I feel our connection thriving between us. Though, I don’t think she feels anything at all.
Except fear. And maybe disgust.
She thought I meant to punish Maliki by forcing him to please her. Then she showed concern for Reaper…
Fuck, this female doesn’t understand me at all.
My jaw ticks. “I?—”
“Morpheus said,” she starts, interrupting what I was about to say. “Oh, sorry. I, er, I thought you were done. Never mind.”
“If anyone needs to apologize here, it’s me, Serapina. I realize I’ve not been the best communicator and I’ve failed you in a lot of ways, but despite what you’ve witnessed, I do know how to be a good Alpha.” Of course, it’s going to take me some time to prove that to her.
But I have to start somewhere.
May as well begin with this.
“What did Morpheus say?” It has to be one of the hardest questions I’ve ever asked anyone. Because I don’t truly want to know what my cousin said to my mate. However, it matters to Serapina, and therefore, it matters to me.
“He said I basically informed the Alphas that I’m unclaimed, but I don’t understand how I did that. Was it… because I moaned?” Her cheeks turn red, but she doesn’t look away from me as she adds, “When I climaxed, I mean?”
Her words evoke a memory of said climax, causing my knot to pulse in response.
Becausefuck. She was stunning. Unique.New.
It almost felt wrong to react to her in such a way. She’s mine… and yet…not.
I haven’t touched anyone in over two thousand years. Persephone was my everything, mylife. Now her soul is standing before me as someone I don’t know.
Is it wrong to crave Serapina? To watch her come undone again, all while knowing she’s not my Persephone?
I swallow, unsure of how to feel about this growing conundrum.
So I focus on what she just asked me instead.
And do my job as her Alpha.
“Your aura emitted a call to all of Alpha kind in this dimension,” I explain. “It wasn’t a sound or anything you actively did. It was your Omega soul crying out for a mate. Because you’re going to go into heat soon and you’re going to need a knot.”
She looks a little unsteady. “Okay. And what… what does that actually mean? Morpheus said the Alphas were hunting me. Did they hunt Alina, too?”
I take a step toward her as she sways. “How about this,” I say slowly. “I’ll explain everything, answer all your questions, while I wash your hair, okay?” I really just want a reason to touch her, to try tocalmher. It’s an intrinsic need, one driven by my inner beast.
She’s an Omega in distress.
All I want to do is purr for her, but she told me not to.
“Please,” I add, feeling a little desperate. “I know I haven’t earned the right to touch you, but it should help a little.”
“Help what?” she asks, her voice quiet. “I don’t even understand what’s happening.”
“Your inner Omega is awakening,” I tell her. “This happens when an Omega is ready to take a mate and procreate. But your situation is unpredictable and rare. And, honestly, it’s alsounknown.”
Because the only two beings in existence with answers are Demeter and Persephone. The former isn’t talking. And the latter, well, she doesn’t remember.
Knowing that serves as a kick to my heart. I thought I’d found my mate, that she was playing some sort of deceitful game for months, only to realize that this isn’t Persephone.
It’s Serapina.
