Rosalyn POV
"Rose, my sweet girl. I'm so sorry" she says, looking down at me with sadness in her eyes. "What are you sorry for mom? Did you know about Reese and Bryce betraying me? Are you sorry they want me to accept that I have to share my mate. How about that they plan on Reese forcing his mark on me after he takes what I'm not willing to offer?"
"Is that what you're sorry about mom? Are you here to convince me that I'm a selfish b**ch who should be grateful to accept my role as Luna of this pack, no matter the cost is my own happiness?"
"No baby girl. I would never want any of that for you. I had no idea about their betrayal. I love your brother, he is my son, but I won't condone what he has done to you. As for Reese, he doesn't deserve to have you as his mate. He and your brother should suffer for the pain they have caused you. You are my daughter. I would die before I let them force any of this on you" she says.
I sob feeling the sincerity in every word she just said. "I am going to help you escape this pack. I will not allow them to cause you a moment more of pain. I need you to trust me, Rose. I need you to play along. They need to believe you are going to accept the arrangement they have proposed," she says.
"Mom, dad agrees with them" I say, but she cuts me off. "That man upstairs is not the man that promised to love me and our children. It took everything in me to listen to him talk of our duty to the pack. Trying to convince me that you sacrificing your own happiness was for the greater good. I promise you that we will leave this place and never look back, but I need you to trust me in order for that to happen."
"Mom, I can't ask you to leave with me. What about Emmett? You can't leave him here." "You let me worry about everything else. I just need you to play along when your father comes back down here to speak to you. He is going to try to convince you to go to the hospital to check on Bryce because he is asking for you. I know how hard it's going to be, but you need to pretend that you will try to forgive them. Can you do that, Rose?" "Your mom's right, Rose. We need to get out of this cell if we have any hope of escaping," Zora says.
My mother gasps. "You have your wolf." I smile for the first time in two days. "I do, her name is Zora and she's amazing, mom." "None of them know, do they?" "No, she has been hiding our scent." "Good, I love you my sweet Rose. I promise I will get you far from this place. You just have to trust me," she says, and I see nothing but sincerity in her eyes.
"I trust you mom." "Good, I'm going to tell Cain that you are willing to listen." She reaches her hand out and takes mine. "I love you baby girl. Never forget that no matter what happens." "I love you too mom." I fight back the urge to cry. Happy that at least my mother is still on my side. Once she's gone, I sit back down on the mattress waiting for my so-called father to return.
It feels like forever when I finally hear the sound of footsteps approaching my cell. I look up and a man that I thought could never hurt me gives me a soft smile. "I know your still upset, but your mom said you're willing to talk with Bryce and Reese. Bryce is still at the pack hospital, but he is asking to see you. Do you think you're ready to try to let them make amends, princess?" I want to scream at him not to call me that, but I bite my tongue.
"I won't make any promises, but I will hear them out." His smile spreads across his face as he goes to unlock the cell. I get to my feet and walk to the cell door. Once I'm in front of my dad, he places his hands on my shoulders. A touch that used to bring me comfort and safety now makes my skin crawl. I will myself not to shake him off. "I promise that everything is going to work out, and you'll be happy." I nod, and he leads me down a long hallway.
Once we're outside, we follow the path that leads to the pack hospital. I try to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest the closer we get. It doesn't take long to reach Bryce's room. My father pushes open a large door. Reese is seated next to the bed holding Bryce's hand. Bile rises in my throat, but I fight back the urge to vomit.
When Reese finally realizes I'm there, he is out of his seat and rushing toward me. "Rosie, you came. I'm so glad you're here." He reaches to take my hand, but I move away. "I'm not ready for you to touch me yet." He looks hurt but nods. "Rosie, can you come over here and let me talk to you," Bryce asks.
I look at my father, and he nods in encouragement. I need to do this to get out of here, I repeat over and over in my mind as I take a seat next to Bryce's bed. "Thank you for coming here, Rosie. I know how upset you are, and I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. You have always been the best baby sister I could ever have, and I've hurt you so deeply."
I don't want to let his words affect me, but I can't stop the tears that flow down my cheeks. His words remind me of the Bryce I used to know, but this is all a lie. "Do you think you can ever forgive me, Rosie?" "I'm not sure Bryce. You really hurt me. You were always my protector. I could always count on you, but you not only stopped being my brother, you took my mate."
"I know, we should have told you what was between us, but Reese was afraid you would reject him. He truly loves us both. I know that sharing him isn't ideal for either of us, but we both love him. I didn't mean what I said about you not being good enough for him or the pack. I was just being a jealous a**. You are going to be an amazing Luna" he says, reaching for my hand.
I pull it back, not willing to let him touch me. I'm holding myself together by a thread and his touch would make me lose that control. Reese bends down by my side but doesn't touch me. "I understand that you won't forgive us right away, but I need you, Rosie. You're the other half of my soul. Fallon and I can't live without you. Please try to accept that we screwed up, but we both love you. We want this to work," he says.
"I need time to think and process all of this. I'm hurt and confused. I understand I have a duty to the pack but you're asking me to share my mate. I'm not even sure how my wolf will feel about this. I want to go home and spend time with my mom. You keeping me a prisoner is not helping me to forgive your actions."
Reese looks at my father and he nods. "I'll go with her. I'll make sure she gets home safely. I will bring her back to the pack house in a few hours. That will give her some time to think about what you both said," he says. I step toward the door and Reese grabs my hand holding it tight.
"I do love you, Rosie. My father's wrong. I love you so much, please never doubt that." I nod and turn hoping this is the last time I have to listen to Reese's lies. You don't betray someone you love. We walk back to the only home I've ever known in silence. The front door flies open before we are even on the porch.
My mother wraps her arm around my shoulders without acknowledging my father even exists. "I made you something to eat. Are you hungry?" "Not really mom. After everything that happened, eating is the last thing I want to do." She glares at my father and he drops his gaze. "You need to eat Rose. I want us to sit down together and try to forget about the ugliness of today. Can you do that for me?"
I nod and she leads me over to the table. My father takes his usual seat but instead of sitting next to him, she sits near me. "Love, please" he starts to say, but she cuts him off. "I don't want to argue right now Cain. Let's just enjoy dinner." He digs into his food but all I can manage are a few bites. "Princess, you need to eat" he says. "Don't pretend you care about her now Cain. It's a little too late for that" my mother growls at him. "Of course, I care about her. She is my little girl" he says.
"The only thing you care about is your precious title and this pack" she says, her words laced with venom. He goes to stand but staggers on his feet. He steadies himself on the table. His eyes meet my mother's. "What have you done?"
"I protected my daughter from you and your so-called Alpha. Something you should have done." My father takes two steps toward her before he falls to the floor. I'm frozen in place. Did she kill him? "Let's go, Rose. We have no time to waste. Don't worry, he isn't dead, but when he wakes up, he'll wish he was."