Page 7 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

He pushes me back against the window, momentarily blocking the sunlight and keeping me tight in his hold. “You taste like blueberries,” he says between kisses. I love the moan that tears through him. I can feel his excitement through his pants.

Just as he deepens the kiss, his phone vibrates against his thigh. He pulls away from me abruptly, a frown creasing his forehead. Exhaling a deep breath, he grabs the back of my neck and places a string of hurried kisses on my lips and forehead before taking a step back.

“You’re not working anywhere else, alright? Meet me in my office, first thing Monday morning,” he says as he walks away, leaving me breathless and reeling.

I stand there staring at the empty hallway long after he’s gone, until a practical concern drifts across my mind. It’s Friday afternoon, and if I have to start a new job on Monday, I will need clothes, footwear, and a nice bag. God! I need to get moving.

I spend the afternoon going through a blur of overpriced, impractical clothes. I peruse countless boutiques crammed with sequined skirts, low-cut tops, and dresses that cling like a second skin—nothing appropriate for the office, especially at Blackwood. I wish we had a Zara—or at least a Target—in town.

My arms ache from pulling clothes on and off hangers, but I keep at it, remembering how difficult it was to find something to wear last night. The voicemail from one of the local corporates offering me an interview replays over and over in my mind.

In a perfect world, I’d never step through Blackwood’s doors. I want to give back to the family that raised me, not take more from them. But Theron’s insistence is difficult to argue with. Saying yes felt right with his kisses offering silent reassurance.

Three hundred dollars, four outfits, and five tense hours later, I trudge home, more unsure than celebratory about getting my first proper job.

“I think New York has spoiled you.”

Ella launches that statement at me the moment I enter the kitchen and pull a bottle of Blackwood vitamin water from the pantry. I down half the bottle before turning to her.

“Maybe,” I reply with a playful smile as I slump into the chair opposite her, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. “But you still love me.”

She continues writing on her paper calendar, tendrils of hair escaping her messy bun, a smile on her lips. Ella makes daily menus and writes them on the chalkboard for her kitchen team. The rest of the board is covered with lists of how manypeople will be around for each meal, dietary preferences, allergies, and every other possible detail.

“Yes, which is why I’m concerned that you refuse to eat a proper meal here. You left your breakfast mostly untouched and skipped lunch.” She glances at the shopping bags near the door. “And now I have a feeling you won’t be eating dinner either.”

“I’m so sorry. I meant to text you about lunch, but…” I suck in a breath, steadying myself. “I went out shopping. Theron found out I was looking for a job and he suggested I join Blackwood.”

I look away, worried about what her reaction will be, then cautiously glance back at her. She doesn’t take her eyes off the calendar.

“What kind of job? Is it something you want in the long run?” Her voice is flat, with zero judgment. Her concern is only for me.

“We haven’t discussed specifics. I was thinking I could ask him about it after dinner.”

This catches her attention. She places her pencil down and looks at me earnestly. “No one is here tonight for dinner, sweetheart. The alpha king is hosting a gala at his mansion. Everyone left an hour ago.”

I feel disappointment seep into my bones.

For once, I blurt out the question burning in my mind without stopping to consider what Ella might think. “Did Theron take a date with him?”

“He did, sweetheart. I don’t know if you remember her—Vanessa, the current beta’s daughter.”

I blink a few times, trying to get the burning in my eyes to fade away. Theron always had girls hanging on his arm, but Vanessa had been a regular fixture. The fact that she was his best friend and Luke’s twin meant she spent more time at the estate than the other girls, both with and without her brother.

A warm hand clasps mine, the thumb rubbing my palm gently, offering comfort against the wave of sadness.

“She never set foot inside the estate. Everyone was running late. I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I believe Alpha Dan asked her to accompany Theron. I heard him mention something about networking and alliances.”

I nod, holding back tears.

Ella reaches into the fridge, pulls out a container of homemade dark chocolate mousse, and sets it gently in front of me. Chocolate, unsurprisingly, doesn’t sound like the worst thing in the world right now. I pick up a spoonful and hesitantly bring it to my lips. The sweetness does little to combat the bitterness inside of me, but it’s a start.

“How about a triple cheese melt for a snack?” she asks, suddenly getting up.

“You want to fatten me up, don’t you?” I quip with a smile, already feeling a little better.

“So that’ll be a no? I thought as much,” she says, turning back to her calendar, but I squeal a loud “No!”

Her cheese melts are to die for.

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