Reckless Regrets
Chapter 61

Morgan

“So, we let Kade and Xander leave first; then we can leave maybe twenty minutes later. Or maybe Aires can just shimmer us over. What do you guys think?” I asked the group.

After Kade made his misogynistic announcement about me having to stay behind, I’d been trying to think of ways I could still get to the campus and see the battle. It wasn’t that I just wanted to annoy Kade or go against his wishes for the hell of it, but I really felt that he would need to be there. If he saw that I was there in his corner supporting him, it would help him fight harder and win. And I needed him to win.

“Morgan, this is a terrible idea. If you just show up when he clearly said for you to stay home, Kade is going to be pissed. And that could lead to mistakes. And what if he’s anxious about you or the baby getting hurt? He’s going to be distracted. Do you want that?” Taylor asked.

“It seems like what I want doesn’t matter to anyone other than me. You’re my best friend; you’re supposed to support me in this!”

“Since when am I supposed to just go along with all of your crazy a*s ideas, Morgan? That’s stupid and irresponsible, and I’m not doing it.”

“Fine! Alaia? Aires? What do you two think? Will you help me?” I asked.

“I already told you, if Kade said it was okay, then I would gladly help. But that’s not the case. And we aren’t shimmering you, Morgan. You’re pregnant; it’s not smart to shimmer you to Oregon when we don’t have to. Just relax and think for a minute,” Alaia calmly stated.

I had thought about this plenty of times, and now I just wanted someone to agree with me and help me get to that fight.

“Okay, maybe shimmering in isn’t the smartest idea. That wouldn’t be good for me, the baby, Aires, or everyone there if she slips into bloodlust,” I reasoned.

“I’m glad you realize that. I’d like only to use those powers when I have no other choice, and we have plenty of other choices here,” Aires said.

“What would you suggest? I feel like I’m painted into a corner, and no one wants to help me out,” I dramatically stated.

“I’d suggest you talk to Kade. Wouldn’t it be so much better if you could ride with him, walk with him to the ring, and support him in the open? Why would you want to go if you had to hide in the shadows?” Taylor asked.

“Because he’s stubborn and wants things his way,” I replied.

The ladies all stared at me with “look who’s talking” looks on their faces making me sigh.

“Okay, I’ll go talk to him and see what he has to say. Maybe if I talk to him about why I want to be there, he’ll budge.”

“Kade is stubborn, but he loves you more than anything. If you explain how important all this is to you, I’m sure he’ll replace a way to make it happen for you,” Alaia added.

I knew that they were right, but it didn’t make asking for permission any easier. But if all went according to plan, soon this man would be my husband, and he’d have a say in pretty much every aspect of my life, so I might as well get used to it now.

I left the common room and asked around until I found Kade in the gym. I figured he would be here or in the sparring circle preparing for tomorrow night. When I walked in, he was beating the hell out of a heavy bag, and sweat was pouring from his body.

I watched the muscles of his back flex and twist underneath his multi-colored skin for a few seconds before he spoke. “If you’ve come to change my mind, Sugar, that’s going to be pretty hard to do. I can’t have you hurt, baby; I wouldn’t survive.”

He never stopped hitting the bag or turned to look in my direction, but I knew he was upset. But what I didn’t know was why.

“Can I spar with you? This all works better when you’ve got someone to trade blows with, right? Or, at the very least, when you have to dodge hits. Beating a bag can’t be too effective,” I told him.

“Xander is on his way down after he finishes a call, I’m just warming up. And I’d never spar with you, and you know it, especially not when you’re pregnant with my child.”

“It was worth a shot. So can you tell me why you’re upset? Or why you’re so adamant that Thorne will try to hurt me?” I asked.

Kade finally stopped hitting the bag and wiped his face and chest down.

“I know without a doubt that I can beat Thorne while barely breaking a sweat, and I’m sure he knows it too. He’s going to fight dirty and go for the heart, he’s going to attack where I’m most vulnerable, and that’s you. You’re everything to me, and as soon as he sees the way I look at you, he’ll know. And he’ll try to exploit that to gain the upper hand. I can’t let him do that, Sugar. So I need you as far away from him as possible.”

“I understand that, but I also don’t want to live in fear of something that may or may not happen. Thorne doesn’t even know who I am, so how can he use me against you?”

