He Welcomed Her Pup While Mine Was Cremated Chapter 07
POV: Brennan Holt
My father acted like he hadn’t heard me. He just kept polishing the
picture frame in his hands, a soft, loving smile in his eyes.
My mother couldn’t stand it. She turned her face away, tears brimming in her eyes.
She slapped me hard across the face. “What right do you have to ask
where Maris is? If I were Maris, I’d want to kill you!”
These past six years, my mother had told me more than once to treat Maris better.
But I never did it once, and I only got worse.
I turned around and blamed Maris instead. Blamed her for tattling
to my parents, for using her status as the orphaned daughter of my
father’s benefactor to pressure the Holt bloodline.
My mother even went to see Keira. Keira told me right away.
That time, I lost it and lashed out at my mother. “If you go after
Keira again, I will never come home again for the rest of my life!”
“You like Maris so much? I’ll make her a widow while I’m still alive!”
My mother glared at me, tears streaming down her face.
Her look said it all: she couldn’t forgive me. Couldn’t forgive how I
treated Maris. Couldn’t forgive me for causing Elara’s death.
I hurried to defend myself. “I didn’t mean it. I really didn’t. I
thought Maris was lying. And Elara was always so difficult…”
Before I could finish, my mother suddenly shifted her hand into a claw and slashed at me.
The back of my head was instantly raked with bloody gashes, blood dripping down.
“Elara difficult? Ask yourself, was she really? Is it really Elara you
can’t stand, or is it Maris? But what did Maris ever do wrong?”
The wound on the back of my head throbbed, but I didn’t care. I
just kept defending myself.
“I didn’t mean it. I just… I just didn’t want a life controlled by you!”
“I’m the only son of the Holt bloodline, the Alpha heir of
Northbridge Pack. Ever since I was a kid, you’ve run every part of
my life. I couldn’t even take a breath without your say–so.”
“Even my mate was arranged by you. Because Maris’s father saved
Dad’s life, I was forced to be a blood–debt repayment tool and marry Maris…”
By the end, the words came out sharp and bitter, practically a shout.
But then my father let out a cold laugh. He looked at me like I was a complete stranger.
“I forced you to mate with Maris?”
“Don’t be stupid, Brennan. In my eyes, you never deserved Maris.
You were the one who confessed to Maris first. You got together
with her first. That’s when I suggested you become mates.”
“Listen, you coward. I never forced you to love her. You were the one
who asked her if you could like her. You chose Maris first.”
“Brennan, you’re not fit to be the Alpha heir of Northbridge Pack.
You have no sense of responsibility. Whenever you mess up, you
just want to shift the blame!”
“I declare, with the Moon Goddess as my witness, I, Alpha Garrick
Holt, formally revoke Brennan Holt’s right to inherit the Northbridge Pack.”
My body jolted violently. A moment later, I slowly prostrated on the
ground and wept bitterly.
That’s right. I was the one who fell in love with Maris first. So why
did I suddenly hate her the moment my father suggested marriage?
I didn’t dare think about it!
I crawled on my hands and knees to my father’s feet and begged
through tears, “Dad, I know I was wrong. I really do. Please, I’m
begging you, tell me where Maris is…”
But my father didn’t spare me another glance. He rose unsteadily and walked away.
As he passed, he kicked me over and snarled, “Maris wants you to
sign the bond dissolution papers as soon as possible.”
“She also said she never wants to see you again. Get out!”
I froze, rooted to the spot.
I don’t know how long I stood there before I stumbled to my feet,
muttering over and over, “I’ll find her myself. I will find her.”