Betrayed from Birth – Alpha’s Unvalued Daughter - Chapter 104: Chapter 150

Anton’s POV
A LITTLE OVER ONE YEAR LATER
Black Adder Pack
I finally got some good news today, Brandon is letting me build my own home on his packland.
I feel like it is about time to tell Cheryl how I feel. I have gone so slowly with her because I knew that she was very fragile. She had been broken so badly, and she didn’t know who to trust.
So she only trusted a handful of people. I was glad that at least my rivalry with Max had finally come to a close. He would not let up, he tried to cause us problems all the time.
He would not accept the fact that Cheryl liked him as a friend, and nothing more. I finally had to search his memories to see why he wouldn’t leave her alone.
it turned out that Cheryl looked very similar to his deceased mate, who had been killed.
It made sense for him to be so overcome with emotions as seeing her coming in, unconscious like that, must have brought back some bad memories.
It must have brought all his pent-up feelings for his mate, up to the surface and he just applied them to Cheryl. I couldn’t fault him for it.
But I could fault him for continuing to chase after her when Cheryl had told him numerous times that she didn’t feel the same way for him, as he did for her.
Thankfully, the Goddess sent him a second chance mate. Jackie was a pretty she-wolf with dark red hair and green eyes and she loved Max from the moment that she saw him.
He thinks that she hung the moon, and they were cute together. I have to admit that I was so happy when Jackie arrived.
It was a long time in coming, and Max and I were building up for us to be coming to blows soon when she arrived.
She came into the hospital to be treated for her injuries after her small pack had been attacked.
The survivors had been split between Black Adder, Blood Walker, and the Blue Moon pack near Blood Walker. The rest was history as soon as they looked into their eyes.
I hate to say it, but I was probably the happiest of all when it happened. Max was not even thinking about Cheryl anymore and I was delighted about that. I wished them both well.
Unfortunately for me, Blake is still coming here every single month and he is not pulling any punches.
He refuses to give up, and he is not happy about the amount of time that I am spending around here. Too bad for him I am not a normal, or a new, vampire.
He doesn’t scare me at all, and I am not afraid to fight for what I want. I can go out in sunlight, just not for long periods of time, usually about 2 hours is the max that I can stay out in it.
I just avoided it previously because people like to think they know about vampires, and I didn’t mind playing into the whole sun avoidance thing.
We usually keep that to ourselves, as that is the kind of surprise that is beneficial for us. Not so much for the unsuspecting person we are about shock.
It is a common myth that we cannot be in it at all, some of us have even spread that rumor before, just messing with people.
But it is incorrect as far as we were concerned, it actually depends on your bloodline and heritage.
Our line is strong on both sides, some weaker families can still get in the sun, but it is more around 30 minutes of sun exposure.
They were all stunned when I showed up at Black Adder for lunch one day.
It was about three months after the Vampire attack at Blood Tracker and the incident at Black Moon when they got to confront Graham.
I remember the day very well because it was the day that I met Kevin over 9 months ago.
He was not scared of me at all, not from the first meeting, but his friends all knew me, as they had been around me numerous times, and they still try to race me to see who is the fastest to this day.
I don’t go full speed, but they cannot keep up with me. Jax will be an excellent Alpha, he and his brothers are all great kids.
Jax being the next Alpha is what allows me to have the faith that I have in being safe here in this pack even after Brandon retires and steps down.
Jax, Liam, Chase, and Dex will all be excellent leaders in this pack, and Kevin fits right in with them. When Brandon led me into the dining room to meet with them, they were all surprised to see me.
Blake was the least happy to see me on this visit. I didn’t know that he would be here either. Kevin motions to his brother to move down a seat at the table, to give his seat to me to sit in.
There was only 1 seat left at the table, and it was on the opposite end from where Cheryl was. I know that had to hurt Blake as he watched everyone shift down to make room for me at the table.
Especially the fact that I kept my expression neutral, even though I wanted to look over Cheryl’s head and give Blake a smirk. But I am the oldest one here, and I will have to act the part.
I let everyone talk over me and just thought about the reason for my visit today. I was going to see about asking Cheryl out for dinner, on our very first date.
I will also be making sure that she has some tennis shoes to change into for a moonlight walk before bringing her home. I hear Kevin’s animated talking and he makes me smile.
He is a good kid, I know that is more because of Cheryl than Blake. I knew that their oldest child and their youngest take after Blake the most.
Kevin had been greatly interested in me from the moment that we met. He loved to ask questions about my family and wanted to learn about me.
He was impressed with me, instead of afraid of me, like most are when they find out what I am. I was very impressed by him, and I answered each one of his questions patiently.
When I glanced up at Cheryl that day to finally take her in, she mouthed, “Thank you” at me.
I don’t know if it was for me enjoying Kevin’s excitement at meeting a vampire for the first time, or for answering all of his questions, but either way, I was just happy that she was glad to see me.
That first day that I met Kevin, I was bringing something important to Brandon, from Alexei.
I believed it at first, but when I handed it to Brandon, instead of immediately opening it and going through it, he put it on the table next to him.
No one seemed interested in what was in the package. I started watching them all. They even left me and Cheryl alone and went to the office, still without opening the package.
They told me to wait, and I did, with Cheryl, as we hung out and went for a walk in the woods together.
It kept me out of the direct sunlight for the most part, and I got to spend some extra time with her. We were out there for three hours just walking around, just enjoying being together.
We talked a little, but most of the time we just walked side by side. It was one of the most enjoyable times I have spent with a woman.
That was the second time that I saw the little stream and the small bridge that covered it. I have always liked the area, and that particular area seemed to be the most calming for me.
I started being the go-between for our packs, and there was suddenly much more paperwork that needed to go back and forth all of a sudden.
Raven was always smiling at us, she tried to not make it obvious that she was watching, but she was so happy with us as we started to talk seriously to each other.
I guess she forgot that I could read minds. She didn’t even try to hide it, she was so excited that her plan to get us together had worked.
I worked hard to keep from letting her know that she had been found out. That means that Brandon, Justin, and my brother Alexei, were all a part of it too.
I kept playing along on their end, but I told Alexei that I knew about their plan the moment that I arrived back at our home. Alexei told me that he just wanted me to be happy and that they did too.
