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

As much as I wanted to continue resisting Beau and his help, I knew it was pointless and would only hurt Margo and me more.

Plus, I really was too tired to fight. Even if I didn’t want to give in to him or place too much trust in the wrong place, I didn’t really have much choice.

We needed help, and even my pride couldn’t change that.

I wasn’t about to spit in the face of someone willing to help us, regardless of my feelings.

So, I let Beau take us further into his territory while I gently rubbed soothing circles against Margo’s back.

Regardless of how long I had been face to face with Beau, my mind still couldn’t wrap around the fact that I’d run into him, of all people.

I never knew where he went after he left me and our old pack. I didn’t know what became of him or how he decided to lead his life, but finally, seeing it for myself seemed so strange to me.

I always had the feeling he was capable of so much, but upon discovering he was an alpha with a pack and territory of his own that spanned across an entire small town, I didn’t have the words to express how surprised I was.

It wasn’t the biggest town in the world, but the exteriors of the buildings looked new and well-maintained, along with the decorative gardens and clean sidewalks. The storefronts in the distance also looked taken care of and surprisingly modern.

Although, the cleanliness of the place shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Beau had always been a bit of a clean freak regardless of what he said, and he could be particular about that kind of thing. Even if it made him seem a bit up-tight at times, it had been a part of him that I used to admire.

Most men I knew didn’t think twice about that sort of thing, and to know that he cared about appearances enough to take care of his belongings and himself was impressive to me.

Regardless of my surprise, I tried not to read into it too much. Sure, he had accomplished quite a bit in the time he was away, it seemed, but that still didn’t change what he did. It didn’t change how he left everything he knew behind all because he didn’t know what he wanted…because he didn’t want to hurt me in the process.

Ultimately, he did exactly that, and I was left to pick up the pieces on my own. I had to find out I was pregnant by myself, knowing the father was somewhere out there, building a life all by himself.

It stung to think about, and it hurt even more to see just how successful he was in that solo venture, guiding a pack that didn’t include me.

Even if I agreed to stay, mostly for Margo’s sake, regardless of how complicated things were, I wasn’t going to simply put everything behind us. We had a solid connection once, and we were on the path to truly becoming something concrete, but in the end, he rejected me.

It wasn’t something I could just forgive and forget. Not that easily, anyway.

The melancholy and frustration that accompanied me couldn’t be soothed away with a single offer for help, even if I was still grateful for it.

The feelings within me were jumbled and confusing, but I didn’t have the mental capacity or energy to figure them out yet.

I needed a break, and unfortunately, to get that, I had to put aside my reservations about trusting Beau.

While we moved through the small town at my pace, we didn’t speak much, aside from him asking me Margo’s name and reassuring me again that we would be safe with him. Since it was late at night, there weren’t many people out, but some places still had their lights on inside, and I couldn’t deny how cozy it felt.

Glancing over at Beau for a moment, taking in his appearance, it was strange knowing he wasn’t just a beta anymore. That was all I ever knew him as before, and in a sense, I could tell the new title changed him.

Outwardly, it seemed like a positive change. He looked more mature and seemed more confident in himself than he once did. He held his chin up a bit higher, and I’d be lying if I said he didn’t look even more appealing.

Before he left our old pack, Beau was caught in a state of uncertainty. Apparently, he felt different about everything, and he didn’t understand what he was going through.

Despite being a dedicated beta, he was questioning his place in the pack, and out of respect for Cyrus and everyone else, he left. But in doing so, he also left me. It seemed that choice had brought him to an entirely different life.

“Here we are,” Beau eventually said, gesturing to the paved driveway that led to an impressive-looking house.

Even through my exhaustion, my brows went up as I took it all in.

The place was gorgeous. It had the appearance of something old, yet it was redone with more modern touches while preserving some of those more antique aspects.

Of course, a house like that wasn’t easily acquired by someone who didn’t have much money. It was no secret just by looking at the place that Beau’s finances had changed too.

“Wow…” I murmured, following him up the driveway and towards the house.

A small smile crept across Beau’s face, satisfied by my noticing, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he reached the door first and opened it for me.

With my legs feeling like they weren’t attached to my body anymore, I silently entered the place and looked around, catching the fine details of the interior. The inside was just as impressive as the outside—if not more.

Even if I didn’t say anything about it, I thought the place was impressive all the way through.

“The main bedrooms are upstairs, but there’s a guest room right down here,” he hummed, guiding me down a hall past the kitchen and living room. Both seemed furnished as tastefully as I’d expect from him.

I may not have trusted him or thought of him too favorably anymore, but I couldn’t deny that he had great taste.

“I figure it might be easier with the little one.”

