Page 57 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

The sound of my son’s shallow breaths is punctuated by the occasional sob. My heart aches. Every hiccup, every tremor is like a stab to my heart.

I try to run my hand through his hair, wanting to soothe him, but he flinches away from my touch. His boils look rough and painful.

“Alpha,” one of the security guard’s voice crackles over the link and I sit up straight. “We’ve got eyes on the footage. Ms. Smith isn’t here.”

“How is that possible?” I ask.

“Whoever brought him here didn’t travel by air. An interstate car rental company was used,” he explains. “The boy was dropped outside the packhouse right at dawn and the car immediately left town. Also, I could be wrong, but from the hazy footage we got, I think someone else brought him over. I don’t think Seren entered the town.”

“Keep checking. See if anything turns up,” I say before closing the mind-link. I don’t want to be disturbed right now.

Exhaling a deep breath, I run my fingers through my hair. How do I even help him? I don’t even know his name.

“Leon Smith.”

It’s the faintest murmur, but my eyes widen. How did he know what I was thinking?

“Leon,” I repeat softly, trying to hold back tears. His name fills me with deep joy. Despite the distance between us, Seren chose a name that echoes my own. Theron, a hunter. Leon, a lion. The realization hits me with unexpected force. Could there still be a part of her that doesn’t hate me?

The moment we arrive at the pack hospital, I have the hospital chief personally check him. I need him fixed right away.

The old man draws a blood sample and puts him on glucose and anti-nausea medicines through an IV. He walks away with a promise to return shortly with the test results. All the other staff flutter in and out of the ward: checking his weight, performing skin tests, monitoring his heart rate.

Half an hour later, the doctor returns for a full-body examination. He tries to be friendly, but Leon pushes his hands away whenever he attempts to remove his shirt. I try to help, but Leon does the same to me. Three more people get same result.

Luke’s mate finally manages to break his resistance with a tactfully offered piece of candy.

Throughout the examination, Luke squirms in bed, staring at me, probably watching my reaction. When his shirt comes off, my eyes get prickly. I was also born an extremely hairy kid.

“He’s dehydrated and running a fever,” the doctor says, his voice low. “The boils are a reaction to something, probably a change in environment or stress from being separated from his mother.”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“He needs a good night’s sleep,” the doctor advises, his voice reassuring. “He has strong alpha genes, but you need to make him feel safe.”

I keep my eyes on Leon as I answer. “Of course. He’s my son. I will always keep him safe.”

This time when I carry him, he doesn’t fidget or fight. We go straight back to the estate.

His eyes are already droopy as I help him settle into bed.

Taking a deep breath, I shake my body, close my eyes, and call Titan, requesting him to take over.

Leon’s eyes are closed when I pull him into my warm fur. He instantly leans in, letting out a little purr.

Slowly, we both drift off to sleep.

It’s late in the afternoon when I wake up. The soft, warm body beside me has moved away, his little snores filling the room. The blanket I threw over us lies in a heap on the floor.

My son.

The thought of it, the reality of it, courses through me like a tidal wave. I watch him sleep, cherishing the small rise and fall of his chest. A wave of overwhelming happiness surges through me, fierce and unrelenting.

I shift back to my human form, press a gentle kiss to his forehead, and cover him with the blanket. The air is cooler now, so I pull on my sweatpants as I glance around the room.

It’s a mess—my mess. I can’t let him live in this chaos. Before I bring Seren back, I need to fix everything. She’d be horrified with what I’ve done to her room.

Despite the closed door, I hear the approaching footsteps, and I step outside before they reach the room. I can’t have anyone disturbing my son.

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