Page 106 of Bonding with the Beta

“I’m sorry,” I say sincerely. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Kayleigh whips her head towards the window and places her chin on her fist as she watches the journey until we reach my house. I pull up and jump out before walking around my car to open her door for her.

She forces a wobbly smile as I take her hand and walk us towards the front entrance. We step inside, and she cups her arms to her chest. “Can I grab a hoodie? It’s freezing in here.”

I nod. “Yeah, you know where my bedroom is?”

“Yes.”

Guys, I need to talk. Where are you?I mindlink Jaxon and Ava as Kayleigh walks up the stairs.

We’re in the living room. What’s wrong?

I walk down the hall and push my way into the living room to find Ava and Jaxon on the sofa, with Aurora in Jaxon’s arms.

“Hey,” I say, pushing the door almost closed.

Ava sits up, brows pinched together. “What’s wrong?”

Jaxon looks equally as confused, but I know I have to do this to earn her trust.

“I’ve decided I’m going to tell Kayleigh about us.”

“What do you mean ‘us’?” Jaxon narrows his eyes suspiciously.

“Us being wolves, everything.”

Ava’s mouth hangs open.

“I like her a lot, and I can’t keep withholding the truth from her. Not after the things she’s told me. She deserves to know what we are, about mates and everything else. She doesn’t know anything about the real me. My life is practically a lie, and I don’t want it to bite me in the ass further down the line.”

Jaxon’s jaw tenses. “Kayden, once you tell her, there is no going back.”

“I know.”

“Can we trust her? It’s not just you, Kayden. It’s all of us here.”

Ava scowls at him. “Of course, we can trust her. She’d never tell a soul.”

Jaxon doesn’t look convinced as he gives her a weary look.

“We can,” I clarify. “She won’t say anything; I know it.”

He raises one shoulder, and Aurora stirs but settles again a second later. “It’s your funeral.”

“Charming.”

“Just being honest.”

“How do you think she’s going to react?” Ava asks, chewing on her fingernail.

“I don’t know, I just–”

There is a knock at the living room door, and I freeze. Kayleigh emerges a second later wearing one of my hoodies that hangs off her frame. She’s drowning in it, but a possessive glimmer inside me begins to shine.

“Hi.” She smiles at Jaxon and Ava.

When she spots Aurora, her eyes instantly light up, and she rushes over to her, not having seen her since the hospital. She coos at her as she lays peacefully in Jaxon’s arms.

---