Page 40 of The Alpha's Pretend Mate

But she was already in the room, and the adrenaline from the vampire attack, coupled with the exhaustion after her orgasm, had drained her, so she just climbed into the bed and slept after he fled.

Yes, fled.

Alysa sat up, pushing her tangled chestnut hair out of her face. Her gaze fell on the empty space beside her, a space that should have held Cassius. Her heart clenched.

Why did he leave? Was I not good enough?

It had been a moment—one that should have meant something—but now, in the quiet stillness of dawn, all she felt was a gnawing emptiness.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the insecurities that threatened to overwhelm her. Today was a new day. Cassiuswould be back soon, and they would talk. They had to. With a deep breath, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, steeling herself for whatever the day might bring.

The house was quiet as Alysa made her way to Aurora's room. The baby was already awake, cooing softly in her crib. A smile tugged at Alysa's lips despite her tumultuous emotions.

At least someone's happy this morning.

"Good morning, little one," she murmured, lifting Aurora into her arms. The baby gurgled, her tiny hands reaching for Alysa's face. "Let's get you changed and fed, shall we?"

As she went through the motions of caring for Aurora, Alysa's mind wandered. Where was Cassius? Why hadn't he come home? The questions gnawed at her, each passing minute amplifying her worry and hurt.

She thought of the vampires, their sinister eyes always watching from the shadows, and fear clawed at her.

What if something happened to him?

The sound of the front door opening jolted Alysa from her thoughts. Her heart leaped, expecting to see Cassius. Instead, Abigail bustled in, her arms laden with groceries.

"Good morning, Miss Alysa," the housekeeper greeted cheerfully. "And how's our little princess today?"

Alysa forced a smile, bouncing Aurora on her hip. "She's doing well, Abigail. Just finished her breakfast."

Abigail's keen eyes studied Alysa's face. "And how are you doing, Dear? You look a bit peaky."

"I'm fine," Alysa lied, her voice a touch too bright. "Just didn't sleep well last night."

Abigail pursed her lips, clearly not buying it, but she didn't press further. "Well, I'll get started on the laundry. You let me know if you need anything."

As the housekeeper bustled off, Alysa sank onto the couch, Aurora nestled against her chest. The hours crawled by, each tick of the clock a reminder of Cassius's absence. She tried to distract herself—with Aurora, with helping Abigail, with anything to keep her mind off the gnawing worry in her gut.

The day stretched on, marked by Abigail's rhythmic comings and goings. Alysa tried to focus on her duties, helping with the laundry and folding the small, delicate clothes that belonged to Aurora.

Abigail chattered away about the trivialities of life—weather, the latest village gossip, the usual noise that filled the day—but Alysa barely heard her. Her mind was elsewhere, wandering through the halls of the house, searching for Cassius. He hadn’t returned, and with each passing hour, her worry deepened.

“Alysa, are you alright, Dear?” Abigail's voice cut through her thoughts, jolting her back to the present.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied too quickly. Abigail gave her a knowing look but said nothing more, turning back to her work. Alysa bit her lip, her hands trembling slightly as she folded another blanket.

Why am I so anxious?

The answer was obvious, yet she hated to admit it. She cared more for Cassius than she wanted to acknowledge. The feelings she’d buried for so long were bubbling to the surface, and the uncertainty of their relationship left her off-balance.

If he doesn’t feel the same, why won’t he just tell me?

She couldn’t focus, not with him still out there somewhere. Her heart thudded dully in her chest as the hours ticked by. Aurora sensed her unease, too, fussing more than usual, her tiny fists curling in frustration. By late afternoon, Alysa could barely stand it.

He’s been gone all day.

“Alysa?” Abigail's voice, once again, snapped her from the spiraling thoughts. Alysa blinked and turned to the housekeeper. “I’ll be leaving soon. Is there anything else you need?”

“No, thank you, Mrs. Holloway. That’ll be all,” she managed, her voice tight.

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