When We Were Mates (Demetra and Emris) novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Demetra.

Emris words went straight into my heart and landed. Right where they should not have landed.

As soon as I let go and turn around, Silver is looking at me. Great

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Another person who now knows something about me and Emris It’s just the first day working here and this has already happened.

Silver walks toward us, flicking between me and Emris like he’s connecting dots he didn’t know existed.

“The… both of you?”

今

“Excuse me.” I say, because I’m definitely not the one answering his questions. I’ve done my fair share with Teddy and Eden already.

“Wait. The raccoons-” Emris starts, remembering my pathetic fear before I walk away.

“The gammas took them out.” Silve raccoon community loose Saw a squirrel at the pack house and figured they’d turn

s and I snap my attention to him. “Land mowers were tearing up trees near the front

woods. Shook the whole squirrel this place into a zoo.” He grins.

lus…I knew Emris would be hiding.”

I chuckle at his joke but I quickly

my

mouth with my

hand I didn’t realize Silver was… funny.

“I’m Silver, by the way.” He extends his hand toward me. “We know each other, obviously, but I don’t think we’ve actually spoken like this?”

I look at his hand and take it.

“Yes. Um, nice to meet you… again, Silver.” I let go quickly. “I’m sorry, I have to leave.”

Moment I get home, I stop at the entrance. I asked a staff to pick up Amira from school because I needed these few minutes to think. To sit with everything Emris just dumped in my lap.

He’s said stuff before about Elena but I never let it move me. But now? It was so believable. A drunk night. His mind already fractured because he was mourning me, accompanied by alcohol, and then….my scent in his sheets.

He was searching for me. So what does that mean? He and Elena don’t have a sexual relationship? Just that one mistake?

“Hello?”

I spin toward the entrance and there’s bubbly Sabrina.

Her hair is in a brown ponytail that swings when she moves. Electric blue eyes that hit different against her complexion. Makeup done and a cute little yellow dress.

“Sabrina?” I force the look off my face, but I doubt it’s gone. “How… how are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“I’m alright.” I step aside. “Come in.”

We make our way to the sitting area where she takes a seat, crossing those perfect legs.

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Chapter 48

“Scotty asked me to come over. I have a degree in fashion, and she wanted a closet change.”

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“Ugh, do not mind my aunt.” I sink into the chair across from her “It’s definitely an excuse so Slade can see you and you guys can start talking.”

I glance at the housekeeper passing by. “Can we get some water, very?”

“Well, I don’t mind her using that technique either.” Sabrina’s smiles. “In case you can’t see it on my face, I’m interested in your brother.”

“Oh. Then let me just give you a tip… that dude is not romantic-

“Hmm, bad like Alpha Emris?”

I freeze.

“What?”

“Sorry, it’s just…” She shifts, suddenly awkward. “People are saying you used to be in the Black Covenant Pack. That you grew up there. Is that true?”

I exhale but clear my throat.

“Yes. It’s true.”

Avery places two glasses of cold water on the table between us. I grab mine.

“What else are people saying?” I take a long drink of the sparkling water.

“Ugh, I don’t know. Gossip, you know how it is.” She waves a hand. “But I do know they call him the most unromantic Alpha in the country. Apparently, he and Elena don’t even stay in the same rooms. Like, that has to be the worst marriage ever so as long as Slade isn’t that bad, he can be saved.”

“Wait. How would people know….THAT?”

“Girl.” She gives me a look. “Black Covenant Pack has hundreds of staff. Butlers, housemaids, gammas, omegas. They see everything but what makes it true is… someone used it as an insult against Elena at a boutique once. Apparently, it made her so angry she got Regan to ruin the woman’s life.”

“How did he ruin her life?”

Sabrina’s eyes light up…she knows she has tea and she’s about to spill it all.

“Well, sometimes he uses violence but this particular Luna? Elena wanted her to lose everything so Regan got close to her. Slept with her. Her husband was the Alpha of the Maroon Pack…he caught them in the act.”

“No way-”

“Yes way! She still thought all was good because Regan promised to make her his mate. That idiot lied…he left her high and dry. Destroyed her marriage and reputation.”

“He’s that twisted?”

“Yeah. And that’s how we knew it was true because why else would Elena be that pressed about someone mentioning it? But honestly? That’s not even the craziest part about their marriage

I’m literally on the edge of my seat now. “Tell me.”

Sabrina checks behind her first like we’re in a spy movie. Bites her lip.

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Chapter 48

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“My pack is known for having the best doctors. The best meds. We are deep in research and our surgical success rates hit 98% when every other hospital in the city hovers at 50.”