I was actually happy that we had people supporting us in our relationship, and that they wanted us both to be happy.
I started being the go-between for our packs, and there was suddenly much more paperwork that needed to go back and forth all of a sudden.
Raven was always smiling at us, she tried to not make it obvious that she was watching, but she was so happy with us as we started to talk seriously to each other.
I guess she forgot that I could read minds. She didn’t even try to hide it, she was so excited that her plan to get us together had worked.
I worked hard to keep from letting her know that she had been found out. That means that Brandon, Justin, and my brother Alexei, were all a part of it too.
I kept playing along on their end, but I told Alexei that I knew about their plan the moment that I arrived back at our home. Alexei told me that he just wanted me to be happy and that they did too.
I was actually happy that we had people supporting us in our relationship, and that they wanted us both to be happy.
I was glad that we had so much backing in this, most do not support wolves, and vampires mating. Werewolves tended to stay to themselves.
We did too, but out of the three of us, we would sometimes wander into tasting the forbidden fruit. Probably because of our long life spans. I have known some witches that have done that as well.
Sometimes when you live for centuries, you don’t mind giving it a try. I have to say that I was excited about the option of finally having a child.
I didn’t spend a lot of time out dating, I just never found very many women that interested me.
There were just a few ladies that were interesting enough to hold a good conversation, and attractive enough to keep my eye.
I have never really had a real relationship, just those occasional hookups with the same four women until they either met their mates or died.
I can count on one hand how many women I have been with, in the l ast 450 years. My brother calls me a saint, but we both know that is a lie. I am nowhere near a saint.
I would rather skip the drama that some of them brought me, especially Lauren, who decided Draven was a better fit for her and her needs. Her needs were things, not actual feelings.
I am just thankful that it happened toward the start of the relationship. She burned me, and I have guarded my heart ever since. Non-beating as it is, I still protect it.
Secondly, I am just as vicious as my brother is in a fight, I just chose to kill an opponent quickly, instead of playing with them.
That is a mistake, and I try not to give anyone the opportunity to catch me off-guard. I am in no way a saint, and I wish he would stop calling me that.
Blake has been bringing their children over twice a month now, the younger ones anyway. He always plays it like they want to see their mom. Robert enjoys the visits and the time to see Kevin.
Casey is on her phone the majority of the time, and she is pouting because Blake started giving her a set allowance now. Instead of just buying her whatever she wants.
She knows that the suggestion had come from her mom, as she is worried that Casey will be spoiled, but I am sorry to tell her that she already is.
Cheryl warned him several times about it, but he continued spoiling his youngest child, and the only girl, a lot.
Stopping it now though is creating a monster, I already know this because I can read minds. Every time she catches me looking at her, she gives an innocent smile, but she is a devious little creature.
Her father cannot see it because she is her mother made over, and that may be part of the problem. He is spoiling her when he can’t spoil Cheryl.
I know it has to be hard for him to say no to her, but he needs to. Reagan was right when she warned him to not do his daughter as Graham did her.
He didn’t listen, as he has been doing this for a few years now, never curbing her insistence on what she “has to have” into just getting her what she needs.
This is going to pose a problem, and soon, but I am not going to be the one who tells Cheryl about it. I only read Casey’s mind because the feeling I got from her, was off.
I didn’t know if it was because Blake was trying to poison her against me, or if she just hated vampires. But she honestly didn’t care about me at all. I was not even in her atmosphere.
I was in another galaxy and she could really care less about it. The bad part was that she didn’t care about her mom either.
She cared about the money she was going to get once she was done with the visit. Her dad gave her $300 extra for each visit if she did well.
Cheryl would be disappointed if she knew but I didn’t want to hurt her, by telling her. I still haven’t seen Forest yet, he is always “too busy” with stuff to come.
I hate saying it but I do not feel like I am missing anything. I think Robert is a pretty good kid, he loves his brother and Cheryl, but he misses Kevin more than his mother.
Apparently, they shared a room, and they used to make up stories in the dark before falling asleep.
That is what Robert misses the most, but Kevin had to make it clear that he was not going to be coming back. I know Kevin is a great child, unassuming and calm.
He figures things out, and frankly, he should have been the firstborn child for Cheryl and Blake. He is wise beyond his years, and I am so proud of him.
He is 15 and a half now, and he is a very fierce fighter. I have trained him in some styles too. He loves a new challenge and he got one as I can anticipate moves.
I was the one to teach him to not think about it, to not project what he is about to do. I taught him to just let his muscle memory work for him, not against him.
It was slow going at first, I waited a few months to start visiting her. I wanted her to get her strength back, and truthfully I wanted to see if she missed me.
We talked on the phone and texted back and forth, but it was not the same as getting to see her beautiful face.
She is just as hesitant as I am with this because I do not know where this is going to go. It is unusual for us to be so attracted to each other, but the feeling is so strong for me.
I have never loved anyone, more than I love Cheryl. She is the world to me, and I want to be with her all the time. I do not allow myself to read her mind, to see what she feels for me.
I feel like it would be an invasion of her privacy to do it, and I flatly refused to cheat on this. I understand as I was hurt too, so we are both proceeding slowly.
I haven’t even kissed her yet, but I was hoping that I will soon. I know that she knows I care for her. She just doesn’t know how much I care for her.
She also doesn’t want to hurt Blake because they are still marked. I had been told that she had rejected him already, but he refused to accept it. I am going to have her help me design my home.
Because I value her opinion, and because I wanted her and Kevin to come and live with me, here at Black Adder. I want her input into my home because it will be her home too.
I want her to be happy with it. I am spending the night tonight, and I wanted to walk with her tonight as we stroll to the approved areas that have been cleared for the approved buildings.
There was one area, in particular, that I wanted to visit. Because I know that Blake did it for me, he cleared an area for us to put a home that was about 4,000 sq feet.
It was built near that stream with a little bridge over it. I had been here before, on the second visit that Alexei and I had made here to Black Adder.
I liked the spot immediately and mentioned that fact to Brandon as he was showing us his property. We need things a little darker in our world, as I cannot spend all day in the sun.
I will still need some time in a darker, more private, area. The canopy of trees kept the area cool, and away from visitors.
We would not be having neighbors around us, as Blake had taken care of that by only clearing a certain area for the house.
