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.

did have that moment with Axel

wasn’t

first in line to kill me if

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 empty words, but

but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that

to me.

not in the way

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experiments were literally torture, but I can do things now that I couldn’t

saying that makes it all worthwhile.

go back and have a choice, I’d choose not to ever go through that, because I can’t exactly say what I’ve gained

puts me in greater danger from people

the new me, if I decide

continues in a sincere voice. “In a way that no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s also because

this stranger has actually seen me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and Axel and everyone else maybe never will.

just not care?

own drama–and I was gone for ten years, so

don’t mean in a spiteful way,

kind of way.

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 if they

I’m speechless.

but I’m deeply touched by his words.

him, emotion catching in

as he gets to his

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

I reply, smiling, because I hope I

get to my feet, and we stand there looking

step forward and

seems surprised, but then hugs me back, and