Admit That (Part 2)
She picked up her phone, scrolled through it, and handed it to me. There was an article
published about an hour ago:
[Alpha Sebastian Ashworth spotted entering a maternity store with former Luna Thea Sterling. The couple’s intimate interaction sparked speculation: Are the divorced couple
expecting a second Alpha heir? Stay tuned as we gather more information about whether Thea is truly pregnant, and if so, when did it happen considering they’re already divorced?]
I cursed, my hands curling into fists.
As far as I knew, only four people knew about Thea’s pregnancy. She would be devastated
when she saw this article.
I immediately mind–linked my Beta: “There’s an article circulating about Thea and me. I
want it taken down.”
“Yes, Alpha,” he responded instantly. “It will be done within ten minutes.”
“Also, let everyone know that any tabloid news about Thea’s private life will face
sanctions from our Pack.”
“As you command, Alpha.”
After ending the call, my anger hadn’t subsided one bit. Thea had always valued her privacy, and with her current condition, public harassment would only bring her more stress. I would protect her privacy at all costs. No matter what it took.
“What’s changed between you and Thea, Sebastian?” my mother asked directly after a
while, her gaze piercing through my facade like moonlight.
I was grateful she didn’t ask if the pregnancy rumors were true. That wasn’t my secret to
reveal, and I wouldn’t tell her.
“I’m not sure myself,” I answered irritably, my fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
“You’ve been very cold towards Aurora lately. She told Margaret that you barely speak to her and announced your relationship was over. Does this have anything to do with Thea?”
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Admit That (Part 2)
I considered lying, but what was the point?
“Partly, I answered briefly.
I heard her sharp intake of breath. I didn’t dare look at her, afraid of the expression in her
eyes.
“Did you know Thea isn’t Sterling’s biological daughter?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yes.”
“So that’s why you never truly accepted her?”
“No.” Her answer surprised me. “I didn’t accept her because she took away your happiness, took away your light. Your love for Aurora was so intense, and because of Thea’s obsession, you lost Aurora. You don’t know how painful it was to watch your son living like a walking corpse. It was as if when you lost Aurora, you died too, Sebastian. Until Leo was born, we only partially got you back, and even then, you weren’t completely there.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to remember how I had spiraled then. I was basically a dead man walking. It was the worst period of my life. Only my responsibilities to the Pack kept me from completely falling apart.
“You used to hate her, but I can see that’s changed now,” my mother continued. “I spent a long time looking at those photos of you two standing outside the store. The way you look at her is full of awe, even like you’re looking at your fated mate, as if she’s the center of your entire world. Your eyes tell me you’ve fallen in love with her.”
I jerked my head up, staring at my mother in shock. She must have misunderstood
something.
“Damien found out the truth about that night,” I tried to change the subject. “Thea was telling the truth about being drunk and not fully aware. Aurora and I were both wrong to
blame her.”
Knowing what I had done to Thea, how much suffering I had caused, still weighed heavily on my heart. She had endured it, endured for seven years, until she couldn’t take it anymore and finally banished us all from her life.
“Then I need to apologize to her, for my role in rejecting and hating her,” my mother’s
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Admit That (Part 2)
I considered lying, but what was the point?
“Partly,” I answered briefly.
I heard her sharp intake of breath. I didn’t dare look at her, afraid of the expression in her
eyes.
“Did you know Thea isn’t Sterling’s biological daughter?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yes.”
“So that’s why you never truly accepted her?”
“No.” Her answer surprised me. “I didn’t accept her because she took away your happiness, took away your light. Your love for Aurora was so intense, and because of Thea’s obsession, you lost Aurora. You don’t know how painful it was to watch your son living like a walking corpse. It was as if when you lost Aurora, you died too, Sebastian. Until Leo was born, we only partially got you back, and even then, you weren’t completely there.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to remember how I had spiraled then. I was basically a dead man walking. It was the worst period of my life. Only my responsibilities to the Pack kept me from completely falling apart.
“You used to hate her, but I can see that’s changed now,” my mother continued. “I spent a long time looking at those photos of you two standing outside the store. The way you look at her is full of awe, even like you’re looking at your fated mate, as if she’s the center of your entire world. Your eyes tell me you’ve fallen in love with her.‘
I jerked my head up, staring at my mother in shock. She must have misunderstood
something.
“Damien found out the truth about that night,” I tried to change the subject. “Thea was
telling the truth about being drunk and not fully aware. Aurora and I were both wrong to
blame her.”
Knowing what I had done to Thea, how much suffering I had caused, still weighed heavily on my heart. She had endured it, endured for seven years, until she couldn’t take it anymore and finally banished us all from her life.
“Then I need to apologize to her, for my role in rejecting and hating her,” my mother’s
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Admit That (Part 2)
tone was solemn, but not as devastated or unaccepting as I had imagined.
We were silent for a moment, each lost in our own thoughts. Suddenly, my mother took my hand.
“You need to tell her, Sebastian. Stop wasting time. Seven years of marriage has built a wall between you, but werewolves have long lives, and you still have a chance to rebuild everything. You need to tell her how you feel before she completely closes her heart.”
“But I’m not even sure of my own feelings,” I stood up, pacing around the room. “She drives me crazy, but I don’t know if this is love. What if it’s just an Alpha’s possessiveness over a woman who once belonged to him?”
That was my dilemma. I didn’t know how to describe what I felt for her.
“Your reaction is so strong because you’ve spent too much time suppressing your true feelings,” my mother sighed. “You’ve been covering up your real feelings for Thea with your obsession with Aurora, with that symbolic resentment. When you finally face the truth, all the suppressed emotions explode together, of course it will confuse you.”
She stood up and gently patted my shoulder: “Don’t rush, give yourself and her time. I saw the way she looks at you. Her former love has either disappeared or is buried deep. My advice is, don’t push her too hard, or she’ll completely cut ties with you.”
I nodded, accepting her advice. After spending a few more minutes with her, I left.
I was more relaxed than when I arrived, but the tension was still there.
As I drove to the office, I accepted the fact.
I did have feelings for Thea. And they were strong feelings. I just didn’t know how deep they were, or exactly what they were. It was time to find out.
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