The stream, and the little bridge to cross it, were not going to be hurt or disrupted with our home being built near them. Most of the pack members wouldn’t want me moving in next door to them anyway.
Although they put up with us, and know we have a treaty with them, they will not want me in the pack. But to have Cheryl with me, I am willing to come and live here.
Plus the coven is less than 15 minutes away. I can go there quickly if needed. I feel a squeeze on my hand and looked down in surprise to see that Cheryl is holding my hand.
She was watching me when I looked from our joined hands up to her face. I can see that Blake is pissed off, but I cannot stop the smile that crosses my face.
People are still talking at the table, and I hope that tonight will be our first kiss. I need to calm down and see if she will go out with me first.
“Cheryl, would you do me the honor of going out with me for dinner tonight?” I asked her in a low tone. I already knew that Blake was pissed, why push him.
I am not scared of him, but their children are here with us, and if they see me go to fight him, two of them might get frightened.
Kevin has seen me fight, and I would bet money on the fact that he would like to see me and his dad go at it. “My MATE, will not be going anywhere with you disgusting parasite.
You probably can’t even eat. Isn’t all you do is suck the blood out of people, right? Are you planning on sucking blood from my mate? Is that your plan you sick bastard?
She will not be going out with you anywhere, because she belongs to me” Blake said in a very loud tone, I guess trying to get others upset along with him.
He knows to push the issue as she is a wolf, and me a vampire. he is obvious in his attempt to try to sew discord between us.
But I love her, I absolutely love her, and I will not allow him to hurt her again. I guess he needs to learn a hard lesson today.
I am not going to allow him to upset Cheryl, or try to apply pressure to keep us apart any longer. I stood up too, and I am still holding Cheryl’s hand.
I hated letting go of it, as she was the one to make the first move, but I can’t allow her to be in danger here. I moved Cheryl behind me as I knew his type.
He is a bully, and that is what bullies do. He thinks that I am just going to let this pass, that I won’t ask him to step outside, and he would be incorrect about that.
The second I stood up, Justin got up and started getting the children away from the table taking them down to run the courses.
Brandon put Raven behind him and I know he was linking both Truett and Leander to come to the dining room.
Brandon has seen me fight, and he knows that this will not be good for Black Adder, or Black Moon. I know that this could start a war between them, but I don’t think that Blake will do it.
Not with Cheryl and Kevin still living here. We might fight, but once he sees that the sun is not going to hurt me, not like he thinks it will, I think he will finally realize that he messed up.
“Blake, she was your mate, but you have been apart for a while now She rejected you at the gate, you just refused to accept it. It is up to her to decide if she wants to go out with Anton, or not.
It is just a date, not the end of the world. You wouldn’t even let her answer him. You need to think about this more before you decide to do this” Brandon said carefully to Blake.
He is trying his best to calm Blake down, but that is not working right now, I made sure of it. I stepped right into Blake’s line of vision and blocked his view of Cheryl from him.
I did it deliberately, he thinks he can push me around, but I am done playing the nice guy with him.
I have had to hear comments for almost a year about my species being inferior, at least in his eyes. He makes assumptions about me that are not true.
I have been patient, but I think that now that I am willing to show her who I am, she needs to see the whole of it.
That way she can make an informed decision, so she knows exactly who she is getting into a relationship with.
She needs to know what to expect from me, and that it is not going to be like she thought it was. I have strength and power too, I am just not as muscled up as these Alpha men.
That doesn’t mean that I am weak, and I think that it is time to show it. Chapter 151
Cheryl’s POV
I was happy to see Anton show up.
I tried to check him out through my lashes without getting caught, but it was tough with Blake sitting right next to me.
I was happy when Kevin made everyone next to him shift down, so Anton could sit next to me and not at the end of the table where the free chair was. Kevin and I have had a lot of talks recently.
He is very observant and last week he finally said, “Mom, when are you going to tell Anton that you like him.”
I was stunned because I have been trying to hide it, as Anton has not approached me like that.
I don’t know if he likes me still as he didn’t come here for a few months, and he is nothing but polite and respectful to me.
He hasn’t even tried to kiss me yet, so I don’t know if he is interested in me, or not. “What are you talking about, Kevin? We don’t like each other like that” I stuttered out. “Mom, we all know it.
It is just you and Anton that think you are fooling people with it. You are always looking at each other, and away. You two are like teenagers, just not cool. I am OK with it.
Even Blake knows you like Anton. That is why he hates him and tries to keep you apart. It is the reason that he comes twice a month, instead of once a month.
Blake knows that the longer you are around Anton, the bigger the likelihood that he will end up getting the same pain he caused you for months” Kevin told me.
I am shocked, as I didn’t teach him that yet. I was going to wait until he was 16 to have that talk with him. “Where did you learn that?” I asked him.
He seemed very sure of what he was saying, and he was probably totally correct. That was something out of Blake’s playbook. He would want me more, to keep me away from other men.
“School,” Kevin said and shrugged like it was no big deal. “Look Mom, you deserve to be happy. Anton makes you happy. You smile at me because you love me. You light up when you see Anton coming.
Anyone present can see it, including Blake. I think you need to think about honestly being happy, all the time. Where you get to be loved and appreciated.
I like Anton too, he is a great guy, and he is a hell of a fighter. I know I could grow to love him, given more of a chance to be around him, but you don’t need to do this for me.
You have done enough for me, you need to do this for yourself because you deserve to be happy. What is the point of living a miserable life?
Maybe you can get Blake to finally accept the rejection at that point. He may just need a taste of his own medicine. Because there is no purpose in continuing this charade any longer.
Just think about it, ok? I want you to think about what you want. Not what Blake wants. But what you want to see the rest of your life look like” Kevin told me. How in the heck is he so smart?
I know that he had to grow up fast, but he is wise well beyond his years. So, I did think about it. I was actually thinking about him while Blake went on and on about some pack problem at Black Moon.
I was bored out of my mind. When I sensed Anton and looked up. His smile melts a piece of my frozen heart every time I see it.
I wanted to get up and run over to him, hug him, and tell him that I would like us to see where this goes. I have wasted years pining away over Blake.
I have told him repeatedly that we won’t be getting back together like he wants us to. He refuses to listen to me, or what I have to say.
