Chapter 80

Arielle didn’t speak, didn’t scold me. She simply reached over and placed a firm, steadying hand on my shoulder, grounding me as I sobbed. She rubbed my back and tugged me to lay my head in her lap as I cried. My mind whirling. The headache from earlier only growing worse as I kept thinking back to all the days at the office.

He had to have seen the HR reports? Hear something? If he hadn't, had he just not been paying attention? Was I not worth paying attention to?

“Renee,” she said softly, her voice patient but firm, “Dominic is not Philip.”

I let out a bitter sob. “You sounded so sure of--"

"No," she said. "I just said what you don't want to admit is something you fear. That's not the same."

My jaw trembled. I sniffled and buried my face in her stomach, wishing I could just hide from the world.

"Everything… would be easier if…"

She chuckled. "If grandpa had let me kill Phillip ages ago? Certainly."

I sniffled. "If I hadn't kissed him."

Arielle chuckled. "Dominic?"

I nodded.

"Maybe, but not nearly as fun."

"This isn't fun."

"You haven't gotten to the fun part yet," Arielle said. "Could get there faster if you'd been going to therapy… or even acknowledged that you've been kept in a cage your whole life and you have no idea what it means to have real support."

She stroked my hair.

"You make it sound easy."

"Revisit my suggestion of therapy."

"I…" I sniffed. "I don't know what to feel right now."

"… what do your instincts say?"

I closed my eyes, reaching for them, hoping and wishing that they weren't wrong despite all the evidence to the contrary.

"That… I can trust him," I whispered. "That he'll… take care of me."

"Listen to them. They're not wrong."

"I just… don't know how to make that make sense with everything," I said, shaking my head. "There's no way he didn't…"

"One, Brightclaw's industries are wide and various and he does not have a stitch of administrative support. Two, this is has turned into a nightmare, thanks to Tyler and his crazy family. Three, I keep him busy plenty. Four, he is not accustomed to chasing anyone to force help upon them." She sighed. "This is not an excuse, nor forgiveness. I plan to put him through the wringer for negligence, all the same. He knew enough that he should have been more vigilant, and I know he'll agree with that." I chuckled at that, soft and watery. "At the same time, there’s more going on here than you know. More layers. More pressure. And he’s carrying all of it, whether you see it or not. I do believe he is doing his best to be integrous. And if you can't trust your own instincts, trust mine.”

I shuddered. “When I woke up… Vivian was there.” My throat tightened again, but I forced the words out. “I was terrified. All I wanted was for Dominic to be there instead. And when I finally saw him, he was—” I swallowed hard. “He was still so gentle with her. Even after everything she’s done. H-He just le-left me…”

Arielle exhaled. “He’s still her father. And if you expect him to stop caring about her overnight, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.”

Her words were sharp, but not unkind. They were true, and I hated them for it.

“That’s what makes it worse,” I whispered. “If he wasn’t honorable… if he wasn’t good, I wouldn’t have expected anything else. But I want him to be that good man. I want him to do the right thing. And I hate that part of doing the right thing means still loving Vivian.”

Arielle’s hand slid up to brush my hair back from my face. “Then keep Neil, too,” she said quietly. “If you want someone who can be fiercely furious on your behalf, who can be entirely on your side without any split loyalties—you already know who that is.”

I let out a weak, humorless laugh and shook my head. My chest ached. My head throbbed. I felt drained.

“Something to think about, Ren'… Ask."

"Ask?"

"Ask for what you need, what you want from anyone and everyone. Consider it a challenge for healing. The next time you want Dominic to stay, to be there, physically or not, ask. The same is true for Neil. I can guarantee that they'll both show up." She chuckled. "Gladly."

I sniffled but nodded. "I'll… try… Can I ask for hot chocolate?"

She chuckled. "Of course."

"With real marshmallows?"

"Absolutely. Easy, hm?"

"It's… a small ask."

"You'll get better at it," she chuckled. "Wait until you start asking for things in bed."

My face heated. "Ari'!"

She cackled, stroking my hair. The lights grew darker and vanished like we were driving out of the city.

"Where are we going?"

"To Mountainhowl for a retreat. We're going to eat, drink, get you into at least one bikini and on the beach."

"I can't swim," I said, my eyes feeling heavy as the pain in my head continued to throb.

"Going to the beach isn't always about swimming, sometimes it's about tanning, being doted on by hot shirtless men who want to be at your beck and call."

"You're terrible," I said, voice slurring as I fell asleep.

"I lose no sleep over it."

Dominic

The burn of the whiskey did nothing to settle the tightness in my chest. I sat there, slouched over my desk, my fingers running over the edge of the stack of documents in front of me. Pages and pages of reports, transcripts, security logs, sworn statements. It was all already admitted as evidence and shared with Mountailhowl. More of it was coming in as I'd had Tyler's whole family investigated, all of their friends. This was going to turn Brightclaw on its head for a while.

The weight of everything Vivian had orchestrated, and how much worse she had become, was so much worse than even my worst fears.

The bottle was half-empty, and I hadn’t even noticed.

As Brightclaw’s alpha, as a Panel member, as Vivian’s father—every title I held felt heavier tonight than it ever had before.

I swallowed hard, feeling that sharp, stabbing ache again right beneath my sternum. I rubbed at my chest, as if I could force it away. But it stayed. Persistent. Accusing. Sadly, I knew I deserved it and worse.

I should have checked on her. I shouldn't have trust that my word had been enough, not after the Ceremony, and especially not after learning how terribly Vivian had treated Renee.

Arielle’s suits against the company were lined up on my tablet. Each one felt like a blade pressed against my throat. She had every right. I had let it fester this long. I had allowed Vivian to weaponize my name, my company, and my lack of attention.

And worst of all, I had let Renee suffer because I hadn't acted sooner when I knew I should have. When I'd had every opportunity to do so.

The door opened quietly, and my assistant. My heart lurched as I remembered that he was planning to retire soon. It was probably going to look terrible no matter when he retired but even worse not in the face of all the scandal. Without a word, he walked over and plucked the glass from my hand, setting it aside before taking the bottle entirely.

“That’s enough of that, sir.”

I didn’t fight him. I couldn’t even lift my head properly. The alcohol hummed in my veins. It would burn out quickly as it had been since the ravine. Yet another stupid fucking mistake, a wildly emotional decision that would have been hell for the pack had I'd died.

"You remind me of your father a great deal." I glanced up at him. He smiled softly. "In the best of ways, alpha."

My lips twitched. "I hear the Brightclaw genes are… strong."

I looked away. I hadn't told him about Vivian yet or Hazel. I wasn't even sure that I should. He'd born enough in his life as assistant to the alpha of Brightclaw.

"Why… weren't you ever made beta?" I asked, the thought coming to me.

He chuckled. "Because my skills are better used in corporate, and I had no desire to see your father every waking hour."

I chuckled, nodded. "Understandable."

"You should take some time off before the court case, alpha."

I shook my head. "I can't." I exhaled, the breath ragged. “I’ve failed everyone.”

"Sinking further into your guilt will not help make it right. You’ve made mistakes,” he said gently. “Choices-- good and bad, but no one would ever say that your heart was not in the right place. You still have time to set things right. Not for appearances. Not for the court. For her.”

I nodded faintly, the pressure in my chest refusing to ease.

I chuckled, rubbing at my chest again. "You think it will help with this chest pain?"