The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Laila’s POV

I wanted to push him away. My entire body tensed up for it. I even started to lift my hand

“It’s just a kiss,” he whispered against my lips, and I stopped myself from pulling back. He was right. This was just a kiss, and we were pretending at being engaged.

Jason was in my past. I had no one in my present or future. Would it be so bad to just allow this to happen?

I didn’t dislike William, though I had always considered us friends. Sure, I didn’t really feel anything romantic for him at this moment, but he clearly did for me.

Maybe, if I gave into this… If I pushed myself, I could start to feel something.

The only man I had ever thought I loved was Jason, but he hadn’t deserved my affections.

William was a good man. He’d been a good friend, and he was always there for Ava and me. I could do far, far worse than him.

Yet, as his lips lingered, as I tried to feel something, my heart wouldn’t stir. Maybe I needed more time.

Slowly, William leaned back.

I hastily glanced around, expecting people to be staring after having caught us kissing. Instead, people were still paying attention to the newly engaged couple, clapping and cheering for their obvious love and bliss.

No one seemed to have noticed William and me, which was a relief for me, more than I wanted to admit aloud.

William was a few inches from me now, but he stayed close enough to speak softly.

“I care about you, more than I thought possible. Vanessa, she had only ever been a friend to me, but with you… everything

feels different. I feel like I’m more alive. You’ve brought the world to life for me, and all I want to do is return the favor.”

I was entirely speechless, stunned by his words and his behavior. How long had he kept this secret from me? How long had his romantic feelings been fermenting while I was entirely oblivious, caught up in my own personal dramas, ignorant of his happening right alongside of me?

“You don’t have to say anything tonight,” he told me. “It’s enough for me to tell you how I feel, so that you know. I want you to feel loved, Laila. And I want to be the one to love you.”

William’s POV

would

Even though I had been sitting on my growing feelings for Laila for a while, I didn’t think that tonight would be the night I would share them with her.

Something had been building up between us, that was true. We were reaching a precipice where the words needed to be said. But, knowing all that Laila had been going through, I wasn’t going to try to push this too soon.

I had already waited so long to have her, I could wait a little more.

Yet, there had been something about seeing Jason in that hospital room. He had looked so defeated and downtrodden. It had to have been the loss of Laila, and then Vanessa that had left him feeling that way. 1

He’d had Laila and he’d fumbled her, pushing her away and nearly ruining her life. She had recovered in their time apart, but he had only dwindled without her.

If he had treated her better, they would be happy right now.

I wasn’t going to be like Jason. Seeing him today had resolved my intent, and I decided that I needed to come forward to Laila with my feelings here and now, without any more delay.

+25 Bonus

I wasn’t going to let Laila get away, like Jason had.

If we had any chance for a life together, I was going to grab onto it with both hands and fight for it.

The best thing I could do try to bring her along with me into these feelings I held. If she could see that I was more than a friend, then perhaps we could move into a future together where we loved and cared for one another, and maybe even bonded together

as mates.

I would happily take the role of Ava’s step–father. I practically filled that role already.

When I had kissed her, Laila hadn’t pulled away. That had to be a good thing, a sign of future kisses Perhaps a sign of a future, period.

Our engagement was fake right now, but maybe, in time, it could be real. If we nurtured it enough. If we both gave this thing between us our very best.

“Laila,” I said, pouring my heart into my words. “I know our engagement is fake. I know that nothing romantic has ever truly happened between us before. But what if we just tried to give you and me a chance? I’m not trying to push you before you are ready, but I think we could be good for each other.”

She stayed quiet, but I could see the gears behind her eyes turning. Sho for her. Maybe there was more I could say.

ear bay. Todmare.

was considering my words. Maybe they would be enough

“You know me,” I said. “You know I am a good man with a lot to offer. I wouldn’t betray you. I would honor and cherish you. And Ava already likes me, so there is no worry there. I could help you with her, even more than I already do. I could be a bigger part of your lives and help carry even more of weight or your burden. You don’t need to face any of this alone.”

“I don’t know…” she s said, still hesitating.

“What if we gave this just a small try, you and me?” I asked. “It doesn’t have to mean anything. And you can reject me at any point of this trial. Without question, we could just go back to the way things were.”

Still, she seemed unsure. I cared for her immensely, but I was starting to feel a little hurt. What was it about me that was keeping her from yes?

She hadn’t said no yet, which meant that I at least had a chance. But I just couldn’t understand why she wasn’t at least going for this trial period. What did she have to lose, when there was everything to gain?

I didn’t want to

push her more than I already had. It already felt like I had pressed too hard. I wanted her to choose me of her own volition. It felt bad that I needed to convince her so much to give me a chance, when she should have already known the

kind of man that I was.

When trying to think of why she might remain hesitant, I considered her it could have to do with Ava. Perhaps she didn’t feel it the right time to commit to personal matters when her daughter was going through such trials?

That could be, but it didn’t feel right, especially because I would have been there to help her every step of the way that she needed. I could have been an additional support to help.

No, I felt like there had to be a different reason.

Thinking hard, I realized the issue might not be something else, but someone else.

I waited until she looked back at me again and our eyes locked. Then I asked her, “Do you still have feelings for Jason?”