Page 183 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
He sighed heavily and sank down into his leather chair. “I see.”
I remained standing, looking down at him. “Why’d you do it, Dad? Why go behind my back like that?”
My father gazed out the window. “When you left the pack to pursue boxing, it was hard for me to connect with you. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in you, but it felt like you wanted to get away from me.”
I swallowed hard, the words hitting me like a punch to the gut. He wasn’t entirely wrong.
“I noticed when you first became distant,” he continued. “Eventually, it got to the point where I felt you had distanced yourself so much that you didn’t even want me around. So, I kept my distance, too. But I always believed in you, son.”
My throat constricted, making it difficult to speak. “If you believed in me, then why did you want me to give up the gym?” My voice came out more choked than I intended. “You have golf as an outlet. What’s the difference? Okay, apart from one using a stick to hit a ball and the other using a fist to hit a face. Small difference, right?”
A flicker of regret crossed his face. “I was concerned that you wouldn’t be able to focus on the pack the way they needed you to if your attention was divided between the gym and training. But I was wrong. I’ve heard nothing but compliments from the pack members about how well you’re doing as alpha.” He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Change is difficult. I’m used to things being done my way, and it was hard for me to admit that some of your ideas were better than mine. Noah, I’m sorry for the years we didn’t speak and that I didn’t reach out to mend our relationship.” My father looked me directly in the eyes, his gaze intense. “But mostly, I need you to know that not once have I ever felt your brother was more important than you. I didn’t love him more. I know I’m not the emotional type, but I love you. And I’m sorry you spent so many years believing I didn’t.”
I cleared my throat. “I wish you had told me all this sooner. My career would have been so much better if you had been there to support me.”
My father nodded. “Your mom went to a few of your fights. It always hurt a bit that I wasn’t there, didn’t it?”
I couldn’t bring myself to respond, the memories of searching the crowd for his face and finding only empty seats still fresh in my mind.
He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I can’t change the past, but I hope for a better future between us.” He paused, seeming to gather his thoughts. “I did come to one of your bouts early in your career. When I saw the other guy whaling on you, the alpha and father in me wanted to jump into the ring and stop you from getting hurt. I couldn’t bear seeing you like that. It was easier to watch on a screen.”
I smirked. “And you always bet on the winner, right?”
My father chuckled. “Of course I did. I always believed in you, even if I didn’t show it the way I should have.”
The tension in my chest eased, replaced by a growing sense of understanding. It wasn’t perfect, and we still had a long way to go, but for the first time in years, I felt like my father and I were on the same page. It was a start, and that was more than I’d hoped for when I walked through the door.
We were still hugging it out when my mom got home. The moment she saw us, tears streamed down her face. My father and I exchanged a knowing glance and rolled our eyes in unison, but we opened our arms, inviting her to join the embrace. As she wrapped her arms around us, I realized just how much I needed this moment—this connection with my family that I’d been missing for far too long.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for so long,” she whispered.
I squeezed them both a little tighter, letting the warmth of their love surround me. “Me too. Me too.”
We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other as the years of hurt and misunderstanding melted away. When we finally pulled back, I felt lighter than I had in ages. It felt like a mountain had been lifted from my shoulders.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I excused myself to take the call. It was Leon, and he wasted no time giving me an update on his search for George.
“I got my hands on his bank records,” he said confidently. “I’m going to track his transactions and get back to you as soon as I know more.”
“That’s great news, Leon. I really appreciate the work you’re putting in on this.”
“Don’t mention it,” he replied. “It’s what I do. I’ll be in touch soon.”
I hung up. His update gave me hope that we were getting closer to finding George and putting an end to this nightmare.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. My heart leapt into my throat. Zoey. Ro. Had something happened to them? I rushed to answer it, bracing myself for the worst.
But it was Lance standing there. “Alpha.” He inclined his head.
“Lance, what is it? Is it Zoey? Ro? Are they okay?”
Lance held up a hand. “They’re fine. I’m here about something else.”
My breath rushed out of me in relief. “Okay, come in. What’s going on?”
Lance stepped inside, his brow furrowed. He seemed nervous, unsure of how to begin. “I’ve discovered who was helping George.”
My eyes widened. This was the break we’d been waiting for. “Who is it?”
