Page 153 of Dream Mates
My phone buzzed.
Spencer
I’ll be down soon.
“Adriana got aggressive? You have to understand, she is quite protective.” Pippa took another sip of tea.
“I live with three alphas and they’re not like that.” I frowned and rubbed my arm absently.
“Well, of course not. They’re yours. But they’d do anything to protect you, I’m sure.”
“But I did nothing wrong. I wasleaving.” Tears pricked my eyes.
“Alphas protect. There’s a reason why for so long alphas just did as they pleased,” Pippa retorted.
My throat swelled and I looked away. “So, it’s my fault then. For just sitting there having a coffee, then trying to be on my way? It’s not like I tried to meet him.”
Yet more social nuances I just didn’t understand.
“Mom crossed a line–even for her,” Creed said softly.
Pippa nostrils flared and she looked toward the elevator, a concerned look on her face.
“Pip? I am so glad you’re down here. I was just coming to find you.” Nate threw himself in his mate’s arms without a glance at anyone.
“I’m right here, Love.” She pressed her lips to his blond head which showed the slightest bit of grey. “Rough day for you to come all the way here. Don’t you have a lecture?”
What did I do? I sat there, frozen.
“I had my TA take over. There was an… incident. There’s this woman who was on campus for some tour. I… I think it’s her. I mean Adriana says she’s not, the woman says she’s not, but at the very least she’s another one of Barrett’s? I know the other times it wasn’t her, and I shouldn’t get my hopes up, especially after all these years. But maybe…” His body shook as his fruity scent grew salty with sadness. “She looksjust likeCreed. It’s eerie.”
That it was.
I’ll go,I mouthed to Creed, trying to quietly slip away before he noticed me.
Nate turned around, and his blue eyes widened at the sight of me. “Dr. Ellington? Please, just a word.”
Shit. Now everyone was going to be angrier than they already were.Other times?I didn’t want to cause more emotional damage to the professor.
“I wasn’t trying to upset you, Professor. I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.” My voice shook and my knees trembled.
The professor did look an awful lot like me–not quite like Creed, but close enough that I understood why people asked if he was my father.
“You did nothing wrong. I just want to talk–and I apologize for my alpha,” he told me.
The elevator doors opened, and Spencer came out. I waved to him, relief washing over me.
“Grace.” Spencer closed the space between us in a few short strides, and I launched myself into his arms.
“Fuck,” Pippa said softly.
“Mom shouldn’t start anything with her pack, seriously,” Creed said.
“Your name is Grace?” Nate’s voice broke. “How old are you? What’s your mother’s name?”
“Oh my,” Spencer said softly as I buried my face in his shoulder, his arms tight around me.
I looked up at Spencer, the tears starting to flow. “Let’s go. I can’t do this.”
