Chapter 149

Chapter 149: Theo I carried the container to the living room, where we had been going through it. It was mostly old books, but also plenty of research to go along with them. Ayla was tucked up on the couch, engrossed in one of the older tomes. I checked my watch and realized how late it was.

I rested a hand on Ayla’s thigh. “Come on, baby. Why don’t we take a break for the night?”

She closed the book and set it on the coffee table.

“Okay,” she replied, but her eyes were still on the trove of information before her.

She was fixating on it, but I couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad thing yet. I had noticed a change in her mood, though. There was an eager fascination in her eyes, and she seemed excited. Between this being from her father and the prospect of learning so much, she was in an element I hadn’t gotten to see her in yet. And frankly, it was f*cking adorable.

But we only had a few days to get through the house, so we couldn’t focus all our attention on the box.

“We’ll take it back with us, babe,” I said, putting some papers back in their place. “You can spend as much time as you want going through all this. Maybe Professor Armand can help, too.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” she agreed. “It looks like there is a lot of history in here. He’ll probably be able to help fill in any holes.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I said. “For now, why don’t we head to bed.”

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11:30 “Okay,” she said but didn’t move to get up. Her eyes were still darting over everything sitting in front of her.

“Hey, babe,” I said, lacing my fingers through her hair to get her attention. “I know a lot is going through that head of yours, but you’re going to burn a hole in the table if you keep staring like that.”

Ayla closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she laughed. “I was just in the zone, you know. It’s a lot to think about.”

She stood up and started pacing the room. “I mean, I know it’s just more questions, but really, it’s mostly the same questions we had before. Except now we actually have a direction to start in to find some answers.

“This could indicate that this isn’t just about the Waar P*k hating my family. At least, I think it could. Especially since the Waar P*k hadn’t even found us back then. Although, I guess he didn’t know that. Harry purposely made it seem like it was them to set him up. But...”

“Woah, woah, woah... back up... what was that about Harry?”

“Oh, yeah, Harry killed my father,” she said, still pacing.

“Ayla,” I scolded, “why didn’t you tell me that?”

“I’ve had other things on my mind, Theo,” she replied with a shrug.

I huffed. “Ayla, this means the Waar P*k probably found out about you more recently. Likely when you showed up at the Gathering.”

“Yeah, I guess so, but what does that matter?” she asked.

“Because we’ve been working with the belief that they’ve been expecting you to surface,” I said. “Randy thought they suspected who you were because they went after your father. But if that wasn’t them, then whatever Waar P*k members were at the Alpha Gathering were just as surprised to see you as everyone else.”

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O ୮ 11:30 “Okay...”

I pulled out my phone and messaged Alpha Harden.

“That means they probably made a mistake,” I said. “I think Randy and Cooper need to investigate the Alpha Gathering.”

Ayla nodded. “You think they’ll find some of the members?”

“That’s the hope. Now,” I said, pulling her to me and kissing her forehead, “why don’t you get ready for bed. I’ll repack all of this.”

“Alright,” she surrendered.

She made her way down the hall, and I started getting everything put back in the box. I was glad to see Ayla’s mood change.

She had been stressed and so weighed down by everything going on that this was an optimistic change of pace.

When I finished packing everything back up, I rested my hands on the metal box. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths.

I guess the stress had been weighing on me as well. This weekend was supposed to help Ayla, but I think I was hoping it would help me, too. So many things were getting beyond my control, and it felt like our relationship was being taken over by worry and fear.

I just wanted to be with my mate. But even that had me on edge.

I still didn’t want to push Ayla into something she may not be ready for. I never thought I’d be grateful for her mother interrupting us, but a part of me had been earlier that day. I was getting carried away entirely too quickly, and my desire almost gave in.

I was lost in my thoughts when I felt Ayla’s arms slide around my waist from behind. The tingling sensation that always accompanied her touch allowed my body to relax.

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O 11:30 14% Thre 284 weurhes Goddess, I needed her.

“Are we okay. Theo?” Ayla asked tentatively.

My head snapped up. “What?” I turned to face her. “Of course, baby. Why would you ask that?”

Ayla shrugged. “It just...” she paused, shaking her head with a weak smile. “It’s nothing.”

“No,” I protested firmly. I lifted her chin to look at me. “It is something. If I’m doing something that hurts you, Ayla, you have to tell me. You’ re everything to me. If I’m not showing you that, then I need to know. Please, talk to me.”

She buried her face in my chest. I held her strongly as panic began to tighten my gut.

“It feels like... like you don’t want me like you used to. Like you’re not attracted to me the same way.’

“Goddess, Ayla, are you kidding me?” I grabbed her face, kissing her hard as I pinned her against the wall, letting her feel exactly what she did to me as I pressed against her. “You are the se**est f**king woman in the world. I want you so bad it hurts, baby.”

I backed off a little, forcing my body to remember why we couldn’t take her right there. Kieran growled fiercely, admonishing me for not pleasing our mate. I ignored him.

“But what he nearly did to you...” I whispered. “What you went through was traumatic, Ayla. I don’t want to push you into something you may not be ready for.”

Ayla’s eyes searched my face. Then she reached up and kissed me.

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11:30 Chapter 147 Theo “I will never see him when I’m with you,” she stated firmly. “Ever. He can’t touch us, Theo. He never could.”

Her lips met mine again. I sank into the kiss but I was still hesitant. She sensed it and pushed me away gently, only to grab my hands.

“Come with me.”