It was like unless I said something that he wanted to hear, he just didn’t want to hear anything from me at all.
Maybe Kevin was right, maybe after Blake gets a taste of his own medicine, maybe he will accept the rejection, and move on.
I was bolder today, and I knew that Anton was just as bored with what Blake was droning on about, as I was. So I reached out and took his hand in mine.
It was a small act, but I saw that beautiful smile come out again, and it was like the sun came out after a week of rain. When his eyes rose to mine, I could see that he felt the same thing I did.
We had both been scared to pursue it, because of what others might say about us. I wasn’t worried about it anymore.
When he asked me out, I wanted to scream out my answer, but before I could open my mouth, Blake had to try to ruin the moment between us and attempted to answer Anton for me.
I hated that he still tries to control me. Over and over again he still tries to force me to bend to his will. It hits me that this has been how our relationship has been from the very start.
He flattered me, and then he spent our whole relationship doing what he wanted, and then apologizing to me for it after the fact. I didn’t realize what was going on at the time because I loved him.
I would do anything for him to make him happy, so I always forgave him. I was his perfect mate, even if he wasn’t my perfect mate. Always with an excuse, or reason for why he did it.
I am staggered by how totally different they are. Anton was quick to rise to my defense and put me protectively behind him. Showing me that he will keep me safe.
He was immediate in his reaction to Blake’s aggression, and not scared of Blake at all. I know that this is going to end in a fight. I am worried about Anton as I have never seen him fight.
In that incident last year, he was immediately stabbed in his heart with a silver blade before he could even protect us. I do not want him to get hurt.
Just remembering what Draven did to him hurts my heart. Blake trains, a lot, he is proud of his body and enjoys showing it off.
It didn’t bother me that he did that until the cheating started, then it did.
Because he grew a harem out of the women approaching him, and wanting to help him “teach me a lesson,” because of my cheating.
I want to warn Anton about Blake being a pretty good fighter, but when I leaned forward to whisper it in his ear, he just grabbed for my hand again, and said “Lead the way, Blake.”
Raven is the only person who seems excited to see this.
Brandon looks worried, we passed my brother, Leander, and Truett on the way into the entry hall to exit the packhouse. I see Stella heading towards us quickly and heading straight for Raven.
They are besties and tell each other everything. I heard, “Showdown?” from Stella, and Raven nodded at her with a smile. They are both excited, but I am worried about Anton.
Blake seems very confident, and I do not want Anton to get hurt. He had finally asked me out, and I wanted our relationship to progress now, not completely stop.
We were at the back of the group with Blake right behind Brandon as he led the way to the training area for the fight to take place. “Anton, I want to go out with you.
I like you, you don’t have to do this. Blake is a strong fighter. I have never seen you fight, and I am worried about you” I told him and Anton stopped walking and and turned to look into my eyes.
It seemed like he was searching for something.
A slow smile grew across his face and before I could say anything he gently placed his hands on my face with his thumbs in front of my ears and cupped my jaw in his palms as his fingers dug into my hair and he gives me the hottest kiss of my life.
His thumbs gently stroked my cheeks as his tongue worked its magic inside my mouth.
I slid closer into him and wrapped my arms around his neck and gave his shoulder-length hair a tug and he moaned into my mouth.
I smiled into the kiss, as I liked him letting me know that he liked that. Our kiss ended too quickly as a loud roar wrapped around us and when we broke apart, I see that Blake is furious.
The whole group was staring at us, some were surprised, and others were clearly happy about it.
Raven and Stella couldn’t be grinning any bigger than they already were and certainly the most pleased out of everyone.
My brother seemed embarrassed to meet my eyes as if the sight of me kissing was too personal for him to have witnessed, and Truett said, “Calm down, Blake.
You had your chance and you blew it, looks like she has made a new choice.” Blake got even madder at hearing that sarcastic comment and Truett shrugged at Brandon while he glared at him.
Truett had been known to say the wrong thing, at the wrong time. But he wasn’t wrong this time. I could not stop smiling myself, and as we continued walking towards the training area.
Another growl came from Blake as he smelled my arousal. The way Anton was grinning, I am pretty sure he smelled it too.
Our kiss ended too quickly as a loud roar wrapped around us and when we broke apart, I see that Blake is furious.
The whole group was staring at us, some were surprised, and others were clearly happy about it.
Raven and Stella couldn’t be grinning any bigger than they already were and certainly the most pleased out of everyone.
My brother seemed embarrassed to meet my eyes as if the sight of me kissing was too personal for him to have witnessed, and Truett said, “Calm down, Blake.
You had your chance and you blew it, looks like she has made a new choice.” Blake got even madder at hearing that sarcastic comment and Truett shrugged at Brandon while he glared at him.
Truett had been known to say the wrong thing, at the wrong time. But he wasn’t wrong this time. I could not stop smiling myself, and as we continued walking towards the training area.
Another growl came from Blake as he smelled my arousal. The way Anton was grinning, I am pretty sure he smelled it too. Blake went to the circle, and immediately took his shirt off.
His impressive physique showed for everyone to look at, but my eyes were on Anton. I know that Blake took his shirt off because he wanted to force Anton to do it too and get his skin burned.
I will admit that Blake is still a very attractive man, his 6-pack is well-defined, with his v-cut running into his jeans, and he looked good.
He did, but after having time away from him, I am no longer interested in him anymore. Blake is no longer the total package for me.
I watched as Anton took his time unbuttoning his shirt, with his eyes staying on me, which was the sexiest thing that I have ever seen.
He watched me intently as he undid each button, and I was getting worked up.
He seemed very pleased at my reaction as he took his shirt off, then slid it off his shoulders and walked up to me to have me hold it for him while he fought.
Blake’s growl of anger didn’t seem to worry Anton at all. He kept his back to him, which was a huge sign of disrespect in our world.
It was like a slap in the face, and Anton is not starting off well in this. Blake was spoiling to hurt him, and I was praying that he wouldn’t be hurt.
I had to stop myself from bringing Anton’s shirt to my nose to take in his scent. It was doing things to me, and I didn’t want this feeling to ever stop.
Anton was standing in front of me, and he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to get into the ring. He seemed to be waiting on something, and I didn’t care what it was.
I was content with standing here and looking at his handsome face as long as he wanted me to. I could help myself, I had to check him out.
