Page 73 of Lonely Alpha

Then again, Tobias had probably run right to his father and informed the man that I was the one who darked bonded Kiara right in front of him. That’s if he hadn’t found my identity before I’d been splashed on the evening news. Maybe he was the one to tip off the authorities and the press.

“The situation got out of hand,” I said.

I wouldn’t apologize. Not for saving Kiara’s life. An apology automatically gave Mother the upper hand, and I couldn’t give her any more leverage.

“You lied to me, Leighton. I’d say you let the situation get out of hand.”

“There were no lies.”

“You dark bonded the Connolly daughter.”

Her carefully constructed facade cracked, her jaw clenching. Manicured fingertips tapped against her leg. The woman was never twitchy, so I could only surmise this situation could—or already had—fuck her over in a big way. She was almost anxious on top of being angry.

“I didn’t lie about it. No one ever asked,” I said.

I was pushing my luck, but I was both curious and fed up. Curious because I’d never seen her so close to a breaking point before. Fed up because I’d done everything she asked since I was old enough to understand words—yet it was never enough. And just when I’d established myself as an independent contractor who didn’t need her support anymore, she’d found the perfect blackmail to keep me under her thumb.

“So you think it was appropriate to withhold that information after you took on the job of finding her? You’ve made me look incompetent in front of the Connollys. On top of that, you’re all over the news. You and the Loranger pack. You dark bonding an omega. Do you have any idea how that makes us look?”

Her voice rose at the end, nearing hysteria.

I’d finally discovered something she feared. This situation terrified her more than anything else in the world, or she wouldn’t be reacting at all. She’d been emotionless through every prior family drama, whether it was something that hit the news or not.

“The story will blow over. I dark bonded with permission. My lawyer was minutes away from getting me out of custody because they have no proof to hold me on,” I said.

Mother’s lips curled up into a snarl. “That’s the Loranger pack’s lawyer, not yours, which is only going to fan the flames of these nasty rumours. And the dark bond will not ‘blow over.’ Not with the media and certainly not with Noah Connolly.”

“It isn’t as if it can be undone.”

“No, but you’re going to fix it, or you’re going to die.”

If I hadn’t been sitting, I might have swayed from the shock. My eyes widened as I watched Mother’s face. Her eyes were as flinty as always. She was dead serious.

“Do you plan on killing me?” I asked.

“You’re a foolish fucking child. He will. Not me, but him. If you die, the bond is no longer an issue. You’ll do as I say to save your own life.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, lips pursed. She was collecting herself as I watched, once again hiding away the reactions that made her vulnerable.

“I can keep myself safe from the Connollys,” I said.

“You’ll do as I say, Leighton, or your brother’s secret airs on national news. If you don’t listen to me, his life is going to be turned upside down and you’ll be too dead to help him.”

It was as serious as I’d ever seen her. Glaring across the tiny interrogation room, I gave in to her demands. For now. She wouldn’t leave until I’d agreed to her plan, and I needed to see Kiara.

“How do you intend for me to fix this?”

“You and Kiara are going to join the pack of Kiara’s father’s choosing,” she said.

I almost barked a refusal at her. That wouldn’t have gotten me anywhere. She would only dig in her heels, threatening the people I cared about more vehemently. She must have seen the visceral denial in my gaze, because she narrowed her eyes.

“You’ll meet with them in two days. A public date. This will help with our family’s reputation, while also appeasing the Connollys. I can’t have a female alpha daughter with a dark bonded omega. It’s frowned upon highly enough when a male alpha does it. Females are held to a higher standard, Leighton. You’ll answer the phone when I call and go to the location I give you at the time I say.”

She didn’t ask if I understood or agreed.

It was implied that I had to.

“I also expect you to stop associating with the Loranger pack. Their lawyer will get you out of this place, but that’s as far as your association goes.”

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