Page 42 of My Possessive Alpha

Even if they didn’t give me much reason to trust them before.

As the party grew quieter behind me, I focused on my steps ahead, ignoring the guilt and dread as it dripped into my system.

I used my keen senses to navigate through the trees, and before long, I caught those familiar scents. My heart squeezed, bringing another wave of remorse with it.

“Mom? Dad?”

After a moment, they both emerged from within the trees, and Mom let go of a relieved breath.

“Honey, there you are,” she exasperated, quick to pull me in for a hug as she kissed my hair.

The raw emotion on their faces was enough to prick the corners of my eyes with tears. I was overwhelmed by their happiness to see me.

I never wanted to leave them without a word like that. I never wanted to disappear and put them through the emotional hell of not knowing where or how I was. But I needed them to know I couldn’t stay there, not after I was made aware of Jack’s true intentions.

“We’re so happy to see you, Lydia,” Dad agreed as he hugged me next, letting me feel the joy in their contact.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything,” I said, losing myself to the emotional moment. “I was just so scared.”

It was a lot to take in at once, but as I stood within that familiar comfort I had grown so used to, it was easy to let myself slip back into that state.

Mom looked at me empathetically, put a hand on my shoulder, and smiled sadly. “We know, sweetheart. We’re sorry we didn’t handle the situation with more care. We didn’t realize it was such a difficult idea for you.”

Receiving their apology felt strange, given how adamant they had been before. But seeing them there, hearing those words, and seeing the regret on their faces made it sink in easier.

Even if they hadn’t been truthful about Sebastian and his family before, they seemed to realize that the position they had put me in wasn’t right. Maybe they really did have a change of heart.

“I just didn’t see Jack that way, and it was difficult to picture myself taking up that role. I wasn’t ready for anything like that,” I admitted, gathering myself with a deep breath. “But it’s nice to see you again.”

“That’s alright, honey, there’s always time to grow accustomed to things,” Dad said reassuringly. “Sometimes we aren’t ready for things, but eventually, it’ll feel like no big deal.”

Mom nodded her agreement. “We should’ve done things on your time, not ours. Jack can wait.”

The realization sat like burning coals against my skin as I fully processed their words. I looked between them with my brows furrowed. “What?”

Mom chuckled. “We see now that we sprung the arrangement on you too soon, but we talked with Jack, and he said he doesn’t mind holding off until you’re ready. That means you’ll have more time to get to know him on a different level.”

“It’s fortunate, too. Most alphas wouldn’t wait around.”

A cold chill moved down my spine, and suddenly, that caring demeanor didn’t have the same feel to it anymore. While being genuine about their apology, they weren’t thinking the same thing I was. We were on completely different pages.

“Wait,” I murmured, shaking my head slowly. “Just because I came out here doesn’t mean I’m going back with you.”

Those relieved expressions shifted, morphing into quiet confusion.

“What do you mean, honey? Aren’t you ready to come home? It’s been so long already,” Mom said with a tone that seemed much less tender as I connected those pieces.

I took a hesitant step back, feeling a rush of adrenaline as it pumped into my veins. Blinking through the subtle confusion and the disorienting shift, I could hardly believe what was happening. “That place isn’t my home anymore. I live here now with Sebastian and his pack.”

The mention of his name was enough to make Dad’s soft exterior crack. He sighed. “Come now, Lydia. There’s no need to keep up this silly charade. You can’t possibly believe he’s your mate. It’s not possible.”

I swallowed hard, trying to back away as that fear reached for me all over again.

“Our daughter would never be mates with a monster like him.”

“No,” I whimpered, eyes welling with tears. My chest ached all over again, feeling the burn of that deceit. “You’re wrong about him. You lied. Both of you.”

They hadn’t changed. They weren’t going to leave Jack’s pack. They were just as indoctrinated as before.

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