I couldn’t control my eyes as they dropped down to take his body in. He was strong, but about 40 lbs. lighter than Blake. His strong shoulders narrowed down at his tapered waist, and he was gorgeous.
He had a strong swimmer’s body, as opposed to the bulky muscles that Blake had.
I wanted to run my hand across his chest, and I reached out, but thankfully Raven cleared her throat from next to me, and I realized that our kids were heading this way.
I heard vehicles approaching and the first one was Blake’s SUV with three warriors in it, followed by another SUV.
The doors opened up and I saw that Dmitriy had been driving and Alexei was in the passenger seat. Kira and Nadia emerged from the back seat and Ivan and Adrik came out of the back.
Adrik and Ivan quickly put up a pop-up tent as the women grabbed 6 chairs from the back of the SUV. They had everything done in about three minutes. They were really efficient.
Anton must have linked them as soon as the fight came up in the dining room. “It has been a minute since I have seen you fight, so we came to watch.
Plus, if either of you gets hurt, we can fix it for you” I heard Alexei’s smooth voice ring out as they all got comfortable in their chairs.
They had set up where there was a gap in the people to watch the fight. Blake’s warriors were behind him, and Casey was too. She seemed a little anxious, but this was what he father wanted to do.
It wasn’t on Anton. I bit my lip in guilt thinking that she was probably going to blame me for this as well. Just like the allowance being lowered to $300 a month.
Who needs that much money at 11 years old? It is too much. She needs to save it, not keep spending it. Blake gives her, and Forest whatever they ask for.
Thankfully, Robert is content with what he has. “She shouldn’t blame you at all, this was what he wanted. He thinks that because I am smaller than him, he has the upper hand.
Do not worry about me, my love. I will be fine” Anton told me as he turned to finally face Blake, and enter the ring.
I am still worried about him, but I enjoyed watching him walk confidently into the circle for the fight to be started. Blake was looking at me, and he is even angrier.
I realized that I am holding Anton’s shirt up to my face and breathing in his scent to try to calm myself down. When did this happen? How is everything about Anton suddenly seeming so perfect to me?
It was like a blanket I have been under for so long had been ripped off of me, and I can see everything clearly for the first time. I have been interested in him since he winked at me over a year ago.
I marked him off as being a flirt at first, but I have never seen him wink at anyone else since then. It has only been for me. I have to say that it brings me joy to know that he cares for me.
I worry now that the fury on Blake’s face will lead to Anton being hurt. It will all be my fault if that happens. I look up to see Alexei looking down at me with a smile.
I have no idea when he walked up to me and I was a little startled by his sudden appearance next to me. Alexei’s smile grew even bigger and he said, “Do not worry about Anton.
He knew you were still scared for him in this fight, don’t be. I can assure you that your former mate will be the one who will lose, not my little brother.
Anton can be vicious, he was wanting to tell you that he can handle himself on the way over here. But it seems like you stopped for something else, rather than to talk.
He wanted me to tell you that it will all be fine soon, and to close your eyes if you get scared.”
“Thank you for telling me that, I was actually very worried about him.
I have seen Blake fight before, and he takes it seriously. Plus, he is bigger than Anton, and I do not want him to be hurt on my account.
I care for him a lot” I told Alexei with my eyes fixed on Anton. He looks over at me and gives me a wink, and I could not stop the smile from covering my face.
Blake saw it and decided that it was time to fight, and ran straight at Anton before the fight officially started.
My eyes filled with horror as I see that Blake’s intent here, is to try to kill Anton. I will not allow it. I went to step forward as I was going to phase and take care of this myself.
I felt an arm reach out in front of me to stop me. I looked up at Alexei, and he shook his head. Then nodded at the sparring circle.
Blake is lying on the ground, and Anton was looking down at him from the other side of the ring. That was smart to distance himself from Blake.
If Blake can’t win by his own merit, he is good with throwing dirt, or sand in his opponent’s eyes to get the upper hand. I held onto Anton’s shirt and before I knew it, I was sniffing it again.
His scent calms me, and as Blake hopped up and ran at Anton again, I heard Alexei say, “I am glad it is you.”
I looked up at him confused for a moment, before looking back at the circle.
“What do you mean?” I asked as I watched them land punches, and blows on each other. Anton was much lighter on his feet and he was doing a great job.
He was wearing Blake down, as he was mindful of the telegraphing that Blake was doing.
Blake was so mad, at just the thought of Anton wanting to go out with me, that he is not focusing on this fight at all.
He needs to because we both learned that Anton was no pushover, he was just a kind man who didn’t bully others. But he was not going to allow Blake to keep controlling me.
I am glad that he stepped up and let me know. I have a feeling that we will have a very good night. Anton literally froze in place in the circle and seemed to be a little dazed for a moment.
I realized that he was probably reading my mind, and knew that I wanted to have s*x with him.
Blake knew that something had happened to him, and decided that he was going to use it to his advantage and attack Anton. I didn’t even hesitate.
I threw myself towards the ring and phased into Akayla as my clothes shredded around me.
Blake slid to a stop as I stood in front of Anton, and let out a growl that let everyone present know that I meant business. As the daughter of a Gamma, I was strong, just like other ranked wolves.
I was larger than an average wolf. My head came up to Anton’s chest. I stared fiercely at Blake and let him know that the fight was over.
They both had bruises, and cuts all over them, from Blake using his claws to hurt Anton, and Anton using his sharp nails to hurt Blake as well.
Neither of them wanted it to end, I think they both fancied the thought of killing the other, but that was not going to be happening today.
I can see the disappointment, and sadness on Blake’s face as his shoulders slumped. He knew that this was my answer before he threatened Anton.
He tried to force my decision, and I was done with allowing him to have any further control. I had told him time after time, that it was done, that I was done.
He kept thinking that if he kept the pressure up on me, that I would bend to his will again like I used to do. But I don’t have to anymore. I am safe here, as is my son.
I don’t have to keep having to accept a love that has conditions, and requirements on it. I want one that is constant, and permanent. With no stipulations put on me for it to continue.
Just a love that I can depend on, no matter what happens. Blake said, “Please, do not do this, Cheryl. I love you, and I want us to be able to get past this. You do not need to go out with him.
