The Next Heir (Book 2)

Chapter 14

Vixen POV:

I sat in my office after Ava left, and even after she returned home. Many things I am proud of in my long life, but she will always be at the top of my list.

It still breaks my heart the way I got my daughter because her mother was supposed to be doing this with me, not leaving me alone to handle everything by myself.

Ava is part of the reason why I've been shutting myself off from the mate bond that I feel with Amanda, as well as the fact that I feel like I am doing wrong by Kegen if I accept the bond.

I know my daughter is smarter than I allow myself to believe and her ability to feel what others are feeling caused me to shut my feelings down when I am around her.

I know she has many questions, but I can't bring myself to answer them, even if I believe she deserves an answer.

Some nights I find myself sitting in the corner of Amanda's room watching her sleep and making sure she is okay. Some of those nights are because I can hear her screaming from a nightmare she had.

When those nights come, I find myself holding her in my arms while she sleeps, making sure not to be heard or seen by her.

The nights after holding her, she seems to be able to sleep for a few nights without a nightmare.

I can also tell she too feels the pull toward me as I do to her.

Since the day I brought Amanda and Val into my castle to live, I've been making myself busier to keep from running into Amanda but sometimes that doesn't always work.

No matter where I am, I can always feel part of the bond calling out to her as well as my beast.

The bond is something that keeps us from losing control, but how can I accept it when Kegen was my one, there was supposed to be always one mate for one soul, and mine died before we had the chance to live.

How can I call myself lucky because I got another chance to live with a true mate when I thought I had met my true mate?

I rubbed my hand over my face trying to clear out the thoughts that were running through my head.

A cool breeze brushed across my body and the feeling of someone standing next to me came over me.

I looked up and could feel my eyes going wide at the person standing next to me with a smile on their face.

"My love, I wish you didn't think of this as replacing me. You deserve happiness and love just as much as anyone else."

"How can I deserve anything when I couldn't save you?"

"You did save me, I just chose not to come back, it was my time to go, and I was at peace with that because I knew Ava would be taken care of, and you did an amazing job."

I watched as the smile on Kegen's face grew more at the thought of Ava.

"I'm sure I still messed up somewhere along the line, she has your strength and attitude."

A sound I thought I'd never hear again left Kegen's lips, I miss that laugh more than I realized.

"Well, I am one of her mothers, but she is who she is because of you, you raised her right and I am grateful that I got the chance to meet and love you, but now it's time for you to make room in your heart for Amanda.

She's a sweet woman, and I know she'll make you happy just as I did, probably even more."

I watched Kegen as I took in her words, but I can still feel that I have doubts about my bond with Amanda.