Mated To My Cheating Ex's Powerful Alpha novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Ashes

Rhett's text came while I was staring at Marianne's phone number in my contacts.

I'm at the Hollis land. Come alone. I'll tell you what I should have told you years ago. Please, Nor. One last time.

The Hollis land was where my pack had burned.

It was where he had kissed me when I was twenty, in the ash and the snow, and said you and me, always.

I looked at the message for a long time.

Then I told June I was going for a walk, and I took a cab.

I did not tell Declan.

I wanted to hear what Rhett had to say, and I wanted to hear it with nobody listening.

The land was a fenced field forty minutes outside the city.

The gate hung off one hinge.

Past it stood a chimney, black to the top, and the low outlines of stone foundations under the weeds.

I had walked here at nine years old with my aunt's hand around mine.

I hadn't been back in eight years.

Rhett stood by the chimney in a dark coat, with his hands in his pockets.

He turned when he heard the gate.

His eyes were red.

"You came," he said.

"I came for the truth."

"I know. I've been rehearsing it all night." He took a step toward me. "Freja, listen. I never wanted to hurt you. I've loved you since I was twenty-three."

"Then why the stage?"

"Because I had no choice. The Aaltonens are the only reason I'm sitting at the Seven's table." His voice cracked. "I kept you out of the registry to protect you. If the Seven ever looked at you closely, they would have used you."

"Used me for what?"

"I can't tell you that. Not yet."

I stared at him.

"You told me the registry said I was nothing," I said. "You told me I was null. You said it when I was twenty."

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