“Cameron recognized you within a few seconds of meeting you. He didn’t know who you were, but he knew you were important to me, and he’s four. Thorne knows, Sugar. Just trust me on this.”

“So you expect me just to sit here and wait? This isn’t like when you guys went to battle against Lancaster and the vampires. That was the entire team working together. This is you and an Alpha, Kade, one on one; you’ve got to understand my nervousness.”

“You don’t think I can beat some guy who’s old enough to be my dad, and hasn’t had a good workout in years? Oh, Sugar, you can’t be serious.”

Xander walked into the gym, looking like he wanted to murder someone, and for the first time since I’d met him, I was afraid of what was about to happen. Without even noticing that I was doing it, I took a few steps back.

“Xan? What’s up, man? You’re giving off a real homicidal vibe right now, and it’s making Morgan uncomfortable.”

Kade stepped between Xander and me, but I knew that I wasn’t in any real danger. But Kade’s job was to protect me; it didn’t matter who against.

“He got out. How he did it, I don’t f*****g know, but Thorne broke out of his cell at the council. While the elders were letting me know, I got a mindlink; the Oregon campus was just attacked.”

***

Marisol

I told Gabby the truth before I left her in California. The second I made it home, and Nate and I were behind closed doors, we were both naked and literally sinking our teeth into each other. After waiting almost four years to mark each other, the moment that it was finally done seemed to be so much more intense and pleasurable. It made me want to mark him again and again.

Thankfully, Nate knew all about what I had been through when I was away, and he didn’t judge or look down on me. He knew that I was fighting to survive, and I was grateful that it didn’t change how he felt about me. I loved this man, and he loved me. Life was good, and it was only going to get better; finally, I was going to be completely happy.

“I’ve really missed you, Mari, and I’m so sorry about what your dad did. I can’t believe he could be that cold to his own child,” Nate said while I snuggled on his chest.

“Well, I can. I don’t think my father has ever loved me; whatever hatred he held for my mother, he’s projected onto me since I was a child. But that doesn’t matter anymore. He’s gone, and we’re finally together. Soon Cameron will be back home with us, and we’ll be a real family. I can’t wait,” I replied.

“Have you told Cam that I’m his father? I never said anything while we were together, but I didn’t know if you told him in the last couple of days.”

“No, I haven’t. Since he was staying a little longer with Kade and the rest of those guys, I didn’t want to mess with the vibe he had going. When he gets home, I’ll let him know; I promise.”

“Cool. I actually don’t mind that he doesn’t know yet. Before, he had nothing to look up to regarding me, but now he can be proud of who his dad is. That’s one of the best feelings,” Nate said.

We settled into a comfortable rhythm of conversation and laughter, where he told me about his time training with the pack in California, how things have been as a captain here, and his plans for the future. I shared some of my experiences from The Badlands, but not all of them. It would be a while before I would be able to talk freely about what happened to me, if ever. But I wanted to open up to him. As my mate, he deserved to know everything there was to know about me, no matter how dark or dirty.

I rolled over, preparing to take a nap before dinner when I hear a siren blare. “What the hell is that?” I shot up and asked.

Nate’s eyes were clouded over, and when he refocused, he looked terrified.

“We’re being attacked; from the inside,” he said.

“What?! What does that even mean? Who would attack their own pack?!” I screamed.

“I would. You didn’t think that some dusty old elders could stop me from keeping my promise, did you? I told you that if you ruined things for me or you let this mutt mark you, I’d kill him, and I’m a man of my word.”

As my brain tried to process my father standing in the doorway to my room, he smoothly shifted into his wolf and leaped into the air, landing on Nate and sinking his teeth into his chest.

It all seemed to move in slow motion. I heard the scream that tore from my mouth, but it felt like it had come from somewhere else. Nate tried to fight, but there was nothing that he could do. By the time he’d registered what was happening, there was already too much damage done.

So I watched as my father, the man who gave me life and was supposed to protect and nurture it, literally ripped my mates heart out and dropped it in my lap. I saw that heart beat one final time, then watched the light fade from Nathan’s eyes.

We’d only gotten two hours to be happy together, and now I knew that I could never be happy again. My heart was ripped from my chest the moment Nathan’s was. I had nothing left to give.