Page 110 of Alpha's Regret: My Luna Has A Son

I don’t bother answering. Instead, I go looking for Marcus.

“I sent him home,” Valen calls out behind me as if reading my mind.

“You sent him home?”

“Yes, because I hoped you would stay.”

“I don’t want to stay, Valen. I don’t know how I can make it any clearer.”

“You know what your issue is? You are so used to being in control that you can’t let go. You call me OCD, and yet have you looked at yourself?”

“Excuse me? I am nothing like you. I didn’t fucking torture you for years. I sure as hell didn’t ask for your Goddamn help; that boy in there? I raised him on my own while you stuck your dick in every bitch in the city and spent the last few years drunk out of your fucking brain. We are nothing alike,” I spit at him.

“I have apologized. I can’t change it, or believe me, I would. So, stop throwing it in my face every two seconds. I am trying to make this work while all you do is push me away. I know I fucked up, but you could have done more, too; don’t put all the blame on me.”

“Done more? You kicked me off your fucking territory! I tried telling you over the phone, and you laughed at me,” I say, the anger building up inside of me again.

“My private life is far from private, Everly. There were plenty of events in the city where you could have come right up to me with him, and I would have recognized him. Fuck, you could have sent me the DNA tests or court-ordered them! You make out I’m a drunk,” he pauses for a second, appearing to think before he shrugs.

“Well, I was. But I wasn’t drunk every second of every day. I still had obligations to the pack and city. Don’t tell me there was nothing else you could have done. And the reason you didn’t was because that meant you ran the risk of fucking losing him, so don’t put the blame entirely on me! You fucking hate me, I get it, but you also could have found another way. Your hate towards me is why you didn’t.”

I blink at him when Valarian’s voice reaches my ears.

“Mommy?” he murmurs, making Valen spin around to face the hall.

“Why is everyone yelling?”

I go to pick him up when Valen does it before I get the chance.

“Come on, I’ll tuck you back in; you have school in the morning,” Valen whispers to him, kissing his head.

“Stay or don’t. I’m done arguing. My keys are on the counter if you want to leave,” Valen says, walking off with a sleepy Valarian in his arms. I can hear him murmuring to him before I turn around and walk into the kitchen to look for his keys. I snatch them up, intending to leave, when I stop, hearing Valarian crying in his room.

Moving down the hall, I stop near his door, listening to Valen try to calm him and wondering if I should intervene.

“I don’t want to stay if mommy can’t. Does she think I don’t want her because I want to stay here? You don’t have to make her leave,” Valarian sobs. My heart clenches at his words. Does he think I blame him or his father? I’m the one trying to leave. I start to walk in when Valen’s voice stops me.

“Your mother is angry with me, not you. She’ll come back. Daddy did the wrong thing, that’s all.”

“But she’s leaving and not taking me with her. Why won’t she stay?”

“Do you want me to take you home?” Valen asks him.

“But I want her to stay here, too.”

I peek in the door to see Valen rubbing his face.

“I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him before Valen no doubt tries to retake the blame.

Maybe he’s right. Perhaps I could have done more. Or perhaps it’s the bond making me think that? Or the fact that Valarian is upset. Although, I did always notice when events were held in the city. We made sure not to organize hotel events on the same weekends. He wasn’t wrong about that part; he was involved in many events where I could have approached him. As I move into the room, Valen looks at me before looking at Valarian. “See, she’s right here.”

“And you’ll stay?” Valarian asks. I glance at his father before nodding.

“I’ll stay; I just need to call Auntie Zoe. I’ll be here when you wake up,” I tell him. Quickly, leaning down, I peck his cheek. “Now go to sleep. It’s late.”

Valarian snuggles underneath his blanket, and I watch as his father gives him a kiss before I walk out of the room.

I walk into the living room and sit on the couch, pinching the bridge of my nose. Valen is still in Valarian’s room, and I message Zoe to see if she’s still up. I wait for a reply, but I figure she must be asleep when I don’t get one. I will tell her tomorrow. It probably wasn’t a good idea to tell her over the phone, plus I knew she wouldn’t sleep once I told her.

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