Bitter Love

Chapter Six

Guys, I'm definitely going to write Whispered Secrets. But I can't write it while I'm writing Bitter Love cause Cadrian's story is like so entrancing to me. So, as soon as this one is finished, I'm going to write Whispered Secrets. Bitter Love will also probably have a lot of time skipping in the next few chapters and will not be very long. That is why the chapters are so short and not like 6 pages each.

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Chapter Six

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“Cadrian!” Holly smiled at me as soon as I walked in and I was instantly with the scent of her pregnancy hormones. I felt a pang in my chest as I heard the faint heartbeat echoed with her loud one when I concentrated on her stomach hard enough.

“Hey Holly,” I greeted, lips pressed together in a thin smile. Even after all this time, it still felt awkward being around her and Parker. The scars they had left on me, the damage they had caused to my heart was never going to fade, but I was trying to move past it. Forgive and forget. It was so hard to forget, though. But I didn’t want to lose them like I lost Xavier. I never realized how much he meant to me until he was at his last moments. And I didn’t want that to happen with Holly and Parker.

Giovanni looked up from his mate and smiled at me affectionately and I was reminded of the reason I liked spending my days here in the Midnight Pack mansion. He was the brother I always wanted. Giovanni gave me the unconditional love that only brothers could give you. And even if I’ve known him for less than two years, he had gotten insanely protective of me. Sometimes I couldn’t help but wish he was my real brother.

“Hello, my beautiful, little sister-in-law,” he greeted, strolling over to lift me up just like Hayden had done. I laughed, my eyes lighting up in joy. Giovanni and Holly had married a three months after the Battle at Springfield. I didn’t blame them; the need to be with your mate was hard to resist. I didn’t know how I had done it.

“Congratulations on the baby,” I told Holly over Gio’s head.

Giovanni gave me one last squeeze then set me down. “We’re really excited,” Holly said, happiness brimming her eyes.

I smiled at them and was about to reply when somebody coughed from behind me. Startled, I turned around and saw Parker standing there, giving me a sheepish smile. He was holding his arms out to me hesitantly. I paused, then stepped into his embrace. His arms weren’t as comforting as Giovanni’s were, but I accepted them because he was still my brother.

“Hey,” he whispered into my ear.

“Parker…Hey,” I said against his shoulder softly. I felt his breath wash over my skin as he sighed and knew he was hurt. I could hug Giovanni without a second thought, but with Parker, there was always a flicker of doubt going through my mind. I couldn’t help it.

He swallowed, trying to hide his nervousness. He was the Beta of the Midnight Pack. He couldn’t show emotions that would label him as weak. Especially to his younger sister of five years, who was from a different pack. “How are you?” he asked me, stepping back and rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’m good. What about you?” I asked, my eyes meeting his. I struggled not to let my gaze drop.

“Good,” he replied, awkwardly.

I smiled tightly and looked around for Michael, who was nowhere in sight. I frowned and sniffed him out. He was somewhere upstairs and I sighed. “I better go see what kind of trouble Mike is getting into…”

“Michael’s a good kid, he never causes trouble,” Hayden said, as he came back to stand next to his Beta.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what you think.” I jogged upstairs, following my son’s scent and came upon him sitting on the end of Natalie’s bed, watching her one year old son, Flynn, sleeping. I smiled at the attentive look on his face and edged closer.