Page 51 of Betrayed Alpha Bride

“We’ll talk about that,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “Goodnight, Winnie.”

Just as we hang up, I hear Nico inquiring about the “compensation” and Winnie’s triumphant laughter.

“Oh no,” Galen mutters. “He’s going to demand presents and favors now, isn’t he?”

I shrug. “It was your idea to expose him to your sister.”

Galen sighs. “You’re right. I take the full blame for this.”

The words hang in the air for a moment, and I don’t know how to respond.

He has taken the blame… for everything.

“We should find a safe spot to park for the night,” Galen says. “Even though it looks pretty quiet here, I’m not keen on staying next to the cemetery.”

“Me either,” I agree. “Let’s head into town. I could definitely go for something to eat.”

“Me too,” Galen says as we jump into the RV.

The town is much smaller than Quartz Key, with only a few shops huddled around a main street that pans out into a small suburban settlement. One of the only places that looks welcoming is a bar, and not far from it is an empty camping ground next to the river.

Galen parks in one of the bays, and I jump down from the RV, still feeling shaken up but more determined than I was before. I came here to find what I needed to help my son, and instead, I had all the bandages ripped from every old wound I’ve carried my whole life.

It was time for them to be opened. Now I know for sure that I will never see my mother again. She can’t help me… but she can’t hurt me, either.

I look over at Galen as we walk towards the bar, studying his profile in the dim light. I believe every word he said, and it scares me.

If I believe it, then maybe I never had to run away. Maybe all this pain I went through was for nothing.

That idea is too painful to contemplate, so I push it away as Galen opens the doors, and we step inside the bar. It’s fairly busy, with a rumble of chatter rising over the sounds of the musician playing on the stage.

“Would you like a drink?” Galen asks.

“Yeah,” I answer. “I definitely do. I could use one after today.”

“What would you like? I’ll head up to the bar if you want to find us a table.”

“Rum and Coke would be great,” I reply. “And some food. Nothing fancy. A burger and fries is fine.”

“Sure thing.”

Galen heads off to the bar, and I find an empty table. He finds me a few minutes later, carrying our drinks and a jug of beer.

“I definitely need more than one drink,” he says with a sigh. “I feel like I’ve been through the wringer.”

“Me too,” I answer, taking a deep sip of rum and Coke.

“I know today was a lot to take in,” Galen says. “But I think it’s helpful information.”

“Maybe,” I consider, staring into my glass. “But in the end, we didn’t actually find out what to do for Nico.”

Galen sighs again, and I look up at him. His face is drawn, and his eyes are fatigued. I feel like I’m staring straight into his soul.

He really is exhausted. Not from the trip, but from everything we heard, and his confession to me.

Mixed with my own hurt and betrayal is a deep sympathy for everything Galen went through after he broke up with me. I know he suffered—terribly—and that hurts me. It doesn’t change the fact that I can’t just give my trust to him. At the end of the day, he chose to turn on me instead of anyone else in his life.

“Tell me about Nico,” Galen says, meeting my eyes. “I look at him now, and I can’t believe I never got to see him grow up. I feel so connected to him already, but there’s still so much I don’t know.”

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