The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 10

Jason POV

I denied my father's question. Fast. Like the words would burn my mouth if I held them too long.

"Of course it's not about Laila. Marcus hasn't found anything new about her and the child yet."

My father clearly didn't believe me. He got serious in that way that meant a lecture was coming.

He cleared his throat. Adjusted his position in the hospital bed. "You should know, Jason. Even if Laila and the child are still alive, a human like her can never become Luna. And even if you could find this child, she would never be your heir. The pack would never accept it."

There it was. The speech I'd been hearing my whole damn life. Duty first. Pack first.

The machines beeped around us. Steady. Rhythmic. Like a countdown to something I didn't want to face.

My mother looked up from her knitting. Blue yarn today. Baby blankets for the pack nursery. Always working. Always caring for everyone else.

"Laila is a good person with strong abilities. Even if she's human, she's far better than Brittany."

I watched my father's jaw tighten. Thirty years of marriage and he still hadn't learned to argue with her when she got that tone. The one that brooked no argument.

The knitting needles clicked. Soft sounds in the quiet room.

I shrugged. Tried to look like I didn't care. Like her name didn't still make my wolf whine. "I know what I'm responsible for. If I didn't choose Laila six years ago, I won't choose her now."

The truth was, after I realized Laila might have been pregnant with my child, I blamed her for not staying longer.

If Laila had still been in the pack when I started to hesitate about marking Brittany, I could have marked her instead because she was pregnant with my Alpha heir. And that would have been a solid reason to reject Brittany.

But I also realized that I should blame myself more than anyone else.

I told her she was nothing to me, so she left with our child.

My father shot a doubting look, as if he was about to say something else.

A knock saved me. Marcus stuck his head in, looking like he'd been wrestling bears. His usually perfect appearance was disheveled. Tie loose. Hair messed up like he'd been running his hands through it.

"The saleswoman, Vanessa, refused us again. Fifth time."

The name hit me wrong. Something familiar about it. But I pushed the feeling away.

My father's expression went dark. Storm clouds gathering over his weathered face. "This saleswoman is acting too high and mighty. Who does she think she is, turning down the Blackwood Corporation?"

His voice carried the weight of generations. The Blackwood name opened doors. Made people listen. This woman was an anomaly.

I rubbed my temples. The hospital's fluorescent lights were making everything worse. Harsh. Unforgiving. "I'll go see her in person. Find out what her problem is."

"I've tried everything," Marcus said. He looked exhausted. Defeated. "Increased offers. Extended deadlines. Alternative payment structures. She won't even take meetings. Just sends back form letters through her assistant."

"What kind of form letters?"

"Professional. Polite. Completely unhelpful." Marcus pulled out his phone. Scrolled through emails. "Just says she's not interested in partnerships at this time."

"Then we get creative. Look deeper into her background. Everyone wants something."

Even as I said it, something nagged at me. Something about this Vanessa woman. The way she kept refusing us. Like she had personal reasons instead of business ones.

Marcus nodded and left. But not before giving me that look. The one that said he knew I wasn't all here. That my mind was somewhere else entirely.

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