Page 42 of Edward’s Bunny

“What do you mean?” Brian asked softly. “Hayden seemed to have come out alright.”

“I wish I could take credit for that. That was all my dad, Hayden’s grandpa Freddie. I was so lost when Hayden’s mother died,” I said quietly.

“I heard that Hayden only recently found out that Trudy was his stepmom,” Brian said.

I nodded. “Yeah, I was so stupid after Ellen died. I was so lost.”

“You don’t have to tell me this if you don’t want. We can change the subject if it’s too difficult.”

“No, it’s okay. We’re mates. You should know this,” I replied.

“Okay, but if you decide you don’t, I’ll be okay with that.”

“Thanks, Bunny.”

I felt Brian’s glare before the words, “I'll let it slide as long as it’s not in public. I have an image to uphold.”

I smiled. “I can live with that compromise.”

We were quiet for a moment, and I organized my thoughts. “I was in college when I met Hayden’s mom, Ellen. She had a huge personality, and she blew me away. We fell in love, and for a time, I thought she was my mate.”

“Was she? I mean, do we get two?” Brian asked.

I shook my head. “No. As much as I loved her, the connection with her was not like what I have with you. There was no thinking you could be my mate. I knew that I knew, that I knew. If that makes sense?”

“It does. I had that realization yesterday. The fact that you are my mate, no matter bonding or not.”

“That’s it. That’s the feeling. I never had that with Ellen. It doesn’t mean I didn’t love her. It was just different.”

“I get it, Eddie.”

I jerked my gaze to Brian, and his grin was massive. I narrowed my eyes. “I'll allow it, but like ‘bunny’, not in public.”

Brian laughed and nodded his head rapidly.

“Anyway, Ellen and I got married, and she got pregnant with twins.”

“Wait, I thought Vanessa was a few years younger than Hayden?”

“She is. She’s Hayden’s half-sister. I had her with Trudy. Hayden had a brother Holden. He died the same day as Ellen.” I took a deep breath and blinked, furiously fighting off tears. A soft touch drew my attention. Brian had clasped my hand.

“I’m okay.” I pulled into the parking lot and said, “Let me park and finish my story. I want you to know this. Then we can have a lighter evening,” I said.

“Okay. If you want to tell me, I’m here.”

I found an empty spot and turned off the engine before I turned to face Brian. I took a deep breath and continued. “We’d got married, and Ellen was pregnant. We moved back down to Florida, and I introduced her to the pride. It was an interesting integration. She was human, but she accepted my lion and pride. Her personality quickly won them over, and everyone loved her.”

I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. “When she was seven months along, I’d gotten called into a work emergency, and when I got home, I found her. The baby dresser had fallen on her.”

I swallowed as I remembered the events. It was the worse feeling in the world to see the woman I loved unconscious on the floor. “She died in the hospital shortly after. They managed to deliver Holden and Hayden. Holden’s injuries were too severe. He passed two hours after his mother.”

Brian’s sniffle caused me to lift my head. He reached over to the center console and wrapped his arms around my neck. “I’m so sorry, Edward.”

We stayed joined in the hug and allowed the warmth of Brian’s touch to comfort me. It’d been so long ago, but it still felt so raw. Probably because you never really dealt with it, I thought to myself.

I eased back, and Brian sat back in his seat.

“Thank you. I needed that hug.”

---