Chapter 276

276 –An Irresponsible Coward

Baxter:

It was as if the moment I had some peace, my mother arrived to ruin it.

It was early morning, too early for her to start reminding me that I had made a bad decision.

The disrespect she had for Madeline had always bothered me, but now it felt like a personal hit.

She was a part of me, my better half. How could my mother not understand that?

she would be upset if someone insulted her and my father did not stand up for her. [1

But my mother did not feel the same toward my wife, and she expected me to think about my ex–fiancée.

“Mother, she came here to stay with me, and I sent her back. That is what happened,” I told her, letting her know

that was it.

“And stopping her my fiancée.” I reminded her, my fist clenching.

I noticed that the door was open, and I felt bad for Madeline to hear all this.

“You know who is taking care of your mother and your pack while you are gone?” my mother asked, her tone harsh as always.

I secretly scratched my earlobe, trying to hide the bored expression on my face.

“Your friends, especially Graham, have been coming to help us through everything, while our own son has abandoned us for a woman who does not even see him as anything,” my mother remarked about Madeline. 1

She did it every time. She hated Madeline, there was no secret in that.

“You’re letting Graham and Elgin come into the packhouse and deal with Pack matters?” I asked my mother in confusion.

“I am not asking them. They are offering help,” my mother replied.

“I do not understand. Why are you even letting those two enter our pack? You were talking about your son’s pain, so do you not know that I do not like them anymore? That I am not on speaking terms with them?” As soon as I said that, I watched my mother’s expression shift.

She first looked confused, then she narrowed her eyes as if trying to understand what she was hearing. Then she slammed her palm in my direction.

“And why are you not on speaking terms with them?” she questioned me, folding her arms across her chest.

“Because they were disrespectful toward my wife. They ruined her life p>

As soon as I said that, my mother placed both her hands on hier head.

I knew it was her way of showing me that she thought I was losing my mind.

“Your wife was their mate too. And you are cutting ties with them for her? Friends are for life, Baxter. They still care for you, and you think like that about them?” my mother spoke harshly.

This time her face had started to turn red from anger,

“I do not believe that. I believe family is for life. As for my friends, I would have forgiven them if they had

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276–An exponsible Coward

+25 Bonus

apologized to my wife. You cannot expect me to be grateful to them, to meet them again, to talk to them, when 1 know that they hold so much hostility toward my wife. At the end of the day, I have to come back home and face my wife and face my children. I do not want my children to see their parents fight over my friends p>

I tried to explain to my mother that marriage is not just two people living together or walking down the aisle and saying I accept you.

It is more than that. It is a responsibility.

I cannot force my friends and my relationships on Madeline when none of them has done anything to win her

heart.

They do not show respect toward her, she should not show respect toward them.

And I will not continue to talk with whoever disrespects my wife and upsets my children.

But everything I said seemed strange to her, because my mother kept acting like I was losing my mind.

“You can hate them, but I will not. They are like my sons too. Anyway, I did not come here for all that.” She straightened her posture and changed the subject. 1

I thought she was here to convince me to come back. If she was not here for that, then what else had she come here for?

“Then what are you here for?” I asked her, keeping my voice steady.

“I came here to let you know what happened to Yuvonne.” She repeated the topic and mentioned her again, but this time she did not call her my ex–fiancée.

“You talk about responsibility and respecting the woman who is related to you. Do you have any idea what happened to her?” This time she focused on Yuvonne.

1

My heart started to beat a little louder. The tone and the expression my mother carried did not seem like good

news.

Then she finally spoke. What she said made my mind reel back in time, and I felt like a child once again, the child who could not do anything for his sister. 1

“When you sent Yuvonne back, she was attacked by three rogues. And they,” my mother paused. Then she clenched her jaw before she added, “they gangraped her and left her to die on the road p>

As soon as she finished, everything around me started to shake.

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Ruby Walker

Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.