The Alpha and his Awaited Mate のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 201 - チャプター 210

CelineIt’s almost Christmas and I still don’t have a present for Liam!! I’m panicking, I have no idea what to buy for him. I pace back and forth in my room, my heart racing and my palms starting to feel damp. I decide to call Ashton for help.”Hey Celine, are you okay?” Ashton answers the call, his voice sounding concerned.”Hi, yeah, I’m okay. I just...I need some serious help with Liam’s Christmas present.” I admit, my voice tight.”Oh, okay” Ashton says, trying to sound calm to balance me out. ”Well, deep breaths. What did you have in mind?” he gently asks.”Well, that’s the whole problem—my mind is a total blank!” I groan, running a hand through my hair in frustration. ”I want it to be perfect, something that actually means something, but every time I try to think, I just panic. What if I get it wrong? What if he hates it. He’s my boyfriend, my fated mate! I should know this, but I’ve got nothing.” I’m on the verge of tears.Ashton lets out a soft sigh through the phone, his vo

I try to sit still, I really do, but my brain is a frantic mess of safety codes and hazard assessments. In the back of my mind, I’m already wondering if these sofa cushions are truly fire-retardant enough for a long-term stay.”I can hear your thoughts” Lucas complains, lifting his head from my shoulder to look me dead in the eye.”I miss you” he says, and his face goes all serious.It’s that look that usually makes me do anything he wants, but right now, it just triggers my internal alarm system.”Baby, I’m right here! Do you need something? Is it a cramp? Should I—” I’m already halfway off the cushions, ready to sprint for the hospital bag or a glass of electrolyte water.I'm getting worked up, my pulse thumping in my ears."No, no” he groans, pulling me back down.”I said I miss YOU. We haven't even had sex in months” He pouts, and it’s the most dangerous thing in the room.”You know, there’s a small risk of—” I start, trying to defend my position with the medical data I’ve memoriz

I watch Marcus for a moment, my heart heavy. He’s hovering over the hospital bag, checking the zipper for the third time in ten minutes. I can’t take it anymore. I step forward and plant a firm hand on his shoulder. "Marcus. Stop. Sit down" I say.I use my "Dad voice"—the one that used to stop him in his tracks when he was ten years old and about to climb something he shouldn't. He freezes, his shoulders up to his ears, but he finally sinks onto the edge of a chair. "Dad, I can't. There’s so much to do—" he begins."There is nothing left to tape down or bubble-wrap, son" I interrupt.I pull a chair over so I’m sitting directly in front of him, forcing him to look at me. I keep my gaze steady. "I remember a boy who wasn't afraid of anything. You’d jump into the deep end of the lake before you even knew how to swim. Where is that man? Because Lucas doesn't need a frantic bodyguard right now. He needs his mate." Marcus’s face finally crumbles. The ’safety officer’ mask he’s been wea

SebastianStrolling through the mall with Ashton feels amazing. This is what I prayed for. My own mate, to love, to cherish. To spend my life with. My hand is locked in his, fingers perfectly laced—the weight of his ring against my skin a constant, thrilling reminder. He looks so breathtakingly handsome today that I can’t help myself; every few steps, I lean in to steal a soft, lingering kiss from his cheek, just to see that faint blush I love so much. We exchange a heated glance. Fuck.We’re carrying a few bags of new clothes, but it’s the art supplies tucked away that make me smile. I watched him pick out those new artist’s brushes and that set of charcoal pencils with such focus. I can’t wait to get him home, though I’m not sure what I’m looking forward to more: seeing what those talented hands create on paper, or having them all to myself.We’ve just stepped out of another store when my phone vibrates in my pocket. It’s Marcus. He rarely calls out of the blue, so my heart skips a

SebastianMy breath catches in my throat, and I can’t seem to find it again. I stand there, frozen in the doorway, watching the way Marcus—my big brother, the man who was just a shell of panic yesterday—looks at Lucas. He looks like he’s finally found his soul. The way he whispers "thank you" into the quiet air... it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.I feel Ashton’s hand in mine, solid and warm, and suddenly the "five-year plan" we talked about feels like a lifetime of wasted seconds. Why are we waiting? For a better time? For more money? For a world that feels safer? Looking at those tiny bundles, Ella and Leo, I realize that safety doesn't come from rug tape or foam bumpers. It comes from the person standing right next to you.I turn to Ashton, and my vision is so blurred by tears I can barely see him, but I can feel him. I feel the love radiating off him, steady and patient. My heart isn't just beating; it’s aching. It’s a physical pull in my chest, a desperate, beautiful