Chapter 156
Rachel’s POV
Carter nodded quickly. You can trust me.
I studied him carefully, trying to tell if he was lying. I couldn’t see any signs of deception. I figured he probably hadn’t done anything to hurt me. I decided to trust him for now, plus I had another question I wanted to ask.
So I nodded and said, “Okay, I believe you. But I have a question.”
His eyebrows raised slightly, but he gestured for me to continue.
“What exactly is your relationship with Nathan?” I asked, the words tumbling out before I could second–guess myself.
A flash of unease crossed his face before he composed himself. “You seem to know quite a bit about my half–brother,” he replied, his eyes drifting to my pregnant belly in a way that made me instinctively place my hand over it protectively.
I sighed, deciding honesty was the only path forward. “I didn’t tell you who I really was because I wanted a fresh start. I never meant to bring trouble to your doorstep. When I first saw you, I was terrified. I thought Nathan had found me.”
Carter’s expression softened. He reached out, gently patting my arm. “It’s alright, Rose. You don’t need to worry about anything.”
I studied his face, noting the similarities and differences between him and Nathan. “You know, you two are so different despite being related. You smile. Nathan… he’s always scowling. You genuinely care about people, while Nathan deliberately ignores their existence. When people speak, you tilt your head to listen. He doesn’t even give them the chance to talk.” I shook my head. “It’s hard to believe you share blood.”
Carter’s face darkened. “Nathan killed my father when I was eleven years old.”
He killed Carter’s father! I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I was completely speechless.
“My father wasn’t a good man,” Carter continued, his voice tight with barely controlled emotion. “But Nathan had no right to take his life. And after he did, he didn’t even bother to say a single word to me before abandoning me!”
His face contorted into something monstrous, his eyes flickering with hatred. His outburst surprised me–I’d never seen Carter lose control like this. The raw anger in his voice revealed wounds that had never properly healed.
“So King Jason gave you authority over Eclipse territory?” I asked, connecting the pieces.
Carter nodded, regaining his composure. “Yes.”
A chill ran through me. “Does that mean Jason knows I’m alive? What about Madison and Raymond? Do they know too?”
Carter noticed my panic and quickly reassured me. “This is my place. I don’t need to report my guests to him.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who I was,” he added after a moment. “For the same reasons you didn’t tell me.”
I managed a small smile. “I didn’t tell you who I was either. We’re even now.”
The medication was making Carter drowsy, but he fought to stay awake. I found myself wondering about the strange circumstances that had brought us together.
I asked, “What are the chances we’d meet like this? Do you think there’s a deeper reason?”
Carter’s lips curled into a tired smile. “The Moon Goddess arranged it. She gave me an opportunity to help another soul he hurt, by taking care of you and your child.”
His eyelids were growing heavy, but he suddenly reached out and grasped my wrist with surprising strength.
“Nathan is dangerous,” he warned, his voice urgent despite his fatigue. ‘He’ll try to take you back. Promise me you’ll be careful?”
1/2
Chapter 156
His fingers gently brushed a strand of copper hair from my face. “You’re beautiful, Rachel. Nathan… doesn’t deserve you.”
It was the first time he’d called me Rachel instead of Rose. Before I could respond, his hand fell away as he drifted into sleep.
I remained seated by Carter’s bedside long after he fell asleep, turning his words over in my mind. My skin still felt warm where his fingertips had touched my face.
How could I have been so blind? Carter’s revelations only confirmed what I should have realized sooner. Nathan had made me believe the three of us could live togethei, knowing all along this house was just a tool to get close to Carter.
Has anything he ever told me been true?” I whispered to myself, my hand gently stroking my belly. “In all the time I’ve known him, was a single thing that man told me the truth?”
“Yes, I murmured, rising to stand by the window. “When he said he planned to kill me, that was the truth.”
Why had I put myself right back in danger of dying after giving birth?
I turned to look at Carter’s sleeping form. Could I trust him the way I once had? He’d said finding me was a coincidence, but now I wasn’t so sure.
How will he see my child? The baby of the man he hates most in this world?
If none of this was coincidence, what did that mean? Would Carter use my child as a pawn? Manipulate other Alphas or people in power? The possibility sent a chill down my spine.
My ignorance about the war and what’s happening between Carter and Nathan put me in this situation, I realized with growing clarity.
I placed my hand over my rounded belly, feeling the strong life force of my Alpha–blooded child. Outside, leaves rustled as if the Moon Goddess herself was listening. I couldn’t help thinking this was all part of some divine plan.
“Don’t worry,” I promised the little one growing inside me. “I’ll protect you. Whatever it takes.”
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