You know I have been waiting for you to come home for over a year. I need you to come back. I miss you every day.
Please do not make a rash decision, that could tear us apart.”
I felt Anton’s fingers stroke through my fur and I closed my eyes as it felt wonderful.
More intimate to me, than anything that Blake and I did in our 15 years of being mated. Everything was different, and more special now to me because it was Anton.
Raven walked up and I phased back and slid Anton’s shirt on to cover myself. I watched as Blake’s lips thinned out, but he didn’t yell or fuss at me like I thought he was going to.
He would rather that I am covered, even if he hated the man to whom the shirt belonged. “Blake, You act like it is my actions that tore us apart. You were the one to do it, not me.
It was your own actions that ended us, not mine. I have told you over and over again, that we are through. Just because you don’t want to accept it, doesn’t make it any less true.
I think it is hilarious that you say please don’t do this, and tell me not to make a rash decision that would tear us apart. Those words seem familiar to me, like something I had said to you before.
I am done. There is no need to visit. Robert can come and stay to keep in touch with Kevin, but Forest doesn’t want to come, and neither does Casey. I wish you would accept my rejection.
Don’t hold onto me because of stubbornness. Just let me go, Blake.
You know that we are through, you know that I will be with Anton, sooner or later, I would suggest you accept it now, so we can finish this here before you leave” I told him.
His anger is all over his face and the hateful look on his face tells me that he will not be accepting it at all. “I will not release you, Cheryl. You are mine and always will be.
You will come back to your senses, once you realize that he is not a man, but a monster. The fact that you would even consider a leech as a boyfriend, disgusts me. You cannot be serious about it.
I will be at Black Moon once you come to common sense again. I just can’t see this working out, for either of you. His fellow parasites won’t accept it, and neither will the wolves.
If you thought that you were an outcast before, just wait, because you haven’t seen anything yet. I cannot believe that you don’t want me anymore. I guess this is just your being hurt and acting out.
I will wait for you but do not test my patience, Cheryl. I will take two she-wolves into my bed, and see what kind of pain I can give you before I would let you go.
I would rather kill you than lose you to this” Blake said and motioned to Anton who snarls and stepped forward to kill Blake. I could see it in his eyes.
I placed my hand on Anton’s bare chest and he stilled under my touch and looked down at me. I shook my head at him to tell him we didn’t need to do anything else with Blake.
I watched as Blake gave a smirk at us like I was scared he was going to kill Anton. I didn’t stop him because I was scared for Anton. I wanted Blake to think he had won.
I will be enjoying this night much more than I originally thought I would. “You look good in my shirt, Cheryl. Are you still good with going out with me tonight?” Anton asked me.
“Yes, I would love to go out with you,” I told him as I started making plans in my head for tonight. I agreed to go out, but I knew Blake. If we left the safety of Black Adder, we would be stopped.
I would probably be kidnaped and taken back to Black Moon, and Anton probably killed by the men he would be bringing with him. I am not on board with that. It is not going to be happening.
But I believe that we can have a nice dinner in my apartment.
That would work out fine for us because I know for a fact that tonight will be the night that Blake learns what it feels like for your mate to betray you with another.
I have a feeling that I was going to have a very good night. Chapter 152
Cheryl’s POV
I made plans all the way back to the packhouse.
Raven was having Kevin spend the night with the boys on the Alpha floor. Anton went home to freshen up, change clothes and pack a small back to spend the night.
I asked him to pack a bag for tonight, but I wanted us to just sleep together, not necessarily have s*x, but I will see how it goes.
If he kisses me like that again, I will be a goner and putty in his hands. It would be embarrassing for me to have to spell it out for him, so I tried to say it, without actually saying it.
I also asked Alexei what would be the best choice for dinner for Anton.
He didn’t give me a smirk, he seemed very pleased that I was thoughtful enough to ask, he knew I did it because I cared for his brother. Before he could answer I could hear a familiar voice behind me.
“You can get him a steak, rare, a little blood on the plate is good. A Baked potato, salad, or asparagus, just pick one of those. He won’t be needing a lot of food.
I will make sure he brings a bag or two of blood with him to keep his energy up. I would also suggest that you get a power smoothie for energy for yourself.
You are going to need it, our men are known for their stamina.
Take your vitamins honey, you are going to have a very good night.” Nadia said, and she gave me a wink before she slid into the SUV to leave.
“Yea, she is serious about that, all her points were accurate. Don’t overthink it, Anton has been waiting for you to know how he truly felt about you for over a year now.
He is happy just to be with you, in whatever way you two decide to be for now. No pressure, just take it how it goes. Welcome to our family, Cheryl.
I don’t think that Anton could have made a better choice than you. I am just glad he stopped dragging his feet and decided to move forward.
I think that you two make a wonderful couple” Alexei told me, and I could feel the prick of tears in my eyes as he entered the SUV, They followed Anton’s car out, as he had just pulled up to meet them.
His car was still at the packhouse and he had to go get it. I watched them pull out of the area heading toward the gate.
I suddenly realized that I am standing here with only a shirt, and nothing else on. Everything shredded when I phased.
I feel embarrassed all of a sudden, I mean nudity is natural for us, but some of us were more modest than others were about it.
I went to the packhouse and headed upstairs when I felt a hand on either of my arms and Raven leaned in to say.
“I will get your food order in for tonight, with the chef, but first we need to pick you out a dress.”
“Yes, we are hitting my closet first and if we don’t see something there, we will go to Raven’s closet next,” Stella said.
They were both giggling like we were schoolgirls talking about sneaking out of the house to go to a party. I smiled at the thought of how well the night might go with Anton, and I get excited too.
Even if we do not have s*x, I am still planning on sleeping with Anton in my bed tonight. I already know that I will feel safe in his arms, and I cannot wait for tonight to get here.
I have more anticipation about this happening, than I have looked forward to anything else that I can remember. I realized that I needed to get a nightgown too.
I only sleep in old T-shirts, and a pair of underwear. That is probably not sexy at all for Anton. He is experienced and cultured.
I am jealous at the thought of him with other women, but that kiss lets me know that he does. I can still feel his mouth moving on mine, and his tongue swirling in my mouth.
My heart rate increases at the thought of it, but I calm myself down with the fact that I won’t pressure him.
