Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 267

LEAH

I don’t know why I’m surprised to find out Emily and Jessica were best friends, considering Aaron and James are equally close, and they all grew up together.

I climb slowly out of the SUV and then walk around to join James.

“Did you know she was coming home?” I ask him, trying to

keep the accusation out of my voice.

He knows how contentious things have been between me and Jessica over the years, with Aaron firmly in the middle. The least he could have done was given me a heads up.

“No, I didn’t know,” James says, shaking his head.

I can tell he’s being truthful, so that alleviates some of my annoyance at least.

Aaron had mentioned that Jessica had taken an extended vacation and gone to stay with some relatives in another pack somewhere–at his expense of course–and it’d been easy to put her from my mind and simply believe she might never

come back.

Her timing, however, couldn’t have been worse.

I don’t want to have to deal with her and all that petty rivalry right now with everything else going on.

Eventually, Emily and Jessica are over the shock of their

unexpected reunion and I slowly walk toward the mansion, debating whether I should ask Jessica why she’s come back.

As I get closer, her eyes narrow, and that pretty much seals

the deal for me.

Jessica and her nastiness are not worth my time or energy right now.

I ignore her and keep walking, but I can hear her and Emily whispering between themselves, and know they’re talking

about me.

for who I am, and Jessica hates

thinks I took from

is no way in which having them together

reach the doorway, I hear James greet

were

pause just inside the doorway where they can’t hear me to

listen in.

home? I heard

Aaron. Basically, every wolf in Montana is talking about

as

should have been my mate. I

the funeral.”

not waiting to hear what James says in

response to that.

words make my stomach tighten with an

have the right to claim Aaron was the love of

life.

knows what real love

of soul–deep connection that Aaron and I shared was nothing

came along.

and grounds, acting like she’s the widow and her whole life is over while I do the real work of looking after Aaron’s

welfare of the packs and running the businesses.

go back to wherever she was once the funeral

get the feeling hoping Jessica will leave might be wishful thinking.

find Ethan with Tera. As I’d hoped, it’s time for his

in the new nursery that James put together while Aaron and I were being

in a room across from Aaron’s bedroom,

a wonderful job.

chair to sit in

I sink

arms, fussing for his bottle.

and feel grateful for this small slice of quiet and

complicated like they are, so I want to make sure I treasure the times when its just me

empties and Ethan starts lulling off to sleep, my mind starts going back to