Chapter 426 She's Already Married

Chapter 426 She's Already Married
Hope Elara's POV

"Okay."

Hope leaned back and crossed her arms.

"We can't move forward unless the three of us form some kind of alliance."

She pointed at Ansley.

"I reacted on instinct when I marked you because you were being mean to me."

A small sigh escaped her.

"And now I finally understand why you handled everything the way you did."

"Thank you," Valduz said with a smirk.

Hope flipped him off before looking back at Ansley.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't handle fear or rejection very well."

"And that day, I was dealing with both."

"That wasn't fair to you."

"I forgive you," Ansley replied with a shrug.

Hope looked from one to the other.

"How is this supposed to work if you two can't even sit next to each other?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Is this the first time you've actually talked about all this?"

"No," they answered together.

Hope blinked.

"You've talked about it before?"

"Yes."

Ansley nodded.

"Twice."

"The first time was when the two of you met."

Hope frowned.

"You knew about me for years?"

"I did."

"I also came across you more than once."

"What?" Hope and Valduz asked at the same time.

"Valduz wasn't the only one who had to stay away."

Hope stared at her.

"Wait... seriously?"

She leaned back against the sofa.

"Dad only liked her because she was easy to get pregnant," Ansley said.

"Of course not," Valduz said with a roll of his eyes.

"He was furious when the contraceptives didn't work."

"You're his best friend."

"He admitted it after getting completely drunk the other day."

"Derek laughed at him."

"I figured something was different the moment he let you talk him down in court."

Ansley scoffed.

"That man doesn't love anyone."

"He just likes owning people."

Hope frowned.

"When was the second time?"

"You were pregnant."

"There was a little twink running behind you while you picked fabric samples."

"At Petite Boutique De Fleur."

"You had guards with you, so I assumed you were married."

"You looked happy."

She pulled out her phone and showed Hope a picture.

It was Hope.

Very pregnant.

She looked like she had swallowed the moon.

"Oh, look how adorable she's going to be," Valduz said, taking the phone.

"I've been looking forward to this since the beginning."

Hope covered her face.

"Just shoot me."

She looked back at Ansley.

"Why did you think I'd end up with your father?"

"I've watched him do it countless times."

"I have twenty-three siblings from twenty-two different women."

"I didn't know your children were Valduz's."

"I didn't even know he was still alive."

"I was at the strongest point I'd ever been."

"I assumed he'd given up his wolf."

Hope hesitated.

"Didn't that bother you?"

Ansley's lip twitched.

It was the exact same way Zenep's did.

Somehow...

It was adorable.

"Ans—" Valduz started.

"Of course it bothered me, Hope Elara," Ansley snapped.

"It's a lot of pressure trying to replace someone like our father."

"The only other person who understands that is him."

She shot Valduz an irritated look.

"My siblings don't call me anything except Alpha."

"I didn't fight with Nate because I hated him."

"I fought with him because he was lazy and entitled."

"He had a wonderful childhood."

"He's just a crybaby."

"'Boo hoo. My dad doesn't love me.'"

"He never loved any of us, you idiot."

"We were all just experiments to that old bastard."

Her expression hardened.

"She's teaching him how to talk to people now."

"But none of it is real."

"I still flinch whenever he clears his throat."

Her eyes locked on Valduz.

"So no."

"You don't get to apologize for that."

"You left me with him once."

"And then you were ready to leave me with him again."

"How could I not be angry?"

"You've tried to kill me," Valduz growled.

Ansley only laughed and rolled her eyes.

"If I really wanted to kill you, I would've."

She pointed at Valduz.

"You left forty-six bodies in Florida, Nate."

"Forty-six."

"You left a trail of evidence so obvious that I had to clean it up because you're reckless."

She folded her arms.

"So yes."

"I got angry and took one shot at you."

She wasn't finished.

"And let's not forget Taylor."

"We're still cleaning up that disaster."

"You still owe me money for that."

Valduz snorted.

"How?"

