Page 46 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

“Phil!” I yell. “Get her back! We need to regroup!”

Phil nods, pulling Vanessa away from the front line. Her whole body trembles. He drags her behind a tree, her breathing ragged.

“Hold on, Vanessa,” Phil says, voice thick with emotion. “We’re getting you out of here.”

Vanessa’s gaze meets mine, eyes filled with pain and a desperate plea. I take her in my arms as her breathing labors.

“Theron...keep fighting. Don’t leave them, no matter what,” she whispers, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

I hold her tighter. “Stay with me, Vanessa. I need you to hold on.”

She shakes her head. “Go fight. I’m okay here.”

I return to the battle with a heavy heart. I see Landon and three of his top men falling back. Landon’s leg is shot. I grab a gun from a warrior and aim, hitting one of the rogues, but he escapes.

The battle stretches on. It’s dawn when I return to Vanessa’s side.

But I’m too late. She’s covered by a white sheet.

My heart loses the ability to beat. I sink to my knees. I couldn’t even protect my luna. She died protecting me instead.

My father lifts me, pulling me into his arms. “Address the pack, son. It’s your duty.”

I stand before the pack, my voice cracking with grief. “Your Luna Vanessa is gone. She died protecting us.” I scan the pack members, their eyes reflecting my grief.

“We honor her sacrifice,” I continue, my voice resolute despite the heaviness in my chest. “We mourn those who laid down their lives for us. The families of the deceased will be cared for, as is our duty.”

The pack falls silent, the weight of our losses heavy, and I realize I’ve been a failure in every way possible.

CHAPTER 17

SEREN

“Baby monitor, humidifier, blackout curtains,” I announce to Siri, savoring the last bit of white peach frozen yogurt dripping down my waffle cone. The sun warms our skin as we lay sprawled on two chaise lounges, tackling the endless baby registry.

“Car seat, baby swing,” Jane chimes in, biting into her cone.

“Bare bones, remember?” I retort, shielding my eyes from the glare of the sun.

“Hey! These are essentials. I had an hour-long conversation with my sister, who has birthed three kids.”

“Nope. I’m putting my foot down on the car seat. I’ll be taking the subway for the next ten years. And this apartment has no space for a swing.”

“You’re turning into a whole new person,” she teases, her eyes sparkling. A tiny kick inside my belly makes me gasp, my heart skipping a beat.

“Maybe I’m just facing reality,” I counter, but the truth is, the weight of responsibility is starting to feel heavier than thebaby registry. Two months. Two tiny months until my life is forever changed.

Jane senses my unease, her hand finding mine. “We’ve got this,” she assures me, her voice soft. But in the back of my mind, I’m tallying up expenses: rent, commute, check-ups, sitters. The costs are daunting, and soon I’ll be on maternity leave, and I’m still getting the hang of my job.

Despite things being tight financially, I refuse to reach out to Theron.

In my dreams, I often find myself in the lush Blackwood gardens, chasing after a raven-haired boy darting between the topiaries. Memories cling to me stubbornly, blending seamlessly into my dreams. There’s a persistent emptiness inside me, a void that I’ve grown accustomed to pushing aside. I have to force myself to move forward, just like he did.

We’re just finishing up our list when clouds gather unexpectedly in the sky. Jane grabs the iPad and I ditch my cone just as the first drops of rain hit our faces. The rain starts pouring so quickly that we end up getting soaking wet even though my studio is only a few minutes away.

“You know, for someone who didn’t show at all for the first three months, you’ve blown up pretty quickly,” she says, helping me to the elevator. “Are you sure the doctor said there isn’t more than one baby in there?”

I giggle. “Yeah, sorry to disappoint you. Just one boy.” As she wrinkles her nose, I add, “I guess you’re in charge of having the baby girl you want.”

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