Once the first shock of her disclosure subsided, Tim directly enquired whether Luke Cupper was the father of her children. She had responded to him truthfully; there was no alternative course of action available to her. He was entitled to the truth from her. Bella instructed him to pose any enquiries he desired. This would be the most straightforward method of providing him with the information he sought. She needed to begin at a certain point.
She informed Tim, as she had informed Ben, that she was now snowed in; this was the truth, and they could verify it themselves, which she presumed they would do. When he enquired about her precise location, she merely groaned and informed him that her parents resided within the premises of the Cupper Corporation Headquarters in New York. Indeed, that was her current location as well.
I informed him that Luke was indeed present and desired time to familiarise himself with the children, now that he was aware of their existence and their presence with her. Furthermore, her children were also set to meet their grandparents; they had encountered both his and her parents and had developed a favourable rapport, particularly with her father during their stay with him. That everything was now satisfactory and that she was secure and unscathed.
Bella had to reject his invitation to join her and the children. That was not feasible. It was unwise, and she was aware that he was now engaged in a case, having informed him that he could not abandon his responsibilities as the main prosecutor simply because she was in New York. He remained silent for a considerable duration before ultimately acquiescing to her viewpoint. She was aware that he would. He approached his profession with seriousness and genuinely enjoyed it.
She needed to inform him that she was uncertain about her return, which would likely take at least a couple of days. She would attempt to secure a flight when the weather allowed her to reach Rochester airport and thereafter book a trip back to L.A.
Tim had been silent for an extended period before asserting bluntly, “I dislike it.” You never acknowledged this guy; you never admitted he was the children’s father, despite my several enquiries at the outset of our relationship regarding his identity. What is your current status? Residing once again within his business premises. Are you present in his residence?”
“He possesses all assets in this vicinity, Tim.” Indeed, one may assert that I am within his residence.
The call had disconnected thereafter; he was not a fool, and although her response had been polite, he comprehended its implications and disliked hearing it. He had not posed the inquiry she presumed he want to make, regarding whether she and Luke intended to reconcile. Unite. He abruptly terminated the call with her. Tim was angry with her, and she could not fault him for it. He had been exceedingly supportive, as had Ben, for that matter.
Now she found herself within the confines of the Cupper Corporation, a location she had explicitly said she wished to avoid and would not return to. She wished to sever all ties with Luke Cupper and prevent him from engaging with her children. She has now acted in direct contradiction to her statements.
Bella placed the phone on the counter before her and gazed across the room, uncertain of how to go with the situation. It was impossible to contact Ben and Tim and declare, “I apologise for being a werewolf, but Luke has proven to be my Mate, necessitating my presence here due to our bond.” No human would comprehend that. A wolf would, but not a person.
Bella instinctively felt that concluding everything by telephone was inappropriate; she could not proceed in that manner. It seemed inappropriate, and it was troubling her, however she probably could not return immediately to do the necessary tasks.
She comprehended that, having been Marked and Mated and having accepted Luke, she must relinquish her human existence. He was determined to prevent her from proceeding with it. She momentarily contemplated if he would have acted differently had she been only an hour away instead of on the opposite side of the nation. There is no substantial merit in that line of reasoning. The scenario did not warrant such notion, which I dismissed.
She was aware that, having been Marked and Mated by him, she would soon enter her heat cycle, perhaps within one to two weeks. If she had not been present for it, chaos may ensue when it occurred. It would be terrible for her to endure alone. All unmated wolves in the vicinity capable of detecting her oestrus would pursue her for mating purposes.
She could only withstand its allure for a limited time before succumbing and allowing a wolf to mate with her. Her arousal compelled her to mate indiscriminately, irrespective of whether it was her designated partner.
She understood this, so she recognised the necessity of remaining inside the pack, near Luke, until that moment arrived, ensuring that he would be the sole one to mate with her. She did not desire another to do that action. Did not wish for Maddis or Luke to endure the experiences they faced with their last Mate. Thus, she was had to remain here for the time being.
Occasionally, the experience of being a werewolf was unenjoyable for both the male and female, as the reality of being a she-wolf often fell short of popular perception. Some wolves have joyful, tranquil lives, forming Mate Bonds around their eighteenth birthday, while others never encountered their mate.
Some had prolonged, sorrowful, and agonising lives owing to the loss of a loved one in pack conflicts or rogue assaults. Others were exiled and compelled to live in isolation, which is detrimental for any wolf, as they are inherently sociable beings. They preferred the company of their own kind inside a pack, which fostered comfort among the wolves and instilled a feeling of purpose.
She observed Luke approach her and listened to his elucidation of Maddis’s temperament. She disapproved of his act of shattering a mirror in their ensuite, seemingly provoked by Tim’s phone call to her. He did not elucidate the rationale for his actions. She could only infer it from the fact that he had observed Tim’s name on the caller ID and then left, shattering a mirror.
