Page 19 of Unwilling Mate

I know this man.

I don’t have to ask if she is sure because I know she is. I can feel it. “How?”

He is friends with my stepmom.

11

ABIGAIL

He comes to visit sometimes.I continue writing.

Weston and Thorn exchange glances. “Why would Alistair come to visit humans?”

Weston shrugs. “Maybe he kept checking on her after the whole incident. Just to make sure Abbie was safe.

He didn’t care about me. I scribble down quickly, remembering the dirty looks he used to give me, like I have the plague or something.

“We don’t have to talk to him right now… or ever if you don’t want to,” Thorn offers. “Let’s just have the doctor check you out and we’ll figure the rest out later.”

I nod, glad I don't have to face this man now. He has always given me the creeps, and knowing how friendly he was with the woman who treated me like trash doesn't help.

Thorn takes me to the local doctor's office and has them check out my foot. I don’t need stitches but they clean the wound and wrap it up to keep it from getting infected. By the time we’restepping onto the sidewalk it’s getting dark outside and all I want to do is get back to our little cabin.

“Are you ready to go home?” Thorn asks as if he could read my mind. He is still carrying me in his arms, not letting my feet touch the ground.

I nod my head quickly, covering up a yawn with the back of my hand.

“I can give you a ride back,” Levi offers from behind us.

Thorn turns us around so we are facing his old friend.

“If it was just me, I would tell you to get lost,” Thorn says. “But since my mate wants to get home quickly while staying warm, I’ll accept your offer as a kindness.” Levi shakes his head with a smirk.

Cool wind blows in my hair as Thorn carries me to Levi’s truck and slides with me into the back seat.

“Alistar denied visiting the humans,” Levi announces as he starts the engine. A modern country song plays on the radio but Levi quickly lowers the volume until it’s nothing more than a humming background noise.

“Are you saying my mate is a liar?” Thorn growls.

“I’m not. I’m just telling you what he says.”

“So you believe her?”

“I believe that there was always something off about Alistar and his story about you killing Lily. I’m sorry that we didn’t bring this up before but you left without a word so we had to go on what Alistar told us.”

“I left because I thought I was cursed. I thought Lily was my mate and she rejected me. I left because I couldn't bear seeing everyone around me being mated while I had to suffer alone,” Thorn confesses, his arms tighten around me as he stares out of the window at the dark trees flashing by us. My heart breaks for him, thinking about how long he spent alone in that cabin just waiting for me to become a woman, while I was trapped in that house with my stepmother.

“I’m sorry you felt that way, old friend. Now I’m questioning Alistair all the more. He talked to you last didn’t he? He knew you were in pain and yet he let you go. Very convenient don’t you think?” Levi’s words don’t quite make sense to me.

I place my palm on Thorns chest, getting his attention. He looks at me and I raise my eyebrows, begging him to explain more.

Thorn understands my silent plea right away. “If I hadn’t left when I did, I would be Alpha now instead of Alistar.”

My eyes go wide. More and more pieces fall into place, yet some remain out of reach all together. Nothing explains why Alistair would visit my old house. What is the connection to me? So many questions are still unanswered as we stay silent for the remainder of the drive. The closer we get to the cabin the rougher the road becomes. If Thorn wasn’t holding onto me with an iron grip, I would be bouncing all over the backseat.

By the time we finally get home, I’m exhausted from the day and want nothing more than to curl up in bed with my mate.

“I’ll stay in touch,” Levi promises as Thorn carries me out of the Truck.

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