The Alpha Prince's Mate (Book 7 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 19

Mila was breaking. She was having the worst time holding it together, and she really didn't want to anymore. Every moment seemed to bring something worse and she'd taken all she could take. The landlord telling her on her way out that he was sending her a bill for the damage had been the final straw and she had barely made it into the truck before she'd broken down.

She was vaguely aware of Nick getting into the truck and Max pulling away. She couldn't stop crying, and she didn't want to.

Everything was crashing down on her now. The loss of her parents, the two beatings she'd taken, the fact that she was barely able to do anything without help, her car being destroyed, her things destroyed. Even the photo album she'd had of her parents, he'd torn it apart. And then her landlord had kicked her out, leaving her homeless and told her he was sending her a bill for the damages. A bill she couldn't afford.

She'd lost control now, and was full on sobbing. Gut wrenching sobs that shook her entire frame. She was vaguely aware of a hand on her back. The truck finally came to a stop and she felt Riley take her hand.

"Come on, let's go in," she said softly.

Mila followed her out of the truck, wrapping her arms around herself. She could barely see for the tears that she couldn't seem to control. She half stumbled across the yard towards the front porch. She wanted to be alone and cry. She wanted Ethan. That thought startled her. Why him of all people? She didn't even know him.

She looked up as she approached the steps up to the porch. She didn't want to fall flat on her face. It was already damaged enough.

She came to an abrupt halt as she looked up, shocked to see Ethan standing there on the porch, his arms crossed over his chest as he gazed at her, concern on his face.

He had on jeans and a blue t-shirt and he looked perfectly put together and as handsome as always. She didn't know what to do. She barely knew him but everything in her was screaming at her to go to him. That he would comfort her. That it would be alright. He would make it alright. She was completely delusional.

He stepped off the porch and walked up to her, stopping a foot away, his concerned gaze taking in her messed up face, the bruising she was no longer hiding from him, which was even worse than it had been the last time she'd seen him. She was laid bare before him and he didn't seem disgusted by her at all, and instead he reached out to her.

"Come here, Mila," he said softly.

She stared at him, then gave in and stepped forward and into his arms. It was like coming home. She felt him close his arms around her and she suddenly felt safe, and like everything would be okay. She curled into his chest as he held her tightly, his strong arms a huge comfort to her.

It made no sense that he was here, that he was offering her, almost a complete stranger, comfort, but she wasn't thinking about that right now. She wasn't thinking about anything except how good it felt to be in his arms.

She wasn't sure how long they stood there, but finally, he said near her ear. "I'm going to pick you up."

She didn't have time to protest, and really had no desire to before he lifted her in his arms and took her into the house. He seemed to know where she'd been sleeping, and walked inside the room, closing the door behind him.

He sat her on the bed, and knelt in front of her, pulling off her shoes. "Lay down."

She did as he asked, and he kicked off his own shoes and laid down beside her, then pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. Her sobs had subsided and she felt him slowly stroking her back before she finally fell asleep, mentally exhausted from the chaos of the day. The chaos that her life had become.