Page 57 of Cruel Alpha Bully

Chapter 20 - Bailey

About a week after Gina’s birthday, we go to her parents’ house for her mother’s birthday. Unlike Gina, Carla likes a party, and when we arrive, we see a scattering of guests on the front lawn. Everyone is mingling under hanging lanterns and colorful streamers, and the trees are strung with fairy lights.

We head through the entrance and greet other guests, moving through the hallway into the kitchen, where Carla is making a huge cob loaf dip, cheerfully mixing sour cream and chives to pour into the hollowed-out bread.

“Gina!” she says enthusiastically. “You’re here. Did you want some dip?”

“Sure, Mom,” Gina agrees, taking a piece of bread to dunk into the creamy mixture. “Happy birthday!”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Carla gives her daughter a little squeeze, then turns to me, her expression soft.

“Hi Carla,” I say. “Happy birthday.”

“Come here.” Carla gestures to me, and I can’t help smiling as she wraps her arms around me and gives me a big hug. She’s been like a mother to me these last few years. I never had one. My mother died in childbirth, and I lost Dad just a couple of years ago. Carla stepped up and made sure I was well taken care of.

The position of alpha was waiting for me to become old enough to claim it. I might be the youngest alpha the pack has ever had.

Carla lets go of me and points at the table.

“Are you guys hungry? Tuck into that dip, and I’ll have a salad done shortly. Derek is out the back, firing up the grill.”

“Mom, it’s your birthday,” Gina reminds her, sitting down at the counter. “You should let someone else do it.”

“You know what I’m like, dear. Total control freak. If someone else was doing it, I’d just be hovering over them, telling them what to do.”

I take a piece of bread and scoop up a generous dollop of dip, popping it into my mouth. It’s creamy, rich, and tangy, and I immediately reach for another piece.

“This is amazing, Carla,” I mumble through a mouthful of bread.

“Easy recipe, feeds an army, and tasty as hell,” she says, licking some from the edge of the bowl.

Outside, there is a sudden flurry of noise, then laughter.

“I believe Jenks has arrived,” Carla announces.

“I’ll go say hi,” Gina says, hurrying outside. I sit down at the kitchen bench, sampling the food as Carla puts it together.

“How have you been?” she asks gently.

“Good,” I answer. “It was hard at first, but over the last couple of weeks, we’ve come together. I think it’s going really well.”

“That’s good,” Carla says, nodding. “I have to say, if she was really unhappy, she’d definitely tell me. And she hasn’t, so it must be going well.”

“It is,” I say with a nod, but can’t help a little sigh.

“What’s up, my little alpha pup?” she asks, calling me by a childhood name.

“I just don’t know how to convince her that I love her.” I look up at Carla, hoping she can see how sincere I am. “I’ve opened myself up as much as I can, but I still feel like she’s holding back.”

“There might be many reasons for that,” Carla says, giving me a slightly stern look. “Can you think of any?”

I look down at the table, not wanting to meet her eyes. It always made me feel bad how she stepped in and mothered me whenever I needed it, even though I was so cruel to Gina.

“I’ve apologized to her, Carla.”

“That’s a good start,” she says, coming over to me and sitting down. “But she went through a lot, you know.”

“I know,” I mutter, running my hands through my hair. “Why didn’t you say anything? You never called me out on any of it, just supported me whenever I needed it.”

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