Page 85 of Caged Between the Beta & Alpha
“Good, life’s short,” I murmured, thinking with each passing day, Liam’s time was running out.
“Yeah. I know I’ll forgive him sooner or later. He did that when he was a stupid eighteen-year-old, and we both know that crap happens,” Taylor said.
“Tell me about it. I’ve been a dumb eighteen-year-old,” I mumbled, tugging at the hem of my dress. “But I’m glad you are going to work on it.”
“Yeah… when I’m ready. Right now… I’m pissed,” Taylor said, sounding adorably cute. Taylor was just one of those people who couldn’t stay mad at anyone for long.
“And you should be,” I said, giving him a small smile.
“What about you? What’s happening? I know people at the packhouse are being assholes,” Taylor said sympathetically.
“So, you’ve heard, huh?” I said, making folds in my dress. Taylor reached over and gave my arm a squeeze.
“Hey... I’m here if you want to talk about it. I don’t know why you aren’t telling people, but he’s your mate, isn’t he?”
I gave him a small smile. How do I tell him I didn’t know what to do? How the fact that I have two mates was hard? How do I explain that I didn’t know how to balance this when both my mates were so different? Our relationships were so different? I just felt like I was lost in the middle of conflict with everyone giving me different advice.
I felt guilty for favouring Liam. How I forgot Damon when I was with Liam. Yet when I was with Damon, I felt guilty towards Liam. Then there was Damon telling me to make it work with Liam first, then Aunty Red saying to be equal or decide what I wanted. Not to mention Al’s ultimatum that this would not work and I would have to pick one.
I really wanted to go bang my head against a wall.
“I know you are… I just don’t even know what I need to do. Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay. Do you want me to come over tonight? We can binge watch some comedy movies or whatever you want and get some takeout?” I suggested. His face lit up with a beautiful smile, and he nodded.
“I’d like that.”
“Then it’s a date!” I said, getting up. I hadn’t really told Taylor the full deal between Liam, Damon, and me but I think tonight I will.
“Anything new with your dad?” Taylor asked, his smile vanishing. I looked at him and shook my head, wondering if people realised something happened after Damon took him away.
“No. I haven’t spoken to him,” I murmured, looking at the picture of Cher on his wall.
“Yeah… well, whenever you’re ready,” he said sympathetically. I nodded, thinking I was ready now.
“Well, I’m going to go face the music,” I said, giving him a wave. He followed me out of his room and down the steps. I could see his mum was mixing something in the kitchen through the open archway. “Bye, Mama Dee!”
“Bye, Raven!” She called back.
I smiled at Taylor before I walked across the garden and jumped over the fence. Taylor watched me, giving me a final thumbs-up before closing the door when I rang the doorbell of my parents’ house – a place that used to fill me with dread when I had to return here at the end of a long day.
The door opened and Mom stood there; to my surprise she looked a mess. Her eyes were puffy, and her hair had not been combed.
“So, you finally show your face?” She said to me bitterly. I frowned, stepping inside and shutting the door behind me.
“After Dad kicked me out, did you expect me to just come back?” I asked. She shook her head, turning away and clutching the wall as if she had no energy. I sighed, tugging at the skirt of my dress again. “Look, I haven’t come to argue. Where’s Dad? There are a few things I need to talk about with both of you.” I wanted to get this off my chest and then get out of there.
“You got your dad thrown into the cells! Are you mocking us by coming here and pretending you don’t know?” She shouted, her eyes flashing yellow as she glared at me. My heart skipped a beat as her words echoed in my head.Cells?
“I… I didn’t know. That night-”
“You have only ever hurt your dad, Raven. I know you don’t mean to, but look where you have got him! He never wanted you near Renji, yet you went and visited his grave! What did you expect? That he wouldn’t get angry?” Mom cried, breaking into sobs.
My heart clenched in pain. The urge to simply stay quiet was there, but no, not this time. I came here to give my input, and I was not going to stay quiet like normal.
“So, you’re saying I’m the reason Dad is in the cells? Actually, Mom, I’m not. He’s there because he deserves to be there. I have done nothing to him. All I ever wanted was for him to notice me, to be proud of me, and to love me, but he never did,” I said, desperation seeping into my voice. Was I really the crazy one that was in the wrong?
“I can’t even mind-link him! They are probably injecting him with silver or wolfsbane! I feel his pain! You don’t know what he’s going through. Above all, losing Renji-”
“Hurt! I know! I didn’t even know he existed, and it hurts me, too! I visited his grave because I wanted to know my brother! What did I do so wrong that dad hates me so much? I am his daughter too! Is it just because I was too weak to give my brother a bone marrow match?” I said, feeling defeated.
