Page 154 of The Alpha King's Fate

When her hand swiped across nothing but cool air, her chest tightened at the reminder that she was all alone.

She groaned and lifted her hand to her heavy head. What the hell happened? One minute she’d been okay and the next, she’d been dizzy. Now that she knew Nia kept her healthy, she couldn’t get her head around how completely fragile she was without her. It was something she would have to get used to.

Thinking of her wolf brought pain to her chest, worse than the headache, and a layer of guilt to top it off.

Why did Nia make such a sacrifice? The wolf could have easily run away and saved herself.

Sighing, she kicked her covers off and finally opened her eyes. The shutters were still down, but she could hear the storm had passed. She moved slowly off the bed but every step she took to the door still reverberated through her body. When she opened the door, something mouthwatering wafted up her nose.

Her heart immediately skipped a beat. Jax was still there!

She walked down the short hallways, unable to stop the smile on her face. Her head knew they were supposed to break up but that didn’t stop her stupid heart from feeling excited. She would have to work on that.

“Good morn...”

Her voice trailed off when Gerald turned from the stove and smiled at her.

Where was Jax? Did he leave her after all? Did he realise that a trailer was no place for someone used to all the luxuries money could buy?

A heaviness fell on her shoulders and her heart squeezed.

But this was a good thing. This was what she needed from him so they could both decide what their future would be like. It would be more heartbreaking if she ignored her situation and stayed with him, only to have him realise that she didn’t mean anything to him without the bond.

The only part she could play in his life was as a co-parent. That was all she needed to figure out. How often could she see Hope? If she wanted to take her away for a weekend, would they spare some warriors to protect her? How would she explain this decision to Hope when she was older, so her daughter wouldn’t hate her? That sort of thing. That was more important than being hurt that Jax left while she was ill.

“You’re up,” Gerald said as he switched the plates off and came towards her. “Are you feeling better?”

“I’m fine,” she lied.

“I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up. You were out a long time,” Gerald said as he put the back of his hand on her forehead. “I don’t think they’ve cleared our roads yet, but Adam up the street said he would take us in his truck.”

She pushed his hand away. Who was this man? The last time she saw him in the kitchen for anything other than a can of beer and junk food, Brit just started school.

But trying to reconcile the two images was beyond her capabilities while her head pounded like that.

“I said I’m fine,” she repeated as she walked over gingerly to the new couch.

She hadn’t sat long when Gerald brought over a plate full of steaming hot food. She eyed the bacon, sausages, eggs and pancakes before she looked up at her father. He looked at her expectantly, expecting her to tell him he’d done a good job.

When she pulled a blanket from the back of the chair and made herself comfortable instead, Gerald sighed and sat on the other side of the couch.

“I know it’s going to take some time, but I’m trying, Layla,” Gerald said.

“I didn’t ask you to. I think you already said everything you needed to say, from when you sold me for your debts to when you made a drunken scene at the hotel.”

“I have a lot of moments in my life that I regret, but I regret this whole situation the most,” Gerald said. “I have a lot of work to do, and I’ll do it if it means getting you and Britney back in my life.”

Was Britney the reason for the change? She already admitted she couldn’t keep him away from her. If that was what this latest change of heart was about, he was wasting his time.

“I’m not going to keep you away from Britney. She’s an adult now; she can make her own decisions,” she sighed. “Let’s not do this now.”

“This isn’t about Brit. It’s you I screwed up.”

And the whole town knew that. It was pointless to rehash the past now.

“I don’t think we could ever have the relationship you want. Even before you tried to sell me, you hadn’t been a real father to us. I raised Brit by myself.”

Gerald ran a hand through his hair and sat back. His shoulders lowered as if he only just realised what he was trying to do was impossible.

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