The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 9

"Oh, sweetheart," I murmured, pulling her close. "I know it's hard sometimes, seeing other families. But it's you and me. We're a team. We take care of each other."

She leaned into my shoulder, voice muffled. "But wouldn't it be nice to have someone strong, like Jason, to take care of us too?"

I closed my eyes, swallowing the tears that burned hot. How could I explain?

How could I tell a six-year-old that her father was more than strong, he was untouchable. That his world was built on rules and power, and I'd never fit in it. That he'd chosen that world over me.

"Maybe someday," I lied, the words bitter. "But for now, let's get you better first. And when you do, I'll get you that toy rabbit you wanted."

"The one with the floppy ears?" she asked, face serious.

"The one with the floppy ears," I promised.

She nodded, satisfied, and her little body relaxed into the pillows. Minutes later, she was asleep, her breathing steady, peaceful.

I sat there in the growing dark, watching her chest rise and fall, and tried not to think about pine and leather, or the way green eyes had always undone me.

Jason POV

As I made my way to the hospital a few days later, I thought about what happened at that pediatric ward again.

That woman, the little girl—it rattled me in a way I hadn't been rattled in years. I had been thinking about Laila a lot after seeing the stranger mother and daughter, more frequently than I had already been.

I wondered if my daughter would be this age if she was still alive.

The emergency call had come just right after dinner today.

What I thought was just my father still being upset with the prospect of me finding my child was actually his heart condition acting up, requiring immediate intervention.

When I walked in, he was awake, looking stronger than he should've, considering the wires and machines surrounding him.

"There you are," he said, voice dry but steady.

"How're you feeling?," I muttered, dropping into the chair beside his bed.

"Like I'm about to have someone cut into my chest," he shot back. "But that's not what I want to talk about."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify