The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 260

This wasn’t quite the vision imagined, and I still had much bigger dreams than this, bigger successes, but for now, this would help pay the bills. And this job would have opportunity. The most important thing I needed to do for my career now was rebuild my reputation. The best way to do that was to start at the bottom and build my way up again, proving myself once more at every rung on the ladder.

I wasn’t Vanessa. I was Laila, and she was just as good.

“I have to warn you about Adelaide,” I said, realizing. “She hates me and will try to sabotage any success I might have.”

Cynthia laughed. “That old bat can try whatever she wants. Her money and power don’t alter my mind. Listen, I know the Harper family has their hands in everything, but I’ve stayed clear of them from the start. They aren’t any good, no offense. So don’t you worry about her. There’s still a few families in this town that will stand up to Victor and Adelaide Harper.”

I had always thought highly of Cynthia, but now my opinion reached the stars.

The world was full of everyday heroes, when you stopped and looked around for a minute.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’m looking forward to Monday.”

“Good.”

2

Leaving the diner, I rushed home to give Hannah the good news. There was another car out front, one I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t a new car, or anything luxury, so I didn’t worry overmuch. It was a coupe from three or four years ago, but kept up nicely.

Well–cared for.

Maybe one of Hannah’s friends?

Opening the door, I heard voices in the living room. Following them, I found Hannah and a blonde college student sitting on the

sofa. Hannah looked over to me first.

“Laila, this is my friend Carter.” With the dreamy way she said it, I imagined this must be a crush of hers.

I looked beside her just as Carter turned. His gaze met mine, and the whole world stopped.

Something sizzle popped inside of me, and my wolf stirred.

“Have we met?” I asked him. If he was in college now, I wasn’t sure how we would have. But there was something about him

that seemed so familiar…

“Not yet,” Carter said, standing. His gaze was fixed on mine as he moved around the couch and walked to me.

{

“What’s happening right now?” Hannah asked, looking between us. “Why do you both look like that? Do you know him, Laila?”

“I don’t…”

You do, whispered my wolf in my mind. He is our mate.

No. Not now. Not with everything else I had to deal with. With Ava getting her surgery soon, and my identity out, and finding new work, and dealing with all my complicated feelings for Jason. I could not deal with another mate on top of it!

Yet, it seemed I didn’t have much choice. Whatever I had done to the Moon Goddess in this life or the last, she seemed set on taking out on me.

He couldn’t be my mate, though. Only werewolves could.

Ask him, my wolf said. He is one of us.

“You said your name was…” I started.

“Carter.” He stopped right in front of me. Gods, he was so lovestruck, he looked at me like I had hung the moon and stars. He

+30 Bonus

didn’t know anything about me!

And yet, I could teel the pull of the bond as well. But being older, and having been hurt so much before, I knew how to resist it.

“Are you a werewolf?” I asked

He glanced sideways at Hannah, then immediately back to me. “I am.”

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