Page 14 of My Ruthless Alpha (Alpha Outlaws Club #5)

Even after I dropped Faye and Sydney off and made my way back home, that bad feeling I had outside of Colton’s territory lingered, and I couldn’t seem to shake it.

I was glad we all made it back safe, and the two of them had the chance to catch up while Sydney settled in, but the ominous energy made me more aware that the threat was still out there.

Initially, I didn’t think much of the potential damage Colton could cause if he wanted to. Since I didn’t know him, it didn’t feel like something I needed to concern myself with at first. But it felt more real after picking Sydney up and feeling that sense of unease without even being on his grounds.

I was actively risking my pack because Faye, Margo, and Sydney were under my watch. They were like targets, and if he wanted to come after them, then there was a chance everyone could be pulled into the chaos, which was the last thing I wanted.

Knowing Colton potentially had a gang backing him only made it all worse…but I wasn’t prepared to back down because of it.

Even if I hated causing trouble for my people, I knew it was a necessary evil.

I needed to protect my girls and to protect anyone important to Faye. To do that, I had to keep them under my care, regardless of the impact it could have on my pack.

The house was suspiciously quiet when I came inside. I half expected it to be a complete mess and for there to be absolute chaos with everyone around. However, to my surprise, the guys were lounging in the living room, either watching whatever cartoon was playing on the television or having a catnap. In the meantime, Margo and Zoe were playing with her dolls, and she couldn’t look any happier than she did at that moment.

“What’s going on here?” I asked with an amused expression as I entered the space.

Margo brightened the moment she saw me, then said my name in an excited voice as she got up and ran up to me.

My heart squeezed at the sight, and I couldn’t do anything but melt. Chuckling, I reached down and hoisted her up, resting her against my side. She smiled wide for me, clinging like I had been gone for weeks.

I never knew how badly I needed that kind of connection before meeting her…getting to know the warmth of my child and the way she saw me as something sparkly and exciting. It reminded me more and more every day of how glad I was to have her and Faye with me.

“You know, these shows aren’t half bad,” Ethan said from his spot on one of the armchairs, gesturing vaguely toward the screen.

“Try having them play for hours at a time,” Sebastian murmured. “It gets old fast.”

Levi lifted his arm that had been covering his eyes during his nap as he glanced over at me. “Back so soon? I was feeling pretty comfortable here.”

Chuckling, I looked them over again. “You guys look like you fought a war and lost.”

“What can we say?” Ezra began, pointing a finger at Margo with an amused gleam in his eyes. “That one might seem calm, but she has endless energy.”

At the claim, Margo giggled and leaned against me a bit more as if she knew it was true.

“She wore us out,” Jacob murmured, still lying on the couch.

“Who knew one kid could knock us all out?” Ethan added, chuckling as he got up from his seat.

I hummed and grinned at Margo’s faintly mischievous expression. As they claimed, she was often calm and easy-going for a child her age, but she could be cheeky when she wanted to be, and I had the feeling she got that from her mother.

“I can’t say I’m too surprised.”

“You guys are just a bunch of whiners,” Zoe said with a hushed laugh as she got up with the rest of them and gave Margo’s cheek a gentle nudge. “She was as good as gold.”

“Yeah, yeah…she wasn’t demanding piggy-back rides from you,” Ezra said with a lopsided grin as he slid in next to her and made a face, to which Zoe chuckled.

“Regardless, thanks for helping us out,” I said to them all, grateful they were able to show up on such short notice, even if all of them being there was definitely overkill.

“No problem, she’s a cute stinker,” Ethan said, putting his fist up for her on his way toward the door, to which she fist-bumped him with a big smile. He chuckled and let the others say their goodbyes to her next.

Before long, they were on their way out, and when Sebastian smiled at her, Margo gave him a shy grin and a small wave that made me laugh inwardly. It seemed he had that effect on anyone at any age.

Once the group of them left for the night, it was just the two of us, and to my surprise, Margo had enough energy left to do some coloring at the table.

She had multiple books open around her, along with what seemed like an endless supply of crayons. Together, we sat and colored while she chattered about everything they did while I was gone and how much fun it was.

It was a relief to know that the babysitting went well and that she’d had a good time. That meant more than I realized, and it felt good to see her taking to everyone in my life.

Within that quiet, content moment, I had the chance to really connect with Margo. It had been strange at first, but over a few weeks of them being around, I was starting to feel more confident about it all.

