Page 13 of My Ruthless Alpha (Alpha Outlaws Club #5)

While I knew Beau was trying to make things work and actively putting in the effort, I didn’t expect him to be so willing to help. I had half a mind to assume he’d tell me just to drop it and that getting Sydney away from Colton’s pack would be more trouble than it was worth.

But luckily, he was fully committed to escorting me to a nearby town. And, of course, I wasn’t going to take that for granted.

If he was offering and making arrangements, I wasn’t going to try to stop him.

I owed it to Sydney to do everything I could for her, as she constantly did for me.

By the time Margo woke up from her nap and we had an early dinner, the doorbell rang, and Beau stood up from the table.

“That should be Ezra and Zoe…” he murmured, heading over to the door and pulling it open.

However, instead of just two people standing outside the door, there were several, all pulling wide, expectant grins for Beau. They were all tall and intimidating in their own way, and given the strength and that notable aura that came with being an alpha, it seemed they were all leaders of their packs.

“…and everyone else,” he said with a sigh, looking at the one in front of him. “I’m assuming Ezra didn’t keep his mouth shut.”

Presumably, Ezra pulled a sheepish grin before helping himself inside while Zoe, who I assumed was Zoe, followed behind him. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

As they entered the house, Margo was quick to find me and cling to my leg while I stood there, confused about what was going on.

“Don’t worry, man. We’re here for babysitting duty,” the blonde said with a wide grin as he clapped his shoulder on the way in.

Beau sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t you think this is overkill?”

“Maybe,” one with scruff said, wearing a wolfish smile. “But we were curious about these two women in your life, which we had no idea about. We had to see what was going on.”

Looking both exasperated and unable to do anything about the situation, Beau approached me and began the introductions.

There were a handful of them, along with Zoe, so it was difficult for me to remember who was who at first, but the longer we stood there and talked, the easier it was to match names to faces.

Margo was as hesitant as I felt initially, but as the guys talked to her, she seemed to open up more. From what I could tell, she took to Sebastian well; before long, she had lots of smiles for them.

I was hesitant about letting people I had just met babysit my child, but given how Beau interacted with them and had been quick to call them for help, I could see how much he trusted them. That was something, at least.

“Hey, I know this must be overwhelming, but I promise your daughter will be safe with us,” Zoe said with a gentle smile as she approached me while the guys were busy keeping Margo preoccupied with making faces with her.

I did my best to open myself up to trusting them, and I mirrored her expression. “It is a lot, but I appreciate the help.”

“Of course. We’re always around to do whatever we can. And it’s nice to meet you, by the way,” she added, putting me more at ease with her gentle demeanor.

I returned the sentiment easily enough, thanks to her outwardly friendly nature, and I knew right away that Margo would like her a lot.

Even if I was unsure about everything, it was easy to see how quickly they all jumped to the task, even if babysitting Margo didn’t call for numerous shifters. Still, it was the thought that counted, and I could tell they were bound to keep her entertained beyond what we needed.

After everyone was situated and Margo seemed more than comfortable staying with the group, I hugged and kissed her, and then Beau and I were off.

The drive passed quietly at first since I was still anxious about everything going on, but after some time, Beau glanced over at me. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you to leave Margo with them, but I promise they’ll take good care of her while we’re gone. And at the very least, Zoe’s there to keep them all in line.”

I let go of a gentle breath. “I’m sure she’ll be fine…it was just a bit difficult leaving her since it has only ever been me and Margo. It’s rare for me to be separated from her.”

He nodded his understanding and focused his eyes on the road. “It makes sense…I imagine I’d feel the same in your place.”

“She’s been my everything since the day she was born…I just need to know she’s safe, regardless of what’s happening.”

My comment wasn’t meant to be a slight against Beau or his absence, but I could feel the guilt and regret surrounding him. He sighed gently.

“You’re a great mother, you know…she’s lucky to have you,” he said quietly yet genuinely. “I wish I could say the same for myself as her father.”

My features softened at that, and I kept my tone light. “You can’t exactly blame yourself for that…you didn’t know.”

“Maybe, yet I can’t help but wonder how things might’ve gone differently if I hadn’t left. If I had stayed and been there for you when everything happened.”

