Page 64 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

He glances back at Theron before saying, “Come on, I’ll walk you to your apartment.”

We only take a few steps before Theron strides over, blocking our path.

“We need to talk, Seren.”

This time he says it through gritted teeth. His eyes are dark, and instead of Titan’s usual gentleness, there’s a fire within him. Actually, I can’t even tell if it’s Theron or Titan.

“There’s so much to explain,” he tries again.

Ethan steps in front of me, taking my hand. “Listen, I don’t know who you are, but you need to take it easy. She doesn’t seem to want to talk right now, so why don’t you just drop it?” He turns to me with a small smile. “Let’s go.”

We move toward the main entrance, but Theron charges over, getting in front of Ethan.

“You are not going anywhere with my mate,” Theron growls, his voice laced with an unmistakable threat. His eyes blaze with a fierce, primal fury, and his hands tremble as his canines start to extend.

The raw intensity of his gaze and the barely contained anger radiating from him make it clear he’s on the verge of losing control.

“Ethan, you should go,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. “I’ll handle him. I don’t want you to miss your flight.”

“I’m not leaving you here with him. I’ll leave once you’re inside your apartment.”

For the first time since I met him, Ethan’s voice is sharp and loud. “C’mon, we’re getting out of here.”

Heat rises in my neck, and my eyes drop to the ground as I exhale a deep breath. “He won’t physically harm me. I know that. He’s Leon’s father. And I do need to sort out a few things with him.”

Ethan’s eyes widen at that information, yet he doesn’t leave. He hesitates, torn between respecting my wishes and wanting to protect me.

“I’ll be fine,” I insist. “I’ll call you when he leaves.”

He leans in, presses a soft kiss on my cheek, and reluctantly walks back to his car. His gaze lingers on me, giving me one last chance to stop him, before he drives away.

“Are you happy now?” I ask Theron once I know Ethan is safely away. “Now that you’ve claimed your possession? Shown me your authority over me?”

His eyes flash with pain, but I turn to walk away.

“Wait. Please.” His voice cracks, a mere whisper escaping his lips. His shoulders slump and his eyes well with tears. He wraps his arms around me tightly, as if clinging to a lifeline.

Sparks shoot through me, lighting up my skin as his faint pine scent surrounds me, pulling me back to a time when everything was simpler… a time when I thought I meant something to him.

“Fuck! It’s been too long.” His breath is hot and desperate against my neck as he murmurs the words. “I’ve missed you, so fucking much.”

A shiver runs through me despite myself, and for a fleeting moment, I lean into him, letting the weight of the past few years fall away. But then reality crashes back in. His arms are too tight around me, and his body is trembling.

“I lost everything when you left, Seren. Everything. I had given up hope of seeing you again.” His voice breaks, full of anguish, and I feel a tear land on my cheek as he presses desperate kisses along my face, tracing the path where his mark should have been. The mark he gave to someone else.

“Get away from me.” My voice is sharp, cutting through the haze as I shove him with all my strength.

I step back, watching as tears streak down his face, his nose red with emotion.

“Why are you here, Theron? Do you miss your submissive mistress?”

“You are my mate.” He drops to his knees, his arms wrapping around my waist in a frantic grip.

I let out a bitter laugh. He hadn’t waited two weeks after I left before claiming Vanessa, so I don’t understand why he’s bothering with this act. “You’re wasting your time. I’m no longer that stupid orphan. I have my own life, and letting you walk all over me is no longer part of it.”

He shakes his head, regret etched into every line of his face. “I know. I understand what I did was wrong…”

I lift my hand, cutting him off. “I’ve had a long day. So let’s just cut to the chase. For the last time—what. Do. You. Want?”

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