Chapter 72

Ava’s POV

Sarah turned to follow Andrew right after she dropped that bomb on me.

My heart was pounding dangerously loud against my ribcage. It beat so hard I thought it might break out through my sternum and deposit itself on the floor between Ethan and I.

I was standing there, frozen as I watched Sarah and Andrew’s retreating bodies head towards a big black luxurious SUV idling in the road in front of the house.

It took me a while to snap out of my initial shock, but when I did, I rushed out of the house and down the steps after them.

My bunny slippers shuffled against the pavement, but I caught up to Sarah just before she got into the car with Andrew.

“What are you talking about?” I demanded, catching her wrist in my hand to keep her from going anywhere.

She turned to look at me, tried to rip herself from my grip but couldn’t, and glowered at me once again.

“Let go of me,” She seethed, but I refused. I tightened my grip and held her eye. I wouldn’t be backing down from that fight. I needed to know what she meant.

“Tell me,” I enunciated each word, low and dangerous, “Sarah. Tell me what you mean right now.”

Sarah’s face morphed into a cruel and wicked smile. She enjoyed watching me beg for the answers that she had. I hated it.

“I did some research on your mother’s timing at the estate that Liam owns.” Sarah started, happier than ever to derail my entire childhood as I knew it, “She went to her first prenatal doctors’ visit before she even worked for Liam.”

I gulped, though my mouth was dry.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” I insisted, though I knew it was a very probable situation. My mother always told me that her and Liam had a short affair right after she began to work for him at the house.

Maybe she got the timing wrong.

“Your mom’s been lying about your birth the entire time!” Sarah cackled in my face, throwing her head back as she did. “You aren’t even good enough to be the daughter of an alpha and a maid! You’re the daughter of a maid and some unknown, unrespected man.”

Andrew’s hand darted out of the car, grasping Sarah’s free arm that I wasn’t holding. He yanked her closer to the car, whispering threats to her to keep her mouth closed.

“Don’t reveal all our cards, Sarah,” I heard his low voice spit out as he pulled her into the backseat.

I relinquished my grip on her wrist, and watched as she climbed into the car and slammed the door.

Andrew’s chauffeur peeled down the street, leaving me in the driveway and everyone else still standing at the top of the porch or in the house at the door. I turned to look up at them, they were all watching me with mixed expressions.

Ethan stomped down the stairs, concern written all over his face, and he placed a hand on each of my shoulders. He lowered his head slightly so that our eyes were level with each other.

“Are you okay?” He asked me and I felt the tears start pricking at my eyes.

I couldn’t hold them back anymore. With that one question, tears rolled down my cheeks and I let Ethan lead me back into the house. The world was spinning as I tried to wrap my head around what Sarah said. And, apparently, Andrew knew more than even Sarah let on.

How did they know so much?

“I need to see my mom,” I told him, the tears faded away, replaced by determination to find the truth. Ethan rubbed his hands up and down my arms in soothing motions, and despite the fight and the arguing, I let him comfort me.

He was the only thing I wanted at the moment - besides answers. Though, I knew that was caused by my wolf and our mate bond. I mean, it must have been.

Ethan led me to bed, and left me to spend the night in my dark room. I appreciated the distance, but I didn’t sleep a wink. My mind was running rampant. I tried to recall my earliest memories, but that would do nothing to reveal who my true father was.

I grew up only knowing Liam as my father. He wasn’t a good one, by any means, but he was mine.

That’s what I was led to believe, anyways.

The next morning, Ethan was sitting in the kitchen at the table. He was holding a mug of coffee in his hands and he was wearing the same clothes from last night.

It didn’t look like he got any sleep either.

I walked into the room and smiled at him softly. He looked back up at me, his eyes were glazed and tired. He didn’t say anything, but I knew there were a million questions dancing on his tongue, begging to be asked.

“Will you take me to see my mom?” I asked, not giving him the chance to ask me any of the questions I knew he wanted to. I just didn’t have the answers for him, I couldn’t bear to tell him ‘I don’t know’ over and over again.

“Of course,” He shook his head and took a swig from his mug. “Whatever you need, I’m there.”

Ethan drove me to the hospital my mother was being treated at. He dropped me off at the door so he could go find a spot to park, and I rushed inside.

When I got up to my mother’s room, she was awake and being given her daily medicine from one of the nurses. When they both saw me, the nurse excused herself to give us some privacy.

“Ava!” My mom cheered out, opening her arms wide to embrace me from her bed. I jogged over to her and practically threw myself into her. “What’s the matter, dearest?”

“So much has happened since I last saw you,” I admitted, not sure if I was quite ready to ask about my father. Or who may be my father.

She sat up, ready to hear all I had to tell her. I did fill her in on everything that I could - starting with the fight between Ethan and I that led to my transformation and how we found out that he was my mate.

My mother gasped when she heard that and clasped my hand tightly in hers, congratulating me. That’s when Ethan entered the room. My mother reached out her other hand, Ethan came and placed his palm against hers, a small smile on his face.

It got quiet while my mom took in the information, but I had to break that peace and bring up what Sarah told me.

“Mom,” I sighed.

She looked back over to me, “What’s wrong?”

“Sarah, a girl who works for the alpha of another pack, she told me she did some research on my father” - I could hear the sharp intake of breath from my mom as I spoke - “She insinuated that Liam may not be my biological father after all.”

Ethan stayed silent, my mother blinked a few times.

“Well-”

In my anxious state, I cut her off with more questions, “It’s not true, right? Liam is my father. I grew up with my father, right?”

“Ava,” My mother exhaled deeply and looked down, avoiding our gazes. “I haven’t always been honest with you about your heritage.”