Chapter 82

82 Alone

Tia

I could not believe what had just happened! I never saw the punch coming. Luke had struck a nerve with

his father. One thing I knew was that Alpha Aesop loved Luke dearly, which was why the man reacted

the way he did. After Alpha Aesop voiced his mind and walked away, we were still shocked. I was

stunned, and I could not move. I believed Luke went too far with his father, and he had hurt the man

Aesop sounded like a man that has been hurting for many years. He cried in public for the first time, and

the memory of his late wife caused it.

“You need to go after him and apologise,” I linked Luke. I was afraid that this might take a toll on his

health. Aesop did not react well to things.

“No,” Luke said, and I could not believe my husband.

“Unless you are ready to become an orphan, Luke. You need to go and apologise for insinuating he killed

his wife. He is clearly still hurting over her. For goddess’ sake, Luke, you of all people know how his face

lights up when he is talking about her. What you said was a low blow. You both need closure and won’t

get it from attacking each other at the breakfast table. You need to go to him before it is too late, Luke. I

think he is really done,” I warned my husband, and Luke reluctantly got up and went after his father.

Stacy began to weep at the table. No one comforted her.

“Caleb, how can you let them do this to us?” she said to her son, and Caleb was too shocked to even

respond.

“Caleb,” she cried again, and I saw him snap.

“What the hell do you want me to do, mother? You dug your grave, mother. Just look at you? You have

lied to father for years. You were mean to your stepson, and you stole from them. No one ever believes

you because you lie. You connived with our enemies to steal from Luke. You slandered his image and

tried to make him miserable by making our father buy a wife for him. As if that wasn’t enough, you still

tried to ruin the marriage. Then you brought your niece here to create problems for them,” He said, and

she looked at him, shocked

“Yes, mother. I am not stupid. I choose not to speak, but I am not stupid. You brought Monica here so

she can get close to Luke. We know how women from Dome are, especially where money is concerned.

If that wasn’t the case, you would have cautioned her to stay away from Luke. You wouldn’t be trying to

get her to work with my brother. Why isn’t she respectful and nice to Tia if it is so innocent? After all, Tia

is her Luna and boss. That bitch is only nice to Luke because you hoped he would slip up with her.

Everyone knows what

you were doing, mother, so don’t try to pretend that you are the victim here.” he said, and she wiped

away her tears. It was clear that the things Caleb had said left her stunned.

“How can you even imply that kind of.” she said, and Caleb shook his head, interrupting her in the

process.

“Where is Regan Adhit, Mother?” he asked her and I could feel his rage. He was an Alpha, too, and I

expected him and Luke to be annoyed coming back from their journey. Kimberly could feel it, and she

looked at me with fear. Caleb was tired of her lies.

“Calm down, Kim. This is between our men and their parents,” I linked her, but she couldn’t calm down,

and she dared not get up. Luckily for her, Michelle was caring for Emma in the left-wing. We knew

breakfast would be explosive, so they did not bring little Emma to the table.

“I said…” Stacy said, trying to defend herself.

“Enough!!” Caleb yelled, “You are despicable, mother. You are an embarrassment. I wished you were not

my mother. Do you even know the gravity of your actions? Luke has done everything to shield me from

your mistakes and lies. That journey was to see how he could help me maintain my dignity. If we do not

find this bastard, my life will be over, mother. Where is the grave of this child, and where is he?” Caleb

asked her, and she looked

at me.

“Leave Tia out of this. She already knows everything. Everyone sitting here knows everything, so drop

the act. Where is he, mother? Where was the child buried, that is, if there was a child? I know you are

hiding something. We asked around about you and Regan in Dome, and no one had anything nice to

say. Did you really go and stay with your late sister in Cleeve, or did something happen? I know Grandpa

and Grandma are lying, mother, and they will do anything to cover for you. Whatever you did, saved

them from extreme poverty,” he said and began to laugh.

“You should be ashamed of yourself. You did all you did, ripped Tia from my life because you felt she

wasn’t good enough for me. You said they were too poor for me. I saw the true meaning of poverty in

Dome. The Lockwoods are wealthy compared to your folk’s mother; Tia is premium material compared to

you, and because of what you have done here, I know you will do anything for money. Where is Regan

Adhit? I know you know where your exis, mother.” Caleb yelled at her, and Stacy began to shake.

“If you do not start speaking, you will be on your own. Father said he was done; I know he meant it this

time. Luke put up the Dome house on auction on our way back, I am sure your folks are moving out as

we speak. When you return to Dome, it will not be that duplex anymore. It will be the shabby ramshackle

you grew up in. Do not expect help from me. I do not want to be tied to you, mother. You are just too

wicked. You maltreated your stepson, the very reason father married you, the very reason you could

enjoy…” Stacy interrupted him by banging the table and standing up. I saw her claws grow out, and I

knew she was mad. I had to be on standby in case she chose to wolf out on us. She will not attack Caleb

or Kimberly. I knew he would come for me.

“I can never love Luke. Aesop did not give me a chance!”She yelled back.

