Page 210 of Cursed Bonds: An Alpha's Destiny

Then, without warning, the older man came forward, kneeling down before Kirsten and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. It seemed decades of pain and sorrow vanished in that moment.

“I’m so sorry, my girl. I’m so very sorry. Can you forgive me?”

Kirsten, frozen in surprise, slowly melted, eventually hugging him back. I could see tears in her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder, both of them sobbing.

Finally, in a husky and congested voice, Kirsten whispered three words to the other man. “I forgive you.”

Sometimes, huge life events could change people. I hoped this grandchild did that for him. I remembered what life was like without a father, and if Kirsten could have something close to that, I’d be happy for her. If not? She had me and the pack, and that was all the family she’d ever need. I had the feeling, though, that she had us as well as her father again. You could never have too much family.

When we finally left a few hours later, Kirsten was still shell-shocked, but I could also tell she was at peace and happy.

“So, what was in that letter?” I asked as we drove down the highway. “Must have been pretty good to cause all that back there.”

Kirsten smiled, running her hand over my knee. “I think Nana had one last bit of magic up her sleeve. I know that letter wasn’t in that box. She did this. It doesn’t matter what it says. That’s between her and Dad. I think it was her attempt to fix something she wasn’t able to fix in life.”

“She was a pretty awesome lady,” I said.

“Yeah,” Kirsten said wistfully. “She really was.”

There’d also been double duty over the last few months, with me running my own pack and helping Flynn get his in order. I’d worked harder the last six or seven months than I had in my entire life. Some days, I didn’t even do a single thing for my own pack.

Flynn had inherited a real dumpster fire. It became obvious that Eren was even worse at the administrative aspects of being an alpha than he was at being a decent person. The other alphas and I had talked, and we all felt a sense of guilt. All of us thought that if we’d only done something earlier, things wouldn’t be so bad.

It was a sentiment neither Flynn nor Stephanie shared. In their eyes, the only person to blame was Eren.

Thankfully, Flynn’s discussions with the bank were fruitful. Apparently, even the president of the bank had a low opinion of Eren and was excited to learn that a new alpha had taken his place. They’d negotiated a lower interest rate and a six-month forbearance on payments. Between some of the new investments Flynn was making and the pack donations, they would be fine. Though, I finally talked him into letting me give his pack a small loan.

“Jace, I told you I don’t need any money from you,” Flynn had told me that fall. “You’ve already done too much, and you have a baby on the way. It’s really not necessary.”

I sat across from him, turning my beer bottle in a small circle, and looked him in the eyes. “I hear you, but I want to. Think of it this way,” I added quickly as he opened his mouth to argue. “Let’s say, God forbid, something happened to me and Kirsten, and my pack was being looked over by an adolescent shifter as the alpha. The pack would need help. They’d be fine in the long run, but wouldn’t it be nice to help them get back on their feet? Would you do that for my son, Flynn? Would you let him refuse you?”

The big man gazed at me for a long moment, then smiled. “I suppose not. I’d get him the help he needed, come hell or high water.”

“That’s what I’m saying. How about this? Let’s put it into a fund for the kids. Money for holiday celebrations, maybe buy some sports equipment, have some cookouts, stuff like that.” I raised an eyebrow and grinned at him. “Are you gonna say no to the children?”

He grinned back at me. “You’re an asshole. Okay, fine. We can do that.”

Stephanie had been doing so much work helping Flynn that she was running herself ragged. Part of me thought her drive was to do everything she could to wash the stain of Eren from her life. He’d destroyed her life and, in doing so, had caused her to disgrace herself. She was desperate to change the opinion everyone had of her, and she’d done a hell of a job.

She’d been the main person to bridge the gap between Flynn and the rest of the town. Even in the short time she’d been there, Stephanie had built relationships and trust that had helped the new alpha get a foothold.

With all that happening in Scottsdale, there was still stuff to do in my own pack lands. Kirsten had helped Abigail revamp the Crestwood school and had even talked Harley into going back to school to get her teaching license. When Harley agreed, Kirsten had been shocked because she’d said it as a joke. It seemed to signal a countdown to when Waylan and Harley decided to have a child.

Harley still maintained that she didn’t want kids yet, but I’d noticed the furtive and longing glances she cast at Kirsten’s stomach. It wouldn’t be long after the baby was born. I was sure of that.

Kirsten asked to go along on my trip to visit Flynn again that day, and I’d said yes. She’d been cooped up in the house for a while. Her body was achy and drained from the last days of the pregnancy. Tinsley had given her a special tea on her last visit, which helped a bit, but Kirsten wanted some sunshine. It was nearly Thanksgiving—the leaves had already changed—and soon it would be too cold out to enjoy being outdoors.

“How are you feeling?” I asked as we pulled into Flynn’s driveway.

“Exhausted,” she said with a smile. “But good.”

We headed inside, where Stephanie and Flynn were preparing lunch for us.

“This won’t be any of that gourmet shit you make, Jace, sorry,” Flynn said with a grin. “I hope sandwiches and potato salad work?”

“A man after my own heart,” I said with a chuckle.

Halfway through our lunch meeting, Kirsten excused herself to go to the bathroom.

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