The parental instincts kicked in faster than I expected, and I was glad for it. Stepping into that role felt more natural than I’d anticipated, and I could only hope Margo was beginning to get a better sense for it too.

It was still sad that I missed out on those earlier years with her, but I knew it wasn’t worth stewing over. Instead, I focused on how great it was to know her and to have the chance to make up for it.

After the conversation with Faye earlier, it seemed like she had no intention of taking Margo anywhere, which instilled a new hope in me. It seemed like I had been offered an olive branch, and I wasn’t going to waste it.

Margo hummed to herself contentedly while she colored, trying to be a bit more careful about doing so within the lines. Then, as casually as anything, she asked, “Do you know my dad?”

At first, I was stunned by the question, silently grateful that her eyes were on the book instead of me. Schooling my expression, I cleared my throat while I tried to think fast on my feet. “Yes…I do.”

“Is he nice?”

Blinking back at her, feeling like I was floundering, I did my best to hold it together. I couldn’t let someone so young see through my poker face.

Nodding, I murmured, “Yeah, I’d say he’s pretty nice.”

“That’s good,” she replied as casually as anything, taking me by surprise.

As she asked her questions, that sense of uncertainty seemed to close around my throat. I didn’t know how much I should answer, or how truthfully, without Faye there.

It was a big conversation to have with her, and I knew she wanted to handle the situation delicately. I couldn’t blame her, and while I wanted Margo to know the truth, I also didn’t want to overstep. I didn’t want to do it without her.

She was still so young, and I didn’t know how to navigate the situation. I didn’t have any kind of reference for something like that, especially not when Margo assumed her dad was someone else completely—someone not in the picture at all.

Withholding the truth from her left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I didn’t know what else to do.

“Will I get to meet him?” Margo asked quietly, stopping her coloring to glance at me for a moment.

My heart ached at the thought of those questions swirling within her mind, knowing she wanted answers and that at least some part of her likely needed that clarity. It hurt even more to know I couldn’t give that to her just yet.

Still, I managed a small smile. “I think you will…one day.”

She seemed to consider it for a moment, then she nodded to herself and continued coloring.

Not long after, the front door opened, and Miles’ scent filled the space. He kicked his shoes off, then moved further into the room. He paused, taking in the lingering scents. “Were the guys here again?”

“Mhm. You just missed them again.”

“Shit…” he muttered, looking disappointed. “Every time.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, keenly aware of Margo’s presence. “Language.”

Miles, realizing the slip, gave me a sheepish smile. “I mean…oops?”

Chuckling, I shook my head as my brother approached and greeted Margo before she got up from the table and busied herself with some of the other toys in the living room.

Miles sat across from me and watched as the little one ran off, then he glanced at me. “You seem to be getting used to all of this.”

“It’s been easier adjusting than I expected it to be,” I said honestly, smiling faintly while Margo kept herself busy. “And it’s been nice having the two of them around.”

“What, you don’t appreciate my company?” He asked with a playful grin.

I gave him a pointed look. “Sometimes it’s nice to be in the presence of someone who isn’t my eighteen-year-old brother.”

He chuckled and raised his hands in defense of himself. “Listen, I get it. Since Faye’s been here, you’ve been nagging me less about cleaning, so I won’t complain.”

Shaking my head, I couldn’t quite hide my amused smile. “Consider yourself lucky then.”

“You know, even if the whole situation has been a bit of a shock, I can still appreciate what’s going on. I like Faye…I think you should hold on to her,” Miles said, teasing tone shifting to a more sincere one. “Not to be mushy, but I can tell that she makes you happy. It’s good to see.”

Something about his words felt more genuine than usual, and it only helped reaffirm my determination. Even if we were still learning how to be what the other needed while taking care of Margo and understanding our bond, it felt like we were moving in the right direction.

As the weeks went on, I was feeling better about it all. I had more faith that Faye was coming around to the idea, and the way she seemed to be slowly opening up to me was a good sign. Regardless of our headway not necessarily being linear, progress was progress, and if it meant strengthening our bond and becoming close to her again, then I was going to take it.

With a more serious expression, I nodded. “Now that I have her back, I have no intention of letting Faye go. Things will be different this time.”

Even if I still couldn’t say whether our life would pan out like the vision I had inside my head, it was enough to know I had the chance to make things right between us after everything.

Regardless of what it took, I was committed to doing exactly that.