by Olivia Arran
“What are you talking about?” David interjected, a frown on his face.
I held up a hand. “No disrespect, but I don’t think—”
“I told him about Mom. I had to, so I could explain why I’d run away and hid Maisie from him and it all came out. I’m sorry, Dad.”
Shock was painted on David’s face. “That’s why you ran from your mate? I always thought it was because he had to be an asshole.”
I choked back a growl, turning it into a cough.
David glanced at me, his lips twisted in a smirk. “I’d never met you, and my girl came home pregnant and alone, not wanting to talk about it. What would you have thought?”
I tilted my head, conceding his point.
“Honey, why on earth would your mother make you abandon your mate? Choose to raise your child on your own?” David’s voice was gentle, reminding me that once Chloe had been his little girl, just like Maisie was mine.
“I found her journals, Dad. I know what happened to her.”
He sucked in a breath, his face paling.
Chloe hurried on, stumbling over her words in an effort to get them out. “I don’t blame you, Dad. I never did. But I thought—I was scared—she sounded so like me in the beginning, and then she changed…”
“She did change. Because of the tumor.”
“Tumor?”
A shudder of pain ran through him and he gently lifted Maisie from his lap, depositing her carefully on the couch. Waiting a moment to make sure she had settled, he then rose to his feet. “She didn’t want anyone to know. She thought it would paint her as a target and put the pack in a position of weakness. And then it was too late to admit the truth. The tumor had altered her memories, destroyed her ability to form new ones and she couldn’t remember the diagnosis. Every time I mentioned it she called me a liar. It was easier to let her live on in blissful ignorance rather than fight all the time. I loved my mate, I wanted her to be happy. So I lied for her, to her.” His back bowed, his head sagging forward. “You were so young. You wouldn’t have understood the truth, and then later? What difference would it have made? You’d lost your mom, and nothing I could have said would bring her back.”
“She killed herself!”
He staggered back, his skin gray. “You were never meant to know. Nobody knew.”
Chloe reached for him, laying a hand on his arm. I could see her thoughts flitting over her face as she pieced everything together. “You covered for her. Her mood swings, her outbursts, her depression.”
David nodded, his throat working as he swallowed back the grief. “She deserved to be remembered as she was, not who she became.”
“And to her it felt like you were smothering her.” I voiced what I knew Chloe must be thinking. Everything her father had done had been done in love, and her mother’s recollection of events were twisted by the disease.
“I had to. She was in so much pain, so confused all the time. I took it away through the alpha bond.” There was no guilt, no recriminations. He had accepted what he’d had to do a long time ago and had come to terms with it. And I didn’t blame him. I would do anything for Chloe. If she was in pain? Yeah, I’d do the same.
“I wish you’d told me.” My mate’s voice was small, barely above a whisper.
“So do I. Especially knowing what I know now.”
David held his arms out, and Chloe didn’t hesitate. She threw herself into them with a sob.
“You’ve been so brave, wondering and dealing with all this and not knowing why,” he murmured, smoothing back her hair and revealing a tear-streaked face.
“I’m sorry about Mom.”
“I know. She’s watching over you and I know she’ll be happy with this mating. She always said that you’d need a man who could stand up to you. An alpha of your own.”
“She did?” Chloe’s voice broke, another sob tearing from her chest, but this time a smile was on her face.
“She did. Welcome to the pack, Angel.”
“Uh, yeah. About that…”
“Oh, yes. You were saying something about not wanting to join our pack? You’re the beta—you’ve already joined.”
I grunted. “That wasn’t real.”
“I’m the alpha. It was real,” David snapped back.
“Hey, hang on a minute.”
Chloe placed a hand on my chest, right above my thundering heart. “Why don’t you want to stay? This wouldn’t be the same, Gabriel. You wouldn’t have to leave.”
“I like my job,” I blurted out.
“Okay?” Her reply was drawn out, ending in a question.
