Page 84 of Alpha's Redemption

“But the Goddess,” Zoe whimpers.

“The Goddess will understand. The Goddess would give you the right to choose. And no choice is wrong. Everyone's situation is different and no one is judging. This isn't a judgment. You won't be judged for doing what you want to do,” I tell her. Zoe seems unsure, yet I can tell she doesn't want to potentially carry her rapist's child.

“Choice. There is a reason the Goddess grants it. The only ones getting condemnation are those taking another's choice. Your body, your life. No one gets to tell you what you do with it. And no one has a right to judge your choice. They aren't the ones that have to live with it,” I tell her, and Zoe nods.

“I don’t want to–… I can’t carry–…” She shakes her head.

My judgment and beliefs suddenly shift.

This is one of many circumstances where one should have the right to choose. This is not the work of any goddess, nor would any goddess punish someone for aborting a few cells. Now I understand why she gave us a choice. Why we get to choose. If all our stories were the same, why would our opinions on it be so different? If she wanted us all the same, why would situations be so different? Why are our fates different?

No one chooses this for themselves. Just like no one chooses poverty. Those that can’t bear to bring a child into the world due to life circumstances—like poverty or rape—aren’t heartless, they want to stop any future child from having to live with the torments or consequences of whatever existence they may face.

Options and choice.

Not all choices are made the same. And no one's choices should be judged when it comes to their own life or a life they would have to bring into the world—especially a life that would only know pain or judgment. No child should be forced into a world this way.

I hold the pills out for her and she looks at Marcus. He adds no input, letting her decide—the decision is her and hers alone.

She chooses.

She chooses to let the suffering end.

There is no right or wrong decision—it’s not my life and not my place to judge, though it's the same decision I would have made.

Marcus hugs her tight as she hands the little cup back to me empty. I set it down and she lets out a breath. Marcus rests his head against the wall and Zoe looks at Valen.

“Micah is helping Carter,” she whispers and Marcus growls. Valen crouches down next to her.

“I know. We’ll get him,” he promises her and she nods, wiping a stray tear before she looks at me just as Doc walks in. He nods his head, tossing the small cup in the bin.

“Can you tell us anything about where you were kept?” Valen asks her. She sniffles but answers.

“The old tunnels under the city. He was talking about getting vengeance for–” She looks at me. “He wants revenge on your father. I overheard him. He wants Valen to stand down as Alpha,” she shakes her head like she’s trying to remember something.

“He needs Valen to leave the city, so he can get–” Her eyes widen and she looks at me. “To kill you and Valarian! To get revenge on your father, he… I can't remember,” she rubs her temples and Valen growls.

“The council will be here by tomorrow, but I bet Carter has moved. He wouldn't have stayed there after handing Zoe back,” he says, looking at me.

I’m still stuck on what this had to do with my father. “My father? That’s who said he wants to get revenge on?”

Zoe nods.

“So not Valen and me? But my father?” I ask. Hadn’t Carter's father caused my family enough pain?

“Might have something to do with Rachel?” Doc says. I turn to look at him and so does Valen.

“Why does that name ring a bell for me?” Valen mutters.

“Nixon’s first wife, the one Carter’s mother killed. Rachel was close with your mother, Alpha,” Doc says with a shrug.

“But what’s that got to do with my father? She turned forsaken,” I told him.

“No idea. But there was a lot of speculation around that time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I knew Leah, I was her doctor when she was pregnant with her twins—I was sworn to keep quiet. So many conspiracies around that time and everything was swept under the rug, but even I heard about the rumors when Leah disappeared.”

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