I wanted him to let me know that he does want me like that, and I will let him lead tonight. I am up for whatever he wants to do.
I was zoned out thinking about our kiss again when the sound of laughter makes me realize that we had arrived at Stella’s room.
I noticed that they were both standing in front of me watching me with smiles on their faces and laughter in their eyes. I blushed and said, “What?” a little sharper than I meant to.
Their laughter increased for a moment, but Stella managed to say, “I picked out 5 dresses for you. You are still too thin, but one of them, I think is perfect for you.
I tried to fit into it, but it doesn’t work for me. My hips are too wide, and my breasts are too big, I loved it so much, that I bought it at first sight, but didn’t try it on.
That won’t happen again, I loved that dress so much, it literally hurt my heart not to be able to wear it. Truett is going to be upset at me for giving it away, as it is gorgeous.
But I will remind him of the positive, it gives him an opportunity to go get me another dress. He loves those trips, he will be just fine with me giving it to you.
It is the midnight blue one, with the slight shimmer to it.”
As soon as my eyes went to the bed, they went straight to the dress that she just mentioned to me. It was a gorgeous deep blue.
The cloth had some sort of shine to it, and she was right, it was truly a beautiful dress. I walked over to it but was scared to touch it.
The price tag was still on it, and although I loved it, I didn’t want to spend $300 on a dress. It had actually been years since I spent money on just something for me.
I still have guilt over spending money on myself, when Kevin might need something, so I don’t.
I am struggling over this, as I really want the dress, but I also want to save up for a space for me and Kevin here too. We don’t want to be in the packhouse anymore. It is too much like our old home.
We wanted to get a cottage built, and Brandon had quoted me a great price for it. He owns his own lumbar mill, which comes in handy for building the pack up.
He was just going to do it for cost, as when we move out of the cottage, it would then belong to the next family that needs it.
He told me to think about it before I made any decisions about building it, but I do not see how I could possibly pass it up.
The only input Brandon had was to request that I build a three-bedroom home.
He reminded me that most couples had a couple of pups, and three bedrooms were usually the most common ones that were needed inside the pack.
I wanted to pay the hospital for my stay here because they saved my life. They acted quickly and in doing so, saved my life.
I wanted to pay for it, so I did that, Black Adder has done enough for me and Kevin, and I wanted to repay some of their kindness.
They pay the staff, as well they should, and I didn’t want to just sponge off the pack. I got clothes and shoes for Kevin every so often.
He is growing like a weed and moves through his clothing quickly.
The good news is that Raven is very frugal, all the lightly worn clothes that the children outgrow, she has cleaned and stored for emergencies.
They are used when we get new members here, as they usually only have the clothes on their backs when they arrive here. I am proud to donate to it too.
But I know I need to keep the money that I do have for as long as I can. I plan on staying here, but I also plan on contributing more around here too.
“Try it on, I know it will look perfect on you,” Stella said to me, and Raven had a huge smile on her face. I think that they were more excited about my date than I was. “Not possible.
I cannot wait for him to come back. He helps to calm me down. He makes me happy, just being around. I don’t care if he is a vampire or not.
I will take care of anyone who has an issue or a comment to make about it” Akayla tells me. I know she will, she lost her s**t when she thought that Blake was going to attack Anton in their fight.
I couldn’t stop her as she didn’t even think about it, she just sprang forward to protect Anton. I haven’t shifted in a very long time. I couldn’t, as she was too weak.
She isn’t weak anymore, and she is spoiling to show anyone that wants to mess with our man, that she will not allow it.
“Our man, I like the sound of that Cheryl, excellent choice” Akayla smirked as she said it. It was the first time that I acknowledged it myself, but he is. He is ours, and I will fight for him.
“Stella, it is a gorgeous dress, but right now funds are tight. I have been working on my mental state this year, I didn’t have a job, and I feel like I need one.
I was going to be a warrior, but I would worry about an attack and leaving Kevin by himself.
I don’t know if you have heard that I spoke to Brandon about getting a house built for us, so now I really have to watch my funds.
I appreciate the offer, but I think this dress would look fabulous on you. Just wear it in here with your mate, if you think it would be too tight to go out for date night” I told Stella.
It took a few moments before I heard Stella say, “What are you talking about? I am giving them to you. All five of them if you want them.
I pulled these out for you while you were thinking about something, or someone else.” Her smile said she knew exactly what I was thinking about and my blush told them both that she was right.
“Stella, that is too much, I cannot accept that. You do not have to give me all of these. Where would I even wear them?” I looked back down and they were of all lengths and materials.
Each one was beautiful, and I would love to try them on, but it was too much. I couldn’t abuse our friendship like that.
“Just come with me,” Stella said as she headed into her bathroom, and into a huge closet.
She had two full racks of just dresses, not to mention jeans, slacks, shirts, and an area with her workout clothes folded neatly in place. It was a beautiful setup, and she had a lot of clothes.
“Yes, I see you have more, but it is too much. I don’t want to take advantage of you. That is easily more than $1000 worth of dresses in there. I only really need one of them.
I have nowhere to wear them anyway” I told them. “I am quite sure that soon you will be going out a lot more than you did, let’s call it intuition.
After we get past this upcoming issue, we plan on having a ball here at Black Adder. Just take the dresses.
I want to give them to you, and I was careful to make sure each of them would look great on you. So just let us dress you up like a doll for the night, OK, we really want to do this.
We will even get your hair and makeup done for the night for you” Stella pleaded with me.
She was cute, sticking out her bottom lip and giving me puppy dog eyes like I was doing her a favor, and not the other way around.
“OK, thank you so much, Stella, for giving me these dresses, they are beautiful. I have never had anything so nice before. I will take very good care of them.
I do want to try the blue one on” I told them. Stella squeals and runs back into the bedroom to get it and brings it back before I can change my mind.
As they both go to exit for me to change, Raven calls back to me, “We are still going to get some stuff from my closet too. I already have Justin pulling some dresses for me for you to try on too.
No need to go through this again, just accept them, and enjoy it. I will have him pack them up for you, to be brought down to your room later on today.
We have plans for the next few hours.”
I don’t know anything about any plans for today, but this dress is a stunner. It is the color of deep ocean water.
A deep teal, with some blue mixed in with it, giving it a gorgeous hue that makes my eyes pop.
