Could she move back to Anchorage? His pack was there, which meant she would have to learn to be a part of it. She would be mated to the Alpha and raising the Alpha's child.
It was everything she didn't want. But Roman claimed he'd made so many changes. And she knew that. She did like her little area in Juneau, but they weren't tied to it. Her daughter had friends, but they were only in kindergarten so she could definitely start over if she needed to. She’d done it before. Surely, she could do it for the father of her child.
She picked up the phone and texted him.
Have you already given up your Alpha position?
He replied immediately.
No, I have not.He didn't ask why she wanted to know.
Good night.she typed.
She slept fitfully for a few hours. And then she woke up. She’d been plagued by dreams.
Just like her daughter had, Everleigh fell asleep with the light still on and still wearing all her clothes. She’d always made routines and regimens such a part of her life, but at that moment she just could not do it.
Too much had happened and now she was coming down from the panic. At the moment none of it even felt real.
I should get Eliza up and get her ready for bed. And I should do the same.
But instead, she drifted off.
Suddenly she was looking at a fifteen-year-old version of Eliza.
Her daughter slammed her bedroom door.
“You never even gave him a chance, Mom, and now he's getting married to a human. All dad ever wanted was to be with you, and you just threw it in his face!”
“You don’t understand,” Everleigh protested.
“What did he do that was so wrong?” Eliza yelled. “Yeah, he dumped you. It happens. And then he supposedly spied on you and me for Uncle Sutton, big deal. People screw up. You never gave him a chance and now he's met another wolf shifter and he's moving to Australia to be with her. I'll never see him again. He said he wouldn't leave us. He said he would stay here to be my father. You can’t expect him to give up his whole life just to placate you when you won't give him the time of day.”
Eliza sneered, and then her face changed. “You know what? He asked me if I wanted to come with him to Perth. I said no at first, but I think I've changed my mind. I'm moving to Australia to live with Dad and there's nothing you can do to stop me.”
Everleigh’s throat closed up. She gasped for breath. "No. You can't go with him."
"How are you going to stop me? How are you going to keep that from happening? You've always said we can't rely on the court system as shifters. He said we have to make our own way. I am making my own way. You held Dad at arm's length. This is your fault.”
The last image she had of her daughter was Eliza walking out the front door with her backpack.
Everleigh tried to chase after her, but it was futile. She couldn't do it. It was like running through molasses. It finally dawned on her that this wasn't real. This had to be a dream. Eliza was five not fifteen, and she would not leave her mother behind.
Right. She might not now. while she was young, but what about when she was a teenager? She might leave her then. Would she be justified? Was Everleigh trying to punish Roman? It was not an easy question to answer. He was her mate. He was willing to move for her. He was willing to give up the title of Alpha, which was unheard of. She couldn't fathom anyone else doing that.
She had to talk to him. Not just because she was scared, although the dream stuck with her. She immediately reached out and felt Eliza's small body next to hers.
Her relief was instantaneous. Being a parent was so overwhelming sometimes. She just struggled to know if she was making the right decision. And what the hell was that dream for? Was her subconscious trying to show her what she should be giving up?
Her bear growled. Was it her bear trying to get through to her?
Yes. Her bear was worried she would lose this opportunity and that it would be gone forever.
She kissed Eliza on the forehead. She needed to speak to Roman. Once she had satisfied herself that her daughter was real and that she was safe and that she was right there in the room with her and that there was no one trying to snatch her away, she finally picked up her phone.
She texted Roman.
Can you come over?