Chapter 13
NADIA.
Ikept thinking about my mate. I tried to console myself by smelling his scent on the shirt I was wearing, hoping sleep would take over. But it never came.
Perhaps because I had no idea what we were to each other at this point. We didn’t talk about it. I wasn’t sure if the two-month deal was still in effect or had been canceled.
The only other option was to make him fall in love with me, so I didn’t need to leave. But that seemed impossible because he was an Alpha and I was just me. Not even my own family wanted me.
‘Stop, Nadia! You’ve been through this torture for years, and I thought we were moving on?’ Arrow snarled at me. She hated it when I wallowed in self-pity, but she would never understand because she was so beautiful and I was just me.
‘Stop, or I will leave you alone.’ She threatened me, but I knew she would never dare leave me.
I shoved the blanket off and rose from my bed. I knew sleep would be impossible. I had better do something else to occupy my mind.
Riley would take me tomorrow to the center of the territory, where we could shop for some basic clothing that I could use. But then I had nothing to wear tomorrow and I would definitely not wear his clothes.
The female that Beta Dominic said would let me borrow her clothes didn’t show up, so I decided to wash my dirty clothes. I went inside the bathroom and picked them up from the hamper before heading out of my room and to the basement where Riley showed me the laundry room.
The packhouse was already quiet, and the lights were already dimmed. It was already midnight and, as he told me earlier, no one sleeps here aside from him and his Beta and Gamma, although he would allow anyone from his pack to use the packhouse as an emergency shelter or home if necessary.
I was almost by the laundry room when I noticed the lights were turned on. Did we forget to turn it off?
I stepped inside the room at the same time a female came out of the small storage room inside. Our eyes met, and her face lit up as a smile tugged at her mouth.
“Hi! You must be Nadia.” Her voice was so soft and sweet that I couldn’t help but feel at ease, even if I was just meeting her for the first time.
I bit my lower lip and nodded my head, not taking my gaze off her.
She extended her hand, a friendly smile still on her face. “My name is Jenny. I’m Gamma Sebastian’s mate. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Hi! It’s nice to meet you, too.” I took her hand and shook it. I saw the way her eyes gazed at my clothes as we let go of each other’s hands.
“I see you have clothes already. Beta Dominic asked me to lend you some clothes, but I was away the whole day with the Gamma. We were on the other side of the territory, and we had just gotten home. So I’m so sorry. But if you need more, I can grab some for you.”
“No. It’s okay. I understand. And I have clothes now.”
“I’m sure the clothes you are wearing are more comfortable, right?” She winked at me, a playful smile plastered on her lips.
I chuckled and looked at the oversized shirt I was wearing. “It’s actually too big. These are the Alphas’ clothes.”
“You should call him Riley.”
My brows furrowed at her statement. “Is that what you call the Alpha here? Just by his first name?”
Her eyes widened as she shook her head. “No! No! We call him Alpha. It’s just that you’re his mate. You’re his equal, so you need to be comfortable calling him by his first name.”
“Oh!” I smiled and nodded my head. “I still have to get used to it. This is still all new to me.”
“One step at a time. I’m sure soon you’ll be calling him by his name, especially when you’re mad as hell at him.” She giggled before she took the clothes from my hand.
“No. It’s okay, I can wash those.” I tried to take it back, but she wouldn’t let me.
“Let me help you.” Her hand raised and her finger pointed to the two washing machines at the corner. “Those two, those are the Alphas.”
She then turned to the other side and pointed to the machines there. “The next two are for the Beta, and the last two are for my mate and I, the Gammas. And then in the next room, those are for the guests or for anyone staying over.”
I nodded my head. “I was in the wrong room then.” I felt my cheeks burning.
“No. Not all.” She moved forward and went to the Alpha’s machine and opened its door. “You’ll be using Alpha Riley’s…”
“No!” I cut her off as I tried to gently take my clothes from her hands. “I don’t think the Alpha would like that.”
She took back the clothes in my hand, like a game of tug-of-war, as her forehead creased, but she wasn’t scowling. Rather, she looked amused.
“Trust me, he’ll be more pissed off if I let you use another machine.” She then placed my blouse and my underwear in one machine and my jeans and socks in the other one before placing laundry liquid and softener on them.
I didn’t argue anymore. If Riley got pissed off, I would point her out.
She looked feminine, but I felt like she could hold herself way, way better than I could when facing an angry Alpha.
I smiled despite myself as I pictured my mate being pissed off again, before Jenny’s voice snapped me back to reality.
“Can I ask you something? You don’t need to answer if you’re not comfortable…”
“Sure…” I smiled at her before biting my bottom lip. I wish she wouldn’t ask personal questions that I wasn’t ready to share with her.
“Do you like him? Do you like the Alpha?”
I swallowed the invisible lump in my throat as my mouth opened, only for me to close it again. What would I say? Should I tell her the truth, or should I protect my heart?
Before I could decide what to tell her, her eyes flecked white, letting me know that someone had mindlinked her, so I stayed quiet and darted my gaze to the machines humming as they washed my clothes.
“Alpha Riley is looking for you. He’s coming here…”
I wanted to ask if she knew why Riley was looking for me, but before I could do so, big footsteps echoed around the basement and, in seconds, Riley came inside the laundry room.
I couldn’t describe the expression on his face. And then everything went fast. The next thing I knew, my face was slammed against his chest and his arms were around my body, hugging me tightly while his lips were pressed against the crown of my head.
“What happened?” I asked him in a soft voice, still contemplating whether I should hug him back or just let my arms be at my sides.
He didn’t answer, and I saw Jenny slip out of the room, leaving Riley and me alone.
“Are you okay?” I asked again, confused about his actions. He was hugging me tightly so that if I wasn’t enjoying the sparks running through my body, I would try to get away from him. But instead, I let his body warm and calm my senses.
“I’m okay now.” He answered in a deep, hoarse voice. “What are you doing here?” He held my arms and withdrew from hugging me.
“I want to wash my clothes. I don’t have any clothes to wear if we go to the center tomorrow.” I tilted my head to gaze at him.
Slowly, he began to smile before his hand cupped my cheek and brushed his thumb against the corner of my lips.
“Let me know if you’re ready to move into my pack so I can initiate you. It will be easier for me to reach you if I can mindlink you.”