Chapter 469: The Dead Were Gone
Explore the latest events in "Mated To The Crippled Alpha" Chapter 469: Lucian blinked his big, beautiful eyes and mumbled, "Buh-woo.""Itâs not âBuh-woo.â Itâs âbrother-in-law.â Come on,...
Lucian blinked his big, beautiful eyes and mumbled, "Buh-woo.""Itâs not âBuh-woo.â Itâs âbrother-in-law.â Come on, say it with me , bro... ther-in... law."
"Brubby-law."
"No, not âBrubby-law,â itâs , ouch!"
Riley stomped on Harlanâs foot, scooped Lucian up, and carried him off. Before she turned the corner, she playfully shook his little head. "Quick, shake out all that nonsense."
"Janice , ugh, I mean, Riley! What do you mean by nonsense?"
Harlan chased after them, and Bill took the opportunity to toss a freshly changed diaper straight at his chest. "What do you think youâre doing, raising your voice at my daughter?"
Harlan shrank back immediately. "My dear father-in-law, you misunderstood me,"
"Father-in-law? In your dreams. Get away from me."
Philippa took Rileyâs hand and steered her away. "Sweetheart, never settle for a man who canât keep himself together. And definitely not a man like," Her gaze drifted to Bill, who looked back at her with quiet hope, only for her to say flatly, "A man like your father. Total scumbag."
Riley nodded seriously. "Understood."
Bill still hadnât won Philippa over, but they had time. Twenty years of pain didnât disappear overnight, but he had the rest of his life to make up for it, and it was clear he intended to try.
Harlan, completely missing the room, leaned against the wall with a satisfied smirk. "My dear father-in-law, looks like your standing here isnât much higher than mine."
Bill shot him a look that could have stripped paint. "At least I had it all once. My child is grown. You , you have nothing, and youâre still grinning like an idiot."
Harlan had no response to that.
Bill let it go and walked over to me instead. "Itâs getting late. We wonât keep you any longer. If youâre tired, just say so." His voice was gentle in a way that caught me off guard. He pulled me carefully into his arms and stroked my hair. "Weâre pack, Elena. Donât carry everything alone. You still have us."
I swallowed hard and nodded, blinking back tears. "I know. Go focus on winning Mom over."
He laughed softly. "That doesnât matter as much as just being near them. Thatâs enough for me." He really had changed. The edge he used to carry was gone, replaced by something quieter and steadier.
Kate had been standing in the corner the whole time, watching us. There was a trace of something in her eyes , not quite sadness, not quite longing, but close to both. After everyone else filtered out, she walked over slowly. "Weâre here for you too. Donât be sad."
She wanted to hug me. I could see her hesitate, unsure if Iâd pull away. She stayed close but kept a careful distance, the way someone does when theyâre afraid of being rejected.
After everything, I still had two sets of parents. Compared to Lewis, I had no right to complain.
"Mom," I said quietly. "Can you hold me for a while?"
She froze. Then tears broke across her face, and she said, "Yes."
She held me tightly, whispering my name , "Coco" , over and over, like she was afraid Iâd disappear if she stopped. I held her back and let go completely, sobbing in a way I hadnât allowed myself to in years, calling out for her until my voice went hoarse.
All those years of being misunderstood. All those times I had stood in rooms full of people and felt invisible. On the worst nights, what I had wanted more than anything wasnât safety , it was just for someone in my family to look at me and truly see me. I had envied how quickly Philippa had recognized Riley. Kate and I had taken so much longer to find each other, and the road between us had been full of sharp edges.
But she was still here. She was alive. And right now, that was the only thing that mattered.
For my mating ceremony, she had dyed her hair and gone through treatments to look her best. She didnât look as worn as she had a few months ago, though the lines on her face were still there , evidence of everything sheâd lived through. She had always cared so much about how she looked. She had paid a price, and so had I, but we were still standing.
"Donât cry," she said softly. "Your dad and I will always be here."
I nodded, took a breath, and let the last of the tears fall. When it was finally over, I felt lighter , emptied out in the best possible way.
"Good girl. Call me anytime. Day or night."
I nodded again and walked her to the door.
When I came back inside, Lewis had already bathed both babies and settled them in bed, sitting beside them quietly. Aside from the redness in his eyes, you would barely know heâd been grieving. His composure was steady, the way an Alphaâs always is , not because the pain isnât there, but because heâs learned to hold it without collapsing under it.
"Lewis, rest. Iâll stay with them."
He lifted me into his arms instead, his chin resting against my neck, his voice low in my ear. "No. This is all I need."
"Iâm sorry," I whispered.
"Itâs not your fault. Donât do that. She made her own choice, and nothing could have changed it. The worst is behind us now. We live well , thatâs how we honor her."
"Mm."
At least we were still together. That counted for more than I could say.
The babies stared up at us with wide, curious eyes, then turned to each other and broke into giggles for no reason at all. We played with them until their eyelids grew heavy and they drifted off. I curled into Lewisâs arms, and we fell asleep just like that , the four of us, together.
The dead were gone. The living had to hold onto the present.
The pack had been watching over the Bolton estate ever since everything happened, worried weâd fall apart. Even after the ceremony was called off, no one left. They stayed, and slowly the house that had gone so quiet came back to life around us.
Early the next morning, Harlan appeared in the kitchen doorway wearing an apron and carrying a plate of steak with the focused expression of someone presenting a masterpiece. "Elena, try this. Tell me what you think."
I stared at him. "Are you seriously making steak at this hour? Harlan, are you alright?"
"I heard the way to a womanâs heart is through her stomach. So I learned how to cook." He said it with complete sincerity. "Iâm not the guy who throws eggs at the ceiling anymore."
I could tell he meant it. Riley was still asleep, so I took the opening. "Do you really love her?"
"Havenât I made that obvious enough? I wouldnât risk my life for someone I didnât love."
His sincerity was plain. But there was still one thing I needed to ask. "Now that you know who Riley really is , do you love the face, or do you love the person underneath it? Can you actually tell the difference?"