“He compared me to that bitch for twenty-three years. For twenty-three fucking years! I was never smart

enough; I wasn’t polished, lacked etiquette, was useless, name it. He said that to me all the time. He

calls her name in his sleep and sometimes calls her name when we are together. When Aesop and I got

together, I sympathised with him over Chloe and offered to take care of Luke because he had a revenge

plan. I cared for that boy for three years, hoping Aesop would see and fall for me. Aesop saw no one

except Chloe. She was his world. I thought he would get over her with time, but he never did. He married

me three years later. He didn’t marry me because he loved me. He married me because he believed I

would be a mother to Luke, did not want Caleb to think his father was unfair to her. That was the picture

she was trying to paint. She was trying to poison her son against his father. Aesop might not feel the

same way he did for Chloe, but he loves her. Besides, I had to commend him; Stacy was difficult to love

At this point, our discussion wasn’t the cause of her tears. The possibility that she would have to face the

world alone had dawned on her. Luke and Aesop were not going to care for her, and Luke was right; Luis

was a bigger problem right now, and since Stacy nor her parents were unwilling to give the information

needed to apprehend Regan, there was no point stressing over it.

I would have excused myself from the table, but I was too hungry and pregnant to do so. There was no

way I was letting the breakfast go to waste. I dug in and linked Kimberly.

“You are breastfeeding Kim, better eat,” I said, and I did not need to repeat it; she copied me and dug in

We were used to the breakfast, and right now, we were numb to their emotions

which was why I hated that boy. My existence depended on him.

After we got married, he refused to claim me or touch me, Caleb. He said I had a job, and that was to

care for Luke. I told him I was better off as Luke’s nanny because that was my job before he decided to

marry me, and he said Luke needed a mother. I felt like shit. He would travel and bring things for Luke.

I was more like an afterthought, so yes, I hated Luke. I couldn’t leave because I needed financial help,

and I had betrayed Regan by leaving him for Aesop. So I needed protection from Regan. Aesop and I

weren’t together then, I was just caring for his son, but the world thought we were together. He did not

see me until three years later. Have you entered our bedroom? Her picture is everywhere. Twenty-three

years I felt like a stranger, like an intruder, a substitute. I did not exist. I tried to love him the best I could. I

walked away from Regan because I fell in love with your father. I had to get him drunk to get pregnant

with you, Caleb. If not, that asshole would never have touched me. He didn’t start to pay attention until

fifteen years ago. I hate Luke, and I hate Chloe.” She said and began to weep. She had lost it and did

not care that I was on that table anymore. As entertaining as it seemed, it hurt to see the family broken.

“So I brought Monica to catch Luke’s attention. That is how we survive in Dome. We either prostitute

ourselves or catch rich mates. It is our way of life! That is how we survive. Your father left me no choice.

He gave everything to Luke! What about us? What about me and you, Caleb? He did not think we

deserved anything,” she yelled and began to laugh.

“Dome is a poor place. We have no resources. We have nothing, so the women there migrate to

prostitute. I was lucky I did not need to do that. Regan was the Alpha’s son and had a key mark, but he

was broke. I almost died with the arsehole. He was violent and abusive, but I stayed with him because

that was how I survived. Aesop was a breath of fresh air. He helped me once in Dome, and I fell in love

with him, but he was married then Three years later, we met, and he was a widower, so I offered to care

for his son. That was how I escaped Regan I left him to come and care for Luke so I could be with

Aesop. I did

not know men could be caring or nice until I met your father, little did I know that I would be living in

someone else’s shadow. I had to pay up, Caleb; I had to pay Regan. You have seen Dome, I did not

want to go back there, and I knew Aesop did not love me enough to hold on to me. If Aesop had

discovered all these things before I had you, I would have been out the door and lost on all fronts. After I

had you, Regan increased the money, and I had to pay because now it wasn’t only my reputation at

stake. Yours was too,” she said and sat on the chair and began to weep.

“There are days that I just want to end it. I hate Tia simply because she has everything I would have

wanted. Look at how you are caring for Kimberly. My life was never this sweet. I can’t even tell you things

I did to survive,” She said and took a deep breath.

“I do not know where Regan is. If I did, I would have assassinated him so I could have peace, but he is

dangerous and wicked. I cannot tell you the things the man has done. I am afraid of him. I thought your

father could protect me, but I was wrong. He will quickly hand me over to protect Luke,” she said and

continued to weep.

I honestly did not know what to say. She might not have given Caleb the correct answers, but the woman

was hurting too. Why didn’t she talk to her husband about her feelings? It was clear she was only saying

what she wanted Caleb to know. The woman was a can of

worms.

“You are wrong, Stacy,” I managed, remembering my encounter with Aesop at the office,” He might not

show you how much he cares, but Alpha Aesop loves you in his own way And I know this because of the

length he went trying to force me to do something that would make you happy. When I told him about the

blackmail, he was in shock. You can only feel those emotions when you care about someone,” I said,

and she did not answer me. She continued to weep.