The Alpha's Mate ON HOLD TILL JAN 2025

Chapter 30

CARSON

I don't know how long I have been staring at Leah.

My eyes have never left her. She looks small in my bed, and it is taking everything for me not to climb in and lay with her.

Lynx was close, never leaving. His eyes were on her, but he was quiet.

Neither of us spoke.

A light tap on the door pulled me from my thoughts and made Lynx grunt. I said nothing as the door opened, and knew who it was—Zain.

My eyes stayed on Leah till I felt him near me.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Hasn't moved," I murmured, moving my eyes from Leah and onto him, but his eyes were on the bed where my sleeping mate lay.

"She looks so small," he whispered, looking back at me. I couldn't help but arch my eyebrows at him.

Lynx let a low growl escape as we looked at him. I could tell Lynx didn't like how Zain looked at her. I knew he wouldn't go there, not since she's ours.

Zain frowned.

"Don't worry," he said. "I know she is yours."

My eyes looked back at the sleeping beauty in my bed.

"Jenny and Josh are in the office," he said. "I will stay here and watch over Leah till you return."

Looking back at him, I nodded.

"Thanks," I murmured.

Lynx grunted. He wanted to be with Leah, but he knew we needed to state some ground rules to her family.

I stood up and moved toward the door, but stopped and looked over my shoulder to see Leah one last time.

Lynx whined in my head. But we had to see Jenny and Josh.

Moving away, I walked out of the door and headed out of my room, and straight toward the office.

The pack house was quiet and eerie. I knew I had to tell everyone what was going on and that was my next job to do, but I needed to make sure Jenny and Josh knew what was happening when it came to Leah.

As I approached the office, I let out a low sigh as I pushed open the door and walked in. Inside, I found Josh and Jenny sitting in front of my desk.

I said nothing as I walked in, but I felt their eyes on me.

Sitting down at the desk, I looked at them and frowned.

"Alpha Carson," Jenny blurts out, but I shake my head and cut her off.

"No, you will listen to me," I said, looking between the two of them. "I know you didn't cause this, and it was your father, but I told you if there was anything that will stress Leah out or make her upset. I will take her from your care and have her live here."

Jenny's eyes glistened, but said nothing.

I know she wants to have a relationship with Leah, but she has gone about it the wrong way.

I sighed. "I'm not going to stop you from seeing her," I said. "But it will be up to her if she sees you."

Jenny nodded, but looked down at her hands. My eyes went to Josh, who stared at me.

When my eyes met his, he moved up in his seat and cleared his throat. "I was wondering what are you going to about Paul?" he asked.

Keeping my eyes on him for a moment, I leaned back in my chair. "Paul is in the cells and will not be having any visitors for a while, not even his mate," I said, glancing back at Jenny, whose mouth went into a hardline.

"What will you do with him?" Josh asked.

"I don't know yet," I said, keeping my eyes on Jenny, then moved toward him. "I am going to have a word and find out what the hell is his problem about Leah."

There was silence, but I kept my eyes on them for a few seconds before continuing. "I have to make an announcement about Leah," I murmured and looked at Jenny. "I will state that she is my mate, and that she is human, but it will be up to you to tell the pack members who she is to you."

Jenny's eyes widened, but she gave a nod.

Glancing at Josh, he seemed in thought about something.

Lynx had been quiet, but when my eyes went to Josh, he came closer for a better look and grunted. "There is something up with him."

I knew that. Josh was the one who trained me over the years. He was a private person, but you could always tell when something was always playing on his mind.

Clearing my throat, which made him shake his head and look at me. "Do you have any of Leah's things with you?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jenny said, making me look at her.

Jenny bent down and grabbed a bag. She looked at me and handed it over.

Leah's scent was on everything. I could tell by the feel of the bag that there were some clothes, but there was something hard, too. I didn't know what it was.

I kept the bag in my hands as I stood, making them move up. Their eyes bore into mine. "If you want to see Leah," I said. "How about coming for food at the pack house?"

Jenny nodded.

"What will you tell her about this place?" Josh asked, making me look at him.

My mind raced. I had to come up with something, but what?

I shrugged and looked at Jenny. "I know you haven't had a chance to tell her about our kind just yet," I said. "How about we do it together when she is well enough?"

Jenny looked at me, and a faint smile slid across her face. "I wanted to tell her myself," she said, looking between Josh and me, but kept them on me. "But I think she may understand more coming from you. She may even listen more to you than me."

I gave her a nod with a smile. "Great," I said. "As for the pack house, I think we can say that is a place where people live when they have no homes or something along that lines."

Josh stared at me, but Jenny agreed.

"We will see ourselves out," Jenny said.

I nodded and watched as she left the office, but I glanced at Josh, who was still rooted to the spot. His eyes met mine and sighed. "I know you mean well," he said. "And thank you for saving her out there. I don't think Jenny or I were the ones she would have felt comfortable with."

I said nothing. Lynx was close to the surface, but he said nothing.

Josh stares at me for a moment, but without another word, he leaves and doesn't look back.

As he closes the door, I sit back down in my chair and lean back.

Lynx came forward, making me look back at him. His eyes bore back before he huffed. "I want to see, mate," he mumbled, plopping down in my head.

"We will," I said with a sigh. "We have to let all the pack members know about her being our mate. No one can go near her or even touch her."

Lynx nodded and grunted. "What about the old wolf?" he murmured. His anger toward hit me like a tidal wave as I glared back. "We will talk to him in the morning," I said. "I will have Cassie stay with Leah while we are dealing with him. She can bring Leah here when we are done."

Hearing that makes Lynx calm down slightly, but not much.

I leaned back in my chair.

Knowing I needed to open a pack link to the pack members, I needed a few moments to collect my thoughts before I did. I didn't want them to feel any animosity about a situation they have nothing to do with.

Lynx agreed, but I knew I had to do it sooner, as I wanted to see Leah.