Tasting All My Mates by Alexis Dee

370-An Opportunity

Author's POV:

Years Ago:

"I don’t remember anything," Thiago said, rubbing his eyes to wipe away tears from that night.

"It is okay. Maybe when we show you all the pictures of the people who had taken that road that

night, you will be able to recognize the man,’’ Mr. Mackenzie started looking for the pictures in

his bag.

In the meantime, Thiago couldn't remember a single thing. He was certain something happened

that night, but he couldn't say what.

His father was standing beside him, watching him with tears in his eyes. He couldn't get closer to

his son because he felt like a failure.

"Look! Any of them." Mackenzie laid the pictures down for him. Now their eyes were stuck on

Thiago, who placed his finger on one picture and then on the other.

"It was-" he scratched his chin, "I guess it’s true." Thiago murmured in confusion.

"What is true?" Mackenzie questioned.

"Perhaps mom’s car broke down and she couldn't pull the brakes," Thiago couldn't recall anything. These were the

very

few things he heard from others. And he thought maybe it was true; otherwise, why else would he not remember?

"Mayb—," Mackenzie was going to ask him again, but Shepard noticed his son’s uneasiness, so he gently tapped his

hand on Mackenzie's back and stopped him from questioning him further.

"It is okay. Don't pressurize him. The DNA test will reveal everything itself," Shepherd said exhaustedly. He hadn’t

slept since that night. Just the idea of sleeping without his mates in his arms was killing him.

"I don't understand what example I set for my son after losing my mate. He will always know his father as someone

who couldn't save his mate. What if he grows up and gives up on his mate?" Shepard rubbed his hands on his face

and sighed.

"You are not at fault here. You couldn't have saved her, no matter what. Whatever happened, happened to her

hours ago. Whoever hurt her is the reason you and your son are suffering right now, your highness. But you are

right, the DNA test will reveal everything." Mackenzie said, nodding his head to Alpha Shepard.

Things weren't going so well for Hazel and her husband, either. He was staring at her with nothing but questions in

his eyes.

"What are you saying?" she asked him, her heart trembling inside her chest. So far, she was able to make decisions

and do whatever she pleased, but now her mate was questioning her, and it didn't sit well with her.

"Destroying all the innocent lives," Alaric murmured, sobbing as he remembered the look on Thiago's face when he

watched him cry after finding out his mother had died. Everybody had gathered around the hospital to record and

catch a glimpse of the pack that had everything stolen from them in one terrible night.

There were pack members from every pack that questioned their safety. If it can happen to an Alpha's Luna, then it

can happen to anyone.

"Destroying? No! I am not doing that. I am helping people. Good people." She gulped when lying to her mate.

"You think you can fool me? But I guess you have been fooling yourself this whole time. Imagine the pain and

suffering of those kids who are unwillingly becoming the subject of abuse because of your magic. Hazel! For

heaven's sake, we have a daughter ourselves. How can we— do this to them?" He complained in tears, recalling all

the messed up stuff he knew his mate did but had never spoken against her.

He even broke his true mate’s heart and left his little son at the mercy of the world.

"Listen! These alphas we are helping today can play a very important role in our daughter's life. If we are able to

keep a good relationship with them, they will help Enya with her needs," Hazel murmured, gulping nonstop and

praying her mate doesn't look at her differently or doesn't make a mistake.

"Hazel! We can never rely on these people. The Moon Goddess

will be enough to take care of our daughter," he disagreed with her. His heart was pumping

more blood than usual. He felt it right inside his chest.

"Was she able to protect those kids? No! She doesn't interrupt. That's why we have to make

sure we do everything in our power to secure our future. You are crying over nothing. Now sit

down and tell me what happened. Why did this guard accompany you to our house?" She asked

him after she finally approached him and grabbed his hand to sit him down.

She even forced him to drink some water and then some wine so that his mind could relax a bit.

"That guard is going to stick with me until I do what the alpha king has asked me to do," Alaric

explained the reason behind his worries to her in a much more detailed way, "He wants me to

burn down the morgue with these files and all the innocent people inside just so that his truth

can remain hidden."

Hearing him talk about the task the alpha king gave him made Hazel lean back and brainstorm

harder.

"So he is including you in the circle of trusted people, and you are crying about it?" She almost

raised her voice at him when she couldn't believe her husband didn't think of it as an

opportunity to get close to the alpha king.

"This is not an opportunity. This is a crime. We are ruining lives." He was back to complaining

again. He had always let Hazel do her thing, but now he could see how evil they had become.

Even when he personally didn't harm anyone else

other than breaking and abandoning his mate and son, he felt responsible for the misery Hazel

was causing others.

"Listen to me. If you don't do it, he will come after me and our daughter. Now tell me, do you

want that?" She asked him, leaving the decision on his shoulders.