Connection Through Blindness

Chapter 15

Since earlier Ryan and I have grown close. Closer than his usual closed off self is what I mean. We showed the respect we had for each other, and I'm happy he chose to open up, even though it just by a little, it was still progress.

And now here I am, hidden in the shadows on the roof, watching the Alpha King stand at the edge of the roof with the shadowy mist still clinging to him.

"You need to work on your hiding skills," the Alpha King stated in his deep, dark voice.

Smiling big, I step out of the shadows, saying, "That's supposed to be my line."

He held out a shadowed hand to a table set up with multiple delicious foods. What staggered me even more was that he pulled out my chair and pushed it in for me as I sat.

"Eat," he ordered, an underlying Alpha tone present.

I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed, eyebrow raised. "I'm not one of your submissive pack members, Shadow," I informed sweetly, losing the hard look and letting my arms fall to my lap. "I'm your mate. Well, your ex-mate, in this case."

The shadows that always slithered around him turned and twisted as if they were coming to life. And that's when I knew what I'd said had angered him. He stood, placing both hands on the table, huge body looming over me.

"You are my mate," he growled in anger.

I started. That was the first time he's ever lost his cool. I cocked my head to the side, a small smile spreading across my face. "You gonna start talking, or just stand there all night?" I asked distractedly.

Shadow calmed down, sitting and watching me. "While I talk, you eat. How does that sound?"

I shoved a forkful of whatever was on my plate into my mouth, smiling and giving him a thumbs up.

"I ordered Beta Ryan to sedate and bring your mom and her friend - "

"His name is Bruce, and please, call my mom Ellie."

Nods once. "Okay. I ordered Beta Ryan to sedate Ellie and Bruce to bring them here. I kept them imprisoned for two months. Over those two months your brother, Zach, and you, Bella, grew inside your mother, even though Ellie never believed me when I first told her she was pregnant."

I grabbed my drink and took a sip, eyes widening as a deliciously and tasteful wine slid down my throat and warmed my chest.

"Something did not make sense, though. The first time I saw Ellie I felt an instant connection with her."

I stopped eating and leaned back with my arms crossed over my chest, brows raised. "What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I thought, at first, that she was my mate, but as fast as the thought had entered my mind, it left just as fast," he explained emotionlessly.

I already knew him. He may have seemed cold on the outside but I could hear and feel the emotions that were hidden inside him. Of course, the big bad Alpha King would never show his own mate his soft side!

"You okay?" His question broke me out of my thoughts.

I swallowed and immediately slapped a smile on my face. "Sure," I say cheerfully. "I mean, I just found out my mate had a thing for my mom."

I blinked. Frowning at myself for allowing my anger to say something like that.

Shadow shook his head. "It wasn't like that," he said.

"Then what was it?"

We just sat there, staring at the other and I knew he wasn't going to tell me. At least, he was attempting to not lie to me. That had to count for something.