The Blue Blood Alpha

Chapter 42 - Surrogate Mate

"Henry's gone now, there is no point in living in the past. It's time for Henrietta to accept a new mate. She needs protection and help with her chick. Ronald deserves a chance to prove he can protect and provide for them" asserts Atlas.

"Henrietta's not ready for a new mate, she needs more time. Maybe she doesn't want her heart to be shattered again" counters Rose.

"Maybe Ronald's already fallen in love, perhaps his inner rooster is determined to claim Henrietta. What would make you think he would shatter her? He adores her!"

"He may think he loves her now, but he might meet another unmated hen and fall for her, and then decide to leave Henrietta. What's to stop Ronald from rejecting her one day? She doesn't want risk having her heart broken twice!"

"Henrietta needs to accept that she can't raise the chick on her own. She needs a strong rooster to help her. Tell Ronald what he can do to make her fall in love with him, the way he has fallen for her?"

The conversation was getting absurd,  clearly they were no longer talking about the chickens.  Henrietta with her chick in tow had already wandered off to go foraging, with Ronald following closely behind.

"Love doesn't work like that Atlas, and you know it! It takes time to build trust in a relationship. Love at first sight is just a fairy tale, it doesn't really exist. I've learnt that the hard way!"

"Love at first sight does exist!"

"How do you know it does?" asks Lily

"Because it happened to me! I knew the instant I took you in my arms and carried you back to the cabin that I was in love with you! When you looked up at me with those beautiful brown eyes and asked me who I was, it was like you were staring directly into my soul, like you reached into my chest and yanked out my heart and held it in your hands. I was your slave from that very moment. You worry about me shattering you, but you hold my heart in your hands. Don't you see Rose, you have all the power, it is you who will shatter me?!" Atlas declares. Lily is stunned speechless at Atlas's declaration. She's not sure how to respond to such a proclamation.

"Ahem, sorry to interrupt, but I was waiting at the hot tub. I got worried and came looking for you" says Jin with a smirk. How long has he been standing there and how much did he hear? Either way,  Lily is relieved to have a distraction, so she doesn't have to continue with this awkward conversation. She hurriedly rushes past Jin to head to the hot tub. Her cheeks are burning red with embarrassment, and she can't look at either of the male wolves right now.

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"Are you ok, that was a pretty intense conversation back there?" Jin asks, as he outstretches his arms and rests them on the ledge of the cedar hot tub. He has long, slender fingers and flexing forearms. He tosses back his wet silky ink-black hair and soaks up the sun's rays.

"How much did you hear?" Lily asks, looking down at the water, she can't quite bring herself to look at Jin, she is still blushing prettily.

"Oh nothing much, just that Atlas would basically do anything for you. Including kidnapping a rooster to use in some strange love analogy, so he can win over your heart".

Lily can't help but laugh at Jin's dry wit.

"I think Atlas is confused about his feelings for me" says Lily peeking up at Jin. Jin's now staring at her with his black eyes, set in a sculpted face with high cheekbones. Lily thinks Jin is beautiful, with his chiselled face and chest, and smooth golden skin.

"Honey please, he is not confused. He was crystal clear about his feelings for you. I think he said something about being a slave for you, and that you hold his heart in the palm of your hand? I mean that boy has it bad. Sweetheart, the only person who seems to be confused is you".