“And I don’t want to be alpha.” Just the thought of taking that away from Chloe made my skin itch and stomach churn.
“Who said you’d be alpha?”
My head whipped up at David’s retort. “I just thought—”
“Chloe will be alpha, and you will be her beta.”
“Me?” Chloe’s voice was stunned.
A slow grin lifted my lips, everything suddenly right in the world. “But it’ll be a while before she needs to take over, right?”
She spun around. “You’d do that? Be my second? It wouldn’t bother you?”
“Why would it?” I honestly didn’t get the question. She was my mate. I’d do anything for her. Especially if it involved making sure people paid attention when she spoke and dealing with idiots that got out of hand. In fact, the idea was growing on me.
She turned back to her father, a determined glint in her eye. “Then I’ll share the role. We’ll be an alpha pair. That’s what Macey and Jason are, aren’t they?”
“Perfect. And don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” David’s agreement rang in my ears, a little too quick for my liking. But I consoled myself with his promise of a long life.
“So, we’ll split our time between the pack and the city. It will be good for Maisie, I think.”
I had a funny feeling I was getting railroaded, but couldn’t work up the energy to care. I was way too happy. “Sounds good to me. Are you sure you don’t mind living with a team of alpha wolves? Some of them can be assholes,” I warned her, only half-joking.
“You think I’m letting you out of my sight?” she murmured, stroking a hand down my chest. “And anyway, I can be an alpha asshole too.”
Epilogue
A few days later…
“Wow! I like it!” Chloe’s head hadn’t stopped spinning since we’d arrived at the team headquarters, the place I had called home for the last six months or so.
Maisie ran ahead of us, her blonde head ducking into every room, squeals of delight echoing through the high foyer.
“Where is everyone?” Chloe whispered, darting me a nervous look as if she expected everyone to leap out of the woodwork.
Dropping the last of the bags to the floor with a thud, I couldn’t help but smile. “Out on assignment, probably. Which is good. It gives you time to settle in and get a feel for the place.”
“Will you be going out on assignment?” It was an innocent question, but I could see the worry crowding into her eyes.
“Not for a while. I’ve requested some time off.”
A sigh of relief escaped her as she wrapped her arms around my waist. “Time off, hmm?”
“Uh-huh,” I murmured, bending down to nip at her neck. I couldn’t get enough of her. Our waking hours might be filled with Maisie, but every spare second we got we were ripping each other’s clothes off with what might be described as alarming violence. If you weren’t a wolf shifter, that is.
“Momma? Daddy? Where’s my bedroom?”
I still got a thrill every time I heard my new name on Maisie’s lips. I was also putting my utmost effort into creating a new little someone to call me the same.
“Second floor.” I gestured toward the sweeping staircase, grabbing her little bag. Pink, of course.
“How many floors are there? Are there any other kids? Where will I go to school? Do you have any friends? Where is…” Mouth goi
ng a mile a minute, she raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
Chloe burst out laughing at my pained expression. “I’ve heard it only gets worse,” she murmured, then raced off to catch up with her daughter.
Watching her gorgeous ass disappear up the stairs, I mentally counted to ten. Just enough time to convince my cock that it wasn’t the right time to come out to play.
That would be later.
For now, it was family time.
I wasn’t really counting the hours. Okay, maybe I was. Just a little bit.
Chloe paused on the top step, throwing me a wink that spoke volumes.
And the best thing? I knew my mate couldn’t wait, either.
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From the Author
Thank you for purchasing Sentinel: Alpha Protectors. It's your support that allows me to continue doing something that I love every day. If you liked the story, please consider leaving a review so more people can find and enjoy my books.
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Olivia
About Olivia Arran
Olivia has been an avid reader since childhood, devouring page after page by torchlight, hidden under the covers in her bed. As an adult, she still reads voraciously but also enjoys penning her own tales of romance. Steamy, paranormal, strong alpha heroes, feisty heroines – Olivia writes what she likes to read, and hopes you like it too!
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