“Yeah…”

“Demetra, this is something I wouldn’t dare tell anyone but… weve studied all kinds of wolves. According to our oldest history books, it’s concluded that hybrid males can only have pups with their true mates.” She pauses. “But Elena isn’t Emris’s mate. Yet they have a son.”

My face scrunches. My brain literally stops processing for a second.

“Only a true mate?” The words come out slow, like I’m learning a new language.

“Only a true mate.” Sabrina nods. “Every descendant

of hybrids in recorded history…every single one only had pups with their true mates. This would be the first time in history that it’s different. But because the Black Covenant Pack is so powerful and their Alpha is volatile, my pack will never tell them about this. No other Alphas can say anything against that family.”

“And your brother… he’s sure about this research?”

“Our pack’s whole foundation is research and advanced medicine in wolf traits.” She sits up straighter. “It’s what we’re known for. What we’ve built our reputation on for centuries. We know all wolves, their genetic markers, their biological limits. This isn’t gossip, Demetra.” She tilts her “You seem really invested in this tea.”

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I force a smile, trying to cool the firestorm in my chest. I unclench my hand “dn’t even realize I’d been squeezing them

this whole time.

“If you’re… interested in history, maybe I can introduce

can introduce you to my brother? Your aunt is trying anyway…”

“She definitely is.” I just say anything because my mind is GONE Light–years away from this conversation.

Milo? Not being Emris’s child because hybrids can only father pups with their true mate.

In the mix of these, I’m his true mate. So who… who is Milo’s real father?

No. This can’t even be true. This will break Emris if he finds out. It will completely destroy him, make him skin, make him do something no one can predict.

come

out of his

The history room at Emris’s Alpha wing flashes through my mind. All those statues but the only empty space was Elena’s.

Could it be that she’s lying to him? It will completely ruin Emris

But wait…wait, I can’t just believe this. What if he definitely can have kids with someone who isn’t his true mate? What if the research is wrong? I have to find out more. I have to-

“Do you think I can take a peek in Slade’s room?”

“Uh, yeah yeah. Upstairs, take the elevator, third floor.” I wave vaguely.

Sabrina bounces up and disappears. And I just… sit here. Processing. My knuckles pressed against my teeth.

I wanted to ask Emris more questions about him and Elena, but if I did, he’d think I’m giving him a chance to chase me

back.

Now I’m hearing they don’t even stay in the same bedroom. Does that mean they don’t have sex? Since I’ve been gone, he hasn’t been… does that explain how he exploded when I rode him? How filthily he took me in that theatre? How he can’t keep his hands off me, how at every second he makes sure he touches me?

Because he’s been starved.

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Chapter 48

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The same thing is happening to me. But I cannot fathom that the egotistical Alpha didn’t have any other woman in his bed because he was mourning the loss of me.

“Miss Pride?”

I look up. The nanny is standing there with a worried face and I hear Amira crying.

I’m off the couch in a second. Amira runs to me with her face soaked with tears, little body shaking. I drop to my knees and catch her, checking everywhere for injuries at once!

“What happened?” I look at the nanny.

She shakes her head.

“I don’t know. I picked her up from school and she was already fussy and crying. She wouldn’t tell me anything.”

I cup Amira’s face. “Baby, what is it? Did someone hurt you? Did someone at school hurt you? Amira, please say something to me.”

She buries her face in my chest and I have no choice but to lift her up.

“What’s happening?” Sabrina comes back.

“I don’t know why she keeps crying. I swear-” I shift Amira so I can see her face. “Amira, please. Say something to me. Who hurt you?”

Her little body heaves with sobs. “M… M… M… Milo’s mum

My heart first stops. Then explodes. I feel fear burn my own eyes Elena? Elena did something to my child.

“What…baby…what did she do?”

Amira’s face is wrecked with tears and snot altogether. “She… told… me… to not play with Milo. She…” A horrible sob. “Mommy, she… call me…hore.”

I squint. Hore? What does that mean!? I look at the nanny and Sabrina to see if they understand that. Only for it to hit me.

She called my baby a…..a…..a whore.

She called my five–year–old daughter a whore.

I pull Amira against my chest and feel something dark flood my veins. Something cold and hot at the same time. Something that wants to hurt.

I’m a mother first. Before anything else. Before being an artist, before being an ex–mate, before being Demetra Pride. I’m a mother.

And as my little baby weeps in my arms with confusion and pain she’s too young to understand, I swear on everything I have…

Elena Covenant is going to pay for this.

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