Page 50 of Betrayed Alpha Mate

“Go after her,” he says with one simple nod, without using words. I know that’s what he’s advising me to do because he’d been in the same situation a few months ago, with his fated mate, who is now heavily pregnant with their pup.

None of them looks at me with judgment, but rather with understanding, even as I stand here, bare, without the mask of someone I never was, someone who didn’t take life seriously. Grief messed with my head only because I allowed it. And I will not allow myself to be consumed by the demons of my past. I am not the same man I was before special ops, and I need to prove that to Emily.

That’s why I follow her out of the pack den, finding her bent over, hands on her knees as she breathes unsteadily. I notice the way her body trembles and recognize what’s happening to her as I approach.

Without a word, I fold her into my arms, lifting her against my chest as she continues to tremble and quietly sob against me. I hold her firmly, securely, stroking her back gently.

“It’s okay, Em,” I console her in a gentle tone that’s so soft, even I had forgotten that I could be so tender. It’s a part of me that had died when my mother died, and it feels like it’s coming back.

Perhaps that’s why Emily looks up at me with doe, tear-stricken eyes, as if she can sense that side of me that I’d kept buried for so long. When she sees me like this—truly sees me—I become overcome with the most intense feeling of protectiveness.

I cup a hand on her face, my thumb hitching her chin up and urging her to look deeply into my eyes as I breathe steadily. She matches the pace of my breathing, calming down until her panic attack subsides. I still keep my breathing controlled, my voice soothing as I remain gentle.

“I meant what I said back there, Em. I won’t let anything hurt you. You have nothing to be afraid of.”

Her bottom lip curls into a pout. “That’s not—not why I’m afraid, Sean,” she whispers tersely.

I frown at her as I tilt my face to the side. “It’s not? You were panicking…”

She nods warily. “I needed to catch my breath, I needed to breathe, because I don’t know what’s going on with me. But I am beginning to believe you. I’m beginning to trust you again, and that scares me.”

My breath catches as I stare deeply into her eyes, seeing her exposed and unguarded for the first time in many years. The last time she had that look in her eyes was the night I took her virginity when I needed her the most.

All I know now is that I must protect her, and I must protect her from my own demons. But I make a solemn oath that they won’t be a problem anymore.

“I will never give you any reason to regret trusting me again. I did it once before; I fucked up, but it will never happen again.” I pinch the skin on my neck as I say, “I swear by the Goddess that I will never break your trust.”

A timid squeal leaves her pouted lips before she throws herself into me, her cheek flush against my chest as she buries her face against me. My heart puffs with pride and a sense of devotion to this woman, my fated mate, who has suddenly become everything to me.

Or maybe she always was everything to me, and it took me some time to remember.

“I’m sorry for what I did to you in the past, Em. I’m really sorry.”

Emily lifts her head and tentatively reaches out to cup my face, her eyes swollen with tears. “I forgive you, Sean. I forgive you.”

Relief washes over me as Emily returns her cheek to my chest, where I can hold her tightly.

“Tell the others I’m ready,” she says, voice muffled against my chest as she sniffles. “Tell the others that I’m ready to train. Properly this time.”

Chapter 18 - Emily

It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, even if I’m harnessing more magic in my hands than I’ve ever felt before. Well, at least this time, it’s more controlled, and my power doesn’t feel like it’s going to rip a hole in the ceiling.

Just to be on the safe side, we are practicing outside. And now that I'm letting go of my resistance to Sean, he stands behind me, arms crossed, as he watches me use my magic to split a log.

The log cracks, then sizzles as the gold light permeating from my palms sets it alight. A surprised but triumphant laugh rips out of me, and I turn and instantly fling my arms around Sean.

Fingers still tingling from the use of my magic, it takes me a moment to realize what I'm doing—hugging Sean in broad daylight in front of the other witches—unabashedly.

I pull away awkwardly, grimacing as I give him an apologetic look, and I step back. The apples of his cheeks turn from warm honey gold to a gentle shade of red, his eyes twinkling as if he didn't mind the surprise hug.

“Yo, Sean!” Hunter calls from the porch. “Wanna take five and grab a beer?”

Sean hesitates to respond, glancing between Delilah and me. I place a hand lightly on his arm, feeling just the light stirring of magic that I can now control, grinning softly as I nod toward Hunter.

“You should take a break, Sean. I need one, too,” I assure him, and he offers me a soft smile as he steps to the side, but not without our fingers brushing as he turns to leave.

He glances over his shoulder as he walks toward Hunter, and my heart skips a beat when our eyes meet for a brief moment, my mind going blank for a hot second.