Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 289

LEAH

I’m sitting in our bed, reading a book to Ethan, who is drifting off to sleep after just finishing a bottle, when Aaron slips into the room.

He looks weary, like the weight of the world is sitting on his shoulders, as he comes over and stretches out on the bed next to us, trailing his fingers over Ethan’s soft curls.

“How did things go with Emily?” I ask, even though I can tell they probably didn’t go well.

“It’s worse than I thought,” Aaron replies in a heavy voice. “I’m worried she might never recover from this. We still might lose her, if she can’t take it anymore and goes rogue.”

Guilt for the part my family played in this-in destroying an innocent girl’s life-is like acid in my veins.

“Aaron, I’m so sorry,” I tell him, the words desperate and heartfelt.

“I know,” Aaron says with a quick smile. “But it’s not your fault, Leah. You can’t be held responsible for the actions of your

Brother and father.”

Aaron’s words might be true-and I’m grateful to hear them- but it doesn’t make me feel any less guilty.

“Maybe there’s something I can do to help,” I offer. “Maybe I can talk to her-”

But Aaron quickly shakes his head.

“Yeah…that’s not a good idea right now, Leah. In time, yes, I want you both to get along, maybe even become friends for the sake of Ethan, our family and the larger pack. But right now, Emily can’t see past her hatred toward you for what your father did to her.”

for a moment, an expression of

imagine what those ba tards subjected her to. I don’t know if I can hear it without losing it to the rage already festering inside me. I’ve told her she needs to start seeing the pack therapist, but eventually

reach over and

don’t want to think about what terrible things my father and brother might

was impossible,

would hurt an innocent

simply

now I

devices?” I ask, wondering if I dare approach Jessica and ask her to keep

has so much on his plate, especially now that

seems keeping the peace in the pack and looking after its members is the least I can do for him. And it is

since she returned, she’s

not sure what she did while she was away, but it seems to have changed her

in charge of watching out for her,” Aaron says. “Same

that’s a good idea,”

against James following me everywhere, always checking

was when I thought he hated

he was there through the good times and the bad times, even when

eventually, he’d become one of the

My best friend.

same can be

think so,” Aaron said with an amused look. “Because Emily

I say confidently, even though I’m not actually

it’s what Aaron

is what I hope for my