Toxic Love An Alpha’s Regret - Season 1 Episode 8

LEAH

“Please tell me you’ve thought about

what I said, Leah?” Adam asks anxiously.

His voice is even and cultured, the

practiced cadence of a doctor who, no

doubt, has used this speech before.

“Nothing has changed,” I say.

I don’t realize it success ar the drip, drip

of tears hitting the floor, that I’m crying. I

touch my face and wipe them away.

Adam’s sigh is loud through the phone.

I move from my chair to the chaise

lounge near the window. The light is bright and I can hear birds singing

outside. “You have a pack here, family.”

“Yes,” I agree. “And my father’s pack has prospered amid the peace.”

Peace brokered with my body and blood.

Another reason my former pack has thrived is also because of me. My dad’s business acumen is not great, but I guide him with which stocks to buy and trade-a skill I learned in this very library, reading and listening as Aaron brokered deals for his corporation. Aaron even taught me how to forecast investments

and to monitor the market for when

prices would drop.

I’ve read countless books on finance. I

listen to podcasts. Take cla*ses online.

I’ve ama*sed my dad and my brother

a fortune. That’s good at least, right? I won’t have to worry that they’ll struggle or their company will falter when I’m

gone.

My contributions over the years will ensure my pack’s prosperity long after

I’m gone.

“You actually love him?” Adam asks, dragging me back from my scattered thoughts.

I did. Maybe it was that love that made

me sick.

“It wasn’t always bad love.”

He sighs.

There’s several seconds of silence and

then he says, “Go upstairs to your room and check the cabinet in the bathroom.”

Aaron hasn’t tried to constrain me since the altercation where I fainted and Adam argued with him. I have the run of the mansion and grounds again. I’ve been instructed to stay in Aaron’s room

at night.

“Are you going?” Adam prompts.

automatically stand and start moving

through the mansion. There aren’t many

wolves around this time of day. They’re

all out at their various jobs either here on the packlands or outside in the human

world.

I take the stairs carefully. I’m still a little weak, but what’s worse, it’s hard to breathe. I’m winded by the time I reach the top floor which is alarming. I’ve been running up and down these stairs for a

decade.

I head into my room and close the door.

I should be thankful that Aaron bothered to have it repaired, I suppose. I didn’t relish the thought of having no privacy.

Not that he’s allowed me back into this

room. He’s insisted I sleep in his bed each night ever since I fainted.

I can remember a time when I would’ve

been thrilled that he wanted me beside

him.

Each night, he slings his big arm around my waist and holds me close.

It wards off the chills, but it leaves me feeling bad each morning.

I can’t seem to get past the years of pain

and longing.

I’m probably just channeling all my resentment about my prognosis toward him. But so many years have been

wasted, and now…

I sigh.

In the bathroom bottom drawer, I find

several neatly labeled containers.

“How did you get these in here?” I ask.

“There’s a batch in this room. And that other room where they held you last time. I brought them when I first came, after Dr. Henley shared your prognosis.”

I stare at the pill bottles.

“Those are anti-cancer medicines and painkillers,” Adam says. “You’ll need to do a formal chemotherapy routine, but these can get you started. Leah, in a

battle like this, every moment matters.

Please. I beg you. Take the pills.”

I inspect each one then rip the labels off,

shred them up and then flush them down

the toilet.

“Please don’t tell me you threw them

out.”

“No. Just the packaging.”

He breathes heavily.

“He doesn’t know, and I don’t want him to know, Adam.” Whether sick or not, I have my pride. I’ve swallowed enough of it these last few years. I won’t use

my

illness to gain sympathy, and Aaron

wouldn’t even necessarily sympathize

with me anyway.

“Don’t drink coffee. Or alcohol. Avoid

sugary foods. Remember to take the

meds on time…”

Adam takes a deep breath and rattles off more instructions. Foods to eat. What

to avoid. As if the list of do’s and don’ts

really matters.

“Leah, are you listening to me?”

I smile into the phone. “You have a nice

voice.”

Adam is speechless. Then: “You’re not listening.” He’s angry about that.

“Thank you,” I tell him. He’s the first

person to care about me in a long time.

“You’re still so young… Please, don’t give

up,” he mutters, his voice choking with

emotion.

I feel his sorrow through the phone.

It’s comforting. Like someone in this world actually cares about me.

“Leah,” his tone is so grave I feel my stomach sink to my toes. “There’s more I

have to tell you…”