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.

I am, and

thinks I took from

together and against me

I reach the doorway, I hear James greet

know you were coming home,” he says, and

pause just inside the doorway where they can’t hear

listen in.

could I not come home? I heard about what happened

in

soon as I heard. Aaron was the

my mate.

the funeral.”

waiting to hear what James says in

response to that.

make my stomach tighten with an old, familiar churn of jealousy and

the right to claim Aaron was the love of her

life.

knows what real love even feels

soul–deep connection that Aaron and I shared was

I came

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

of the packs and running the businesses.

can only hope she’ll go back to wherever she was once the funeral is over.

get the

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

James put together while Aaron and

room across from Aaron’s bedroom, and I have to

did a wonderful

a comfortable recliner/rocker chair to sit in

I

arms, fussing

smile and feel grateful for this small slice of quiet and peace

like they are, so I want to make sure I treasure the

as the bottle empties and Ethan starts lulling off to sleep, my mind starts