31\u2013Fighting With Me For Her\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeline:\u00a0<\/p>\n
After I came home and put my kids to bed, I sat in the recliner holding a glass of wine, tears still burning my eyes as I stared out the window at the lonely moon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The clouds were thick, and even the stars didn\u2019t seem to want to accompany it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sighed, watching the clouds try to hide the moon, but it kept appearing again, looking more beautiful each time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I was the problem,\u201d I muttered, remembering their reaction when I got pregnant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They all said they weren\u2019t ready, or that I was just an omega to them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It turned out the ones who claimed they weren\u2019t ready already had someone else pregnant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And for the others, I was simply an omega to them. Yet, one of them went on to date my omega step\u2013sister.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So yes, I guess I was the problem. They didn\u2019t want me in any way. \u2191\u00a0<\/p>\n
All these years, I thought that when I saw them again, I would be strong. I told myself I wouldn\u2019t care, that I wouldn\u2019t be hurt watching them with their mates or girlfriends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I expected they would have moved on by now, started new relationships. But I never imagined it would hurt this much.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ding!\u00a0<\/p>\n
A text alert came through, and I tiredly lifted my hand to check the screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Baxter: I\u2019m coming to see you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I instantly sat up, staring between the wine glass and my phone, deciding which one to deal with first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a long gulp of wine, then started typing furiously on my phone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Me: I don\u2019t want to talk to you or anyone right now. Please leave me alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sent the message, hoping he would back off. I stood up, setting the glass and the phone down, then slipped on my black silk robe over my thigh\u2013length nightgown.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment I heard the key card click, I realized he hadn\u2019t taken my words seriously.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood in the living room, watching him open the door and walk in. His body looked tense, his shoulders drawn tight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Baxter was always easy to read. When he got angry, his veins would bulge, pulsing visibly as he clenched his fists until his hands looked larger and rougher,\u00a0<\/p>\n
mine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was wearing a thin white shirt and white shorts as he strode toward me like a bull, eyes locked on mi Neither of us broke the stare as he approached.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The large window cast a pale light over us, while the rest of the suite sat in silence and darkness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was wrong with you at the dinner table today?\u201d he demanded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had the audacity to come here and press me about it, as if he didn\u2019t already know what had upset me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
And even if he did know, why ask? It wasn\u2019t something that could be fixed anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not that I wanted him to do anything for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I clenched my fists and pressed my lips together, forcing myself to calm down so I wouldn\u2019t let my emotions spill\u00a0<\/p>\n
out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Weak women like me are always easy to manipulate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s just say,\u201d I replied after swallowing hard and steadying my voice, \u201cI was surprised to see my bully there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYuvonne isn\u2019t a bully,\u201d Baxter immediately defended her before adding, \u201cThe childhood bullying was her following her mother\u2019s orders. Everyone deserves a second chance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He spoke with his eyes locked on mine, clearly showing that he didn\u2019t like me calling his girlfriend a bully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad you think that way, because you did give her a second chance. But why the hell am I being pressured to sit in her presence?\u201d I shot back, calling him out for thinking that just because he forgave her, I had to forgive her\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you\u2019re being a child,\u201d he argued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I quickly raised my finger and shook it in refusal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not going to tell me how I should respond to the people who hurt me,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Baxter.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I kept my\u00a0<\/p>\n
voice low even though it hurt deeply. The thought that I would never have done that to Baxter tore me apart. It felt like they had never truly been good friends to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So why did they keep me around? Why protect me, defend me, all those years before they finally left me? It didn\u2019t make any sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe apologized to you, and she told me you forgave her. It seems like your anger came back when you saw her with me,\u201d Baxter said, pointing at himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was referring to that apology my sister gave me, one I forced myself to accept because I didn\u2019t want to cause a\u00a0<\/p>\n
I scene or dig up old pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess you\u2019re right,\u201d I replied softly, my voice cracking a little. I paused, swallowed hard, and steadied myself before continuing\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing you two together made me realize that I haven\u2019t just been manipulated in the past. People still think they can get away with hurting me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My voice cracked again slightly on the last word.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf\u00a0<\/p>\n
you think she\u2019s going to hurt or bully you, then I give you my word, she\u2019s a changed woman now,\u201d he tried to explain again, defending her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I just nodded, clenching my jaw. Why would I expect him to feel bad for me when the woman against me was someone he loved?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can leave now.\u201d I stepped back and pointed toward the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t fight him anymore, and I didn\u2019t want to, because that would mean lowering myself even more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He followed my hand to the door, then shook his head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
23\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, we\u2019re not done yet. You\u2019re running away from the conversation again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As soon as he said that, the rage rushed back, the same rage that came every time they accused me of running\u00a0<\/p>\n
away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They made it seem like it was my weakness when, in truth, it had been my only option.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell then, let\u2019s just say I\u2019d rather run away than let you lower yourself in my eyes any further,\u201d as I said that, I watched his muscles twitch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyebrows pulled together, and a frown appeared on his forehead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you acting like you have a problem with me dating her?\u201d he hissed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I mirrored his expression, shock flashing across my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGet out!\u201d I repeated, my voice rising.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This time, he shook his head stubbornly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m your mate. I won\u2019t leave until I have my answers,\u201d he demanded\u00a0<\/p>\n
His words hit me like a slap. He called himself my mate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a calm but firm tone, I replied, \u201cI don\u2019t care if we felt the mate bond. I\u2019ll never call you my mate.\u201d 7\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
31\u2013Fighting With Me For Her\u00a0 Madeline:\u00a0 After I came home and put my kids to bed, I sat in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-no-daddy-novel-by-novelnozi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19027"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19232,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19027\/revisions\/19232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}