Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 294

EMILY

The following night, I find myself standing in front of a full-length mirror, glaring at the reflection of me wearing a silver, floor-length silky gown that no doubt cost a small fortune.

When I was younger-before I was taken-I used to love nothing more than picking out expensive couture dresses, spending pampered hours getting my hair, nails and makeup. done for a party just like this one.

I would have loved being the center of attention. I would have loved being all sparkly and frivolous, as I danced and laughed the night away without a care in the world.

That girl doesn’t exist any longer.

That girl was kidnapped, locked away in a tomb, forgotten, left to die a slow death alone.

The girl I am now-the monster-still looks pretty as a picture on the outside.

But inside is all twisted and broken and ugly.

I fear it’s only a matter of time before Aaron and the rest of the pack see what’s beneath the façade and reject me outright.

They’ll banish me from their pack-or worse-and go about their lives.

It’s probably what I deserve.

But it’s not what I want.

For a second, longing comes over me, and the girl I used to be wants her mate.

Axel.

For him to accept me and love me and save me from myself.

I turn sharply away from the mirror, because I can’t stand to look at myself any longer.

And I can’t afford to feel things like that.

Axel rejected me.

feelings

so much when I

long for something that I’ve

pathetic girl who chases after him

if summoned by my thoughts alone-Axel steps into the room before I can even give him permission

hide the fact that his gaze is dragging slowly up and down my body, and it leaves tendrils of

to come down,” Axel says in a low drawl-the way he always talks, as if normal words can be made into some

was in full swing,

I want to protest.

run and tear off this

both Aaron and Axel have warned me there’ll be consequences if I don’t cooperate, and

either of them would physically

I learned the hard way that there are far more painful and deeper ways to be hurt, other than

presence as I pick up my skirt from the floor and stride

trail of his fingers across my hip as I go by, leaving me shivering, but I tell myself it was probably

Axel despises me.

tolerates me because Aaron requires it of

would

the party coming up to meet me, while Axel is

Aaron

do the

doesn’t give me a chance to reply or catch

people and then it’s a blur of, “you remember this pack member, right?” Or, “this pack member joined five years

And everything in between.

he expect me to remember everyone’s

Or anyone’s names?

them are vaguely familiar, but it’s clear I’ve forgotten a

silent shadow, and the more people we talk to, the

be polite and smile and act like the sister

gracious when people seem genuinely happy to see me

it’s getting

like too

are too bright. The music and