The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate novel Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Best Worst Apology in History. But again, UPGRADE.

Every eyebrow in the room went up simultaneously. Hale took a half step back like he was clearing the blast radius.

Dex ignored all of them.

Serena had her face buried in her hands.

She didn’t hug him back. But she didn’t push him away either.

He could feel her calm, even if she didn’t want to be because of him. He calmed her.

"Send her in," Elara announced, breaking the tension.

Garrett slipped past them without another word.

Elara yanked Serena out of Dex’s arms and shot Dex a look sharp enough to draw blood.

Dex blinked once. Apparently, he’d need to apologize to her too now. Fantastic. Add it to the list.

A moment later, Agnes walked in. Her eyes flicked immediately to Hale. Then Dex. Then Elara.

Her mouth tightened. She did not look pleased.

She opened her mouth.

Hale beat her to it.

"What," he snarled, stepping forward. "You thought you’d be alone with either of them?"

Agnes swallowed. "Right," she began briskly, turning to Serena. "I would like to personally apologize to you for spreading false rumors, calling you a whore, poisoning you..." She held up three fingers. "Three times."

"And smiling at you when you walked in on Dexmon and I."

She held up two fingers. "Twice."

No one breathed.

"And," she continued, nodding once, "for you breaking your matebond. That one’s unfortunate and your doing. But on the bright side, you’re upgrading to the most eligible bachelor in Skardos, so really, you should be thanking me."

She said all of this in the same tone one might use to apologize for bumping into someone in a hallway.

"Oh," Agnes added, like she’d almost forgotten, "you may want to burn most of your clothes. The seamstress was in on it. I threatened her family."

She turned to Elara. "Yours too. Some dresses. Training suits. At least one combat suit."

Hale’s jaw dropped.

"Relax," Agnes dismissed, waving a hand. "It was slow-acting. They’d have at least half a day."

"Serena was unconscious and almost died," Elara countered flatly.

Agnes paused. Blinked.

"Oh. Right." She turned back to Serena. "Sorry about whatever side effects you had from breaking your matebond. Even though that was your choice. Not mine."

"But I did fake rolling my ankle." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "So I apologize that Dexmon was distracted helping me instead of saving your life."

She smiled, pleased with herself.

"But again," she added brightly, "you upgraded."

Serena blinked. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Agnes frowned. "Oh."

Then, cheerfully, she added, "Well. You were marked by both Shadowclaw and Dexmon. So. Now you know."

Serena was surprised. She was not expecting that. Whatsoever.

She opened her mouth. Shut it. Swallowed. Then decided to table it. Tomorrow’s problem.

"Good thing someone told you," Agnes remarked, watching Serena’s face. "For being so promiscuous, you aren’t the shiniest crayon in the box when it comes to the opposite sex."

Elara lost it. That caused Serena to crack up, both turning their laughs into coughs.

"You both cough like hyenas," Agnes observed. "You should really work on that."

She sighed and looked at Elara. "I’m sorry for slapping you."

"You slapped Serena," Elara corrected, voice flat.

Agnes turned back to Serena. "I’m sorry for slapping you." She said it exactly how she said it to Elara.

"And for cutting your dress." She raised her eyebrows and sighed. "But, you and I both know the dress you wore was an upgrade. The first one was ugly." She grinned. "You’re welcome."

Serena stared at her, caught somewhere between horror and disbelief.

"Who else were you working with?" Serena asked, after a few seconds. "You didn’t get your poison on your own."

"No," she admitted. "I didn’t." Agnes paused, choosing her words carefully.

"There were two others. There’s a network outside of them too."

Her eyes flicked briefly toward the floor.

"I don’t know their real names," she added. "And I wouldn’t recognize their faces out of context. That was the point."

Agnes clasped her hands together, looking pleased with herself. "Was that sufficient, or would you like me to keep going?"

"No," Serena said. "Try again. Who were you working with?"

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