“Yes.” I hold my head high. “You said that I needed to find a pack to stay here. That's what I did.”
“I said a pack of my choosing,” she shouts. “Not some hockey player and god knows who.”
“Some hockey player?” Damien laughs. “Lady, I’m a professional hockey player who makes millions a year. So do her other Alphas.”
“More hockey players?" Her eyes widen as if I just told her my Alphas were homeless people on the side of the street. Not that it would change anything, doesn’t matter who my Alphas are, or where they come from. As long as they treat me well, that's all that matters to me.
“Yes, my other two Alphas play for a different team in the same league. We’ve been together for months now.”
“And I’m just finding out about this now?”
“Yes. You’ve been gone more than you’ve been home.”
“I’m so disappointed in you.” She shakes her head, vibrating with anger. “I can’t even look at you.” Raising her hand, she turns and stalks away.
Tears sting the back of my eyes, but I don’t give her the satisfaction of letting them fall.
“Don’t listen to her bullshit, baby.” Damien turns to me. “She’s just a miserable bitch who loves to see everyone unhappy.”
“I know.” I smile weakly up at him. “I don’t care what she thinks. I’m happy, and I have the best pack ever. That's all that matters to me.”
I’m worried she’s going to kick me out. I don’t think Damien or his dad would let it happen, but if she kicks up a big enough stink, she just might.
I guess it wouldn’t be the end of the world, though. I’d be able to have everything moved to Nashville. But the season isn’t over, and this move isn’t planned to happen just yet.
“Go shower,” Damien tells me, kissing the top of my head. “I’ll make you something to eat and bring it up to you.”
“Okay.” I nod.
I'm a nervous wreck the whole time I’m showering. My mind is racing, wondering what my mother is going to do. She’s not happy about this. I knew she wouldn’t be.
She wanted me to find a pack, to get out from under her roof. Is she angry because it wasn’t the pack she picked for me?
I agreed to go out on dates with packs of her choosing, but I sure as hell didn’t agree to make them my Alphas.
I did this song and dance to buy myself enough time to either make enough money to move out, or find Alphas I actually wanted to be with.
I’ve done both now. The only reason I'm still in this house is because I want to be close to Damien as much as possible. The fact that my mom has been gone more than she’s been home has helped.
When I’m showered, I throw on a pair of sweats and Carson’s hoodie. Without bothering to dry my hair, I throw it into a messy bun and make my way downstairs, hoping that when my mother walked away, she left the house altogether.
Of course, it’s my luck that she didn’t. As I approach the kitchen, I hear her chastising Damien angrily.
“Is she really worth it?” My mother asks. “Is she worth losing it all? Because that's what's going to happen when the world finds out, Damien. You’re smarter than this, better than this. Better than her! You’re young, attractive, talented, andsuccessful. You should have a supermodel on your arm, not Addie. Do you think people are going to accept the fact that you’re mated to your stepsister? How about your father? Did you think about how this would affect his job? His son fucking his stepdaughter? And me!” she growls. “What about me? This will tarnish my image, too.”
“I don’t give a fuck about your image, Eloise.” Damien snarls back. “You’re an evil bitch.”
“Watch what you say,” she warns. “I have the power to ruin you, Damien. And those other Alphas. Packing up with a rival team? Wouldn’t look good on any of you. If you do not leave Addie, I will make sure you regret it. I had plans for her. Plans you and those other men ruined. I will not let you get away with this. Say goodbye to everything you worked hard for, because it’s all going to go down the drain.”
“Addison.” Alfred’s voice makes me jump. I spin around, hand on my racing heart. “Is everything alright?”
“Ah...” I look back toward the door. “Yeah, fine.” I laugh awkwardly.
When he looks in the kitchen, his face falls. “Don’t listen to her,” he tells me. “She can’t hurt you.”
Oh, how I wish he were right. She can hurt me, and she knows it, too. I hate that I let her do this to me, but I can’t help it.
When I look back, I don’t see Damien anymore. Where the hell did he go?
