Ex-Mate Wants Me Back (Seraphina and Mortimer) novel Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Seraphina’s POV

He almost kissed me. He was seconds away from biting my neck, from marking me for good. 1

The things I used to pray for in my pathetic teenage dreams were about to happen, and I was the one who pulled the plug.

I’d spent ten years crawling out of the hole I dug for myself, trying to look at Mortimer as just a guy, not a god.

I couldn’t let him drag me back into that swamp where I was always the second choice.

I knew the drill: last night wasn’t love. It was just his wolf being horny, or his rut, or some chemical glitch in the mating bond.

Still, my chest felt like it was being squeezed by a rusty vice.

I sat in that walk-in closet until my head was clear, changed my clothes, and walked out.

I didn’t want to deal with the “morning-after” fallout, so I did the only logical thing- locked the guest room door from the

inside.

The next day, I washed up and changed as usual, then pushed open the door.

The house was dead quiet. No Mortimer.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, figuring he’d headed to the office early.

Good. I wasn’t in the mood to act “normal” over coffee.

I was at the door, kicking on my shoes, when his bedroom door opened.

Mortimer stepped out in grey loungewear. He looked like hell. His cheeks were flushed a feverish red, and he was hacking into

his hand.

I stopped. “You sick?”

“Maybe. Ahem.” He looked even worse when he coughed-that sick heat spreading across his face.

I stood there, fighting the urge to just walk out. But the healer in me won.

I grabbed a Tylenol and a glass of water and handed them over.

“You’ve got a fever. Take this.”

す

He swallowed the pill and looked at me, his eyes dark and glazed. “Thanks,” he rasped.

“Flu’s going around. Call the pack doctor before this turns into pneumonia,” I said, keeping my voice professional. Clinical.

He nodded, still coughing.

We stood there for a beat, the silence so awkward it was physically painful.

“Rest up. I’m heading to work,” I said, breaking the spell.

I turned back to my shoes.

“I’m a mess,” his voice came from behind me, sounding even deeper and more pathetic because of the fever. “You’re really not going to call out and look after me?”

I looked back. He was staring at me with these “wounded puppy” eyes.

I hesitated, weighing my schedule against the fact that he looked like he might collapse. “Hold on. I need to make a call.”

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Chapter 56-

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A tiny spark of something lit up his eyes. He gave a weak nod. “Head’s spinning. I’m going back to bed.”

“Go ahead,” I said.

Third Person’s POV

Mortimer caught her eye one last time before slipping into his room.

The second the door shut, the “dying patient” act vanished. He grabbed his phone and dialed his beta, Tade.

“Cancel the morning brief. I’m out for the day. Only call me if the building is on fire.”

“Copy that, Alpha,” Tade said, pausing. “You sound like crap. You sick?”

“Yeah.” Mortimer suppressed a cough.

“Understood. I’ve got the office covered. Rest up.”

“And Tade,” Mortimer growled, “don’t call me for the small stuff. Handle it.”

“On it.”

Mortimer tossed the phone and felt his forehead. Still burning.

He sat on the sofa, and the memory of last night in Seraphina’s room came rushing back, making his blood boil all over again.

He’d always been the guy in control. He could cage his wolf better than anyone.

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