Piss Off, Alpha! You Lost Me Forever-Chapter 51 He Is A Good Man

SOPHIA’S POV

Dinner was ready an hour later.

Mother called everyone to the table just as the front door opened and Marco walked in. He looked exhausted. Then he saw Lance sitting at our dining table and stopped in his tracks.

"Who’s this?" Marco asked in confusion.

I explained everything again. I told him about the twisted ankle, the hospital and Lance helping me.

Marco shook Lance’s hand, and I recognized the look on my brother’s face. He was testing Lance, the way men sometimes do. Marco’s expression stayed neutral, but I thought I saw a hint of approval.

We all sat down.

My mother served pot roast with roasted vegetables and homemade rolls. The food smelled incredible.

Everyone began eating. Conversation flowed easily around the table. Klara talked nonstop about school and her friends and her drawings and a boy named Kevin who pulled her hair.

Lance listened to everything she said like it was the most important thing in the world. He asked her questions, genuine questions.

What color was the dragon in her drawing? Did Kevin get in trouble for pulling her hair? Was her teacher nice? Klara adored him already. I could see it in the way she kept looking at him.

My father poured whiskey after the main course. He offered Lance a glass. Lance accepted it with a quiet thank you. Marco took one too.

My father asked about Lance’s work.

Lance explained his situation honestly. He talked about his job loss and his hopes to return to medicine because it was all he’d ever wanted to do.

"Any hospital would be lucky to have you," my father said. "I can tell you’re a good doctor. It’s in the way you handled Sophia today."

The conversation shifted. My father had more whiskey. He started talking about my childhood. He told stories I wished he wouldn’t share with Lance there.

"She was always bringing home injured animals," my father said. "Birds with broken wings. Dogs with cuts. Once she found a cat that had been hit by a car. She cried for days when it didn’t make it."

"Dad-" I tried to interrupt.

"She wanted to be a doctor since she was five years old. We were so proud when she finished medical school. Top of her class."

Lance smiled at me across the room. "That doesn’t surprise me. Sophia was always brilliant at the hospital."

Everyone laughed. My face felt hot. Then my father’s expression changed. The laughter died. I knew what was coming before he even opened his mouth.

"Her marriage," my father said. His voice turned bitter. "That went wrong."

"Dad, please-" I whispered.

I wanted him to stop. I needed him to stop.

He continued. "Damien never deserved her. He never appreciated what he had. He treated her like she was nothing. The cold distance. The public humiliation. Those affairs everyone knew about but nobody talked about."

Everywhere was silent now. I stared at my plate. I couldn’t even look at anyone. My mother touched my father’s hand gently as if warning him.

Marco’s jaw was tight, a muscle ticking there. I knew he was angry. He’d always been angry about how Damien treated me.

Patricia didn’t say anything but I saw the sympathy in her eyes.

Lance looked at me. I felt his eyes on me even though I couldn’t meet it.

When I finally glanced up, his expression was complicated. He didn’t offer empty words. He didn’t say "I’m sorry" like people always did.

He just reached over and served more food onto my plate.

My eyes stung. Tears were about to fall but I blinked them back hard. "Thank you," I said softly.

"You need to eat," he said. "Keep your strength up for healing."

My father watched this interaction. So did Marco. They looked at each other like they were talking silently.

My wolf felt it though. She noticed the way both of them relaxed slightly, like Lance had passed some test I didn’t know he was taking.

After dinner, Lance helped clear dishes even though we told him not to. He insisted it was the least he could do. Klara held his hand and showed him her room.

I could hear her voice from down the hallway. Lance admired everything. He gave her his full attention.

Marco stood in the doorway watching them. Then he turned and sat beside me on the couch.

"He’s good," Marco said quietly. "Really good."

I sighed. "I know."

"He’s nothing like Damien."

My wolf whimpered in my chest.

"I know that too."

Marco looked at me for a long moment. "Do you, though? Because you need to know it. Really know it. Not every man is going to treat you the way Damien did."

"I’m not-" I stopped. I didn’t know what to say.

My wolf stirred inside me, restless again. She knew Marco was right. She’d been trying to tell me all day.

"Just think about it," Marco said. Then he squeezed my shoulder and stood up.

Lance came back a few minutes later. Klara had finally worn herself out. My mother was putting her to bed. Lance grabbed his jacket from where he’d draped it over a chair.

"I should get going," he said. "Let you rest."

My father shook his hand. "Thank you again for everything."

"It was my pleasure, sir."

"You’re welcome here anytime. I mean that."

Lance nodded. My mother appeared and hugged him, which seemed to surprise him. She thanked him again. Then they both disappeared, giving us privacy I hadn’t asked for.

Lance came to the couch. He crouched down so we were eye level. "How’s the ankle?"

"It hurts less than before. The ice helped."

"Keep it elevated. Take the pain medication every six hours. Don’t try to walk on it."

"Yes, doctor," I said with a small smile.

He smiled back. Then his expression turned serious. “I’m sorry about what your father said, about your marriage. That can’t have been easy to hear."

"It’s fine. He’d been drinking. He doesn’t have a filter when he drinks."

"Still." Lance was quiet for a moment. "You deserved better than that. Than him."

My breath caught. I didn’t know what to say. Lance stood up before I could find words.

"I’ll check on you tomorrow," he said. "Make sure you’re following doctor’s orders."

"You don’t have to-"

"I know. I want to."

He left before I could argue. I heard the front door close softly. My mother appeared from the hallway.

"I like him," she said simply.

"Mom."

"I’m just saying." She smiled and headed to bed, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

My wolf was quiet now. She felt content in a way she hadn’t been in months, maybe years. I thought about everything that had happened today. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

My father’s words echoed in my head.

You deserve someone who treats you well. Who looks at you the way that boy does.

My wolf knew something I was still afraid to admit.

That maybe, just maybe, my father was right.