Page 97 of Stalked By the Alphas
He spins me around and glares at me with steel blue eyes that have never seen any warmth or light.
“Excuse me,” he snaps. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“To one of the arseholes who made Hazel disappear from our lives.”
His eyes narrow as my mother sidles up, her face pinched. I can see it now. The disdain they have for her.
“That omega is not worthy of you, Carter,” she says. “When will you realise it and let her go? There are so many eligible omegas waiting for a chance with you. Forget about that girl and focus on your future.”
“Never. Hazel is my future. Our future. And I won’t let you or anyone else dictate who I choose to love.”
My father’s expression turns dark. “You are being ridiculous. After everything we’ve done for you, this is how you repay us? By throwing your life away on some common omega?”
“Common?” I laugh bitterly. “Hazel is anything but common. She’s extraordinary, and if you weren’t so blinded by your prejudice, you’d see that.”
“Darling,” Mum says, “we only want what’s best for you. Think of your career, your reputation. An omega like her will only hold you back.”
I take a deep breath, trying to control my anger. “No. You only want what’s best for yourselves. Your precious reputation. Your social standing. Well, I’m done living my life to please you.”
Dad growls at me again. “If you don’t forget this silly escapade and come home right now, you can forget about ever stepping foot back at Richmond & Associates and don’t even think about crawling back home when this all goes to shit, and mark my words, Carter. It will all go to shit.”
I stare at my father, his threat hanging heavy in the air between us. For a moment, I’m tempted to cave, to fall back into the familiar pattern of obedience and compliance that’s been drilled into me since childhood. But then I think of Hazel - her smile, her laugh, the way she challenges me and makes me want to be better. I think about how we’ve hurt her and need to make it up to her, and that means more to me than anything else.
“Is that supposed to be a threat?” I ask. “Because from where I’m standing, it sounds like freedom.”
My mother gasps. “Carter, don’t be hasty. Your father doesn’t mean?—”
“Oh, I think he does,” I cut her off. “And you know what? I don’t care. I don’t need your money, your connections, or your approval. I have everything I need right here.”
Dad’s expression turns even more furious, if that were possible. “You ungrateful little shit. After everything we’ve done for you?—”
“You’ve done nothing but try to control me,” I interrupt,surprising myself with my boldness. He, they, are the two people that I have never been able to stand up to in my entire twenty-five years. Every other fucker I can wipe the floor with them, but these two… I shake my head, feeling the weight of expectation lift from my shoulders and drift away into the humid air. “I’m done being controlled. I’m done living up to your impossible standards. I’m going to fight for Hazel, with or without your blessing and when we succeed, when we build the life and the family we’ve always dreamed of, don’t you dare try to worm your way back in. You are dead to me.”
With that, I turn on my heel and walk away, ignoring their calls behind me. My heart is pounding, but for the first time in years, I feel truly free.
As I enter the hotel, I spot Noah in the lobby, his expression concerned as he takes in my agitated state.
“What happened out there?” he asks as I approach.
“I just told my parents to go to hell.”
Noah raises an eyebrow. “Nice. So I guess that means lawyer you is retired.”
“For now. Maybe I can open a small practice here, assuming Hazel ever forgives us. In the meantime, Dad doesn’t know I’ve been squirrelling away large chunks of my trust. His first call will be to the bank to cut me off, but…” I grin.
“Nice. Always thinking ahead.” He claps me on the shoulder. “Good for you, man. It’s about time you stood up to them.”
We head towards the lift, and he taps the package. “What’s that?”
“Something for Hazel.”
“Not sharing?”
“Not got any ideas for your own penance?”
He snorts. “Ouch. Okay, okay, I hear you.”
We head up to our rooms in silence, both lost in thought about our meetings with Hazel. As we reach our floor, Noah pauses.
