Page 169 of The Alpha King's Fate

“We’ll talk about it soon,” she promised. “You need to rest tonight.”

“That’s your way of telling me that you think I can’t handle the truth. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you told me what you are,” Brit said. “But I’ll be twenty soon. I’m not a child.”

“I know you’re not. And I’m not mad about things that happened in the past,” she said, lifting her hand to brush Britney’s hair out of her face. “I’m just exhausted. We should sleep.”

“Is that all it is?”

Before she could answer, there was a soft knock on the door.

Brit rolled her eyes and cuddled Hope closer.

“You might as well go back to your room. I kept Hope with me the whole time, so she’s used to sleeping next to me,” Brit said.

It pleased her that Hope bonded with her aunt. She wanted to protest and stay next to the girls for as long as she could while she had the chance, but Brit would keep asking her what was wrong. Sighing, she slid off the bed and padded to the door. She’d avoided Jax long enough.

Jax stood outside the bedroom in his pyjama bottoms, and just like that, her heart slammed against her chest like the traitorous organ that it was. She had longed to return to him for two months, but not like this. Not with the guilt of Jax's choice hanging over her head.

Jax took her hand before she could say anything and pulled her to the main bedroom. It looked like it had a makeover. The bed was different, and they took out the heavy couches.

“We had bunk beds here for the children,” Jax said. He shut the door behind him and turned to face her.

“Where have they gone now?”

“We reunited some of them with their packs, but others didn’t feel safe enough to leave the packhouse. They’ve moved downstairs,” he answered as he walked towards the bed, the only piece of furniture in the room. “You can do this room up however you want. I had it soundproofed this time.”

She shook her head and looked away from him.

“What?” Jax asked.

“You know what. You say last night was your decision, and fair enough, but leaving the Packhouse was my decision. You shouldn’t have done that without my consent.”

Sure, she was a hypocrite. When Diedre told her there was a chance she could break his curse, she took it. But the situations were different. If they talked last night instead of fucking in the forest, she would have told him she didn’t want to be apartanymore. She would have returned to the packhouse if that was what it took. Jax shouldn’t have hurt Cain.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Jax said. He patted the space next to him for her to sit down.

It was a trap. As if she could be that close to Jax on a bed without anything happening!

“I’m still mad at you.”

“I know,” Jax repeated.

Jax rubbed his chest above his heart and looked out of the window. The sky was starting to lighten, and exhaustion settled in her bones.

“After marking you the first time, I was so angry. I didn't want you to give up your life for me. But do you know what Cain said to me? It was your choice, and you were ours even before I gave you the mark,” Jax said.

“I understand that, but how could you still do that knowing what will happen?”

Jax turned his head back to her.

“It was Cain's choice. He is desperate to have the bond back, Layla, and he is ready to face whatever comes. He wouldn't have done it if he didn't believe you love me, too.”

She could believe that. Nia took the choice out of her hands, too.

“I don't think it worked. I think he's going to....” Her voice trailed off.

Jax looked away again and bit down on his jaw.

“No, I don't think it worked, either,” he agreed after a lengthy silence.

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