Page 122 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
I heard the patter of feet coming down the stairs, and moments later, Ro appeared in the kitchen doorway. His hair was tousled, and he rubbed his eyes as he yawned.
“Morning, sleepyhead.” I smiled at him. “Come join us for some waffles.”
Ro sat in the chair next to me, but his usual morning cheer was absent. He stared at his plate, pushing the waffle around with his fork.
“What’s wrong, buddy?” I asked.
“Why is Dad such a bad guy?” he asked. “I don’t understand why he hurt Noah and took me away.”
My heart constricted. I reached out and stroked his hair. “I wish I had all the answers. Sometimes, people do bad things, and it’s not always easy to understand why.”
“But it’s not your fault, Mom.” Ro looked up at me with earnest eyes. “You didn’t make Dad be a bad guy.”
I blinked back tears. Even my own son could see the truth I’d been struggling to accept.
“You’re right, Ro,” I said. “It’s not my fault, and it’s not yours, either. Your dad made his own choices, and we are not responsible for them.”
Ro leaned into my side. I wrapped my arm around him, holding him close.
As we sat there, Sam watching us with a gentle smile, a wave of gratitude washed over me. I might not have all the answers, and the journey ahead would be difficult, but I wasn’t alone. With the love and support of my family, I could face anything that came my way.
After breakfast,I grabbed my purse and headed for the front door. As I opened the door, Ro came running out of the kitchen, his face filled with worry.
“Mom, please don’t go,” he pleaded, clutching my arm. “What if Dad comes and takes you away?”
I knelt down to his level. “Ro, I promise I’ll be careful. I have to go to this appointment, but I won’t let anything happen to me.”
Ro shook his head, his grip on my hand tightening. “It doesn’t matter. Dad’s a bad man. He’ll take you away and hurt you, just like he hurt Noah.”
My throat tightened at the fear in my son’s eyes. I glanced out the window, noticing two men standing near a car parked across the street. For a moment, panic surged through me. HadGeorge sent someone to follow me? The panic receded when I recognized one of them as one of Noah’s shifters.
I waved at him, and he jutted out his chin in return. Turning back to Ro, I pointed out the window. “Look. Noah has some of his shifters watching over us. They’ll make sure nothing bad happens.”
Ro followed my gaze, and some of the tension left his shoulders. “They’ll keep us safe from Dad?”
“They will,” I said. “And the police will be following me, too. I’ll be okay, I promise.”
Ro still looked uncertain, but he let go of my arm. I hugged him tight and kissed the top of his head. “I love you so much,” I said. “I won’t let anything tear our family apart. Not again.”
As I stepped out the door, a mix of emotions swirled within me. The drive to Elaine’s office felt like it took absolutely forever, the heaviness of the secrets I’d kept buried for so long settling heavily on my chest. As I pulled into the parking lot, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what was to come. This was going to suck.
Elaine greeted me with a warm smile as I entered her office, but the concern in her eyes told me she sensed something was different today. I settled onto the couch, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt as I tried to find the right words to begin.
“Zoey, what’s on your mind?” Elaine asked gently, her pen poised over her notepad.
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat. I’d grown so accustomed to hiding the truth and protecting George’s image at the cost of my own well-being. But I couldn’t keep living like this, not if I truly wanted to heal.
“I haven’t been entirely honest with you,” I admitted, staring at the carpet. “About the extent of George’s abuse, the threats he made...”
Elaine leaned forward, her expression one of understanding and encouragement. “It’s okay. This is a safe space. You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.”
Slowly, haltingly, I began to recount the years of torment I’d endured. The bruises I’d hidden beneath long sleeves, the cruel words that had chipped away at my self-esteem. And the promise George had made, the one that still haunted my dreams.
“He said if I ever left him, he’d never let me go. That he’d find me no matter where I went because I belonged to him.” Tears blurred my vision.
Elaine handed me a tissue. “Zoey, what George did to you was not your fault. You didn’t deserve any of it.”
“But I brought his wrath to Boldercrest,” I argued, guilt twisting my insides into a knot. “I put everyone in danger, even my own son. Ro is so traumatized by what happened, he didn’t even want me to leave the house today.”