Something stirred in my chest then, and as much as I didn’t want to admit it, I often thought about the same thing. I always considered what it would be like if things happened in the way I always imagined they would. If we had been a proper family from the start, and if I never had to worry about being a single parent.

But it didn’t feel like the right time to admit that. Not when he was still visibly upset with himself.

A part of me was still frustrated that he could up and leave and not have to deal with any of the responsibilities I had to shoulder on my own, but at the same time, I had to consider there were aspects of his situation I probably didn’t know.

It didn’t happen how either of us would’ve wanted it to, but we could do nothing about it.

“Margo always asked about you,” I admitted, watching as the woods moved around us. “She didn’t know who she was asking about, of course, but she’s always been curious.”

His eyes softened fractionally at the mention, and he gripped the wheel a bit tighter. The thought was obviously both difficult and touching for him to hear. “What did you tell her?”

“I wasn’t as honest as I should’ve been. I’ve been deflecting the topic as much as possible since I never really know what to tell her…but I usually mention how her dad’s a good man, and he’d be there if he had the choice,” I explained, speaking despite the lump in my throat. “But I hope one day soon I can tell her the truth…tell her he’s right here.”

Beau swallowed hard, then glanced at me, almost surprised by the notion. “You’d be willing to tell her?”

Letting go of a quiet breath, I nodded. “She should know eventually, whenever it’s the right time. I don’t want her to be stuck with that question hanging over her head, and I don’t want Margo to be without her dad.”

Something moved through his gaze then that looked akin to gratitude, and he took a moment to compose himself as if the deeper implication of my words set in. “I’d appreciate that more than anything.”

Seeing how genuinely pleased he seemed by the words made me smile, and I knew they really did mean a lot to him.

He wasn’t just taking an interest in Margo because he felt like he had to. He seemed to really want to have a relationship with her, and I wasn’t going to complain about that.

***

After some time of driving and bypassing his territory, Beau pulled up to a town about an hour from Colton’s grounds and rolled into the parking lot of a gas station.

The moment I saw Sydney standing there with a single bag over her shoulder, my expression softened, and I felt a swell in my chest.

Even if it had only been a few weeks since the last time I saw her, knowing she was all right and that she had made it there safely was such a relief.

The car was barely at a full stop when I undid my seatbelt and pushed the door open. Beau went to say something but cut himself off before he could, and I was already out of the car in seconds.

“Sydney,” I murmured, watching as the recognition filled her eyes and her tense shoulders dropped.

“Thank the goddess…” she sighed, not missing a beat as she approached with her arms out for me.

I hugged her tightly, feeling both at ease and emotional at the thought of being able to see her again. To have the chance to embrace her and let her know how much her friendship meant to me.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I murmured, feeling better about it all. “I was so worried about you being there still…I couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

“I know…” she said with a heavy, almost shaky exhale. “It was such a relief to hear from you again. I was afraid to be in contact again, but I’m so glad you reached out to me. I couldn’t leave that place fast enough.”

We stayed like that for a moment as I nodded and pulled myself together. I could’ve cried from the happiness alone but knew we couldn’t stand around for too long. Even if we weren’t in Colton’s territory, we were close enough for his betas to close around us.

The two of us shared our mutual smiles as we pulled back, and I glanced at Beau while he greeted her.

For a moment, I almost forgot they had known each other before. In a way, it felt like I was supposed to introduce her to a new person I had just met a few weeks ago.

And while the two of them had never been on bad terms when Beau was still in our pack, I could see the subtle reservation moving through her. She was guarded, which I expected of the best friend who had to deal with me while I struggled to pull myself together again after his rejection.

Still, she smiled gratefully and nodded to him while returning the sentiment.

Even if she was a bit wary about him after everything, I knew she was grateful nonetheless.

“I can’t believe you went all that way and then some while carrying Margo,” Sydney commented, looking somewhat tired from traveling through the woods. “You must’ve been exhausted.”

“I was. I nearly collapsed when I reached Beau’s territory.”

“No doubt. I couldn’t imagine.”