"You own the entire pack because of me."

"And the whole hotel franchise."

"You're welcome."

"Fuck off, Nathan."

Ansley glared at him.

"You're a little shit."

"You ruined both our lives."

She jabbed a finger toward herself.

"Do you know what people outside this pack call me?"

"Valduz Ryker's sister."

"I never even met your broke stepdad."

"And people still think I'm Ansley Ryker."

Hope covered her mouth.

"No..."

"Yeah," Valduz shrugged.

"But you're also one of the strongest and richest Alphas because of me."

"So you can fuck off too."

Ansley suddenly turned to face him.

"You replaced me."

Valduz frowned.

"What?"

"With who?"

"Pernicious Nelson."

She said Perry's full name as though it tasted bitter.

Valduz stared at her before shaking his head.

"You're an idiot."

"You turned your back on me."

"You knew what Arvin was going to do to me."

"And you still went after Mom."

He reached forward and gently pulled the collar of her blouse aside.

A long claw scar crossed her chest.

"I never understood why."

Ansley looked away.

"I knew you wouldn't."

"I knew she was going to take you."

"I told you."

"I begged you to run away with me."

"But you chose her."

Her voice softened.

"He was going to kill her anyway."

She leaned back with a tired sigh.

"Dad always treated you differently, Nate."

"He put the weight of everything on your shoulders."

"I just wanted to help."

"I was the one stitching your wounds when he nearly broke your face."

"I took beatings meant for you."

"I stayed through the worst of it."

A bitter smile crossed her face.

"She never even asked how we were."

"She just partied."

"And she showed up whenever Dad called."

"After you ran away with her..."

"He got worse."

"He started using the same strength on me that he used on you."

She looked at Valduz.

"You've earned the right to hate Dad."

"I earned the right to hate Maria."

"She has her perfect, submissive daughter now."

"And I'm still here."

"The spare child neither of them wanted."

"That's not what you are to me," Valduz said quietly.

"Perry is still a kid."

"She's a Hello Kitty girl."

Ansley's face twisted in disbelief.

"You're kidding."

"No."

Valduz laughed.

"I'm serious."

Then his smile faded.

"You're right."

"I did leave you there."

"Maybe killing Mom would've changed something."

"Maybe not."

"He still would've been a terrible father."

He met her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't know what else to say."

"But we have to make this work."

"For Hope Elara."

"She's so soft she's practically squishy."

"I can't take care of her by myself."

"She's insane."

"Hey."

Hope glared at him.

"I'm sitting right here."

Valduz ignored her.

"The thing living inside her is terrifying."

"Yeah," Ansley agreed.

"I saw it."

"It was like watching someone turn into a zombie in Resident Evil."

"One second she was adorable."

"The next, she was chewing on my neck."

"Silver eyes."

"Huge fangs."

Valduz smirked.

"She's almost killed me by accident twice."

"Protect your throat."

"You two are dumb as hell," Hope muttered.

Valduz looked at Ansley.

"You should tell her before I do."

His grin widened.

Hope noticed Ansley shift uncomfortably.

"What?"

Ansley cleared her throat.

"I'm married."

She said it so quietly that Hope almost missed it.

Hope pressed her lips together.

Then she laughed.

"Well..."

"That's a problem."

"It's only a contract marriage," Ansley explained.

"He disappeared with twenty-five million dollars about four years ago."

"I haven't heard from him since."

She shrugged.

"I say we celebrate our reunion with a hunting party."

She pointed at Hope.

"Whoever finds him first gets to name the baby."

Hope blinked.

"Am I allowed to join the bet?"

"Of course."

"You can still shift."

"Silverbacks have a ninety-nine point nine percent hunting success rate."

Ansley's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"I want to see what my mate can do."

"You're insane," Valduz said immediately.

"She's not going out there."

Ansley looked at Hope.

"Has he been like this the whole time?"

Hope smiled and shrugged.

"In his defense..."

"I started out human."

"He gets a pass."