Chapter 6
He had always thought his life was perfect- stable, comfortable, predictable. Yet, he feared that having another pup would disrupt this
balance.
Back then, I expressed my desire to try again- to have another pup. After our first pup passed, my wolf’s desperate longing needed to be
fulfilled.
But just as I made that decision, Alice approached him, expressing that she wanted
a pup too. The only difference was… she didn’t
want to endure the pain of childbirth.
Instead of refusing and defending his mate, the one who wore his ring and shared his bed,
Jameson concocted an idea—a clever, yet
merciless one.
Why not implant the embryo-his and Alice’s— into my body? After all, I’d already said I wanted to be pregnant again, while Alice refused to give birth. Problem solved.
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Jameson convinced himself that I carried faulty genes-our first pup had a congenital heart. condition. Using Alice’s egg would give this pup
a better chance.
To Jameson, the plan was flawless. Everyone would get what they wanted-a healthy pup, a clean conscience. And if the pup ended up
with two mothers-one to bear him, another to
provide him life’s blood-wasn’t that a bonus?
He was so proud of that plan, eager to share it
with Alice. Naturally, she didn’t hesitate before saying “yes.” They began arranging everything, as if I was just… an incubator.
Then Kieran was born.
I remember the first time I held him. He was so
warm. So tiny. So perfect. For the first time in years, I smiled again.
I gave that pup everything. For the first ten years of his life, I was the only mother he knew.
But eventually, Alice grew restless. Her discontent seeped through the cracks. Jameson began to notice and ultimately
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decided things couldn’t continue as they were.
Alice, he thought, was the “real” mother. She couldn’t remain silently in the background while I took all the credit. Thus, he devised a
new plan.
Kieran was still young then, easily influenced. Being strict with his academics, Jameson took advantage of this. He and Alice began taking Kieran out more, showering him with all the toys and games he desired.
It worked.
Slowly, Kieran drew closer to Alice. He began sharing things with her that he’d never shared with me. One day, when he had his first girlfriend, Alice was the first to know.
Jameson believed he had succeeded. His son
now had two mothers. And me? I was relegated
to what he believed I was best at-the role of
housekeeper, keeping the home tidy.
He justified it to himself, saying Alice was better at nurturing and understanding emotions. If I truly loved Kieran, I’d agree to it all. And so,
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I was further pushed into the background, forgotten, replaced.
Life went on, messy, uneven. Jameson sometimes claimed to feel frustrated with
me, but whenever those feelings rose, Alice was always there to soothe him. Whispering, reminding him why he chose her.
He reckoned I should be grateful to Alice-for bringing “harmony” to our mate relationship.
When the planning for Kieran’s mating ceremony was underway, Jameson did contemplate telling me.
Yes, Kieran was born of Alice’s egg, but he also
knew that I had raised Kieran. We were still
mates, at least legally.
Any man with a conscience would think I had the right to attend the ceremony. But Kieran
had made his feelings clear.
“I don’t want her there,” he said disdainfully.
“She’s an embarrassment.”
He didn’t even try to soften the blow.
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“If Diana finds out I have a mother like her, the ceremony might be ruined. For the sake of my mate bond, I don’t want her to attend. If she shows up, she might run backstage and wash the dishes or something. Just the thought makes me sick.”
He turned to Jameson, urgent as though
reasoning with a child.
“Dad, listen to Aunt Alice. Just keep her away.
Once Diana and I are settled, we’ll tell her.”
Jameson was furious. He always wanted Kieran close to Alice, yes. But he never imagined his
son would reject me so easily and cruelly.
After all, regardless of the circumstances, I was still Kieran’s mother, at least in the public eye. How could the ceremony proceed without me?
But then Alice entered the room. Tears welled in her eyes, hanging like dewdrops on her lashes -something she rarely showed in front of
Jameson over the decades.
“Please, Jameson,” she pleaded. “Kieran
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agreed, just this once-let me go. Let me be
there.”
Her voice fell to a whisper. “He’s almost thirty. He’s never called me ‘mom.’ I just want to hear
it once.”
“Just this one day. Diana has a lifetime to call Zara ‘mom.’ I’m not asking for much. Just today.”
Jameson hesitated. The moment she spoke, he wavered. By the time she finished, he had silently conceded.
He told himself that if he had met Alice first,
maybe things would’ve been simpler. Perhaps,
she did deserve this chance.
After all, she was Kieran’s biological mother-an undeniable truth. He thought of the truth he’d concealed all these years, of all the birthdays
and milestones Alice had to watch from the
shadows. He felt guilt. So, he let her go.
But Jameson never anticipated I’d find out. He never thought I’d notice until that night at the
concert when I saw them.
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I caught his eye, filled with accusation and betrayal, and Jameson faltered. Trying to mask his guilt with cruelty, he yelled, deflected, said things he couldn’t take back.
Now, as the mating ceremony commenced, the memory hit him like a slap to the face. His chest tightened-for just a moment.
Then the laughter and music brought him back.
“Dad, I’m starting to get nervous,” Kieran whispered beside him. “Thank the Moon. Goddess Aunt Alice is here. Diana kept complimenting how elegant she looks.”
He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
“If Mom were here… that would be a completely different story.”
Jameson’s jaw tightened.
Regardless of who Kieran’s biological mother was, his mate bond had nothing to do with me or Alice. It was solely about Kieran and Diana.
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Then why did his wolf suddenly feel so… ungrounded?
He frowned. “You shouldn’t talk about her like
that. She is your mother.”
Kieran scoffed, “I wish she wasn’t.”
“You-!” Jameson almost lost control.
Kieran raised a hand. “Okay, okay, let’s not
argue. Diana’s about to come in. Can we just focus on the ceremony today?”
Without waiting for Jameson’s reply, he turned and walked away.
Jameson stood there, surrounded by flowers, music, and flashing lights, uncertain if he’d done the right thing.
Then the piano played. Music filled the room.
Jameson watched his son, full of smiles, walk
toward his bride.
But all he could think about was the mate he left behind, forty years ago.
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