The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Bad Shadowclaw. Very Bad Boy.

Serena stirred, eyes still closed.

For a second, she forgot about the nightmare of yesterday.

Then it all crashed back.

Her messing up protocols. Misstepping on her very first day in the Draken Forces. Her accidental screams that bled into a shared mindlink. Before that, the most embarrassing situation where she was crying in the forest. Viremont’s comment on her scent. And Dexmon, breaking her heart and humiliating her.

It wasn’t like her to ruminate over things she had no control over. But this time, it was all too much.

Her thoughts spiraled before she could catch them. Anxiety bubbled in her chest. She hadn’t even fully processed the fact that someone was holding her and her back was against a chest.

Arms tightened around her. She then noticed the sensation of his skin pressed on hers. Sparks danced everywhere. A heart thudded behind her.

But the scent wasn’t Dexmon’s. It belonged to Finnick Shadowclaw.

Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked, head throbbing.

She was not in her tent. That was clear. The fur blanket was new and her tent didn’t smell like pine and testosterone.

Fin spoke softly. "Hey... Serena, it’s okay."

She knew she should be alarmed by the fact she was in bed with Shadowclaw, but she strangely felt this trust toward him.

She knew he’d taken care of her the night before. He’d found her, and she assumed he had carried her to the infirmary. Serena found his hand and placed hers over it.

She then became vaguely aware that she was in her undergarments. Normally, she’d be having an internal irrational freak out about it, but she was so drained that her emotions were tapped out.

She rolled onto her back so she could look at him. His eyes were already on her.

✦✦✦

Xeon: Here it comes.

Fin: Quiet.

Xeon: I’m just saying, this conversation is about to get awkward.

Fin answered her unspoken question. "You passed out in your tent, and I brought you here. Aeron said it was from the sheer amount of magic you channeled."

Xeon: And the marking. Don’t forget the marking.

He was about to tell her, but she spoke first.

"You’ve been so kind to me. Thank you for taking care of me."

She’d already thanked him multiple times. It had struck him last night, and it hit him equally hard today. Her emotions washed into him through their matebond and something cracked in his chest.

"Anytime," was all he trusted himself to say.

His thumb stroked her cheek, looking into her green eyes.

"For the record," he said, voice low, "if you keep thanking me, I’m going to start charging, and my rates are unreasonable."

She started to laugh, and the sound eased the knot in his chest.

He didn’t ask for permission and kissed her. Sparks instantly jolted both of them.

He knew Dexmon had marked her, and he understood she had just broken a matebond. The last thing he wanted was to push her too far, too fast.

So he just kissed her.

Or that’s what he tried to do.

Their kiss deepened, and he had the urge to get on top of her and be inside of her. He wanted to pin her down beneath his weight, to rip off her undergarments and thrust into her until she screamed his name and submitted to him completely.

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