The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 328

Cha

Jason’s POV

We hadn’t much time before we had to go back to the palace for the evening ceremony, but I was hesitant to rouse Laila, who had fallen asleep in the crook of my arm. Soon, I’d have to wake her, and reality would crash down on both of us once again. But for the length of this moment, for as long as we stayed just like this, she and I could simply be, without anything else getting in the way.

Though, it wasn’t just outside forces that threatened to keep us apart, it was Laila herself. She had many reservations about us, and though I was doing my best to reassure her, I had years of bad decisions at my disadvantage. For now, all I could really do was hold back my feelings while I waited and hoped that she would learn to trust and love me again, as I loved her.

For now, I could just enjoy moments like this, quietly hoping they would last forever, but knowing they would come to an end far too soon.

I admired her restful features for only a moment more before she stirred awake, her eyes peeking open. She groaned at once, and rubbed her face.

“Tell me it’s not already time to go,” she grumbled.

“Not quite yet,” I said. “We have a few minutes.”

“How many exactly?” she asked.

“Forty,” I said.

She groaned louder. “That’s hardly any time. You should have woken me up.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to do it,” I told her. “You looked so beautiful –”

I cut myself off at once, but I knew I had said too much when Laila slowly lowered her hands, revealing her face and a stern look in my direction.

“Jason, you can’t just say things like that…”

“I know.”

“This was only about blowing off steam. You said so yourself,” she said.

“You’re right,” I said, pushing my feelings down even deeper than they had been before. She was ready for them yet. Maybe she

r would never be. For her sake, I had to back off.

Yet, even as I looked at her and she stared at me, I knew I loved her. In a different life, maybe I wouldn’t have messed this up. Maybe, right now, I would be waking up like this every morning, with her in my arms. Maybe, in that life, she would be smiling at me instead of frowning.

In this life, it would take more time to reach that potential future, more effort. Forever I would try to reach it. Laila was the love of my life, I was certain. I hoped someday she would see that too.

“We better hurry,” I said.

Her sour face eased somewhat, as she seemed to refocus on what we needed to do here.

“Right!” she said and hopped out of bed.

The sheets were immediately colder without her.

We both changed into fresh formal wear. My suit was mostly the same as before, just darker, with a tie that matched the indigo

of Laila’s dress. Laila was in a full gown now, sweeping out from the waistline. The dress was shoulder–less, exposing wide stretches of her skin and her bare collarbone that immediately made me want to pull her back into the bed.

+30 Bonus

Unfortunately, there wasn’t time for that.

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