Page 21 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
“Yeah, I know. It’s not the right time for... all this,” I said, gesturing vaguely with my hand.
“Then let it be,” Ky said, his voice firm yet not unkind. “She doesn’t need a guy chasing after her right now.”
“Chasing?” I shook my head, frustration seeping into my voice. “No, not chasing. I can’t just switch off how I feel, man. She’s my fated mate.”
Ky raised an eyebrow, but didn’t press further. He knew better than to argue when it came to matters of the wolf.
“Patience is a virtue. Remember that,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Patience has never been my strong suit,” I grumbled, turning my attention back to the ring. “But for Zoey, I’ll try.When she’s ready, I want her to see me as someone she can trust. Someone who can protect her and be there for her son, too.”
“Good. Just don’t rush it, Noah. Give her the space she needs.”
With another nod, I stepped toward the ring, the resolve settling deep within me. Zoey would have the time she needed, and I’d be ready whenever she was.
6
ZOEY
Itook the folder of documents out of my backpack and double-checked that I’d taken all the necessary paperwork: Roland’s birth certificates, immunization records, and homeschooling documents—everything he’d need to start a new school.
Roland had never been to an actual school. George had forbidden even that small freedom, making me all the more determined that we wouldn’t go back.
I carried the folder down to the kitchen. Even though school had let out for the summer, I wanted to be ready. Since we’d arrived in Boldercrest, I’d considered simply continuing the homeschooling. It would be safer, wouldn’t it? To keep him off-grid and out of sight of...
No,I thought, shaking my head sharply. George had kept us isolated and controlled. He’d already stolen so much of Roland’s childhood. My son deserved friends, laughter, normalcy. Not fear.
I’ve got to stop letting George dictate our lives.
With that thought, I put a reminder in my phone to contact the school about enrolling him. We were going to move on and get out from under this cloud of fear.
“I’m bored,” Roland whined.
“Is that so?” I asked, trying to keep the edge of anxiety from my tone as I tucked the folder under my arm.
“Can we go to the park?” he asked, bouncing on his toes. “The one with the splash pad? It looked like fun when we drove past.”
I hesitated. The park would be full of people. Who knew who might be there? Someone might know George, might recognize me if he’d sent out pictures.
I cleared my throat. “You don’t have any swimming trunks, Ro.”
“We could get some?” His suggestion was innocent enough, but the thought of walking into a store full of strangers made my body hot. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck.
“Maybe,” I said, surprising even myself. I had to be strong for Roland. He needed this. Had I not just been reminding myself of the importance of maintaining normalcy? “Let me think about it for a minute.”
As he skipped away, satisfied with the noncommittal answer, I took a deep breath. With Heather and Sam both at work, it would just be me and Roland. It wasn’t fair to keep my son confined at home when he should be able to play in the park with kids his own age.
After years of having every decision made for me, right down to what clothes I wore, it was a challenge. Being able to go to a store or a park without a guard was almost too much to handle, but I was determined to push through. Ihadto do this. I had to prove to myself I had the courage of my own convictions.
“All right, Ro, let’s do this,” I called out, sounding braver than I felt. Decision made, a burst of exhilaration coursed through myveins. This was just one more step on the path to freedom I was forging.
“Really?” Roland peeked back into the room, his smile infectious.
“Really,” I said, ignoring my clammy palms. “But first, we need to stop by the store to get you some swimming trunks.”
His cheer made the knot of nerves in my gut worth it. Working together, we assembled a simple picnic of sandwiches and some chopped fruit and vegetables. I added a few bottles of water, a towel, and some sunscreen, then we were all set to head out.
As I locked the door behind us, I allowed myself to believe this marked a new chapter for us. That maybe, just maybe, we could do this, step by step, and reclaim our lives.
