Page 31 of The Alpha's Reclaimed Mate

Lucas wrung the water out of a cloth. “Yes. I’ve made sure to keep that weekend clear.”

“Good,” Esther said with a smile. “It wouldn’t be a proper celebration without our Alpha to kick it off.”

I looked between them, wanting to speak, but my confidence faltered until they both sensed the words on my tongue. “What’s the Perseids Celebration?”

“It’s a tradition of the Silent Shadows Pack,” explained Lucas. “During the Perseid meteor shower in August, we spend time together as a pack. We hunt, howl, and celebrate as wolves while watching the meteors.”

“We don’t do anything like that in the Grey Creek Pack.”

Lucas blinked. “Why not?”

“I’m not sure. Oswald has never been one for celebrations…” He was always too busy with work. But I was beginning to realize how little he seemed to care for strengthening the relationships between his packmates.

“Perhaps you should join us for the celebration this year,” suggested Esther, glancing at Lucas with a glimmer in her eye.

He smiled and nodded. “I agree. I think you’d enjoy it, Aria.”

“Really? I’m not part of your pack, though.”

“A personal invitation from the Alpha… I think that justifies exception,” Lucas said cheekily.

Warmth returned to me in greater magnitude. “You don’t have to… Really, you’re being too kind.”

“Nonsense,” said Lucas. “You’ve had a rough few weeks. I think you deserve to unwind a little.”

My eyes fell to the floor, and my lips pursed in a struggle against the surge of emotions that welled up inside me. “If you say so.” It was hard to elevate my voice higher than a whisper at the risk of it trembling; I didn’t want Lucas and Esther to see how deeply their kindness affected me. I felt foolish for it. It should have been easy to accept their invitation, but I fought even to believe that I was worthy of it.

After all my injuries were taken care of, Esther stood and extended her hand to me. “I’ll leave you to get some rest. But it was nice meeting you, Aria.”

I shook her hand and nodded. “You too.”

Esther smiled, but all I could produce in return was a look of bleak nothingness before Esther turned away. She gave a small nod to Lucas, then took her bag and left me alone in the house with Lucas again.

He stood up too, and my heart panged unexpectedly. I didn’t want him to leave.

“Get some rest, okay? Then we’ll go to the shop, and you can pick out some clothes. I’d get them for you, but I want you to pick something you’re comfortable in. Besides, I don’t know your style yet,” he explained with a good-natured chuckle.

Yet? Was he planning on acquainting himself with my wardrobe preferences? The old me would have tried to tease him about it, but all I could do was nod and lay down, obsessing over everything he said.

It was difficult to fall asleep, but once I did, I could have slept for a thousand years. By the time I woke up again, it was already mid-afternoon, and I felt like I’d wasted the day. I shot upright in a panic that I hadn’t hunted anything to eat, my stomach growling in warning.

Lucas looked up from the book he was reading on a nearby chair. “You’re hungry?”

“Yes,” I said sheepishly.

As if he hadn’t done enough for me, Lucas prepared me lunch, bringing it to me on the sofa. Again and again, I felt I didn’t deserve to be here. I was out of place, sitting in the Silent Shadows’ Alpha’s house, being doted on by him when my own pack hated my very existence. It felt as if I was keeping their mass rejection a secret, but, strangely, Lucas was fully aware of what had happened, and he took care of me all the same. I was in awe of him, even as we left the house and visited the nearby tailor’s shop, as he pulled clothes off the rack for me to try on, as he smiled at me and laughed with a lightness I would never have imagined in him.

When I walked out of the changing room wearing a sunshine yellow blouse, Lucas’ eyes widened. “I really like that.”

“You do?”

He stepped closer, smoothing out a crease in the fabric on my shoulder, brushing my red hair behind my ear. “It suits your body perfectly.” His gaze passed over mine. “You look stunning in yellow.”

The impact of his words stopped my heart. I grappled for something, anything to say, and couldn’t find my voice. Lucas looked back at me before seeming to realize exactly what he had said. He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck and stepping away. “Sorry, that was… a little much.”

“It’s okay.” I couldn’t believe he said I looked stunning. Yellow was my favorite colour, but I’d been self-conscious of wearing it ever since…

Never mind. I didn’t even want to think about Oswald right now.

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