The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 180

Laila’s POV

After leaving Adelaide’s, I returned to the hospital, where I stayed with Ava. Usually I would sleep there, but I had a work meeting in the morning, so I at least wanted to shower and grab fresh clothes. I waited for Ava to fall asleep, then I ducked out.

Night had set in, so the parking lot was dark, illuminated only by a few lamp posts dotted here and there across the large paved space. The lot was mostly filled, at least this close to the hospital, yet it was quiet out here. I didn’t see a single person as I walked through the cars to get to my row.

The lot had been crowded when I arrived, so I had to park pretty far away. There was a tram that circled the lot. I didn’t mind walking usually, but I regretted not taking it now.

The night was silent, but the hairs on the back of my neck started to rise. I turned around, facing the hospital, but I didn’t see anyone behind me or around me at all. Yet I still felt like I was being watching seen by someone who I couldn’t see.

After talking with Adelaide today, after hearing her threats… Maybe I was just being paranoid.

I turned around and continued to walk forward. I was trying to be brave, but I still picked up the pace a little. While I wasn’t running, I was still moving much faster than I had been before.

A flash of movement drew my attention to the right and there I saw it. A shadowy figure between the cars. It wasn’t another person walking. They weren’t doing anything at all, but standing there, watching me.

I shivered. I walked faster.

Glancing behind me, I saw the figure move too. They were following me. There was no denying it now.

Grabbing my phone out of my purse, I meant to call William, but as my fingers moved over the screen, and I pressed the phone to my ear, it was a different voice I heard instead.

“Vanessa?”

I hadn’t meant to call Jason, at least not consciously, but now that I was hearing his voice, relief flooded through me. Jason would come here. He would help me. If I let him.

“Jason,” I said, putting all that I felt into the name.

“What’s going on?” he asked at once, his voice shifting from confused to focus. As an Alpha, he was used to taking charge. He seemed to be doing that now, for which I was grateful.

“I can’t… I don’t…” I glanced behind myself. The figure was gaining ground.

“Where are you?”

“The hospital parking lot. I don’t think I’m alone. I think… I think someone’s following me…‘

33

“Find a safe spot,” Jason said. He was out of breath, like he was running. “I’m coming to you, I’ll find you.”

“Can you stay on the phone?” I asked.

“Can’t,” Jason replied. “Shifting.” His voice was cracking, deepening.

“Jason – “The line disconnected.

I could hear the footsteps behind me, and ducked to the left, slipping around a car. Through the window, I watched as the figure drew closer. He stepped under a streetlight, and I could see his face.

I didn’t know who he was. A man, mostly non–descript, with dark hair and eyes. Middle–aged. Black clothing. He could have been

but I was mostly sure I had never seen him before.

anyone,

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I turned again, and carefully slipped past a few more cars. I ducked down low, hiding behind a tire as his footsteps stopped. There was some shuffling, like he was bending down, looking under cars.

If he had been going to his own car, he would have just went there. For him to come closer, he had to be chasing me, hunting me as I hid.

I held my breath, and tensed. If I was caught, would fight. I had no idea what this man wanted, but I could sense his menace. It exuded off of him, making my own wolf feel small within me.

Bracing myself, I imagined myself a coiled snake, ready to strike if necessary. For my life, I would fight like hell. Whoever this man was, he wasn’t going to hurt me.

Footsteps sounded loudly. Someone grabbed my arm.

I roared, ready to strike. A hand caught my wrist and pinned it to the side of the truck I was hiding behind.

“Vanessa, it’s me. It’s me. I’m here. Calm down.”

“Jason?”

I blinked a few times. My body was still too tense, too strung out. That dangerous man who had been stalking me could have been around the corner, just waiting for our guard to lower.

But with Jason here, I couldn’t be afraid anymore. For better or for worse, I trusted him so implicitly with my safety that all I wanted or could do was throw my arms around his neck and hold on.

“Jason,” I breathed, the name rattling through me, shaking like I was shaking, inside and out.

Jason put his arms around my waist and pulled me against him, clutching me to his chest. It seemed like he was the only thing keeping me whole right now.

“There was someone there,” I whispered.

“Whoever it was, they are gone now,” Jason replied. He combed his fingers through my hair, then traced them up and down my spine. I exhaled, and some of the fear went away with it.

Jason was here. He would keep me safe.

I closed my eyes, soaking in as much of his warmth and comfort as I could.

Slowly, my fear subsided and my thoughts cleared. Some embarrassment rushed through me.

“I must have imagined things,” I said, still clinging to him. I should have let go, maybe, but I wasn’t ready to yet. Jason didn’t seem to mind. He kept his arms firmly around me, protecting me from the entire world.

“I must have imagined someone there,” I said. “No one would really chase me down. Not here. Not anywhere!”

With my words, Jason’s grip tightened. “You weren’t imagining things. I sensed them, whoever they were. And I could tell, plain as day, that they meant to hurt you.”

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