While we talked, Beau glanced around, staying vigilant while he took everything in. It came as no surprise since he had been apprehensive about us being close enough to Colton’s territory to risk causing issues, and I was glad to have him there for extra security.

Given his vaguely concerned expression, I knew he didn’t like the energy of the place, and I didn’t either.

I had the feeling anyone could seek us out at any given moment, and the thought was enough to remind us all that we had to go. Despite our reunion, we had to keep moving before we could potentially land ourselves in trouble.

Especially with Colton being willing to do anything to ensure I made up for embarrassing him and running away.

The drive back to Beau’s territory was fairly quiet as we sat in the mutual relief of the moment, filling that silence with the occasional update. We talked about Margo, the town, and how grateful Sydney was for the chance to get away from Colton’s pack.

Eventually, we were about to let go of our held breath once we reached the grounds, and Beau dropped us off at where Sydney would be staying.

It was an apartment right in the heart of everything, offering her the convenience and freedom she needed to survive independently.

We made our way inside and found it partially furnished, but with a few new items we grabbed in town, like fresh bedding and some other comforts, it looked more than comfortable.

“So…” Sydney asked with a knowing lilt to her voice as she carefully placed what clothes she had on hangers and put them in the closet while I took the tags off new tops and put them in a pile on the bed. “What’s happened with you and Beau?”

I had the feeling the topic would shift there eventually, and I allowed a small smile to settle on my face. “As much as I tried to resist initially…we slept together.”

An almost sly smile settled on her lips. “How did I know?”

“Likely the fact that we’ve even been getting along,” I said with a hushed laugh, aware of how everything was progressing in a way I never expected of us. “I thought it would be easier to resist him after everything that happened, but I was wrong. Those feelings came back even stronger, and seeing him with Margo has only amplified them.”

“Does he know that she’s his daughter?”

I nodded. “Yes…it’s only Margo who doesn’t know yet.”

“And what’s stopping you from telling her?”

Sighing, I grabbed the last shirt and carefully tore the tag off, along with the plastic piece. “I don’t have much of a reason to not tell her now…but a part of me is afraid of letting her know, just for something to go wrong between Beau and I. I don’t want to get her hopes up.”

Sydney listened closely while slowly working away at hanging the clothes up, then hummed. “I see…but regardless of what happens between you two, he’s still her dad. She should know anyway, right?”

“Yeah, she should…” I murmured. She was right, and I had known that for quite some time. Still, I had hangups and wasn’t sure how to address them.

Her thoughtful gaze lingered on me for a moment before she spoke gently, “You’re worried you’ll get too comfortable here, and Beau will reject you again, right?”

I winced at her words as if I had been hit with a hot iron. She was too right for her own good, and the truth in her observation made my throat tighten. Sighing, I nodded again. “Yes…it hurt so badly the first time, I’m afraid of it happening again. It makes me feel so paranoid, but I can’t help it.”

“I can’t blame you. I’d probably be the same way,” Sydney said empathetically as she put the last shirt up before walking over and joining me on the bed. “But he’s different now, right? So far, at least?”

Managing a small smile at the thought, I nodded. “Yes, it feels like he’s changed. He wasn’t necessarily a bad person before, but he seems more stable and reliable now. Like he’s gotten his life together. Something about it makes me want to try again, but that fear of it not working is holding me back.”

“If he has changed and you can feel yourself opening up to him again, then maybe it’s worth talking to him about. And I mean everything,” Sydney proposed. “Put every issue out on the table, sort out how you both feel and reach some kind of mutual understanding. Maybe then you’ll feel better about it all.”

Considering her words, I couldn’t deny how right she was.

Even if it was daunting to think about putting my raw feelings on the line like that, I knew she had a point.

For the most part, I wanted to see Beau for the man he had become and see where our growing connection might take us—both for our sake and for Margo’s. I wanted to give us an honest shot after everything and find out once and for all if we were truly compatible enough to get through anything that might come our way.

However, a small part of me was still holding on to that previous pain and resistance. It didn’t want me to let go, all because those things were left unsettled.

As much as it always seemed easier to keep everything bottled in, I couldn’t keep doing that. I had to face it all, even if it still terrified me.