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 Axel earlier…

that wasn’t

I know he–more than anyone–would be first in line to

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 I’m sure if you look inside yourself, you’ll see that you came out stronger for

don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider

to me.

not in the

www

I can do

not saying that makes it

to ever go through that, because I can’t exactly

it puts me in greater danger from people like

new me, if I decide to look at it from a different

“In a way that no one in your family can probably see. But I

believe how much this stranger has actually seen me- in a way Aaron and Jessica and Axel and everyone

they just not care?

gone for ten years, so they’ve all

way,

kind of way.

also their loss if they can’t see any of that. You’re strong. You’ve proven that

I’m speechless.

what to say, but I’m deeply touched by

you,” I say to him, emotion catching in my voice.

smiles as he gets

week,”

I reply, smiling, because I hope I do see him again.

we stand there looking at each

forward and hug

then hugs me back,