Page 220 of Her Destined Alpha
“Where’s your mom?” Uncle asked. I looked at him,Mom?
“Probably home, ask Kiara.”
“Kiara has gone to visit the women who lost their mates with Delsanra... so Maria’s probably home…” He nodded to himself before turning. I looked at his back.
“Why are you asking?” I asked.
“Because it’s high time we had a fucking talk.”
His Mate
Alejandro
Imade my way back to the mansion, a place that still held Raf’s scent that was steadily fading. The pain that was eating away at me at his loss was fucking suffocating.
I wouldn’t lie; I did break down in Kiara’s arms. I wished I hadn’t wasted the fucking past pushing him away. I wished I had so many more fucking memories and time with him, but the thing was, no matter how much I fucking wanted it, I didn’t. My brother was gone, the fucking angel who kept my sanity from spiralling completely.
The silence in the mansion was deafening. Flashes of memories came to the forefront of my mind… everything he said to me in these very halls, his promises that he kept but I didn’t believe. His love that I denied, his worry that fucking angered me. I sucked my breath in, exhaling sharply.
Focus, Al, focus.
Today I was going to complete the one silent wish that he never uttered, for Maria and me to make amends. We never saw fucking eye to eye. She didn’t like me, and she was afraid. I never thought much of it, but something that I said earlier in Raf’s office was niggling at my mind.
I never asked the reason. Why did she fucking hate me?
I just never cared. We formally greeted each other when we saw each other, and she was good with my kids and Kiara, so I didn’t really give a fuck. But now, I want the reason because I wanted to fix it for Rafael.
I looked around the lounge and downstairs, but she wasn’t there. I made my way upstairs. Silence. Fuck, she was always so fucking silent, a trait that Rayhan had inherited from her. He was the best tracker because of her abilities. He could hide himself well, just like she could. I noticed that when I was younger, she would enter, and you wouldn’t actually fucking realise.
I had to strain my ears, but wherever she was, she was fucking silent. I went to their bedroom… Raf’s bedroom.Fuck, this is painful.
I knocked lightly. No answer. I frowned. Was she not there?
I opened the door just as the door to the ensuite opened. Maria stepped out in fucking lingerie, a towel in her hand as she dried her long hair. She gasped, her eyes flying open, covering her breasts with the tiny towel, turning her back to me.
“Fuck, sorry!” I looked away, freezing, and turned back sharply, my eyes going to her back. I caught a glimpse of it before she disappeared back into the bathroom, slamming the door. Claw marks. She had four huge scars across her back. When the fuck had she ever gotten hurt?
I scrubbed a hand down my face. This was fucking awkward…
“I’ll wait outside until you’re done,” I said, sounding colder than I meant to. I shut the door loudly. Just great, nice fucking start.
Five minutes later, she opened the door, her face in its usual stoic mask. Thankfully, she was fully dressed. I think even Raf might come back to kill me if he found out I saw his mate practically naked. Why the fuck do women have to have such skimpy lingerie? Actually, I’m not complaining. I like Kiara in them.
Okay, fuck, I’m going off-topic.I sighed, and she crossed her arms. I looked at her, thinking she always had her back covered and dressed pretty modestly for the most part. No wonder I never saw her back before…
“Can I help you?” she asked emotionlessly.
I looked into her grey eyes. Despite how well she was masking her emotions, the pain in them was fucking obvious. I strolled into the room, walked over to the huge doors that led to the balcony, and looked out onto the garden.
“How are you holding up?” I asked.
“Well, thank you,” she said. Lie.
“Oh yeah? Then you’re the first fucking person to hold up well after losing a mate,” I remarked coldly.
She stayed silent, and I clenched my jaw. I hated how she was always so fucking antagonising. I glared at the garden, thinking she was always fucking silent. Every time Raf and I argued, she’d stay silent…
“Why the fuck are you always so fucking silent?” I asked quietly, turning to her. I felt angry all of a sudden. Didn’t she fucking care for her mate? She looked at me, her eyes flashing with hurt, but it was gone as fast as it came.