It has a cowl neckline that runs low between the thin spaghetti straps, which allows just the swell of my breasts to show.
It curves in to emphasize my narrow waist, and the short skirt shows my strong legs. I am still a little too thin, but I am gaining at what I considered a pretty good rate.
I know not to overdo it, and I have to admit, I have never felt this sexy in my life. I have never worn something this short, and I know that this is one of those club dresses.
My dad never let me go to one, he was grooming me to be Luna here.
After that fell through I was with Blake, he was so possessive he would have lost his mind at me wearing this where any pack members could see me.
This would have been something to wear in private, and only for him. I turned to look at the back of it in the mirror, and the back was low, curving down towards the lower back right above my butt.
This dress demanded attention. I didn’t realize the back was this low. I almost changed my mind about it, but when I turn back to look at my reflection, I know that this is the dress.
Maybe I can just leave my hair down tonight, and that will cover the back of it. I immediately shake my head to clear it from allowing those thoughts of my ex-mate in my head.
Blake had no business being here in my mind. For a petty moment, I think of taking a picture in this dress when I get all done up, and sending it to him. But I won’t because he would lose his s**t.
As it is I already know that he will be in the area tonight, because he knows that we are going out.
If I sent him the picture he would try to get in here tonight, and I just don’t want to deal with him. I want some quality time with Anton, and another kiss like the one I got earlier today.
I stepped out of the bathroom to see what they thought. The screams they made were almost ear-piercing to me, and they were gushing over how I looked in it.
Making me turn around to see the whole dress. “Oh, my Goddess!! You are stunning, that dress was totally made for you. I am so glad I bought it now.
You are going to knock his socks off,” Stella yelled out. “You are gorgeous. That dress is perfect for you. That IS the dress.
Go get changed again, Cheryl we need to stop by your room for you to get some shorts on and we need to hurry.
We will drop off these dresses on our way, so hurry, we do not have much time” Raven said and motioned me back to the bathroom. I have to admit that I was glad to get Anton’s shirt back on.
It makes me happy to take in his scent, and we each grabbed a few dresses. I noticed two pairs of heels in Stella’s hands too, as we hurried down a level to my room.
I see a number of dresses now hanging in my closet, and Raven said, “Those were my dresses. I had one of my assistants bring them down after Justin packed them up.
I asked her to hang them up for you so they didn’t get wrinkled. I asked her if she would put them into your closet.
You can go through them to see which ones you like.”
I hurried into my bathroom to put on some underwear and shorts and I grabbed a pair of socks, and my sneakers.
I didn’t know where we were going, but I was having a good time with them. Plus this is making time go by so quickly, I am happy with the distraction.
We usually had a couple of children with us, so it was rare for us to be able to just be adults, instead of moms. I didn’t know my way around here that well.
It has really changed a lot since I left here. It seems like another lifetime it has been so long, almost 17 years now.
I knew about the dining room, the hospital, our room on the Gamma floor, and the training area. I still didn’t feel comfortable just wandering around here. Not everyone was glad to see me come back.
Some were still pissed off at what I had done before. Back when I still cared about pleasing my dad. They knew all the bad things that I did, and so I just stayed to myself.
I didn’t bother anyone, and that was another reason for us to get out of the packhouse, and into a little place of our own.
Raven takes off down a back hallway past the dining room, off the entry hall.
She goes to the back of that hallway and it turns to the right, and we head down that one too before she stops and I see that we are at a salon. I am stunned. Who has this in their pack?
Then I remembered why. She left for the day, and Reagan and I ruined her life.
She could have been killed that day by her jealous mate, and the part I played in it, makes the bile rise up my esophagus. How could she, or Brandon, have forgiven us? We were undeserving of it.
Their precious baby, Jaxon, could have died because of us being so spiteful and jealous of her. I can feel the guilt making me sick and my feet refuse to move forward.
Goddess, I really messed up, I was such a horrible person to her. I know exactly why this was here, and I can see just how badly we hurt her by looking at this salon here in front of me.
She was probably too scared to leave here again in case something else like that had come up again. We had inside information on that, and we really set her up well.
I don’t think it would be successful to try it again, but I guess she is covering all her bases now. I see her smiling face as she turns back towards me.
I see her noticing my expression and her expression of concern for me as she comes to comfort me. I did wrong, and so did Reagan, but she feels bad that I got upset for hurting her.
She is unbelievably kind, and I really don’t deserve it. “The whole pack needed this actually.
I just thought since we had thirteen hundred members, that we would put this in when we built this extension for the packhouse. I still went out to get my hair done, but I don’t have to now.
Don’t overthink this Cheryl, I have had several years to come to grips with it. It was a mistake, and we all make them, don’t think any more about it.
Today is your day, and I wanted you to be happy, not sad. I wanted you to have the works, well, as far as we can do them here. I made sure that we had the place all to ourselves for three hours.
They moved some appointments around, and those ladies were happy to do it, as I am paying for their treatments for tomorrow.
It is a win/win for all of us, come on, you need to decide on what you want to get done” Raven tells me and pulls me inside. I cannot remember the last time I got my hair cut.
I think it was around our 8th anniversary. So, over 8 years ago. It is pretty long now and looking at it in its current condition, it is indeed in need of some help.
It is down to my waist and I usually put it in a braid, a ponytail, or a messy bun on my head.
I am not as excited about this as Raven is, but I am looking forward to getting it cut and looking healthy again. Three ladies stepped forward to greet us, it was clear that they were waiting on us.
They were almost as excited as Raven was about this. “What did you want to do today Luna?” the obvious leader asked, and two more ladies came out of the back.
“Well, Cheryl here needs a cut, and that is up to her, the length, but I think she looks great with long hair. I believe that she needs some highlights to play up her beautiful natural blonde hair.
She will need to get her nails painted too, hands and feet. If you can do her makeup that would be great.
She has a first date tonight, and we wanted to get her even more stunning than she already is” Raven told them. Her excitement is contagious, and they are excited to help me.
I have to say that I am excited as well, but I can do my own nails. I am used to it, and it is no problem at all. She has done enough for me today.
I am already beyond excited about getting my hair done for tonight.
I can just see about painting them while I am getting my hair done, I don’t want to bother them with doing it when I can do it myself.