Filed to story: Claimed By The Alpha Nursing His Baby (Grace & Alpha Theodore) Book PDF Free
Lifting my head, I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. “Among other things.”
“Screw him.”
To my surprise, I let out a laugh. It’s so ridiculous hearing anyone from our pack say that, since we’re all terrified of our alpha. He’s never been nice or heartfelt about anything, choosing to rule us with a strong hand that’s never shown kindness.
Living under his thumb has always been suffocating.
“I’m serious.” She squeezes my hands. “If this is a true love match, he can’t refuse that.”
“It’s not just a love match, Delilah. It’s…we’re…”
Her eyes widen. “No way…the mating bond? It snapped into place?”
I nod.
Her grin is so wide that it must hurt her cheeks. “Gods, Grace! No wonder you’ve been sneaking off so much! And here I thought you were just being antisocial! This whole time you were meeting up with your mate.”
“Yes. But you can’t tell anyone. I don’t want any of the enforcers to get the information back to Daniel.”
“He can’t do anything if it’s a mating bond, Grace. You know that.”
While under normal circumstances she’s right, with me Daniel’s rules are a whole different ballgame. He’d sooner throw me down in the damn cellar and leave me there than allow me to become Theodore’s Luna and prove to him once and for all that I’m actually worth something.
“What if he can, though?” Lifting my eyes to look at her, I already feel a few tears slip down my cheeks. “If word gets back to Daniel, he’ll no doubt rip me away from here before I can be properly claimed.”
Delilah’s eyes widen. “Wait, the mating bond snapped into place but he hasn’t claimed you yet?”
I wince at the harsh judgment in her voice.
Normally I’d understand her frustration-I mean, of course I’d feel the same way if some alpha was dragging his feet when it came to claiming the mating bond with her-but this is an entirely different circumstance.
Maybe this whole time Theodore’s been trying to figure out how to present me to his pack. He’d put on this ball to find himself a Luna and it just so happens to have brought him his soulmate. I can see how overwhelming that might’ve been, and how unexpected.
With a mating bond, there’s no arguing with it, no matter who objects. I have no doubts that Theodore’s expectation had been to find a female from a good pedigree who came from an upstanding pack.
But instead, he got me. A nobody.
“Like I said, it’s complicated.”
She shakes her head. “Still. He shouldn’t be dragging his feet on this. No wonder you’re feeling this way! Bonds are so fragile when they first form. I can’t believe he’s even letting you out of his sight right now.”
Me either…
“You should talk to him, Grace. I’m serious. He needs to realize that he can’t just string you along like this. Mating bonds are for life. You’re not just some girl he can play around with for a while. Is he an alpha?”
I nod.
“Even more reason to hammer things out.”
She’s right-of course she is. I’m just afraid that overstepping and forcing Theodore into making some kind of public decision is going to drive him away. We barely know each other.
“What if he doesn’t want to?”
“He will.” Delilah’s voice is firm. “You’re amazing, Grace. Surely he’s realized that by now.”
Honestly, I don’t even know. But what do I know about Theodore other than the character he portrays in public and the person I see when he’s alone with me? Which one is the real him?
That’s the important part I need to figure out. I need to know what we’re doing with this bond because in less than two days, I’m leaving.
“You’re right. I’ll talk to him tonight after the ball.”
She grins at me. “Attagirl.”
Grace
I don’t bother attending the ball later that night.
Call me a coward, but the thought of having to force myself through another round of Theodore dancing and flirting with other females while members of his pack try to get handsy with me has me feeling sick to my stomach.
Delilah didn’t try to convince me to come down with her, thankfully, and had simply wished me good luck before departing for another night of fun. I’m glad she’s at least enjoying her time here.
Time passes slowly while I pace my room.
It could be a colossally stupid idea to corner Theodore to get some answers out of him, but I have to try. I leave bright and early Monday morning. Him dragging his feet, as Delilah stated, is only going to cause us to suffer if we are forced to separate.
I’ve only heard of a few cases where mates are pulled apart, and it never ends well.
A shiver rolls up my spine at the thought of having to go through that: the agony, the despair. I’ve already had enough heartbreak in my life, adding being forced away from my mate isn’t something I want to add to my ever-growing pile.
My wolf is restless, leaving me no choice but to leave my room early and instead wander the halls. They’re thankfully devoid of anyone, staff included, most likely having retired early for the night to attend the ball as well.
I can’t really say I blame them. An event like this only happens once in a lifetime, after all. Usually when alpha kings take their rightful places, a Luna has already been chosen for them long before they ever ascend.
I wonder why Theodore didn’t have one arranged for him? Obviously everyone knew he’d ascend eventually. Had his father’s death been that sudden?
To my surprise, I wander far enough around the estate that I end up on the other side of it, where we were all told not to go the first day we arrived. Looking around, it seems that this side of the estate has also been abandoned, giving me free rein to explore.
I wonder where Theodore’s room is.
Breathing in deeply, I let the scents of his pack linger in my nose. It takes a bit of concentration, but I soon pick up on that deep spicy scent I’ve come to know so well. Following it, I’m led down another hallway, this one with only one door at the end.
My hand hesitates as I reach for the knob.
Should I go in and wait for him? He told me he’d see me later. Perhaps this would be easier than him trying to sneak over to my suite and potentially stumbling into Delilah or someone from another pack.
I’m not sure how low-key he wants to keep all of this, but regardless, we still need to talk about things.