Page 58 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

It’s the same security guard from earlier, Adam. He looks at me sheepishly. I realize my alpha aura is oozing out, so I try reining it in as I offer him a small smile. “Yes, Adam?”

“Uh, alpha,” he stammers, extending a hand. He’s holding a slightly crumpled envelope. “This was in the stroller. You weren’t here...”

The scent of lilacs wafts up, faint but unmistakable. I snatch it from his hand, bringing it to my nose and inhaling deeply. My insides light up and I feel alive again.

“Thanks, Adam,” I say, sincerity in my voice. “Thank you for keeping it safe.”

I race back inside the room and plonk myself down on the window seat. It feels appropriate to read her letter in her favorite spot. I suck in another deep breath and pull the letter out of the envelope.

Theron,

Growing up at Blackwood, I was always an outsider. I was labeled a “rug rat” by your friends, and you probably thought I was even worse. I once thought you were my best friend, and maybe more, until I realized that part of the reason you kept your distance was my DNA.

I have healed, and I have moved on. But being an outsider is the worst feeling, especially for a child. It affects their self-esteem deeply—I know this because I lived through it.

When I first discovered I was pregnant, I hoped and prayed that my child would be human. But fate, as always, loves to play cruel jokes on me.

I love my son more than life itself. Yet, he was born a werewolf, and I can’t bear the thought of him facing the same rejection I did. As heartbreaking as it is for me, I need to do what’s best for him. SoI’m sending him to you, hoping you will offer him the protection he deserves.

You don’t owe him your rank, your money, or even your name—just your protection. I’ve already set up a bank account for him so you don’t need to worry about him eating into your family’s wealth. My son doesn’t need Blackwood handouts like I did.

I also sent a similar letter to Pema, Luke’s mate. If you cannot care for him, please hand him over to her. I trust she will provide him with the love and care he needs.

Congratulations on your mating ceremony. It’s clear to me now that you and Vanessa are perfect for each other.

Seren

For a moment I feel like everything I cherish has been stripped away from me again. Each word in the letter cuts deep. I read it three times. Every time it hits harder.

She never said she was my mate.

She talks of me like a third party.

She doesn’t even outright call Leon our son.

She thinks I wouldn’t take care of my son.

Every realization is like a blow to my ribs. I slump back into the window seat, my spine pressed against the thin pillar as I keep staring at the letter, the words glaring accusatorily up at me.

How do I fix this?How can I make her see that I’m not who I used to be?

I stay staring into space, almost catatonic, until I notice another piece of paper in the envelope.

It has detailed lists of Leon’s likes, dislikes, his daily schedule, his progress charts, and his vaccinations.

I realize what I need to do. The first step is being a good father.

I carefully put the letter away, get back in bed beside my son, and hold him close.

My phone beeps, startling me. Since getting my wolf back and communicating through the mind-link, I haven’t thought of it even once. I grab it to check, and the text makes me sit up sharply.

You have something precious now. Protect it well, alpha. Your wolf might leave you again if something happened to it.

CHAPTER 21

SEREN

“They’re right. Twenty-five percent is insane,” William mutters, his eyes still glued to the document. The streaks of highlighter dart across the page like the flight pattern of a trapped insect. “But since Theo and I are the majority shareholders, it’s our call.”

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