Page 49 of Alpha Wolf's Arranged Bride
“Rex,” she cuts in, but I hold up a hand to show her I’m not done.
“Even if something happened, and you can’t be with him, I can’t force you to stay with me. If that’s why you keep shutting down, I want you to know I understand.”
With every word I say, Scarlett’s eyes get wider, and I feel like I’ve started to run in the wrong direction, but I can’t understand why.
“The situation between the packs can be navigated,” I say. “It won’t be easy, but we’ll manage something. I’m not sure things with Eccles are going to go smoothly even if you stay with me, so it might not even matter. But the alliance shouldn’t be your only reason for staying here.”
“Rex,” Scarlett says determinedly. Her eyes are narrowing, and she’s pressing her lips together the way she does when her temper is rising.
Why is she getting mad? I’m trying to do the right thing!
“I want you to know, I have strong feelings for you,” I go on, hoping that I’m conveying my emotions without fully exposing my heart. “And I am crazy-jealous, but I’ve decided my own happiness isn’t as important as yours.”
“Rex…” she breathes, shaking her head a little. “What the actual fuck?”
“I’m not saying this just to protect my own secrets,” I say, suddenly realizing she might think I’m trying to get rid of her. “But there really is a lot I can’t tell you, especially if we end up going our separate ways.”
“Rex,” she says firmly. “I—”
“It’s okay,” I reassure her in a soothing tone. “I understand.”
“No, you really fucking don’t!” she yells. “I can’t believe you’re saying these things to me. Did you think this through for even a second?”
“I’ve been thinking about it all night!” I snap back. “Not to mention the last few days!”
“I told you last night you’re the only man I’ve ever been with. What part of that did you not understand?”
“The part where you have a son!” I yell. “Obviously, there had to be someone else. And right after I was with you, if his age is anything to go by.”
Scarlett laughs, a sudden bubble of sarcastic mirth. Her hands come up to cover her mouth as a single tear streaks down her cheek.
“I can’t believe this,” she mutters. This is literally un-fucking-believable.”
“What?” I mutter. “I don’t even care if you never tell me who he is. I’d rather not know. Just go. We’ll spend today going over things with the elders.”
“You really want to get rid of me that badly?”
“No!” I protest. “I’d love for you and Jarrod to stay. These last few days with him have been great, and I’ve enjoyed some of my time with you, too. That’s why I’m doing this, though. I can’t stand to see you so unhappy and constantly faking your contentment. When you pull away from me, I know you’re thinking about someone else, and I don’t want to get in the way of that.”
Scarlett covers her mouth with her hands again, trying to hold in a laugh. Another tear streaks down her cheek, and I don’t know if it’s from joy or grief.
“Rex, I can’t believe I actually have to spell this out, but when I said you’re the only man I’d ever been with, I meant it—with no exceptions.”
“But—”
“Rex!” she barks, not letting me interrupt. “YouareJarrod’s father!”
Her words hit me right in the chest like a barrage of silver bullets. I actually take a step back from her and hang on to the kitchen counter.
What… what the fuck?
I can hear Scarlett’s voice, but my ears are ringing as if I just survived a massive explosion. I also feel shaky and off-balance, like the world is tilting beneath my feet.
“What?” I mutter.
Scarlet comes towards me, grabbing my shoulders and making me look into her eyes. “You are Jarrod’s father!” she says again. “When you ran off and abandoned me, I was pregnant. You left me, and your son, Rex.”
“Scarlett—” I want to deny it, but suddenly, everything falls into place. The way I feel when I look into Jarrod’s pale brown eyes, his sweet smile, and the way his scent speaks to me.
