Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 313

He holds out his hand and I take it, shaking.

His grip is firm and cool, and there’s something almost comforting about it.

“I’m Emily,” I tell him in return.

His smile deepens. “That’s a pretty name.”

I laugh at this.

Ronan might be too charming for his own good.

“I think it’s pretty basic myself, but you’re welcome to your opinion.”

He gives a quick, friendly laugh.

“So, Emily, what has you out here looking so down on a day like today?”

I take a slow breath, working out how I can explain without sounding crazy.

“Something bad happened to me, something traumatizing,” I begin, choosing my words carefully. “Something that went on for a long time. I finally got out just recently, and now my family are treating me like I’m fragile and broken. Maybe because I am.

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But I don’t want to be. And I can’t stay with my family, I can see that. It’s just not going to work. They’ll hate me when the realize the truth of everything that happened to me. Except I don’t know what to do, and don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Ronan nods, listening with sympathy and understanding.

And I realize it’s something no one has bothered to do since I got home.

They all just assume they know what happened to me, and what they should do about it.

that moment with

that wasn’t

than anyone–would be first in line to kill me if or when the truth came out.

Ronan says thoughtfully. “You don’t seem broken and fragile to me. Truthfully, I’m pretty sure the fact that you’re here talking to me points to you actually being extremely strong and brave. You survived that bad thing you went through. And maybe these might seem like

but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that I might be stronger for what

to me.

is right. Just not in the way he

www

literally torture, but I can do

makes it all worthwhile.

to ever go through that,

since it puts me in greater danger from people like Axel.

benefits to the new me, if I

that no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s also because you

this stranger has actually seen me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and

just

caught up in their own drama–and I was gone for ten

a spiteful way, I just mean

kind of way.

conspiratorially, leaning forward a little. “It’s also their loss if they can’t see any of that. You’re strong. You’ve proven that to yourself. You don’t need to prove it to anyone else, even

I’m speechless.

to say, but I’m deeply touched by his words.

to him,

he gets to his feel.

these trails a few times a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see you around again sometime.”

hope I do see him

my feet, and we stand there

I step forward and hug

but then hugs me back, and it’s nice.