In the next part of Catherine's adventure, she stumbles upon a huge revelation that shakes her to the core. It turns out that someone has messed with her mate bond, the special connection between her and her true love. And guess what? It's all tied...
As soon as Catherine left the study with Chase and Jackson, Brandon turned toward me with a serious expression.
"You need to know something about Catherine's past," he said, his tone grave.
His parents gave him a pleading look, probably having a conversation through the mind-link. I had a pretty good guess that they were telling him not to disclose whatever it was.
"I have to do this, Dad," Brandon said firmly, his gaze unwavering.
My curiosity piqued, and I leaned in, eager to hear what Brandon had to reveal.
"I have asked Jackson to come back, so let's wait for him," Brandon urged.
"Alpha Brandon, I don't understand what game you're trying to play here. But it better be something good. If not, I'll think you're trying to take advantage of the situation," I warned him.
"Alpha Alexander, with all due respect, I knew it would come to this. That's why I insist that her brother be present while I disclose her past. To avoid any thoughts that I might be taking advantage of Cathy," he retorted firmly.
Within a few minutes, a knock came on the door, and in came Jackson.
"What is it, Alpha Brandon?" Jackson had the decency to address him with his title even though they were best of friends.
"Beta Jackson, I asked you to come here because, for the best of each and every member, as an Alpha, I have to make some hard decisions, even though they might not like it. And I am doing one such thing right now, which you might not agree with, but this is for Cathy's own good," Alpha Brandon tried convincing Jackson.
"Alpha, what are you trying to say?" Jackson asked curiously.
"I was just letting Alpha Alexander know a little something about Cathy's past, which we said had to be kept a secret. But I don't want it to be a secret anymore, as accusations are being thrown against her for something she hasn't done and I cannot stand it," Alpha Brandon said, making Jackson finally realize what he was talking about.
"Enough beating around the bush. Can you get to the point?" I asked, irritated at the suspense.
"Are you sure? I thought we kept it secret so our pack would be safe," Jackson argued.
"I know, but this is important as it will prove that Cathy is innocent," Alpha Brandon said.
"Alpha Alexander, I hope you can earn forgiveness from your mate. Even though it hurts me to see her with you, I know this is what the Moon Goddess has fated and I accept that. So know that whatever I am telling you is not because I am selfish and want to take advantage. Instead, I want to protect Catherine. She may hate me for what happened in the past, but this is my way of repenting," he said and gave a look to his father, who just nodded at Alpha Brandon.
"On the day we found Suzanne in the woods, all hurt, you asked us how we got there. I told you that it was our routine perimeter check," he stated.
"We were there because Catherine was kidnapped," he said, making me stunned at that news.
"What?"
"How did that happen?"
It was Ethan and my dad asking simultaneously.
Brandon took a deep breath. "We were out in the woods searching for her. When we finally found her, she was hurt all over her body. There were traces of rogue scents nearby. Jackson and I followed the scent trail, which led us to Suzanne's body."
"So Suzanne kidnapped and hurt Catherine?" I asked, feeling a mix of anger and disbelief.
Jackson nodded. "Yes, but by the time we got there, Suzanne was already dead. We had no solid proof linking her to the kidnapping and hurting Cathy."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" my dad demanded, his voice rising with frustration.
"We didn't have any proof because Suzanne was dead," Jackson explained. "And Catherine is the daughter of a Beta. If this got out, it would have caused a lot of unwanted attention and possibly endangered our pack."
"We decided to keep it quiet," Brandon added. "But later, Catherine started showing signs of PTSD from the kidnapping. It was affecting her health severely."
"What did you do then?" I asked, my concern for Catherine growing by the second.
"We took her to a witch coven," Jackson said. "They helped her by hiding those memories deep in her mind. If Catherine were to get a hint of it, she'd start remembering, but it would take a toll on her body."
My mom, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "Due to her pregnancy, we need to keep this a secret. The stress could be harmful to both her and the baby."
I felt a wave of guilt and regret wash over me. "I had no idea," I said softly. "I accused her without knowing any of this."
"You need to earn her forgiveness, Alex," Brandon said. "For her sake and for the baby's."
"I will," I promised, feeling the weight of my mistakes more heavily than ever. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this right."
The room fell silent, the gravity of the revelations settling over us all. I knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but I was determined to do whatever it took to win back Catherine's trust and protect her and our unborn child.
"Do whatever it takes, but you need to make it right, Alpha Alexander. She has gone through so much, and she doesn't need the one person who is supposed to love her unconditionally accusing her of something she hasn't done," Jackson said firmly, his voice tinged with both concern and frustration.
"I understand," I replied, feeling the weight of my responsibility. "I will make it right."
My dad stepped forward, his expression serious. "We need to ensure Catherine's safety and well-being, especially during her pregnancy. This means keeping the kidnapping and everything related to it a secret."
"But what if she starts remembering?" Ethan asked, his worry evident.
"We'll have to handle it carefully," my mom said. "We'll need to be there for her, supporting her through it."
Brandon nodded. "We'll all be there for her. She's not alone in this."
I felt a surge of determination. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect her and our baby. I won't let her down again."
"Good," my dad said. "But actions speak louder than words, Alex. You need to show her that you're committed to making things right."
"I will," I promised. "I'll start by giving her the space she needs and supporting her however I can."
The room was filled with a tense silence as everyone absorbed the gravity of the situation. I knew I had a long way to go to regain Catherine's trust, but I was determined to do whatever it took to make things right and protect our future together.
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Hello, my lovely readers!
So, we're saying a short goodbye to Alexander's POV for a while. I know, I know, but don't worry, we'll come back to him soon enough.
I hope you're all ready to see where the story leads us next. So many secrets, so many twists. Could it be that everything is linked? Or is there someone or something higher pulling the strings?
What are your thoughts? Do share in the comments!
Until next time,
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