Page 95 of The Alpha's Protective Mate

It’s a small place, with only one customer sitting in a corner, a book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

The man behind the counter nods at us. “Welcome. What can I get you?”

Terrence looks at me. “What would you like to have?”

“Hot chocolate,” I reply, not needing the caffeine right now.

“I’ll have the same,” Terrence tells the barista.

I look at Terrence from the corner of my eye. He hates chocolate. At least, the teenager I remember used to.

We take a seat in an open booth at the back, and there is a curious look in Terrence’s eyes. “I can’t sense your energy.”

It’s instinct to cover the bracelet with the sleeve of the trench coat to hide it. “That’s been happening a lot lately. Not surprising, though. I’m a vampire in name only now, so maybe it’s for the best.”

He studies my expression, and I don’t flinch. When I was a child, I used to blink very rapidly whenever I told a lie. Terrence is the one who pointed out that tic to me. It’s something I’ve worked on for years to stop doing.

He buys my explanation but looks troubled. “How have you been doing all this time? Your father told me you left the clan.”

I give him a bland look. “Did he now?”

Terrence leans forward, his expression tense. “What happened, Charlotte? Why did you leave? If you didn’t want to stay there, why not tell me? I know I was far away, but I would have arranged something for you. Leaving the clan was an incredibly dangerous decision, especially at fourteen.”

My hand is now reaching for my phone. I’m waiting for Terrence’s attention to waver for just a moment so that I can call Robert. He says he trusts me, but sitting in a coffee shop with one of my father’s favorite people doesn’t scream “reliable,” even to my ears. It doesn’t matter whether I’m here willingly or not.

My hand curls around the phone, and I feel a hint of desperation. I need to see the screen to be able to place the call.

“What do you care?” I ask tightly, drawing my phone out of my bag inch by inch.

Before Terrence can reply, the barista calls out, “Your hot chocolates are ready.”

I heave a sigh of relief when the handsome vampire gets up to retrieve our order and pay for the drinks. Quickly, I lower my eyes and dial Robert’s number. When he doesn’t answer, a sense of frustration fills me. I shoot him a message, telling him to call me back, and quickly put the phone on vibrate. Making sure the phone is out of sight, I look up just as Terrence turns around, holding two mugs.

I swallow, trying to keep my wits about me.

I don’t know why Terrence is claiming that I ran away. Everyone in the clan witnessed me being dragged into the woods that night. There is no way he doesn’t know I was thrown out.

“Pretending not to know what really happened doesn’t suit you,” I say as I accept my cup from him. “Why are you here, Terrence? If you’re planning to kill me, you should know I’m not going to die so easily.”

Not when I’ve just begun to taste happiness.

Terrence rubs his hand over his face. “What are you talking about? Beruth told me that you up and left. You turned your back on your family.”

“How would you know what happened?” I ask, my tone scathing. “When you didn’t bother writing to me or asking me what I was going through? I was tossed out of the compound in the middle of the night, just a few days after I turned fourteen. My father, my siblings, they threw me out at a time when predators would be roaming the woods. They wanted me to die. But I survived. I always survive. And now you’re here pretending to be clueless!”

I feel my phone vibrate in my hand, under the table. Without bringing it into view, I accept the call, already knowing who it is.

“Tell me why you’re here, Terrence. You don’t need to bother hiding your motives. Did my father send you to get rid of me, or did Arabella?”

I’m silently praying that Robert understands I’m not alone and doesn’t speak. Like shifters, vampires have good hearing. I don’t want Terrence to figure out that Robert is on the phone, listening to us.

“I did write to you, Charlotte.” Terrence suddenly looks pale. “I swear to you, I did! But you never wrote back. I even sent you gifts. With the money from my first part-time job, I bought you a bracelet, the one with the butterfly on it. Your father told me you got it. Don’t say I didn’t write to you when you were the one who didn’t respond to my letters.”

I stare at him blankly. “You sent that bracelet to Arabella. I remember because she taunted me with it.”

There’s no need to mince words.

“There was clearly some misunderstanding—”

---