The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 153

ter 153

Laila’s POV

The day of the mating ceremony came more quickly than I would have liked. If I had it my way, it would have been delayed forever. I didn’t want Jason. He’d hurt me too many times already. But to know that he would be permanently bound to someone

else.

To have to watch it…

Gods, it was too much.

But I had to go. I had to see this happen with my own eyes. Jason had invited me for a reason. Whatever he had told Ava, about not loving Brittany, he had still sent me that invitation. He still wanted me to be there to witness this event.

So I would be there. I would watch, and I would hurt. Then, maybe, I could put him out of my mind for the rest of my life.

I scrounged together some money for a nice gown to wear. I didn’t really have the money to spend, but for an event like this, I had to be in style. My gown was like my battlefield armor. I would hide behind it, and the Vanessa–façade I wore, hoping both would protect me from the pain. Or, at the very least, keep others from seeing the hurt burning inside of me.

The hurt that still festered even after all these years of rejection.

In my light blue gown, covered in frills and sparkles, I went to the hospital to show Ava. If she had been well, she would have gone with me to pick it out. As it was, this would have to do. I tried to pick something I knew should would like.

She gasped when she saw me. “Mommy, you look like an angel!”

I walked to her and hugged her. Her little arms wrapped around my neck. “If you had a tiara, you would look like a queen.”

“And you’d look like a princess,” I told her and kissed her cheek, accidentally leaving a stain of lipstick there. I quickly wiped it

away.

Ava giggled. “I’m not wearing a dress.”

==

“True royalty doesn’t need to,” I told her. “People just see you and know.”

Ava giggled again and blushed a little.

“You are my princess,” I told her.

She laughed a little more, then sobered some as she looked at me.

“Can you stop this?” she asked. “Can you make it so Jason doesn’t have to marry that lady?”

“No,” I told her. “There’s no one could stop it now.”

After leaving Ava’s room, I saw Riley in the hallway, coming toward me. I’d asked her to sit with Ava tonight. She hadn’t been handling this very well, so I was worried she would get upset if left alone.

“Thank you for coming,” I said to Riley.

“You know I’m always happy to spend time with Ava, especially now that she’s feeling a little better,” Riley said. She had a big bag slung over her shoulder. She showed me now, it was filled with some board games and coloring books. “I have a big day planned for us.”

“She’ll like that,” I said.

Riley hummed, but her gaze on me softened the longer she looked. “I’m worried about you. Are you sure going is a good idea? Do you really want to see this?”

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