Chapter 23

Axel POV

I leave the rehab facility. I have to tell Chloe the truth about how Cane came to work for him, how we met, and my connection to her family. I hope she will see that I love her and that none of that matters. I cannot help what happened in the past, but I can promise her a long future with me. I only want to love her if she will let me after I tell her everything.

I sit in the back of the car. Raymond is driving me today. I can only think of Chloe and how much I want to be with her. If I do not tell her, she will find out eventually. It is better to face all of this now and deal with it before it is too late. Cane will tell her if I ever let him out of that hole, he is squared away in for the now and maybe forever.

I text Chloe to let her know that I am on my way to see her. I cannot wait until later. This conversation has to be done now before I lose my nerve.

*I am on my way. We need to talk. Love you*

She texts back. *Hope everything is alright. I love you too*

I do respond beyond that as much as I would like to say no, I am not okay, and I am worried she will leave me once I tell her. I do not say anything else, and I let it ride. I do not want her all alone or to feel like she has lost everyone. I do not want her to feel betrayed by me.

I daydream mostly as I ride to the apartment to talk to Chloe. I feel sick, but I hope she will listen to me beyond my family killed your parents. My parents are not like those wolves that did that horrible thing. My parents are good people. My father took over from the horrendous Alpha that killed her parents.

I never lied to her about the situation, but I did not tell her the truth. Hopefully, she will see that I love her, and none of this matters. Or does it. Does this matter? Does this make me a liar?

Raymond pulls into the apartment building. I get out of the car and go inside while Raymond parks the car at the Arden Firm. When I go inside, the security guard looks ruffled.

"What is going on?" I ask him. I look at his name tag; it says Ryan; I do not know him. He goes white as a ghost as I start questioning him.

"Answer me!" I scream at him.

"A woman was here threatening Miss Chloe, but the police came. It got a little crazy, but she is okay now," Ryan says.

I rush to the apartment and open the door without knocking. The police are still in the apartment with Chloe. Chloe runs to me. I pull her into me tight and kiss her forehead.

"I am okay, Axel. It was Jessie; she was screaming at me because she was banned from the rehab facility where Cane is staying. She is furious with me and threatening to kill me," Chloe says.

"I am here now; you will be safe," I say to her. I walk her back to the sofa and sit down with her.

"I think we have everything we need, Chloe, Alpha. We will let you both know when she is arrested unless the pack plans to handle this; we will," Officer Bryant says.

"No, you handle it. I have enough to deal with already," I answer him.

Officer Bryant leaves the apartment. Chloe is a mess. Her face is buried in my chest. "I was nice to her. I did not start this, but she thinks I am out to get here. I am not out to get her. I do not even know her," Chloe sobs.

Here, Chloe is a total mess, and I have to add to it. "We need to talk about something, and I hate to do it now, but it is important," I say to Chloe.

Chloe looks up at me. Her eyes are swollen from crying. I cannot do this to her now. "Can it wait? I cannot take anything else right now," Chloe sobs.

I rub the back of her head. "Yes, it can wait for now, but we have to talk about this soon," I say.

Chloe snuggles into me and falls asleep as I play with her hair. I wanted us to plan our wedding, but instead, I have to comfort her and worry that after I tell her about her parents, there will not be a wedding.

My phone begins to buzz. I look down. It is my mother. I answer the phone. "Axel, we need you. It is your father," my mother says.

"Okay," I say. I end the call. Can anything else go wrong today? I growl so loudly I wake up Chloe. She looks up at me.

"What is wrong?" She asks.

Chloe raises into a sitting position, and I cradle my hand in my face. I want to shift into my wolf and run, but I cannot; I have to check on my father.

"It is my father. I have to go check on him," I say.

Chloe touches me softly. "I will go with you," she says with a smile. Just like that, she is only concerned for me and not for herself.

"Are you sure?" I ask her.

"Yes, we are to be married. I should be with you. Your family is my family," Chloe says.

"Okay, that way, I do not have to leave you alone right now, and I can keep an eye on you," I say.

"Let me splash some water on my face, and I will be ready to go," Chloe says.

Chloe runs to the bathroom. I look down at my phone. It is a text from my mom. *Your father would like to see you both before he dies*

I hope he is not going to tell her everything before I can. If he dies, we will have no choice but to marry as soon as possible. Chloe comes out beaming and looking much better.

"My father wants to see us both," I say to her. Chloe smiles as I take her hand to leave.