Adored by the Alpha

Chapter 57

I nodded against his chest, relaxing into him. "Do you mind maybe holding me like this until I fall asleep? I don't think it'll take long."

"Of course. Anything for you, love. C'mere." He hugged me closer, humming into my ear and lulling me to sleep. I breathed deeply, grounding myself at the feel of his body against mine, skin against skin, pulses gently pumping in sync. And I was right- I was knocked out cold within minutes.

o~~~~~O~~~~~o

I released a sigh of relief as she dozed off in my arms. I kept my breathing under control. I'd been terrified when she woke me up, and my wolf had immediately prepared to be able to defend my love with our lives. But no, she was just worried about her parents. And worried for my family too, and feeling guilty because she thought it was somehow her fault.

My sweet Paige. What did I ever do to deserve you?

Her breathing was even and deep against me, and I was confident she wouldn't wake up when I laid her down flat on her back, removing some hair from her face and pulling the blanket over her, before placing a kiss to her cheek.

I left the bedroom, not closing the door behind me. The hardwood floors were cold under my bare feet as I walked through the old hallways, lined with my family history. I sneaked down the steps to assure not making a noise, and snuck off into the kitchen.

Like any sensible adult man in a stressful situation, I needed a snackie snack.

And soon enough, I was staring with narrowed eyes at the cookie in my hand. Stress eating. That's my life now.

But I had Paige. She was safe. That was the most important thing.

Anger began prickling in the back of my neck at the thought of that fucker . The mongrel disgusting bastard of an Alpha.

It made sense though, I supposed. Where humans had applied the title 'bastard' to children of unwed parents, that wasn't what wolves were too concerned with. Marriage was an extra- many wolf/wolf couples didn't even bother wasting the money on arranging a wedding. That was usually just something done for the sake of human mates. What mattered to us, however, was the mating bond.

And there was none of that between Alpha Martin's parents. If the rumor was to be believed, his mother was simply a disgusting filthy bitch, who liked to get young men very very drunk and then take advantage of them. Which was how Martin had shown up- with a pretty cover story about how his mother had met his father at a party and gotten pregnant right away, naturally.

The fact that he was a bastard was a common known secret- only amplified by the fact that his parents had gotten a divorce years ago. They'd made some excuse, that despite still being mates they'd mutually realized that they weren't right for each other romantically. That may have been believable- up until the father had proceeded to start a new family, and cut all contact with his so-called mate. That alone, the fact that he'd been able to just stop contacting her, that she hadn't chased him down and at the very least demanded he stay nearby was enough confirmation that they were never true mates. It would have been impossible for her to let go of her mate. No matter what.

If Paige were to one day change her mind, and -goddess protect and prevail- decide that she didn't want to be in a relationship anymore, decided she didn't want my love... I would shatter. I would fall apart and crumble at her feet. But I'd survive. I'd be able to ultimately respect that choice, because I'd want her to be happy- but completely letting go of her? Cutting all contact and not being able to protect her, or love her at the very least platonically? I wouldn't allow it.

She'd be free to decide that she didn't want my love, but she couldn't decide that she didn't want me in her life. She'd at the very least have to tolerate my company every once in a while. Just to let me see her, to assure that she was safe.