269

269


Beta Craig’s voice broke through Bella’s deep thoughts. "Bella, I’ve asked Aunt Maleah to set up a children’s room for Leo. It’s right next to yours. You and Leo can move back in with us. This way, we’ll all be together as a family."

Bella shook her head, her instincts on edge. While it was natural for Beta Craig to dote on Leo, she couldn’t ignore the tension and distrust she felt toward Pamela and Samantha. The bond between her and them was fractured, and she knew better than to place blind trust in people who could bring harm. "Thank you for the offer, but that won’t be necessary. You’re welcome to visit Leo anytime you want. There’s no need for us to move back."

"Are you worried about Samantha?" Beta Craig asked directly. "I’ve already decided to send her abroad for her studies. The arrangements are being made as we speak. She’ll be gone soon. Once she’s out of the picture, there won’t be anything standing between you and Alpha Xavier."

Bella hadn’t expected Beta Craig to take such drastic action. Her eyes narrowed with determination as she replied, "Samantha and her mother are only part of the reason I won’t move back. The truth is, I don’t plan to stay here much longer. I’ll be taking Leo abroad in the near future."

Beta Craig’s brows furrowed in surprise. "You’re not going to marry Alpha Xavier?" His disbelief was evident.

"I don’t have any plans to marry him," Bella said simply.

"Bella," Beta Craig began, his tone softening, "Alpha Xavier is a good man. I know I’ve made mistakes, but please, don’t hold those against him. Forgive him for whatever has happened in the past."

"This isn’t about the past," Bella replied, struggling to explain the complicated relationship between her and Xavier.

"Is it because of Samantha?" Beta Craig pressed. "Bella, Alpha Xavier never wanted to be with her. He was manipulated into this situation. It was all Kelsey’s doing."

Beta Craig’s words caught Bella off guard, and she looked at him with wide eyes. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"I’m telling you the truth," Beta Craig said. "Kelsey orchestrated everything to set Alpha Xavier up. He’s not the villain you think he is, Bella. He’s a victim too. You should give him a chance—for his child, if not for him."

Bella stared at Beta Craig, her mind reeling. She hadn’t known about the trap Kelsey had laid for Samantha and Alpha Xavier. The revelation left her stunned, unable to comprehend the full scope of what had happened. 

Regardless of whether Xavier had been tricked or not, the fact remained that he had been with Samantha. The thought of it filled Bella with bitterness. Before learning this, she might have considered giving him a second chance. But now? How could she possibly forgive such a betrayal?

Unaware of Bella’s inner turmoil, Beta Craig continued, his voice filled with sincerity. "Bella, I’ve lived a long life, and I’ve made my share of mistakes. I understand the kind of helplessness Alpha Xavier must have felt."

Bella abruptly interrupted him, her tone sharp. "Of course, you’d sympathize with him. Isn’t that what unfaithful men do? Stick together and defend each other?"

"No, that’s not true!" Beta Craig insisted. "I didn’t cheat all those years ago."

He paused, his voice dropping as he admitted, "There was that one mistake—a night I will regret forever. I was drunk, and something happened between me and Pamela that never should have happened. But I loved your mother more than anything. For years, I couldn’t face her, terrified she’d find out. That guilt has haunted me ever since."

Bella’s lips curled into a bitter smile. "And yet, you let the mistress become your wife," she said coldly. If Beta Craig had married Pamela after her mother’s death, Bella might have accepted it. But his decision to wed the woman who had caused so much pain only deepened her resentment.

"I was a fool back then," Beta Craig admitted, forcing a weak smile. "It was the worst decision of my life, and I’ve spent half of it regretting it. That’s why I’m telling you this, Bella. Don’t let scheming people like Kelsey destroy what you have with Alpha Xavier. She intentionally drove a wedge between the two of you to get what she wanted. If you walk away from him now, you’ll only be giving her exactly what she wants."

Bella remained silent, her emotions in turmoil. Beta Craig leaned forward, his voice earnest. "Life is unpredictable, Bella. What you’re going through now may seem overwhelming, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s just one moment in your journey. Don’t run from it. Face it, and face it together with Alpha Xavier. If you’d stayed and listened to his explanation back then, you wouldn’t be in this situation now. So please, give him another chance."

Bella’s thoughts felt tangled and chaotic. Beta Craig’s words made sense, but the revelation about Kelsey’s role in framing Samantha and Xavier was too shocking to process all at once. "I need time to think," she finally said.

Beta Craig nodded and left shortly after, leaving Bella alone to tuck Leo into bed. Once Leo was asleep, she sat by herself, lost in thought. Could Kelsey really have orchestrated everything? Was it possible that Alpha Xavier, like Samantha, had been a pawn in her plans?

That night, a flood of memories came rushing back. The night after the supposed betrayal, Alpha Xavier didn’t return. Bella had called him, only for Elinor to answer and claim that Xavier was sleeping at home. The next morning, Bella had gone to the hospital, suspecting she might be pregnant. After confirming the pregnancy, she received a call from Kelsey, who smugly claimed she and Xavier had spent the night together.

At the time, Bella had been too overjoyed about her pregnancy to pay much attention to Kelsey’s taunts. But now, looking back, the timing felt suspicious. If Kelsey had been behind the scheme, why would she go out of her way to provoke Bella?

Suddenly, a memory surfaced. In the hospital garden, Bella had overheard Samantha and Pamela discussing a medical exam. Samantha had mentioned being on her period at the time. If that were true, how could she have been with Alpha Xavier that night?

Bella’s mind raced as her instincts kicked in. Something about this tangled web of lies and manipulation didn’t add up. She felt certain there was more to the story than anyone had revealed.