99 No-Shows Later, My Son Calls Him Alpha & We Left

Chapter 2

Lauren's POV:

After I finally coaxed Gabriel to sleep, I sat alone in the living room, staring at the family photographs on the wall.

I thought back to the vows Benjamin and I had made before the Moon Goddess.

My phone vibrated.

Grace had sent me a video from the hospital. Benjamin was cradling Thomas against his chest and humming softly to him.

Watching Benjamin give Thomas the tenderness he had always withheld from Gabriel was almost unbearable.

When Gabriel had needed surgery, Benjamin's only response had been a cold lecture.

"The Alpha heir must learn to be strong on his own."

Then he had left before the surgery to buy toys for Thomas, as though abandoning his own son were perfectly reasonable.

I opened the chat with the person who had offered to help us leave and typed my answer.

Lauren: I'll accept your offer, but I need five days.

A reply appeared almost immediately.

Jonathan: All right.

The family portrait on the wall suddenly felt like a cruel joke, and I had to look away.

A few hours later, Benjamin came home smiling, carrying a dress I had admired for weeks at the mall.

"Honey, you said you liked this dress, so I brought it home for you."

I stared at it. The mall had closed hours ago, and the dress had been discontinued.

He caught my puzzled look and smiled.

"Grace bought it a while ago. I took Thomas to the hospital tonight, and she gave it to me to thank me."

A bitter laugh nearly escaped me. Apparently, I only got whatever Grace no longer wanted.

'Would Gabriel have to settle for Thomas's castoffs too?' The thought sent a chill through me.

"Sign this. If we dissolve the bond properly, neither of us will be harmed."

I ignored the dress he held out and took another copy of the petition from my bag.

Benjamin froze when he saw the petition, and the dress slipped from his hand.

Benjamin's eyes reddened. It was the first time I had ever seen him close to tears, and his voice cracked.

"Lauren, do you really have to do this? How can you be so heartless? Do you really want our son to grow up without a father?"

I shook my head.

"A father? You haven't acted like one in a long time. Whenever Thomas needs something, you cast Gabriel aside."

The moment Benjamin realized my anger was about Grace and Thomas, some of the tension left his face.

"Lauren, you've misunderstood me. I'm the Alpha, and it's my duty to protect everyone in the pack. Grace was my brother's mate, and he died saving me. I promised to look after her and Thomas."

Before I could respond, our argument woke Gabriel. He shuffled into the living room, rubbing his eyes.

"Mom, are you okay?"

When he saw Benjamin, he didn't call him Dad. He simply stood there in silence.

Benjamin crouched at once, pulled Gabriel into a hug, and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Gabriel, I was wrong today. I know that now. You're going to be Alpha one day, and an Alpha has to protect those who are weaker, right? Thomas doesn't have a father. Shouldn't I look after him a little more?"

Benjamin had a gift for dressing up selfishness as duty. Gabriel hesitated, then nodded.

"Then will you forgive me and ask Mom to forgive me too?"

Gabriel was only 8. When I saw his resolve begin to waver, I decided to give Benjamin one last chance.

Perhaps out of guilt, Benjamin stayed with Gabriel that night and read him stories until he fell asleep.

After Gabriel fell asleep, Benjamin slipped quietly out of the room.

"Honey, why did Gabriel call me Alpha today instead of Dad?"

I went still.

When I didn't answer, Benjamin rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You need to put a stop to that."

I watched him walk away and looked toward Gabriel's room. For the first time since deciding to leave, my resolve wavered.

I reopened the chat and began typing that I had changed my mind.

Before I could send the message, Benjamin called from the bedroom.