Page 38 of Alpha's Redemption

“Do you like it?”

“Love it.”

“Then come on, I want to show you something else,” I tell him excitedly.

“There’s more?” he asks, and I nod, grabbing his hand that’s around my waist and walking to the front doors. I grab two hard hats and drop one on his head. Valarian's, Casey's, and Taylor's voices reach our ears, and Valen squeezes my hand.

“Valarian is here?”

“Yep, the girls picked the kids up on the way over after Dad left. We promised they could help with this part. Valarian asked me last night. They helped me pick out the frames last week,” I tell him, tugging him down the hall.

We stop in the old cafeteria that’s been done up as a huge living area for those that come here. It’s the first place that Valen had done up. It has a kids' play area, three huge dining tables, and on the other side is a huge TV and couches. But the walls had looked bare, so I wanted to do something so it felt more homey.

Valen stops at the double door leading in and gasps. Valarian spins on his heel, noticing his father, and squeals, rushing over excitedly. Valen stares around the enormous room and scoops Valarian up when he rushes over.

“What's wrong, Dad? Don't you like it?” Valarian asks when seeing his father become teary-eyed.

“No, I love it,” he chokes out.

All of Valarie's banners from her protesting days are framed on the walls, along with the blown-up and framed newspaper articles about her efforts to change the city.

On the far wall is another painting I did of Valarie, using the photo of her standing on the cop car, a banner raised above her head which reads, “No Packs, One people”. It takes up an entire wall. This is who Valarie was, and despite Valen not knowing her, he’ll know how many lives his mother changed.

Valen sets Valarian down, and Valarian tugs him over to the wall that’s full of handprints—rogue handprints. Everyone who knew Valarie had put their handprints on the wall and written something about her on each one. Hundreds, showing how many lives she had touched over the years.

Macey and Zoe come over. Macey rests her head on my shoulder and Zoe leans against me.

“She would love this,” Zoe says, and I nod as I watch Valarian point out his handprint; his reads 'My Nana'.

“No, she would ask why we’re dredging up the past and tell us to get back to work,” Macey chuckles, and so do I. She’s right; Valarie was a tough cookie to crack, yet when she did, she crumbled.

Valen stands by the wall reading each one, and I move away from the girls to go over to him. When I touch his back, he looks down at me, tears trekking down his face.

“It's dusty in here,” he grumbles, wiping his cheeks.

“Pretty sure I saw someone cutting onions back there,” Macey states, coming up on his other side and gripping his shoulder. He laughs and tugs me closer, hugging me and kissing the top of my head. Reaching over, he grabs Macey and Zoe to embrace us all.

“Thank you,” he says to all of us.

“You should be proud, Valen. She was an amazing woman. I wish you got to know her as we did, but we’ll always remind you of who she was, and there is no bigger reminder of her than the woman who carries your mark,” Zoe says, and I smile sadly. I feel him nod against my shoulder.

“Fuck, the dust is terrible in here,” Macey mutters, and Valen laughs.

“Fucking terrible,” he agrees. He lets us go and wipes his face, looking around. “This is amazing.”

I couldn't agree more.

My phone beeps in my pocket—the reminder to go to the ultrasound. I pull it out and sigh.

“Want me to take Valarian?” Zoe asks, but I shake my head.

“No, he can come with me,” I tell her. She nods before rushing off to wrangle the kids, and I look at Valen nervously.

“You're still coming with me?” I ask, and he gives me a funny look.

“Of course. You aren't alone this time, Everly. I’ll be right beside you every step of the way,” he says, draping his arm across my shoulders. He tips my chin up to look at him.

“Mine,” he whispers, leaning down and kissing my lips before his hand drops to my stomach. “Ours,” he adds, rubbing my belly. “Don't ever doubt that. I will never leave you to do this on your own, not again, no matter what,” he says, kissing my temple.

---