The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 67

Laila’s POV

“Of course not,” I insisted. I was having mixed feelings about William’s suggestion, but it had absolutely nothing to do with Jason. Not at all.

Those feelings I had for him were from what seemed like a different lifetime. There was no reason to rehash old pains by even thinking about them now.

Whatever I had felt when Jason had walked away earlier had just been an echo of a long forgotten past. It didn’t matter now. He wasn’t part of my future.

William likely was.

“If not that, then why?” he asked. “What is holding you back from trying it with me?”

I wished I had a good answer, but I didn’t. Every excuse I tried to come up with felt like just that

an excuse.

Perhaps what I was really afraid of was that I would fall in love again, and it would turn out as badly as it had in the past. It was much easier to pretend like I didn’t need anyone and that I never got lonely. The loneliness was easier to deal with than the heartache of rejection.

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So many nights, Jason had held me, only to then cast me out when he thought he had found the woman of his dreams. I had thought that I had been that woman, but I had only been a placeholder.

William wasn’t Jason. I knew that. He was like Jason’s opposite. I had no reason to believe he would hurt me the same way that Jason had.

“Maybe,” I said. “Maybe if we go slowly… We could do this trial period, like you suggested.”

“I’d like that,” he said, smiling wide now like I had just gifted him the moon. He leaned back in his chair, putting some distance between us like he was respecting my wishes to go slowly.

He remained upbeat throughout the rest of the dinner, as we talked about this and that, never circling back to this same

discussion.

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When another couple proposed, I braced myself, half–expecting another secret kiss. But William maintained distance this time. We watched the proposal and clapped along with the rest of the restaurant.

Finally, dinner was done. William paid the bill without me seeing it and then drove us back to the hospital. Ava was still asleep with the lights dimmed in her room to help her rest.

I stopped William in the hallway. “We should say goodnight here,” I said. “I don’t want to wake Ava.”

William glanced through the window into Ava’s room. “Yeah, poor kid is going through a lot.”

When he turned back to me, he took my hands in his.

“You know I’m always here for the two of you, right? Now, even more than before. Anything you need, no matter how big or how small, you just have to call me and I’ll come running.”

“I know,” I said. “Thank you.”

He nodded, and then he started to lean in. I panicked, a lump rising in my throat. For whatever the reason, I didn’t know, I just didn’t want to be kissed again.

He froze when he saw my panic. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Go slow, you said, and I’m botching it on the first effort. I don’t need a kiss on the lips. How about a kiss on the cheek instead?”

“Okay,” I said, thinking that would be okay. Yet, as he leaned in and pressed his lips to the skin of my cheek, I still had to brace

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myself to keep from pulling away.

William didn’t seem to notice. He placed his soft kiss, then leaned back and squeezed my hands. “Thank you. You’ve made me so happy.”

I tried to smile in reply, but it felt false on my lips.

Again, William didn’t seem to notice. He just smiled wider. “Goodnight, Vanessa,” he said, using my fake name now. It seemed as if we were going back to formalities now, though it had been nice to hear my real name, if only for a little while. Very few people knew it, and it could only be said in soft voices and safe spaces. 1

“Goodnight, William,” I said, and let go of his hands. With one last lingering glance and a wink, he turned and walked down the hallway. I waited for him to enter the elevator, before I inhaled deeply and entered Ava’s room.

She had one eye peeked open, though she immediately closed it as I walked into the room. The little sneak had been pretend- sleeping to watch William and me through the door.

I could only imagine what she must have been thinking. She must have seen the cheek kiss through the window. She probably had a million questions she wanted to ask.

I wasn’t sure I had any of the answers she was hoping to hear, however.

William truly was perfect. A true

gentleman, he was patient and kind. For a long time, he had been a shoulder for me to cry on, or to lean on when things got tough. He was like a rock, ever present in the storm, always giving me the support I needed.

A life with him wouldn’t be terrible. I knew that. He’d watch out for Nova and me, and he made enough money from his own company that I wouldn’t need to worry about Vanessa’s legacy so much anymore.

I could be more relaxed and more protected. His word had already saved me in some altercations with Vanessa’s family, when they had been questioning my identity. William had vouched for me, and I knew he would do it again.

He was a good man. A sturdy man with a good heart. Also, Ava liked him a lot.

Why,

Brien

did a romantic relationship with him still not feel right?

I thought maybe I still had some lingering feelings for Jason. Perhaps William had been right to ask me about that after all. But I quickly brushed off that worry.

Given all that Jason had done to me, I couldn’t imagine that I was still holding onto feelings for him.

Even if my heart ached thinking about him and his downward slanted shoulders…

No, I wasn’t going to give a moment’s more thought to Jason. He didn’t deserve it.

[

I glanced at Ava again, to find her peeking at me once more. She closed her eyes in a rush once more, but she’d been so obvious that it made me laugh a little.

“I saw you, Ava. I know you aren’t asleep.”

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