Roderick was right.Her pride is more important than my happiness.She can’t separate Zoey from Selena.
And I have a choice to make.
I thought the solution to all my problems was having Zoey stay in Pine Falls with me.That my life would be complete.Everything would be perfect.
But that won’t be the case with my mother here.
The obvious option is my original plan—moving to Denver.But that still leaves my mother unpunished.It means never returning to Pine Falls again because there is no way I would come back here without my mate.
Still, I know that no matter how furious I am with my mother, I cannot fathom the idea of fighting her.
My mind settles on the only option left.The idea of it eats away at me, makes me feel selfish.
In that moment, Zoey tightens her arms around my waist, and I glance down at her.There’s a bruise on her forehead, scratches on her face, all from her fall.But despite how those must hurt, she still gazes up at me with trust.With love.
And I realize that I deserve to be selfish.My love for Zoey has never hurt anyone, which means we’re in the right.I glance at my older brother, holding his eyes as I speak my choice.
“Exile.”
55
ZOEY
Warner’s bedis super comfortable, especially when lying face down on it.The comforter smells like him.Pine needles and fresh snow.I think if I were to be smothered to death, this is the best material to use to get the job done to send me away from this world peacefully.
Downstairs, the Jamesons are working out the details of exiling their mother.
All because of me.
The rational part of my brain reminds me that it’s not technically my fault.I’m not the one who started this secret feud.It’s not even like I demanded revenge when I found out Rebecca was behind my life’s little miseries.
And I certainly didn’t ask for her to be exiled.
But if I had never come to this town, there would be no reason for Rebecca to leave it.
I considered taking Warner up on his original offer of moving to Denver with me.Wouldn’t that fix everything?We would be out of Pine Falls and therefore safe from Rebecca’s revenge, and she wouldn’t have to leave her home and her children.
But I don’t want to go back to Denver.At least not anytime soon.Pine Falls has a hold on me.I’m feeling a connection not only to the town, but also to Minnie’s cabin.It’s almost starting to feel like my cabin.If I leave now, this whole trip would seem unfinished.
Plus, I can’t help thinking that our relationship could use some time to develop with distance between us and my brothers.
So, add selfish onto my list of faults.
The apartment’s front door opens.I should roll onto my back and ask Warner how things went.How he’s doing.
But I can’t force myself to meet his understanding, loving gaze just yet.Not when I don’t deserve it.
“Wow.And people call me dramatic.You’re on the express train to mope town, aren’t you?”a feminine voice says, and I start in surprise.
The speaker isn’t my mother.For one, I’d recognize her voice anywhere.And besides, she immediately calmed down once she was sure Rebecca would be punished for her treatment of me.Then, she helped me up to Warner’s apartment and promised to stick around Minnie’s cabin until Warner brought me back.
Curiosity has me flipping over.
Tanya leans against the doorframe, her sharp eyes taking me in.
She must despise me.Even though she’s seventeen, on the cusp of adulthood, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t need her mother.I’m breaking apart her family.The guilt eats at me.
“Tanya, I’m sorry.Really.This isn’t what I wanted to happen.”
