Chapter 7 Tape

Lira

There was no one there.

As soon as we turned, we saw a rabbit hop around. I felt relieved, but at the same time, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. I really hoped it was no one.

No one had to find out about this.

Alpha Kael was dressed now, and he turned. I didn’t have to be told to follow him.

The walk all the way was silent. The kind of silent that was loud. My footsteps sounded too loud against the polished floor, my heartbeat echoing in my ears. I had hoped to be able to shrink and run into my room, but as we got to the entrance, he stopped me.

“What happened today—” He started, but I cut him off.

“Must never see the day of light. I know. Even I don’t want it to come out. It was a mistake, and nothing more.” The words rushed out, but I knew more than anyone else that I was telling those words to myself.

No one must know that I had fucked my mate.

No… not that. No one must know that I had fucked my mother’s husband.

He nodded silently, his face expressionless, and turned to leave. This time, I stopped him.

“When is it going to be?”

His right brow arched, letting me know his question before he asked. I hated the mask of control he always put on and how easy it was for him to pretend he wasn’t being affected. To pretend like I wasn’t his mate.

“When are you going to find a safe way to break the bond?” The moment I asked, I wished I didn’t.

His eyes darkened and he took a few steps closer to me. He was a bit too close for two people who had a father and daughter relationship. I felt my stomach tighten, a familiar mixture of fear and longing pooling low in me.

“Are you so eager to get away from me, or you just happen to care about your mother so much that you don’t care what happens to you?”

I repeated his question in my head, trying to word my answer carefully. It didn’t help that I didn’t know what he was angry at.

Sensing my hesitation, he took another step closer, and I had to ignore how overwhelming his scent was to my senses. I could feel my chest rise and fall too fast, my pulse hammering in my ears.

“We both know this bond between us isn’t ideal. You’re my mother’s husband!”

“You don’t think I’m aware?” He shot back, his mask cracking slightly. “I told you I’ll find a way to safely reject you so nothing happens to you in the process.”

I felt frustration bubble up within me. “I also told you that I didn’t mind going through the pain again. I can handle it. Stop the righteous caring and just do it, please. I can’t go through all of this anymore. It’s driving me mad.”

Alpha Kael closed the distance between us, and bent his head a bit as he looked down at me.

“I care about you.” He muttered and tucked a loose strand behind my ear. Heat pooled in my stomach and shot straight to my core.

He cared about me.

“But,” of course. There was always a but. “I can’t be with you the way you want me to, and you know exactly why. This is a mistake, and it will never happen again.”

“Okay.” I replied with my teeth clenched. I didn’t want to be there anymore. I needed to be alone.

“I will find a way to safely break the bond, but until then, you must keep our agreement. Your mother must not know.”

“What mustn’t I know?”

I jerked back immediately when I heard the unmistaken voice of my mother behind us. My heart stopped and my whole body went cold. Why were things hellbent on getting worse for me?

I spun around to face my mother, and the shock and fear must have shown on my face because I could feel my eyes go wide.

How much did she hear? What if she knew what me and Alpha Kael just did? She’d be shattered, but she was smiling. She was actually smiling, and I didn’t understand.

Alpha Kael turned too and gave her a small smile after what seemed like him analyzing her.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if you knew, now, would it?” He said and brought out his arm for her to hold.

My mother laughed softly and walked over to him. She slid her arm through his waiting one, linking them together. The sight made my stomach turn.

That’s my mate. He’s mine, but he’s also hers. He’s her fucking husband.

I felt sick.

I noticed too, just down the hall, the soft light spilling from the nursery. Kael’s child was asleep, the slow rise and fall of the tiny chest visible even through the doorway. I felt a pang of guilt, realizing that the innocence of that little life somehow made everything worse. Everything that had happened between Kael and me was a shadow pressing over the child’s safety, over my mother’s happiness.

“What were you doing outside?” He asked her gently.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk.” She replied, and I caught the way her body leaned against his. Jealousy rose to my chest, but I had to quench it. She was my mother. My sweet mother.

“I’ll walk you back to your room then.” He said, looking at her, then he turned to me. “Lira, go to bed.”

His tone was devoid of emotion. As if he hadn’t just been filling up my insides a couple minutes ago, but I knew better than to dwell on it.

I nodded quickly, not trusting my voice. They both walked away, my mother’s arms still linked with his. And then the guilt hit me like a ton of bricks.

I was a terrible person. There was no two-way about it. But the last thing I wanted was for her to worry about me, especially when I couldn’t even tell her the truth.

She turned back and gave me a smile which I returned. I turned and walked to my room, hugging myself. My eyes burned with tears and I could feel the emotional tiredness get to me, but I needed to get to my room to let it all go.

I was only a few steps away from my door when I heard his voice.

“Lira.”

I stopped and my shoulders dropped instantly. No. Not now. Not him. I didn’t have the strength to deal with him. But here he was again.

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Don’t think because your mother is keeping my father’s bed warm you can talk to me anyhow.” I felt white-hot anger flare within me, but I remained silent. “You’re my maid, remember? You should be happy to even be at my beck and call.”

I mentally rolled my eyes. I was bored, pissed, and irritated. “What happened to the actual maids?” I snapped, and I saw his expression change in real time.

“Alicia and I want to record something, and you will help us.” He came forward and grabbed my arm, then started dragging me towards his room.

“I’m not interested in whatever this is. Please let me go.” I tried begging, but as expected, it didn’t work.

“You don’t know what it is. A boring peasant like you should be grateful to be involved, so shut the fuck up.”

He was beginning to be so irritating, and I wondered what I had ever seen in him.

“What is being recorded?” I asked, my voice small as the feeling that it was a bad idea grew by the second.

“A sex tape.”

I froze. The words echoed in my mind. The tiny figure in the nursery stirred, letting out a soft whimper in his sleep, and my stomach churned. Every nerve in me screamed that this was wrong. Every instinct told me to run, but my feet refused to move.

“A sex tape?”

What the fuck??