It surprised me to hear how much he was thinking about us and our situation, willing to work out the fine details that would otherwise seem unnecessary. He did it without being asked, and something about it softened me ever so slightly.

I didn’t want to give him too much credit, but I still appreciated the thought.

Nodding, too tired to form a proper response, I followed him to the spare bedroom.

Flicking on the lights, he took a step back and allowed me to get a good look at the place. “The bed should be more than big enough for you two, and there’s a bathroom just down the hall.”

I couldn’t decide if it was just the exhaustion coming through, but the way he spoke seemed so kind. Tender, even.

He wasn’t obligated to help us, but seeing him offer us a room and a place in his home made me feel more touched than I wanted to admit.

Standing in the bedroom with Margo pressed against me, feeling heavier by the second, I met Beau’s gaze and felt something in me tremble. The resistance I put up against him the moment he rejected me and left to pursue his life elsewhere.

Through his kindness in words and deeds, I could feel the foundation of that stubbornness shaking ever so slightly.

We locked eyes for a moment, and regardless of the slight iciness between us, made awkward by the time spent apart, I couldn’t help but notice the faint tension that seemed to thicken the air a bit.

As much as I wanted to look away, I just couldn’t.

I had always thought he was one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen, and at one time, I was more than surprised to call him mine. It always shocked me to know he wanted me once, even if it didn’t end how I expected it to.

Even then, there was no denying how gorgeous he was. I’d be crazy to claim the opposite.

“I meant what I said before,” Beau reassured me, gaze softening slightly. “You two are safe here…regardless of who might be after you, I’ll make sure nothing happens. You have my word on that.”

The promise was reassuring regardless of what I thought, and I found myself nodding. “…thank you.”

Those words shouldn’t have felt like pulling teeth to say, but the part of me that seemed so unwilling to let go of what happened was refusing to back down. Even if it happened years ago, it wasn’t something I could simply forget about as much as I wanted to. As much as it would make everything so much easier.

Regardless, Beau nodded in return, then reached for the doorknob and stepped out. Before he could leave, however, a thought moved through his eyes. “By the way, did you need anything to eat? Drink?”

Regardless of how small it seemed, something about the genuine sincerity in the gesture made my heart squeeze.

As much as I didn’t want to impose, I couldn’t ignore the lingering ache of my empty stomach. The thought of finally eating something was too good to pass up.

“Yes, actually…if you don’t mind. I packed some things for Margo but nothing for myself. We didn’t have the room.”

With a small frown at the notion, Beau nodded. “Sure thing. I’m assuming you’ll want to get cleaned up, so I’ll make something and leave it here for you.”

I hated feeling like a burden, as if I needed someone to take care of me, but at the moment, being as worn out as I was, it wasn’t so difficult to accept that help. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Don’t mention it.”

With a final look, Beau gently closed the door, and I heard his quiet steps receding down the hall.

Finally, with Margo still asleep in my arms, I let go of a deep breath and closed my eyes. For a moment, I could only stand there, wondering how I landed myself in this position.

In the span of a few hours, I defected from my pack, ran from my alpha, found my ex and the father of my child, and ended up in his house. It was all so much more than I imagined for myself, but at the end of it all, it was the hand I was dealt, and I could only navigate it the best I could.

Snapping myself out of my thoughts, I went over to the bed and carefully placed Margo down before pulling the covers up and tucking her in for the night.

Standing by her side, I smoothed some of the dark locks from her face carefully enough not to wake her, and a faint smile settled on my lips.

Watching her sleep peacefully, knowing she was safe and sound, was enough to soothe my nerves again. It was all I needed and wanted. So long as she was content and unaware of how tumultuous our situation was, I was doing my job well enough.

She was my entire world, and nothing else seemed to matter as long as she was safe and in my care.

Although, taking in her features after seeing Beau again brought me a bitter-sweet feeling. To me, there was no denying the resemblance. She carried so many of his physical traits that sometimes, even just looking at her would hit me with that faint ache Beau had left behind.

Leaving a gentle kiss against her forehead, I got up and grabbed some spare clothes from my back before heading to the bathroom down the hall.

I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to stand in the shower long enough to scrub myself down, but the moment I stood beneath that stream of hot water, I was beyond relieved for forcing myself to do it.

The pressure was perfect and exactly what I needed to soothe my aching muscles. Once I was dry and dressed, I was far too prepared for bed to think about anything else.

I hardly remembered the walk back to the guest bedroom, but my haze was broken up the moment I found several bottles of water, tea, and a fully loaded sandwich on a plate next to some fresh fruit waiting for me on the bedside table. It looked too good to resist, and I wasted no time digging in.

Eventually, I ended up in the bed next to Margo, and before I could get another thought in, I was already dozing off into a much-needed sleep.