Page 41 of The Alpha Wolf’s Secret Baby Boy

Nodding slowly as I step inside and carefully close the door behind me, I decide that I’ve been going about this the wrong way.

Poppy has every right to be angry with me.

“You can take the couch,” she throws calmly over her shoulder as she lifts the bag from it. “We—I only have one bedroom here.”

“That’s okay. You’ll also be pleased to know that I’ve kept our mate bond a secret.”

Poppy turns and scoffs, her hazel eyes wider than usual. “What do you want? A prize?” she snickers. “I told you before, I’m not doing you any favors.”

I frown when she disappears into the room with both her bags, leaving me in the living room with nothing but her coldness surrounding me.

I’ve tried to loosen the reins, tried to be more understanding, but it’s killing me inside knowing that she’s right here, so close, yet so far.

No matter what I do, I’ll always have this dark cloud hanging over my head. I can’t escape it. But I’ll be damned if I do nothing to fix this while she pretends like she doesn’t care that she’s my mate. Or the luna of Valley Walker.

I follow her into the room, every step determined, until she realizes I’ve followed her and she snaps around.

“What are you doing, Damian?!” she yelps, glowering at me.

“We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Oh, but there is,” I point out, standing cemented in the doorway. “Ever since I found you, I have been losing my mind, Poppy.” I press a finger to my temple, closing my eyes. “You wouldn’t understand, because for some reason, you don’t feel the mate bond the way I do. And it’s killing me. Everything I did to make you mine is just my wolf acting on impulse. It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Poppy suddenly throws her head back and roars with laughter. “What a convenient excuse, Damian!” The sound of her laughter splutters into a sardonic chuckle. “Blame your wolf, and somehow, that makes everything okay. Right! Is that what happened ten years ago? Your wolf made you indecisive?”

“I wasn’t indecisive, Poppy. I just needed time. If you’d just given—”

“Oh, so it’s my fault, huh?” She laughs again at that. “You know what, Damian? I don’t buy any of your bullshit excuses.”

I sigh defeatedly and hang my head. “I’m not blaming you, Poppy. I know I was wrong, and I’m standing here, telling you I’m sorry.”

“It’s too late, Damian,” Poppy whispers, and when I look up, she’s shaking her head, eyes wide with tears.

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth,” she says as she takes a deep breath and turns toward her bedroom window, crossing her arms. “It’s too late.”

“Stop saying that, Poppy. Please. I will do anything.” I take a cautious step forward, but Poppy doesn’t turn. She just shakes her head, refusing to look at me.

“There’s nothing you can do, Damian. We have been apart for ten years. A lot happens in ten years. I am not the same girl I was back then.”

“Now, you’re not. You’re a woman. And I acted like a monster.”

She huffs. “Maybe that’s all you’ve ever been.”

Her words slice through me like the sharpest blade, and it all comes crashing into me at once. How I neglected our relationship when I had to take Dorian’s place in Valley Walker. How I disregarded her feelings and was so self-centered that I neglected her needs. How angry I’ve been for the past decade, painting myself like a victim and turning out to be a perpetrator.

“Is that why you left Valley Walker…?” I ask quietly, and the confirmation comes when she nods slowly.

“I left because you hesitated to claim me as your mate. Now you think that doing it against my will is how you lessen the blow on your conscience. And you’re wrong.”

I drop to my knees behind her, hanging my head in shame, my shoulders following as I slouch.

“Please forgive me, Poppy. I’ll do anything…anything, I swear.”

Poppy turns around slowly, wearing tears in her eyes like armor as she glares down at me. “I told you, it’s too late. Too much has happened.”