Page 32 of Eclipsed Heart

A part of me wanted to scan the area with them, but I knew that wouldn’t be wise with Zeke around. And I was putting off the inevitable.While you do that, I’m going to see my parents and talk to them about Stevie.

Sounds good,Lucas replied.We’ll meet you there.

Bodey got into the driver’s seat as I climbed into the passenger side, and we drove to my parents’ place.

My stomach dropped when I saw Charles, Trevor, Pearl, and my parents standing in our yard, talking.

When the car stopped and I climbed out, Pearl laughed bitterly, her blue eyes flat. “Look who finally decided to show up.” Her light-blonde hair lifted in the cool breeze.

I blew out a breath, expecting no less from her as Bodey walked over to me.

Charles's dark gaze landed on my neck, and he grimaced. This was already going so well.

But when Mom turned around, the look on her face almost drove me to my knees.

CHAPTERNINE

Mom’snormally aqua eyes darkened as she stared me down.

I hadn’t known what to expect from her, but it was definitely notthis. The possibilities that had floated through my head were anger, hurt, or some variation of the two. Not the look of pure disgust etched on her face.

Jaw clenched, she pushed back her shoulder-length, ashy-blonde hair. For a moment, I almost didn’t recognize her. Stevie was blood family, but Mom had always cared about me, even if it hadn’t been as deeply as she had her biological daughters.

Now, there was no concern for my well-being anywhere on her face.

Chest aching, I kept my head held high. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Bodey stepped beside me, taking my hand. He linked,I’m right here. You aren’t alone.

The warmth of his love helped dull the pain. Those words were exactly what I needed to hear. I’d felt so alone for so long, but I wasn’t anymore. I had my fated mate.

Forcing my gaze from Mom, I looked at Dad. He seemed more like himself—indifferent, his usual emotion when it came to me. He was never cruel, but neither was he affectionate. We just existed with one another. His russet-brown eyes homed in on Bodey’s and my joined hands as the cool early March breeze ruffled his short, dirty-blond hair.

Mom pointed at me, her lavender sweater inching up to show a sliver of light-tan skin. “All this time, you never mentioned to any of us that you were our queen.”

My head tilted back and my breath caught. “Are you being serious right now? I didn’t even know I was the heir until I received this mark.” I pulled down my shirt a little more to reveal most of the tattoo.

“And instead of trying to elevate the family that protected you, you thanked us by not only throwing Stevie in jail but allowing Zeke to be the one to tell us,” she spat, her hand shaking. “Now I wish we never took you in.”

A punch to the gut would hurt less than the agony ripping through me. My lungs seized, and Bodey’s anger pulsed between us. He released my hand and wrapped his arm around me, our connection springing to life and alleviating some of the heartbreak.

“Stevie was working with the Southwest queen, which resulted in Callie being attacked by those scouts, and you say that to mymate?” Bodey asked, his voice between a growl and a rasp. “The person who’s the most innocent ofallof us?”

Charles's dark eyes narrowed as he sneered. “At least we have answers as to why he was so protective of her and decided to mate with her. He must have known and wanted to be king.” He waved a hand dismissively. “If I’d known, I would’ve treated her differently too.”

Bodey snarled, and Pearl snapped her head in his direction. Her eyes bulged, which made her light-blue irises seem small.

Dropping his arm, Bodey marched over to Charles. Mom took a few steps closer to Dad while Pearl remained on the other side of Charles, not interfering, which spoke volumes—she didn’t like what Charles had said either. But she shouldn’t have been surprised. Charles was an entitled jerk who thought the world should bow down to him.

All I could see was Bodey’s back, but his muscles were so tense that they bunched underneath his shirt. Maybe I should interfere, but Charles deserved to have his ass beaten, especially considering how he’d treated me.

“Say something like that again, and I won’t hold back. This is your one warning. You won’t get another one…ever,” Bodey vowed. “Callie is myfated mate, and I’ll be damned if I let a pompous, little-dicked wannabe alpha insult our relationship or insinuate you want her. She’smineand your queen, so you best fucking get in line.”

My body heated, and my wolf brushed my mind, telling me she felt the same way. Not only was our mate hot, but damn, he was even more scorching when he was claiming me.

Eyebrows raised, Dad glanced at me and then Bodey. This hadn’t been how I wanted to inform my parents that I’d gotten mated, but nothing in my life ever went according to plan.

I focused back on my parents, not wanting to spend any more of my attention on Charles. “Holding Stevie is the last thing I wanted. But as queen, what else could I do?” I released my shirt and placed a hand over the top of my chest, where the tattoo was now partially hidden once again. This time, I felt the shadows of the moon whisper under my palm. “She aided another territory, and our wolves were hurt. I’m the queenno oneexpected, but I refuse to be a pushover.”

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