Page 68 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

SEREN

The car lurches forward with a jolt, tires screeching to a halt. Leon stirs, his tiny body trembling in my arms as I hold him close. Of course Theron does this just when he finally drifted off.

I frown at Theron. He’s rigid, hands gripping the wheel, his jaw set. Something simmers beneath the surface as he looks my way.

What the fuck?I silently mouth at him.

His eyes flicker. “You’re not staying at a hotel. I’m sorry, but it’s not an option.”

My chest tightens as I stare at him, taken aback. “Wow! I thought things might be different now.”

He hurriedly explains, “You don’t understand. A rival alpha...” He pauses briefly, staring out the windshield. “He killed my mother. And Vanessa. He’s been doing everything he can to harm this pack.”

I freeze, the weight of his words settling over me. LunaMarie is gone? “I didn’t know,” I whisper, more to myself than to him.

He nods. His eyes are hard. “He knows you’re my mate. He’s the reason why I couldn’t find you.” His voice is flat, devoid of emotion.

I turn away, my vision blurring. All this time, I thought no one cared to look for me. But now…it shouldn’t change anything.

“I can’t stay at your house, Theron.”

His lips curl just a smidge. “The Blackwood Estate belongs to Leon. It’s his home. It’s safe there.” His voice is gentle, but it holds steely determination.

For Leon, I think. This will allow me to spend more time with him. I nod, and the car starts moving again, back on the familiar route to Blackwood Estate.

As the car rounds the final turn and the iron gates come into view, my stomach tightens into knots. The once-familiar sight now feels like a punch to the gut. I blink hard, forcing myself to look up at the window on top and sigh. I wish I could just take Leon back with me to New York.

While Theron takes care of my luggage, I take my time to look around.

The familiar guard by the gate makes me smile. “Hey Adam, long time no see.”

As I reach out to give him a side hug, he bows. “Welcome back, luna.”

Once again, I’m frozen. I angrily turn to Theron, and he isn’t there. He’s already gotten past the porch with my bags.

“Adam,” I say, trying to control my anger. “I understand you’re following orders, but I’m not your luna. Could you please let the rest of the staff know?”

He looks at me nonplussed, his nose wrinkling. “But Alpha Theron never asked us to call you that. We all know you are our luna, since you brought the alpha back.”

I shake my head, not even wanting to know what that means. “I’m only here for a week, Adam.”

Leon stirs again, his weight heavy in my arms. I need to sit down.

I walk inside the main living quarters to find the place transformed. The furniture is all different. There’s a swing set right inside the main living room. Most exits have been toddler-proofed. There are new decorations everywhere. Not-so-hushed voices and the clatter of dishes drift out of the dining room.

Leon stirs with the noise, waking up with a whine, mumbling “Mama” into my neck. I rub his back, kiss his forehead, and pull him closer to my chest. “Are you hungry?” I ask, remembering how he had such a huge appetite as a baby.

He just hums against my neck, so I head to the dining room. When I get there, I find five staff members behind a fully laden table, crowded with at least twenty dishes. While three stand with their heads lowered, two swiftly start clearing some of the plates.

“She’s not going to like that one,” Theron murmurs at them, adding another plate to the pile being taken away.

“My bacon.”

Leon announces our arrival to everyone by pointing at one of the plates being carried away. Theron looks at me with wide eyes, raising his hands in a gesture of apology. “The staff wanted to give you a warm welcome back. They’re grateful for your presence.”

There’s an awkward silence until a young woman wearing an embroidered staff apron steps forward. “We weren’t quite sure what you like, so we decided to cover all our bases,” she says with a nervous laugh.

Before she can finish, a voice from the back chimes in, “Yeah, the three of us got a little competition going. The best dish gets a reward from the alpha.”

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