The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 95

Laila’s POV

His words sent a chill through me, freezing the cracks that his previous sadness had made in my heart with cold ice. He had found my grave? Where? How?

I didn’t have a grave to find.

Yet Jason seemed confident.

Clearing my throat, trying to force down my nerves, I asked him, “How did you happen across this grave?”

“I reached out to a nurse that helped Laila in her final moments at the clinic where she had gone to receive care for her and our unborn baby. This nurse, she knew where Laila was. She had been there at the end.”

I remembered the staff at the clinic, many of whom had gone out of their way to save my life and to help Ava. I didn’t have any money back then, and things looked bleak. I had been turned away so many places. But there had been a few who saw something in me worth saving. 1

Back then, I wasn’t sure I was worth saving myself. I only wanted to protect my child, the one innocent in my life was duty- bound to nourish and defend. All other people in my life had hurt me.

Yet they had helped me, and I had given birth. Vanessa had found me, and the rest was history.

The nurses at the clinic promised to keep my secrets.

So why now was there some kind of false, fool’s grave?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized… This had to be Riley’s handiwork. Who else would have known? Who else would have helped me?

I would ask her lat

and I knew she would tell me the truth. For now though…

“Jason, would you give me the location of the gravesite? I’d like to send some flowers there.” 1

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“That’s very gener he said. “You didn’t even know her…”

“She affects you, and she lost a little girl like Ava.” I swallowed hard. I hated to even imagine any possible timeline where I could have lost my little girl. It had been all too real not that long ago, and that was a fate I fought against for these past six years. I was still fighting to keep her healthy. “I want to pay my respects. Perhaps it would heal her somehow, if she is still suffering in the beyond.”

“I don’t think she can suffer anymore, thank the Gods…” His voice trail and he lowered his head. After a moment of silence, he nodded. “Yes. I think she’d like that. I don’t think there are many who remember her, and I would like to change that. Even if you did not know her, it would give me comfort to know I wasn’t the only one thinking of her.”

“Of course,” I said.

With that, he nodded. Then he retrieved his phone. He sent me a simple message, comprised only of the address of the cemetery, and then the location of the gravesite within it.

“Thank you, Vanessa,” Jason said. “I hope someday soon, we will be able to discuss things as friends. Happier things, with no need for such sadness.”

The food arrived then, but he barely picked at his. I wasn’t hungry anymore either, and we both ended up with takeout

containers.

He laughed a little, painfully. “I’m afraid I ruined the mood.”

“It wasn’t you,” I said. “Truly, I… I’m sorry for all you are going through. I hope things get easier for you.”

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“It’s kind of you to say,” he told me. “I hope for that as well…”

Jason insisted on picking up the check, and then we went our separate ways. I returned to work, but the thoughts of the grave stayed on my mind. As did Jason’s behavior today.

Though mostly, I continued to think about his words from the night he was drunk, when he had said he loved me.

I allowed a day or two to pass, but then I could no longer avoid it. My curiosity was plaguing me. I had to go and see my own grave for myself.

Especially after Riley confessed the truth to me. She had arranged everything to help protect me and my secret.

With Ava at the hospital, Riley and William visiting her, I left work early and took the detour on the way there. The cemetery was several miles out of my way, but I was determined to see it.

It felt somewhat symbolic. That version of me was long dead and gone. Even though the grave was empty, perhaps it was as if that poor frail, lonely girl was really there.

Jason had said he wanted to visit there, but I doubted he truly would.

It was easy to say he missed me and loved me while he was drunk, but I doubted that would remain true in his sober moments. I was certain he would quickly forget all about me. He’d probably send someone else to put flowers on the grave, if he actually thought about it at all.

I found the cemetery, parked in the parking lot, and then walked into the graveyard. Following the instruction Jason had sent me, I followed to a section of pauper’s graves. The headstones were simple with only names and dates. They were all in uniform, nothing elaborate.

Yet, I only just walked into the section when I saw a man standing, his back to me, where the directions said my grave should be.

I knew, as soon as I saw him that this was Jason. But the way he was standing… Gods… he was like a man defeated.

As I came around to

ee his profile, his face was entirely distant/He didn’t even notice me standing there. He was staring at the headstone, his gaze a thousand miles away.

He was still lacking his color, and now he seemed somewhat hollow.

He covered his face with his hands.

Maybe he knew I was here, and he was putting on some kind of show to garner my sympathy, but the more I watched, the more I was unsure of that. What purpose would he do that? Our contract was signed. We didn’t even really need to communicate

anymore.

If it was for some personal benefit, I had already agreed to allow him to see Ava. Whatever this was… it couldn’t be that.

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