Alaric’s POV:

“You don’t want me bonding with your wife.” Those were the words my mother said to me the moment I slid into the driver’s seat of my car.

My jaw clenched as I turned on the ignition. “Because I know you want to do anything BUT bond, Mutti.” I paused. “Did you say anything to her in there?”

Something had seemed off earlier when I returned to the kitchen. And when I asked Meadow, it felt like she had lied to me. But I didn’t push.

“I did not,” my mother ...