The Woman He Mocked Is An Alpha Heiress

chapter6

HAILEY

“Eamon…”

The name leaves my lips softly like if I say it too clearly, I might blink and realise this is just my mind playing tricks on me.

But he doesn’t disappear.

Instead, he takes a slow and measured step forward. And then another. And another until the car's headlights illuminate his entire frame from the back, his golden hair packed in a bun.

Uncle Maddie lets out a small chuckle beside me.

“Oh, Eamon,” he says lightly, shaking his head as he half turns towards him. “Forgot you were with us, boy.”

Eamon doesn’t look at him or respond, his eyes pinning me in place.

And the closer he gets, the harder it is to breathe.

Because nothing about him has really changed.

And I remember vividly every word I said to him that night three years ago when I left Wolfnest capital. When I left the boy i’ve known all my life for the one I met two days before, all in the name of the mate bond.

“Hi…” I try to say but nothing comes out, my voice failing me until he comes to stop just a few meters from me, just orbiting because my fathers are still all over me.

“Hailey,” he starts, and that’s the final nail. Because Eamon never calls me Hailey.

An uncomfortable silence falls over us like a cloak. I shift my gaze away from his face and stare at the car behind him instead.

Uncle Maddie notices the awkwardness too and he clears his throat, breaking it just before he turns to Eamon.

“Umm, the thing is, I feel you guys will talk better when we get home.”

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding as I nod.

Then, Uncle Maddie turns to the car and we all follow.

He opens the backdoor of the first car and turns to us, “two in each car.” he says as he motions me forward.” Hailey is with me.”

Then Uncle Caius adds, “we’ll send men to burn and dispose of that one when day breaks.

That’s when the car’s door opens and Lila steps out, looking awkward.

Everyone pauses except me.

My tongue peeks out to lick my lips as I mentally chastise myself for forgetting her.

“Who’s this?” Uncle Cai asks, not shifting his attention from her. He takes a step toward her and Lila’s fearful eyes snap to me. “Ma–”

“She’s with me!” I hurriedly say.

Uncle Cai’s head snaps to mine in suspicion and I add defensively.

“I swear I'm not under any sort of hex right now. That’s Lila and she’s really with me.”

That does it.

He takes a step back and Uncle Maddie says,

“Hailey and Lila are with me.”

After, uncle Maddie helps me into the car, one hand steady at my back like he’s afraid I might slip away if he lets go too soon.

I settle into the seat and Lila slides in beside me quietly.

The door shuts.

Uncle Maddie gets into the driver’s seat, and the engine comes alive with a low hum.

No one says anything and as the car begins to move, I don’t look out the window or look back, adrenaline still thrumming in my vein.

The road stretches ahead, dark and empty, and the only sound inside the car is the soft roll of tires against asphalt.

Time passes.

Or maybe it doesn’t because everything feels suspended like we are moving, but nothing inside me is.

My hands rest loosely in my lap now, fingers twisting together slowly, and I focus on that.

On something small. something I can control.

Lila shifts slightly beside me, but she doesn’t speak.

And Uncle Maddie—

He doesn’t ask anything either.

And im just glad no one asked me about my whereabouts for the past three years when I was playing housewife.

The more he drives, the more the air feels different at least to me. And the more the scenery changes into something familiar too.

Until the car slows down a bit.

My chest tightens slightly as I lift my head, my eyes finally moving toward the window.

And then I see it.

Home.

The castle stands ahead, tall and still against the night sky, its silhouette sharp and familiar in a way that makes something deep inside me ache in a bittersweet way.

The gates are already open and we drive through slowly, gravel crunching beneath the tires as we pull up directly in front of the entrance.

I stare up at it. Some of the lights are on and some are not.

For a moment, no one moves.

Then, the front door opens and Uncle Maddie steps out first before coming around to my side.

He opens the door and offers his hand.

I take it because I don’t trust my legs completely not to fail me and he helps me down.

The cold night chill pierces my skin and blows my hair into my mouth and I almost flinch but I don't show it.

I don’t want them to worry about me. Or maybe… just maybe, i didn’t want them to notice what I did to myself and how weak I’ve become that something as normal as Wolfnest’s chill is enough to make me flinch.

The second car pulls in behind us, and I hear the doors open one after the other.

However, I don’t turn.

My nails bite into my skin as I straighten, my eyes lifting to the castle again.

It’s dark and still.

The thought slips out before I can stop it.

“Why did you bring me home?” I ask quietly, looking up at Uncle Maddie.

My voice sounds smaller than I expect.

Uncle Maddie answers easily with a small smile as if to ease me. “Kaia should be asleep now.”

There’s something in his tone. Something careful.

And he lifts his hand and points upward.

“Look up there,” he says. “Can you see? The lights are off.”

I follow his hand to see where it’s pointing to.

Her room.

And something in my chest loosens just a little and a small smile finds its way onto my lips before I can stop it.

Because for a moment, it feels like nothing has changed.

Like I can still walk back into that room, into her arms, and be the girl I was before everything went wrong.

But do I even know her anymore? Do I even know them anymore? They say people change with the absence of a constant person in their lives. What if I enter the room and run into her arms just to find out that she doesn’t like yoga anymore after I left? What if I meet Aurora and find out her taste in ice cream has changed? Do I even know how tall she is now?

I inhale a shuddering breath to pull in the tears as we begin to move towards the entrance.

But something makes me pause.

I glance back and there he is.

Eamon. Eamie.

He’s also following us.

Uncle Caius notices and stops, turning to him.

“Are you staying with us tonight, Eamon?” he asks.

Eamon stops.

There’s a short pause and his eyes flick to me just before he shakes his head.

“No Uncle,” he says.

Then—

“Goodnight… Hails.”

“Goodnight Eamie.” i manage to say, my voice small.

And i know he wants an explanation. Burt am I even ready to give him that? Because broken people don’t refuse to explain or avoid it. We just don’t know where to begin.