Mated To My Boyfriend's Dad

Chapter 155: _ ERROR: Do Not Unlock

Chapter 69

Gonzalo’s stomach grumbled from the lack of breakfast. Sarah’s cheerful obliviousness was grating on his nerves. "Yeah, early bird and all that," he mumbled, forcing a smile that felt strained even to himself. _{𝚗o𝚟pub.𝚌𝚘𝚖}

Sarah, who was reveling in her cluelessness, chirped, "Just getting myself back into the swing of things after that late night yesterday."

Did he ask? Gonzalo secretly rolled his eyes. Sarah’s bluntness wasn’t much of what he admired. His gaze was still fixated on Rain who appeared to be hissing at him like a predator marking its territory.

Whatever could have happened to the little girl who was so friendly and open-minded with him yesterday? Could River have said something to her?

It took great strength for him to snap back his control and force himself to tend to his business. But what man wouldn’t be swayed from seeing his daughter look so hateful at him?

The familiar aroma of freshly baked bread and cinnamon rolls assaulted Gonzalo’s senses as they entered. Nicholas was overseeing the morning preparations. Several young workers bustled around, setting up tables and restocking displays.

His brow furrowed in surprise when he spotted Gonzalo. "Well, Alpha Gonzalo, this is certainly an early arrival! Considerate of you since you left early yesterday," he boomed almost outstretching his hands for a hug.

It was sad that Gonzalo’s morning had already been ruined. First, by Echo, and now, by Rain - his own daughter. He blamed himself for not being in the girl’s life earlier. He was in an utterly bitter mood this morning.

Hence, he forced a sheepish laugh. "Uh, yeah, that’s what Sarah just mentioned," he stammered under his breath.

Nicholas chuckled politely, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Didn’t quite catch that," he admitted, scratching his beard.

"Don’t worry about it," Gonzalo dismissed with a wave of his hand, eager to change the subject. "Anything I can help with right now?"

Nicholas clapped him on the shoulder while a wide grin split his face. "Always helpful, that’s you, Alpha Gonzalo. We’re just getting the flour deliveries sorted. Need a strong pair of arms to move some sacks."

Relief washed over Gonzalo. Manual labor was a welcome distraction. Something to take his mind off of his problems seems he appeared to have a lot of them. Although, he would welcome a more alluring distraction should it present itself.

Like chasing River. There was one thing he loved in a woman who didn’t grovel around him. He had grown up having girls swoon around him like ants because of his social status, so any time he got a chance to meet a woman who was quite the opposite, it sparked his interest.

It was why River didn’t seem appealing to him at first because she was so all over him even though he had decided not to marry her as she was a weak Omega. In the same vein, he had at first liked Echo enough to strike that deal with her but ended up being drained of all the likeness he had for her when she also became like those women.

However, with River, something seemed to be slightly different. After she ran away, he realized that he had grown attached to her ever since they had that passionate night together. He liked her too – it just took too late for him to realize that.

He was a fool.

He spent the next hour lost in the balance of work; hauling flour sacks and stacking them neatly. All the while, his thoughts drifted back to River and Rain. He thought of what other methods he must adopt to secure River and have her become his.

They were, after all, a family. She was carrying his child. He would just let that pass or act as though it wasn’t true. Even as Rain was glaring at him earlier, all he could see was the feminine version of his younger self.

Oh, how so wild he also used to be. There was no doubt that the little girl was his. Her icy glare haunted him and fueled a desperate yearning in him... to understand what had caused it.

Just as he finished stacking the last sack, the door chimed, announcing the arrival of the two young pastry boys; Tom and Michael. Their cheerful greetings filled the bakery.

"Tom! Michael! You two are running late," Nicholas boomed good-naturedly. "Come on, help Gonzalo get those bikes prepped, we have deliveries to make!"

Oh, was he going on deliveries today too? It would be his pleasure if he didn’t meet another of his pack members in the alley, half dead. He shook his head to send away the image of Rourke’s dead body flashing across his eyes.

By the light of the moon, he might break heads should he lose any more of his pack members. They had been through enough and he had failed them enough as well.

This was yet, another element to further ruin his mood.

The boys – Tom and Michael, greeted Gonzalo with a chorus of "Good morning, sir!" before rushing to his side. He ruffled their hair affectionately, their youthful energy shortly breaking his contemplative mood.

And then, they went outside for him to get started with Nicholas’ order. Gonzalo bent in front of the bikes and began work with them.

As he adjusted the straps on a bike, a question came across his mind, so he inquired, "So, why do you two work here at the bakery?"

Tom, the more talkative of the two, grinned. "We’re brothers, sir. Our parents... well, they went on a journey out of the pack a while back, and haven’t returned for a long time." He lowered his voice conspiratorially, "Most folks think they’re... gone."

The first thing that came to Gonzalo’s mind was that the ’most folks’ weren’t wrong. It was unlikely that the boys’ parents would survive. Their unreturning and silence only met that the rogues had gotten them.

Sympathy that the boys were also orphans just like him tugged at his heart. "That’s rough, little ones." He said, lips forcefully pressed into a thin line.

Michael, the quieter one, chirped in, "That’s why we need to work, you see? To survive. But Nicholas... he’s been real kind, taking us in and giving us a job even though we are still kids."

"He’s a good man, Nicholas is," Gonzalo agreed wholeheartedly.

Just then, an exclamation rippled through the street. "The Alpha is coming!"

Gonzalo’s stomach clenched. While the thought of facing Echo was unpleasant, he wouldn’t stoop to hiding – she already knew he worked here.

Tom and Michael, however, seemed excited, their faces lighting up like the rest of the pack members. Gonzalo rolled his eyes internally. They still held a naïve reverence for Echo, blinded by her recent displays of power.

Echo emerged from the bakery entrance with her usual entourage of guards flanking her. Her eyes fell on Gonzalo, a flicker of something cold and calculating crossing her face. But she seemed unwilling to create a scene.

Her voice, however, was loud enough for the entire bakery to hear. "I pity the Moonstone Pack," she declared, her tone dripping with faux concern. "An incapable man as their Alpha... not only did the pack crumble under his watch, but here he is, working in a bakery instead of plotting to reclaim what’s rightfully his."

A wave of awkwardness washed over the bakery. Sarah discretely cleared her throat, while Nicholas furrowed his brow in disapproval. The pack members shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to react.

Gonzalo, however, held his ground. He met Echo’s steely gaze with a stoic expression. A silent challenge passed between them, a battle fought not with words, but with hardened stares.

After a tense moment, Echo swept past them, heading towards the restaurant section of the building. Gonzalo remained standing there, his jaw clenched, but a defiant spark in his eyes. He forced a smile for Tom and Michael, who were still watching the scene unfold with wide eyes.

"Alright, boys, let’s get these bikes ready, shall we?" he said, his voice surprisingly steady.

They both nodded vigorously, a mix of apprehension and admiration flickering in their

Gonzalo’s stomach grumbled from the lack of breakfast. Sarah’s cheerful obliviousness was grating on his nerves. "Yeah, early bird and all that," he mumbled, forcing a smile that felt strained even to himself.

Sarah, who was reveling in her cluelessness, chirped, "Just getting myself back into the swing of things after that late night yesterday."

Did he ask? Gonzalo secretly rolled his eyes. Sarah’s bluntness wasn’t much of what he admired. His gaze was still fixated on Rain who appeared to be hissing at him like a predator marking its territory.

Whatever could have happened to the little girl who was so friendly and open-minded with him yesterday? Could River have said something to her?

It took great strength for him to snap back his control and force himself to tend to his business. But what man wouldn’t be swayed from seeing his daughter look so hateful at him?