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.

have that moment with Axel earlier…

that wasn’t

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

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 empty words, but I’m sure if

ever stopped to

to me.

not in the way he probably

www

literally torture, but I can do things

saying that makes it all

go back and have a choice, I’d choose not to ever go through that, because I

since it puts me in greater danger

maybe there are benefits to the new me, if I decide

no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s also because you don’t

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

they just not care?

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

spiteful way, I just mean in an oblivious

kind of way.

just need to remember it’s them, not you,” Ronan says 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

I’m speechless.

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

I say to him, emotion catching in

he gets to his feel.

these trails a few times a week,” he says.

I reply, smiling, because I hope I do

my feet, and we

forward and

but then hugs me back, and it’s