Robert’s voice reaches my ear and I look over my shoulder to see him leaning against a tree. “What she did to you can’t be undone. I don’t understand how you’re choosing to look past it all.”

I hold out my hand, and he comes over, sits beside me, and pulls me into his arms.

“You don’t know what it was like living with my father, Robert. He could make a devil out of a saint. And now I know that Terrence was equally horrifying. Arabella had to survive in those monsters’ domain. She did what she had to do. I couldn’t protect her, so she protected herself. I haven’t forgiven her. I can’t forget everything she said and did. But I want to believe that she’s going to find another version of herself on this journey. And maybe sometime in the future, we can reconnect.”

“You have a big heart,” Robert murmurs, pressing his lips to my forehead. “That’s why I fell in love with you, you know. That big heart of yours.”

He pokes my chest, and I bat his finger away, laughing. “That’s not my heart, perv.”

“Are you sure?” Robert pretends to be confused. “Maybe I should take a closer look.”

“Maybe you should remember there are children nearby,” I grin.

“Speaking of children…” Robert puts his hand over my stomach. “Ricky mentioned something interesting. When were you going to tell me?”

I’m about to tease him when I see the wild joy in his eyes. I smile at him instead. “I was going to surprise you with the news. It’s too early to tell whether it’s a boy or a girl.”

Robert lowers his head, and taking my hands in his, he presses his lips to the back of them. His voice thick with emotion, he says, “Thank you, Charlotte.”

I’ve never seen him like this, and my heart constricts. “What’re you thanking me for?”

When he looks at me, his eyes are wet. “You’ve given me so much. You have no idea. If someone had asked me a year ago, I would have said my life was going to be bleak, with no one to love, no mate, no children, my house just walls to sleep within. Everyone around me had found love, had found it all, and I envied them. You stepped in and gave me everything I hoped for and more. You’re in every breath I take, every heartbeat.”

Tears slip from my eyes. “You think you should be thanking me for that? I was in the same place you were, Robert. I love you. With every breath I take, I love you even more.”

His hold on me tightens. I know the future isn’t going to be without its ups and downs, but after everything we’ve been through, I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to handle it.

Chapter 30 Epilogue

Charlotte Sanguinite

“Angie, this is not the time or place!” I scold my daughter as she uses my lipstick to draw what I can only call clown makeup on my beaming three-year-old son. “Your father already has us running late. I’ve never heard of a best man being late to his brother’s wedding.”

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